Laudica

Laudica was a Human female from the planet Corellia who worked as a gun-runner during the Galactic Civil War. She was known for her skills as a markswoman and was one of many criminals who frequented the palace of the Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure on the planet Tatooine. Laudica was present in the palace in 4 ABY when the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 arrived in order to bargain for the life of their master's friend Han Solo. She witnessed several more of Solo's friends subsequently arrive until Jabba sentenced them to die in Tatooine's Great Pit of Carkoon.

Biography

The Human female Laudica hailed from^[1] the planet^[4] Corellia.^[1] During the Galactic Civil War, she was employed as a gun-runner and had developed a reputation for her skills as a markswoman.^[2] Laudica was good friends with many other female criminals,^[5] including^[2] fellow Corellian smuggler^[6] Brindy Truchong and the^[2] Kiffar con artist^[7] Tonnika sisters. Despite her better judgment, she was romantically involved with Rayc Ryjerd.^[2]

Laudica watches Princess Leia bargain with Jabba.

During the war, Laudica became a frequent visitor of the palace of^[1] the Hutt crime lord^[8] Jabba Desilijic Tiure^[1] on the planet^[9] Tatooine. She was in the palace in^[3] 4 ABY^[10] when C-3PO and R2-D2, droids belonging to the Jedi Luke Skywalker, arrived in order to bargain for the life of Han Solo, a friend of Skywalker's who was frozen in carbonite and who hung on the wall of the palace's courtroom. Shortly after the droids' arrival, Laudica watched as Jabba dropped his slave dancer Oola into the pit of his rancor.^[3]

Laudica was in the courtroom shortly thereafter when Solo's friend Leia Organa, disguised as the bounty hunter Boushh, arrived with the Wookiee Chewbacca and threatened to destroy the palace with a thermal detonator. Organa stayed her hand and thus won Jabba's favor, but she later freed Solo from carbonite and attempted to escape the palace with him. When Jabba caught and imprisoned them, Skywalker came to the palace to demand their release and was dropped into the rancor pit himself. He killed the rancor, however, prompting Jabba to sentence him, Solo, and Chewbacca to die in Tatooine's Great Pit of Carkoon. Laudica and many other members of Jabba's entourage followed Skywalker and Solo as they were dragged out of the courtroom.^[3]

Personality and traits

Laudica had many friends^[5] and followed her romantic desires rather than her better judgment by dating Rayc Ryjerd.^[2] When Oola was dropped into Jabba's rancor pit, Laudica watched and jeered in delight as she was eaten by the creature. She had light skin and black hair.^[3]

Skills and abilities

Laudica was a skilled markswoman.^[2]

Equipment

During her time in the Palace, Laudica wore a red jumpsuit with a white belt.^[3] She used a blaster pistol.^[1]

Behind the scenes

"Mara fans that have painstakingly freeze-framed all the palace footage have found a number of hopeful contenders: the redheaded dancing girl that flirts with Boba Fett, for instance. That's Rystáll. There's also a woman with short dark hair, red jumpsuit, and white belt. That's Laudica. There's a scantily clad girl with platinum blonde hair, bare midriff, and flirtatious eye on Bib Fortuna. Her name is Jess."

―Author Pablo Hidalgo, explaining who in Jabba's Palace is not Mara Jade^[11]

A photo from the set of Return of the Jedi including Laudica — A photo from the set of *Return of the Jedi* including Laudica

Laudica first appeared in Richard Marquand's 1983 film Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, where she was portrayed by an uncredited extra.^[3] The palace scenes, which featured Laudica, were filmed between January 25 and February 8, 1982 on Stage 8 at Elstree Studios.^[12] The Jabba's Palace Limited set of the Decipher Star Wars Customizable Card Game, released in 1998, included a card that gave the character that identified the character.^[2]

Some fans have confused Laudica, among other denizens of Jabba's courtroom, for Mara Jade, an Expanded Universe character who was established to have been a dancer in the palace during Luke Skywalker's time there.^[11] In the 1996 short story Sleight of Hand: The Tale of Mara Jade—written before the release of Jabba's Palace Limited—author Timothy Zahn described a dance designer in Jabba's Palace named Melina Carniss as dark-haired, wearing a red jumpsuit, and crouching over the rancor pit after Oola was dropped in. However, despite her similarities to the then-unnamed Laudica,^[13] Jabba's Palace Limited established that the two are different characters.^[2]

Laudica in Return of the Ewok — Laudica in *Return of the Ewok*

Laudica additionally appears in Return of the Ewok, a mockumentary created by actor Warwick Davis during his time on the set of Return of the Jedi, that blends elements of the movie with the real world. In the short film, Davis, dressed as Wicket the Ewok, wanders onto the set of Jabba's Palace while searching for the Forest Moon of Endor. He finds Laudica and the dancer Jess rehearsing a choreographed dance to Lapti Nek, a song being performed by the Max Rebo Band.^[14]