Ketwol

▶️ to a preview of Ketwol and Dice Ibegon speaking
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Ketwol was a Pacithhip male prospector, scout, and enemy of the Galactic Empire from the Outer Rim Territories. He traveled the galaxy in the Herd Mother, his starship. He sold the precious ores and metals he mined from asteroids in spaceports on planets like Tatooine and Coruscant. In his downtime, he gathered information he needed to locate new planets in cantinas, one of which was Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina on Tatooine. By 0 BBY, he took care of a group of jerbas that had previously belonged to the woman Swilla Corey.

In 0 BBY, he visited the Tatooine cantina and talked with the Lamproid Dice Ibegon and met with the patrons Kardue'sai'Malloc and Arleil Schous over Merenzane Gold. After he left the cantina and made his way back to his starship, Corey tried to take her jerbas back from him but was caught. She explained her situation to him, and he let her stay with him for a time. Corey eventually left with her jerbas and he allowed her to come back to him.

Biography

Prospector and scout

Ketwol spent his downtime in Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina (pictured).

Ketwol was a Pacithhip male^[1] asteroid prospector and part-time scout who hailed from an^[2] unknown^[3] system in the Outer Rim Territories.^[2] He traveled the galaxy his old, poorly maintained starship, the Herd Mother. Occasionally, Ketwol chartered passengers aboard the Herd Mother to make extra money.^[4] He often sold precious ores and metals that he mined from asteroids in seedy spaceports and seamy tap cafés on planets like Tatooine and Coruscant.^[4] The prosector was an enemy of the Galactic Empire, sometimes mining asteroids in Imperial space. Ketwol also secretly supplied the Alliance to Restore the Republic with materials and information.^[2]

In much of his downtime, he talked to spacers and travelers in cantinas, one of which being Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina^[5] in the Tatooine city Mos Eisley.^[6] Though the talks, the scout gathered information he needed to locate new planets.^[5] By 0 BBY,^[7] Ketwol took care of a group of jerbas, some wounded and exhausted, that had come from the Tatooine desert to his ship. The jerba group originally belonged to the woman Swilla Corey, though she had lost them after a giant sandwhirl and an anooba attack. Also, by that time, the Herd Mother was grounded in Mos Eisley and turned into a temporary home.^[8]

Meeting Swilla Corey

In 0 BBY,^[9] Ketwol, and one his jerbas,^[8] visited Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina.^[10] He sat in a booth^[11] and talked with the the Lamproid rebel Dice Ibegon,^[12] whom the Pacithhip managed to raise the ire of.^[1] At that booth, he met with the Defel^[11] Arleil Schous^[13] and the Devaronian^[11] Kardue'sai'Malloc^[14] over a jigger of Merenzane Gold.^[11] Corey also was visiting at this time and recognized the brand on the jerba standing outside the cantina. One of Corey's friends, Kitik Keed'kak, informed her that the jerba belonged to Ketwol. As that happened,^[8] Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, who was visiting the cantina in search of passage to the planet Alderaan, protected his companion, Luke Skywalker, from the thugs^[10] Ponda Baba and Cornelius Evazan.^[14] After the altercation, Corey left and waited outside the cantina for Ketwol.^[1]

Corey followed Ketwol to his grounded ship and seized the opportunity to steal back her jerba when the Pacithhip had his back turned. After he caught the woman, Ketwol explained to her how they had come to him and that he cared for them. Corey explained her unfortunate situation, and he understood her and offered her shelter. Corey spent some time with Ketwol before she ventured out into the Tatooine desert with the jerbas. He allowed her to come back any time his ship was in Mos Eisley.^[8]

Personality and traits

Swilla Corey (pictured) enjoyed Ketwol's company.

The hardworking^[1] and enigmatic^[2] Ketwol was an aloof but pleasant individual who kept to himself.^[1] Few tested his good nature.^[4] He was friends with Swilla Corey, and she enjoyed his company. Ketwol offered her shelter and allowed her to come back to him any time he was in Mos Eisley.^[8] Ketwol had gray skin, blue eyes^[2] and stood between 1.63 to 1.8 meters, depending on his stilts.^[1] His sharp tusks could inflict damage and his thick hide could protect him from stun weapons.^[2]

Skills and abilities

Ketwol was deadly-accurate with his Protector PRP-500 Hold-Out Dart Pistol. Even without weapons, he was still considered dangerous, enough have made a living as a professional fighter. He lacked mechanical skills and, as a result, the Herd Mother often underwent repairs on Tatooine. Ketwol possessed average strength, slightly below average speed, and slightly above average endurance and intelligence.^[2]

Equipment

Ketwol moved with a pair of mechanical stilts^[1] to both overcome his short round appearance^[5] and to look more humanoid.^[1] These stilts allowed him to operate machinery and use vehicles created for taller aliens.^[2] He traveled in the Herd Mother, an old and poorly maintained starship.^[4] He was aided by a^[2] LIN demolitiontech droid.^[15]

Ketwol used a Protector PRP-500 Hold-Out Dart Pistol which contained six darts full of concentrated symoxin.^[2] He kept this pistol hidden away in his tunic.^[4] Other gear used by Ketwol included a Jawa ionization blaster he got from a Jawa trader in exchange for a valuable but small amount of unrefined ore, and a Twi'lek dagger Ketwol claimed after finding taped to the bottom of a table in Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina. He suspected that the dagger had been left there by an assassin.^[2] While in Mos Eisley in 0 BBY,^[10] Ketwol wore a light-colored^[2] tunic,^[4] gray pants, black shoes on his stilts, and a red cloak.^[2]

Behind the scenes

Ketwol employed robotic stilts to increase his height.

Ketwol was added to the 1997 Special Edition re-release of A New Hope to replace Lak Sivrak. The Ketwol puppet was reversed and used for the character of Melas as well. Ketwol and Melas were both played by special effect artist Howie Weed.