Ika Sulko

Ika Sulko was a Mon Calamari pilot who flew an A/SF-01 B-wing starfighter for the Alliance to Restore the Republic's Starfighter Corps. His ability to operate within the fighter's rotatable cockpit was heightened due to his inherent kinesthetic sense. He wore a green flight suit and a helmet while in his B-wing, and he had orange eyes as well as brown mottle skin.^[1]

Behind the scenes

"Fried calamari tonight!"

―Tim Rose, during filming of the deleted scene^[2]

Ika Sulko was created for a scene in the 1983 original trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, that was ultimately deleted.^[2] He was first pictured in the current Star Wars canon in the sixty-seventh issue of De Agostini's Star Wars Helmet Collection magazine,^[3] published on October 10, 2017^[4] and written by Iain Lowson.^[5] He was then identified in the 2019 reference book Rebel Starfighters Owners' Workshop Manual, written by Ryder Windham.^[1] In the Star Wars Legends continuity, the pilot was first mentioned outside of his deleted scene in his 2012 Hasbro action figure, released as part of the Star Wars: The Vintage Collection line.^[6]

Footage of the scene was first revealed in a trailer for the Star Wars: The Complete Saga box set at Comic-Con International in 2011.^[7] In the scene, Sulko says several lines as they are given to Tim Rose, the puppeteer for Admiral Gial Ackbar in the film.^[8] Many of the lines were given to other rebel pilots whose roles were cut as well, including a Sullustan and a human. Among others, the lines included mentioning that he was in range, that he was losing power, as well as a warning to stay clear, as a nearby starship was going to explode.^[2] Rose utilized the same puppet that was used to film closeup shots for Sulko on the face of Admiral Ackbar.^[8]