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Amanaman was the nickname of an Amani male criminal, bounty hunter, and headhunter from the planet Maridun. He kept the skulls of the fugitives he scoured the galaxy for and used them to decorate his staff, earning the moniker Head Hunter for his collection. Amanaman spent time lurking at the Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure's palace on the planet Tatooine during the Era of Rebellion. Amanaman was present in Jabba's palace in 4 ABY, when the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 delivered a hologram message of Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker asking for the release of his friend Han Solo.
Later, Amanaman attended a performance of Jabba's enslaved dancer, Oola, and the Max Rebo Band. After Oola was fed to Jabba's rancor, Princess Leia Organa arrived at the palace disguised as the bounty hunter Boushh and negotiated with Jabba over the price of the Wookiee Chewbacca. During the talk, she pulled out a thermal detonator but deactivated it when she and the crime lord met on the price of thirty-five thousand. The morning after, Amanaman was present in the palace when Skywalker, Solo, and Chewbacca were brought to their death sentencing.
Biography
Palace planarian
Amanaman laughed when Jabba declined the offer of the droids.
Amanaman,[1] whose true Amanin name[5] was unknown on the[6] planet[7] Tatooine,[6] was the nickname of an Amani male criminal,[1] bounty hunter, and headhunter from the grasslands of[3] the Outer Rim planet[8] Maridun.[1] He scoured the galaxy to hunt down fugitives and kept their skulls to use them to decorate his[2] Headhunter Staff,[9] amassing a gruesome collection. For this, Amanaman was known as the Head Hunter. The Amani was also a little-seen member of the[1] Hutt crime lord[10] Jabba Desilijic Tiure's court,[1] lurking in his palace[11] on Tatooine[7] during the Era of Rebellion.[4]
During the Galactic Civil War in 4 ABY,[12] Amanaman was present in[13] Jabba's throne room[7] in his palace when two droids, C-3PO and R2-D2 arrived to display a holographic message of Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker, bargaining for the release of the smuggler Han Solo. Amanaman stood near two Humans,[13] proudly displayed his staff,[14] and laughed when the Hutt declined and referred to the smuggler as his "favorite decoration."[13]
Rebel arrivals
Amanaman watched Oola's dance.
Shortly after, Amanaman reclined in a booth with the[13] Quarren accountant Tessek[15] and the Snivvian scout Geezum[16] while the Max Rebo Band performed.[13] Jabba demanded that his dancer, Oola, repeat her performance. Joh Yowza, a singer for the Max Rebo Band, thought Jabba was demanding him to preform again and the band kicked in. When Oola was dropped into the rancor pit below for refusing to sit with Jabba,[17] Amanaman stayed sat in the booth[13] while others rushed to see into the pit.
Just moments after, the sound of blaster fire came through the throne room stairway.[17] Princess Leia Organa came down the stairway disguised[13] as the bounty hunter Boushh,[17] with the Wookiee Chewbacca in tow. Both were allies of Skywalker and Solo. Jabba and the Princess negotiated the price of Chewbacca before the Hutt flew into a rage. Organa then pulled out a thermal detonator and activated it, causing almost everyone in the throne room to dive into protective cover. Jabba offered a price of thirty-five thousand for the Wookiee and the Princess deactivated the detonator. The throne room party resumed, and Chewbacca was taken down to the palace dungeons.[13]
When night fell, Organa made her way through the throne room and unfroze Solo from the carbonite he was kept in.[13] Jabba and others in his organization stayed in his[17] private elevator,[7] kept out of sight behind a curtain.[13] Opposite the elevator,[7] Amanaman and others were packed[13] in the stairway that led to the palace's guest quarters,[17] also kept behind a curtain. After Jabba laughed at the two, both curtains were pulled back, revealing Amanaman, Jabba, and the others. Solo was quickly taken to the dungeons, and Organa was escorted to Jabba.[13]
Jabba's prisoners were moved past Amanaman.
The next morning,[17] Luke Skywalker arrived at the palace to free his friends, making an attempt on Jabba's life and killing the crime lord's rancor while doing so. Amanaman was stood next to the[13] Chevin Ephant Mon[18] in the throne room as guards moved Skywalker, Solo, and Chewbacca past them. The three Rebels were sentenced to execution by being fed to the sarlacc that lay in the Great Pit of Carkoon. During the planned execution, the Rebels were able to fight back and kill Jabba.[13]
Personality and traits
The giant[9] and strange[19] Amanaman stood at 1.88 meters and weighed 85 kilograms.[3] The planarian-like individual[4] had long[20] gangly[4] arms[20] like sticks[5] and big hands[20] like clubs.[5] It[2] had red eyes[1] and yellow skin with a green back and stripe pattern.[4]
Skills and abilities
Amanaman used a rolling attack when fighting.[3] The Amani had above-average strength, intelligence, and fighting ability, below average speed, and low diplomacy skills. He was not Force-sensitive.[4]
Equipment
From around 4 ABY,[4] Amanaman carried a Headhunter Staff,[9] used as a weapon,[1] that hung the[6] three[20] prized[4] shrunken heads[5] of his[6] unidentified[4] victims.[6] He also kept a dried decapitated corpse at his side, also from an unidentified victim.[4] Other weapons used by Amanaman included a grenade, a blaster pistol, and a spear.[3]
Behind the scenes
Amanaman was created for Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
Amanaman was created for the original trilogy film Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi,[21] which released on May 25, 1983.[22] A concept maquette for the character and his staff was made, measuring 43 centimeters by 20 centimeters by 64 centimeters.[21] The Amanaman puppet, created by the Industrial Light & Magic creature shop,[21] featured to flaps at the front of the costume for ventilation.[23] The front could also be folded down to reveal the puppeteer inside.[24] During the filming of the throne room scenes, which lasted between January 25 and February 8, 1982 at Elstree Studios,[25] the character was portrayed by[26] mime artist[13] Ailsa Berk.[26] Production crew used the name Amanaman,[27] but also the nickname "Banana Slug."[23] On May 12, 1983,[28] the character made its first appearance in an illustration in the Joan D. Vinge written Return of the Jedi: The Storybook Based on the Movie.[29]
Amanaman appears in "The Emperor's Court", a non-canonical story by Jason Hall published in Star Wars Tales 14[30] on December 11, 2002.[31] He is present for a court case between the defendant Han Solo and the plaintiff Neela that is filmed for the IBC show "The Emperor's Court".[30]
Concept art gallery
| Storyboards | Concept art | Digital renderings | In-progress artwork |
![The Amanaman maquette[21]](/starwars/wiki/File:Amanaman-Maquette-Chronicles.png "Amanaman-Maquette-Chronicles.png (805 KB)")
Appearances
- Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
- Return of the Jedi: The Storybook Based on the Movie (First appearance) (Appears in illustration)
- Star Wars Manga: Return of the Jedi 1
- "Lapti Nek": The Music Video from Jabba's Palace
