Reek

The reek was a large thick-skinned, horned, rhino-esque quadruped, native to Ylesia. Subspecies could be found on Iridonia, Kashyyyk and Ithor. They could also be found on Tatooine^[6] and in ranches on the Codian Moon and Saleucami.

Biology and appearance

The massive bull-like^[8] Reeks were even-toed ungulates, herbivores by nature, but they were often fed meat for exhibition sport and executions.^[1] This turned their leathery skin crimson^[2] and made the reeks much more aggressive. Reeks were unable to survive on only meat, so they were given just enough plant matter to keep them healthy.^[7] This method was used by the Geonosians for their Execution Arena reeks.

These stout brutes had tough leathery skin^[9] which in all reeks, including subspecies, were normally brown in color and only changed depending on their diet.^[1] The mottling identified the subspecies.^[7] Their species could be affected by the Rakghoul plague.^[10]

Reeks were usually found in herds and resided in the mossy grasslands and were very protective over their chosen area of wood-moss turf.^[1] They were very protective of their herds, fighting violently with intruders using their horns. Used in displays of dominance in the wild, they could gore opponents, and few would be able to survive a trampling attack from a reek.^[3] They horn-teeth grew continuosly.^[7] Its strong jaws, used to chop tough wood-moss chunks into pieces, could rend flesh and snap bones easily.^[3] They used their front claws for digging up wood-moss and because their cheek horns grew continuously, reeks would rub their horns on trees and rocks to shorten and sharpen them. The horns of male reeks are usually larger than those of females, and they display them to attract a mate. During mating season, male reeks battled each other in ramming contests for the choice females among their herds.^[1]

While reeks were not terribly fast, they were intelligent. If given patient, gentle training, they could make excellent pack animals.^[1]

Subspecies

Reeks had been transported to other worlds for various purposes, causing them to adapt to new environments.^[1]

Iridonian reek

Another subspecies was the Iridonian reek. Reeks attracted the attention of the Zabrak when they developed interstellar travel. They saw reeks as excellent candidates for war mounts. Soon after, they were exported to Iridonia to be bred. Instead of giving them a meat diet, the Iridonian reeks were given a natural diet consisting of plant matter to keep them fierce and strong with natural vigor, which also turned a reek's skin gray. Adapted to Iridonia, their skin could resist sharp and blunt weapon attacks during battle. The Iridonian reek's horns were much sharper and longer than those of other reeks and were also decorated with tattoos similar to the tattoos a Zabrak was adorned with. Iridonian reeks were encouraged to fight for mates, making them less likely to buck or bolt in battle.^[1]

As the Zabrak advanced, the use of reeks in war declined. However, riding war mounts was still taught in most Iridonian military schools.^[1]

Ithorian reek

One subspecies, the Ithorian reek, was exported to Ithor. Their yellow skin color was attributed to their diet consisting of yellow flora and bafforr trees. They were used as plow animals by the Ithorians and were larger and stronger than those found on Ylesia. Their horns were also smaller because of the lack of hostility between reeks. Males and females were separated to reduce competition and to isolate mating periods.^[1]

Kashyyykian reek

A highly uncommon subspecies was the Kashyyykian reek, also known as a ryyk to the Wookiees. The majority of reeks on Kashyyyk died off due to the climate change and the predators, but a select few did survive and learned to thrive. The adaptations required to do so made the Kashyyykian reeks much larger than their cousins. Their horns became narrower, but longer and stronger, and there were one or two examples of the development of poisons beginning to be secreted at the tips.

History

There have been attempts to breed reek for simple, easily-domesticated labor and a source of food and materials. The Codian Moon maintained reek ranches, but scarcer resources had instilled even greater territoriality among those reek. With plummeting profits, unscrupulous ranchers had discovered that the beasts could be starved into carnivorism to provide violent entertainment, and had sold the animals into such cruel endeavors.^[3]

During the Cold War some reeks were affected by Rakghoul plague.^[10]

A wild^[12] reek was kept in the Petranaki Arena on Geonosis, in a pen within the walls.^[13] It stood as tall as a Wookiee, as wide as a human male was tall, and more than four meters long.^[14] It was used in the attempted execution of Anakin Skywalker just prior to the Clone Wars. Boba Fett, who was observing the scene,^[5] reconized the beast from books he read.^[15] Anakin, however, tamed^[5] the surprisingly fast animal^[3] with the Force and broke his chains before directing it against a nexu attacking Padmé Amidala, killing the smaller predator. The reek then separated from the Jedi when a battle erupted in the arena,^[5] who abandoned it to its fate.^[12] The reek wanted no part of it, so it ran in wild circles, snarling and snorting, stomping and stamping, crushing droids, Geonosian troops, Jedi, and bystanders under its hooves.^[15] It lost one of its cheek horns to Mace Windu before attacking Jango Fett,^[5] unable to distinguish friend from foe.^[14] Though Fett avoided being trampled by the creature and killed it with a single expertly aimed shot to the eye, it damaged his jetpack and led to his own death moments later by Windu's blade.^[5] After the battle Boba passed by the dead reek,^[14] still left in the arena,^[5] while searching for his father.^[14]

One captured^[9] reek was ridden by General Grievous, leader of the Separatist Droid Army, during the battle of Saleucami.^[16]

Garnac's hunting guild killed a reek and placed its head in their Ubrikkian Floating Fortress, alongside the trophies made of other creatures.^[17]

At some point a group of misguided farmers brought a large reek to Tatooine, hoping to develop a new market for the animals as beasts of burden. The plan was a disaster from the start, as the reek was unexpectedly difficult to train, and injured many farmers in the process. After weeks of work, the farmers have barely begun to exert the control they require over the beast. Some local Tusken Raiders saw the massive creature at the farm and, as already used to riding enormous Banthas, they sent out a raiding party to capture the reek for use as a new. They sprang their attack in broad daylight while the farmers are attempting to guide the beast back to its stall, thougth the reek has ideas of its own.^[18]

The Ithorian reeks were wiped out during the Yuuzhan Vong War.^[1]

Behind the scenes

Reeks first appeared in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.^[5] The initial designs of the reek were inspired by Placerias, a stout, four-legged tusked species from the Triassic era. As the designs evolved, it began to take on more bull-like characteristics. Concept sculptor Michael Patrick Murnane was most responsible for developing the reek's final look in a very detailed concept maquette. The creature's tall central horn came out of a specific plot element George Lucas needed—Anakin Skywalker was to wrap his chains around the reek's horn when trying to control it.^[3] The digital model for the Reek in Episode 2 was built by Derek Gillingham at Industrial Light & Magic.^[19]

While in the film Jango manages to kill the reek with a single shot to the head,^[5] in the novelization and the comic adaptation the creature is killed by shooting multiple times in the belly.^[14][20]

Appearances

Non-canon appearances

• LEGO Star Wars III: The Clone Wars

Sources

Notes and references