10 Minor Star Wars Characters Whose Stories Must Be Told
9. Malakili The Rancor Keeper
Few moments in the original trilogy have the emotional punch of Malakili’s tearful realisation that his beloved Rancor monster is dead. Though he has but a few scant seconds of screen time in Return of the Jedi, the purity and simplicity of his grief stays with us, even as Luke Skywalker starts somersaulting around killing everyone.
Such a bond between monster and keeper can only stem from lifelong trust and companionship. Malakili must have imprinted on the Rancor when it was but a pup (Kitten? Cub? Tadpole?). His story is one of companionship and shenanigans, as the rotund charmer and his gigantically murderous best buddy struggle to survive in Tatooine's underworld.
Malakili and the Rancor can teach us there is more to Star Wars than the conflict that gives the series its name. There is hope and humour, joy and friendship. And perhaps, as we look back on the late Rancor's full and happy life, there is even love.