Tusken Raiders
Encyclopedia
Tusken Raiders are fictional creatures in the Star Wars
universe
. They are characterized as a nomadic warrior race that lives on the planet
Tatooine
.
when a pack of them attack Luke Skywalker
in the Jundland Wastes and knock him unconscious. Just as they are about to carry him away, however, Obi-Wan Kenobi
frightens them off and rescues Luke.
They make a brief cameo in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
taking pot shots at the Pod Race drivers.
They make another appearance in the Star Wars universe in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
, set 22 years before A New Hope; in this film, they have kidnapped Anakin Skywalker's mother, Shmi, and tortured
her for a month. Anakin eventually finds her, but it is too late; she is mortally injured and dies in his arms. Seized by a violent rage, Anakin slaughters the entire tribe, including the women and children.
sources, Tusken Raiders are named after Fort Tusken, an early Old Republic mining settlement in which all of the settlers were overwhelmed and captured or killed by Tusken Raiders, then referred to as Sand People. The attack probably occurred due to the fort's placement over one of the Raiders' holy wells.
The comic book series Star Wars: Republic
explains that exiled Jedi
Sharad Hett and his son A'Sharad Hett lived among the Tusken Raiders for many years. Hett was one of the few non-Tuskens to be accepted into their ranks and was even given the title of Warlord
. Although A'Sharad Hett believed he was half-Tusken for the better part of his life, during his training on Coruscant
he learned that humans and Tusken Raiders were genetically unable to reproduce. This leads him to believe that his mother must have been a human, captured by the Tusken Raiders at a young age and raised as a Tusken. The series Star Wars: Legacy
, set some 200 years later, reveals that A'Sharad eventually turned to the dark side of the Force and, as the Sith Lord
Darth Krayt, briefly conquered the galaxy
.
In the Junior Jedi Knights and New Jedi Order series, it is revealed that Jedi Knight Tahiri Veila was raised by the Tusken Raiders after they captured her in a raid.
A Tusken Raider named Hoar appears as a playable character in the PlayStation
fighting game Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi
.
In the Xbox Original
game Star Wars: Battlefront II
players are allowed to play as Tusken Raiders in a special game mode called "hunt".
The Cavefish biker gang from the Lucasarts
game Full Throttle were designed to resemble Tusken Raiders in appearance.
Star Wars
Star Wars is an American epic space opera film series created by George Lucas. The first film in the series was originally released on May 25, 1977, under the title Star Wars, by 20th Century Fox, and became a worldwide pop culture phenomenon, followed by two sequels, released at three-year...
universe
Fictional universe
A fictional universe is a self-consistent fictional setting with elements that differ from the real world. It may also be called an imagined, constructed or fictional realm ....
. They are characterized as a nomadic warrior race that lives on the planet
Planet
A planet is a celestial body orbiting a star or stellar remnant that is massive enough to be rounded by its own gravity, is not massive enough to cause thermonuclear fusion, and has cleared its neighbouring region of planetesimals.The term planet is ancient, with ties to history, science,...
Tatooine
Tatooine
Tatooine is a fictional planet and setting for many key scenes in the Star Wars saga, appearing in every Star Wars film except The Empire Strikes Back, although it is mentioned at the end of the movie...
.
Appearances in Star Wars media
Tusken Raiders first appear in Star Wars Episode IV: A New HopeStar Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, originally released as Star Wars, is a 1977 American epic space opera film, written and directed by George Lucas. It is the first of six films released in the Star Wars saga: two subsequent films complete the original trilogy, while a prequel trilogy completes the...
when a pack of them attack Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker
Luke Skywalker is a fictional character and the main protagonist of the original film trilogy of the Star Wars franchise, where he is portrayed by Mark Hamill. He is introduced in Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope, in which he is forced to leave home, and finds himself apprenticed to the Jedi master...
in the Jundland Wastes and knock him unconscious. Just as they are about to carry him away, however, Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi
Obi-Wan Kenobi is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe. He is one of several primary characters in the Star Wars series. Along with Darth Vader, R2-D2, and C-3PO, he is one of the few major characters to appear in all six Star Wars films...
frightens them off and rescues Luke.
They make a brief cameo in Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace is a 1999 American epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas. It is the fourth film to be released in the Star Wars saga, as the first of a three-part prequel to the original Star Wars trilogy, as well as the first film in the saga in terms...
taking pot shots at the Pod Race drivers.
They make another appearance in the Star Wars universe in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones is a 2002 American epic space opera film directed by George Lucas and written by Lucas and Jonathan Hales. It is the fifth film to be released in the Star Wars saga and the second in terms of the series' internal chronology...
, set 22 years before A New Hope; in this film, they have kidnapped Anakin Skywalker's mother, Shmi, and tortured
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
her for a month. Anakin eventually finds her, but it is too late; she is mortally injured and dies in his arms. Seized by a violent rage, Anakin slaughters the entire tribe, including the women and children.
Expanded Universe
According to Expanded UniverseStar Wars Expanded Universe
The Star Wars Expanded Universe encompasses all of the officially licensed, fictional background of the Star Wars universe, outside of the six feature films produced by George Lucas. The expanded universe includes books, comic books, video games, spin-off films like Star Wars: The Clone Wars,...
sources, Tusken Raiders are named after Fort Tusken, an early Old Republic mining settlement in which all of the settlers were overwhelmed and captured or killed by Tusken Raiders, then referred to as Sand People. The attack probably occurred due to the fort's placement over one of the Raiders' holy wells.
The comic book series Star Wars: Republic
Star Wars: Republic
Star Wars: Republic is an American comic book series is set in the fictional Star Wars universe. The series was published by Dark Horse Comics from 1998 to February 2006. The series was originally titled simply Star Wars, but acquired its Republic title at issue 46. The entire series comprises...
explains that exiled Jedi
Jedi
The Jedi are characters in the Star Wars universe and the series's main protagonists. The Jedi use a power called the Force and weapons called lightsabers, which emit a controlled energy flow in the shape of a sword, in order to serve and protect the Republic and the galaxy at large from conflict...
Sharad Hett and his son A'Sharad Hett lived among the Tusken Raiders for many years. Hett was one of the few non-Tuskens to be accepted into their ranks and was even given the title of Warlord
Warlord
A warlord is a person with power who has both military and civil control over a subnational area due to armed forces loyal to the warlord and not to a central authority. The term can also mean one who espouses the ideal that war is necessary, and has the means and authority to engage in war...
. Although A'Sharad Hett believed he was half-Tusken for the better part of his life, during his training on Coruscant
Coruscant
Coruscant is a planet in the fictional Star Wars universe. It first appeared onscreen in the 1997 Special Edition of Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, but was first mentioned in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel Heir to the Empire...
he learned that humans and Tusken Raiders were genetically unable to reproduce. This leads him to believe that his mother must have been a human, captured by the Tusken Raiders at a young age and raised as a Tusken. The series Star Wars: Legacy
Star Wars: Legacy
Star Wars: Legacy is an American comic book series set in the Star Wars universe. The series, published by Dark Horse Comics, is written by John Ostrander and Jan Duursema, and illustrated by Duursema and others, with inks by Dan Parsons and color by Brad Anderson...
, set some 200 years later, reveals that A'Sharad eventually turned to the dark side of the Force and, as the Sith Lord
Sith
-Sith:The Sith is a name applied to certain characters in the Star Wars universe. In the films they are the central antagonists. They are capable of using the dark side of the Force.-The Invention of the Sith:...
Darth Krayt, briefly conquered the galaxy
Star Wars Galaxy
Star Wars Galaxy may mean:* Star Wars Galaxies, a Star Wars themed MMORPG platform for Microsoft Windows* Star Wars galaxy, the fictional galaxy where the setting of the Star Wars saga occurs...
.
In the Junior Jedi Knights and New Jedi Order series, it is revealed that Jedi Knight Tahiri Veila was raised by the Tusken Raiders after they captured her in a raid.
A Tusken Raider named Hoar appears as a playable character in the PlayStation
PlayStation
The is a 32-bit fifth-generation video game console first released by Sony Computer Entertainment in Japan on December 3, .The PlayStation was the first of the PlayStation series of consoles and handheld game devices. The PlayStation 2 was the console's successor in 2000...
fighting game Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi
Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi
Star Wars: Masters of Teräs Käsi is a Lucasarts fighting game released in 1997 and set in the fictional universe of Star Wars. "Teräs Käsi" refers to a martial art used in the game; and, while being in grammatically incorrect form, is Finnish for "steel hand".-Story:Masters of Teräs Käsi takes...
.
In the Xbox Original
Xbox
The Xbox is a sixth-generation video game console manufactured by Microsoft. It was released on November 15, 2001 in North America, February 22, 2002 in Japan, and March 14, 2002 in Australia and Europe and is the predecessor to the Xbox 360. It was Microsoft's first foray into the gaming console...
game Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars: Battlefront II
Star Wars: Battlefront II is a first/third-person shooter video game developed by Pandemic Studios, and published by LucasArts. The game is the sequel to the successful Star Wars: Battlefront and features new vehicles, characters, game mechanics, maps, and missions...
players are allowed to play as Tusken Raiders in a special game mode called "hunt".
The Cavefish biker gang from the Lucasarts
LucasArts
LucasArts Entertainment Company, LLC is an American video game developer and publisher. The company was once famous for its innovative line of graphic adventure games, the critical and commercial success of which peaked in the mid 1990s...
game Full Throttle were designed to resemble Tusken Raiders in appearance.
