Summary
A 45-year-old alien race fromStar WarsLegends, the Tynnans, will make their live-action debut inThe Acolyteepisode 4.The AcolyteshowrunnerLeslye Headlandhas been aStar Warsfor decades. “My relationship with Star Wars probably runs the span of most of my life,” she observed in one interview. Given that’s the case, it’s no surpriseThe Acolytedraws upon a lot of widerStar Warslore - including concepts and ideas from the old Expanded Universe.
The officialStar Warswebsite has confirmedThe Acolyteepisode 4 will feature the live-action debut of the Tynnans, who date back to the 1979 novelHan Solo at Star’s Endby Brian Daley. These aliens visibly resemble anthropomorphized beavers or otters, and one of their number - Bazil - is apparently brought on board for his tracking skills. This means the original Legends design has been repurposed a little to make Bazil a better tracker; as creature & droid FX creative supervisor Neal Scanlan explained:
“Bazil was very sensory, sohe would obviously smell and hear things probably better than using his eyesight. The idea of having goggles was that he would then sort of go inwardly and become the tracker.”
Lucasfilm doubled down on the cuteness factor quite deliberately. “What qualities are [fans of all ages] going to see in him that they would identify with?” Scanlan asked. “That will only work if they feel like there’s an element that they could give him a cuddle or that he’s friendly.” The last few years have seenStar Warsdouble down on this approach, with everything from Grogu inThe Mandalorianto LO-LA59 inObi-Wan Kenobi.
Everything You Need To Know About Tynnans
InStar WarsLegends, the Tynnans originated from the Expansion Region planet Tynna. They evolved from water mammals, which meant they were naturally at home in aquatic environments, and they were noted for a focus on environmental protection. Unfortunately, this focus meant the Tynnans wound up on the wrong side of the Empire; a powerful planetary shield protected them through most of the Dark Times, but failed when extragalactic invaders known as theYuuzhan Vongravaged the galaxy.
The Tynnans have been name-dropped inStar Warscanon before now, with James Luceno’s novelCatalyst- a tie-in toRogue One: A Star Wars Story- revealing they had efficient rebel cells during the Dark Times. Still, Bazil is the first Tynnan to make his way into live-action, and the design is subtly different. The most notable change is thatthe canon Tynnans apparently wear clothes, whereas in Legends they didn’t see the need.
It’s easy to guess how Bazil fits intoThe Acolyte. The Jedi are pursuing the last missing member of a group who visited the planet Brendok some 16 years ago, butJedi Master Kelnaccaseems to have hidden himself far from prying eyes. A Tynnan tracker will be an essential asset in tracking him down.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
