Solomahal

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Solomahal was[2] a Lutrillian[1] who served in the Galactic Republic's military forces as a general. During the time of the Clone Wars between the Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Solomahal worked alongside the Thyrsus Sun Guard, a mercenary unit.[2] The general had gray hair, light skin, and black eyes. The Lutrillian wore a gray scarf and a gray jacket.[1]

Behind the scenes

"This alien has always had a military leaning. During shooting, it was known simply as 'The Colonel,' though another nickname was 'the Hare Mouse.'"
―Pablo Hidalgo[3]

In the current Star Wars canon, Solomahal was pictured in the StarWars.com Episode Guide for "Deception,"[1] the fifteenth episode of the fourth season of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which aired on January 20, 2012.[4] The character was then identified in the 2019 reference book Collapse of the Republic.[2] Solomahal was originally intended to be one of two Lutrillians created as background characters for the cantina scene in 1977's Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope. The character was designed by John Mollo,[5] and his mask was sculpted by Stuart Freeborn for shooting in England.[3]

Atheloe meets with .

Atheloe meets with Tzizvvt.

The only distinction between the two costumes was an ascot worn by one of the extras.[6] The production team for A New Hope referred to at least one of these Lutrillians as the Colonel, suggesting a military background that would be picked up by with Solomahal's eventually established backstory,[3] and at least one as the Hare Mouse.[7] One or both of these characters was intended to be named Ownellco.[8] However, in Star Wars Insider 130's Rogues Gallery: The Usual Suspects: Who's Who in Mos Eisley, published in December 2011, it was retconned that both of the Lutrillians seen in A New Hope were in fact Ownellco and Atheloe.[9]

One of the Lutrillian masks was later used in the cantina scenes in The Star Wars Holiday Special,[10] marking Solomahal's first appearance.[11] The character went unused and unreferenced until 1997, when the Star Wars Customizable Card Game established that he was "Solomahal, a veteran officer of the Old Republic."[3] After the Holiday Special, Customizable Card Game, and various other sources were established to be part of the Star Wars Legends continuity,[12] Solomahal's backstory as a Republic general was brought into the new Star Wars canon in Collapse of the Republic, which further established Solomahal as working alongside the Thyrsus Sun Guard,[2] the inverse of their relationship in Star Wars Legends; in Legends, Solomahal earned fame by fighting and defeating the Sun Guard's 2nd Regiment.[13]

Sources

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Collapse of the Republic
  2. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 StarWars.com Cantina Roll-Call: Shedding Light on Some Alien Aliases on StarWars.com (backup link) (original site is defunct)
  3. ↑ Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Episode Guide
  4. ↑ Star Wars Chronicles.
  5. ↑ The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film.
  6. ↑ Star Wars Chronicles
  7. ↑ The article StarWars.com Cantina Roll-Call: Shedding Light on Some Alien Aliases on StarWars.com (backup link) (original site is defunct) conflates these two Lutrillians as the same, leaving it unclear which Lutrillian was due to be named Ownellco.
  8. ↑ StarWars.com The Star Wars Holiday Special Cantina: Who's Who on StarWars.com (backup link) (original link is obsolete)
  9. ↑ The Star Wars Holiday Special
  10. ↑ StarWars.com The Legendary Star Wars Expanded Universe Turns a New Page on StarWars.com (backup link)
  11. ↑ WizardsoftheCoast Rough and Tundra on Wizards.com (backup link) (original site is defunct)