- "Banthas, all right."
- ―Luke Skywalker, to C-3PO, not considering that the droid might not be able to distinguish a bantha from a panda
A panda was distinct from a bantha,[1] which was a species of mammals native to[2] the planet Tatooine. In the planet's Jundland Wastes[1] in 0 BBY,[3] as the protocol droid C-3PO accompanied his master—local moisture farmer Luke Skywalker—in search of his astromech droid, R2-D2, Skywalker audibly confirmed the presence of several banthas nearby while peering through a pair of macrobinoculars. Due to his excitement, he did not consider whether C-3PO could distinguish a bantha from a panda.[1]
Soon after in the same year,[3] the Rebel Alliance deployed a pair of Lambda-class T-4a shuttles named Panda to capture the Galactic Empire frigate Priam.[4]
Behind the scenes
A panda was first mentioned in Alan Dean Foster's 1976 novelization[1] of the 1977 original trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope.[5] It is one of multiple references to real-world wildlife in Star Wars media.[6]
Appearances
- Star Wars: X-Wing (Mentioned only) (In the name of the shuttle group Panda)
- Star Wars: A New Hope novelization (and unabridged audiobook) (First mentioned, in book)
Sources
"Q & A" — Official Star Wars Fan Club 4- X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide (In the name of the shuttle group Panda)
- X-Wing Collector's CD-ROM: The Official Strategy Guide (In the name of the shuttle group Panda)
- "May The Facts Be With You: Part One: #1-50" — Star Wars Insider 93 (reprinted in Special Edition 2010 and The Original Trilogy)
- "Dealing With Darth" — Star Wars Insider 108 (reprinted in Lords of the Sith)
- Drawing from the Present: Familiar Creatures in a Galaxy Far, Far Away on StarWars.com (backup link) (original link is obsolete)
Notes and references
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope novelization
- ↑ The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 X-Wing: The Official Strategy Guide establishes that the events of Star Wars: X-Wing's third tour of duty take place between the capture of Leia Organa and the Battle of Yavin. Both of those events occur in 0 BBY according to The New Essential Chronology. The battle occurs four days after Organa's capture per the reasoning here, and in Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, Luke Skywalker's search for R2-D2 takes place the day after the capture. Since the capture of the Priam takes place midway through the third tour of duty, Skywalker's search likely took place before the Priam's capture.
- ↑ Star Wars: X-Wing
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
- ↑
"May The Facts Be With You: Part One: #1-50" — Star Wars Insider 93
