One Almost Forgotten Creature From Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope Had a Surprisingly Tragic Story

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As a movie reviewer, let me share my take on one nail-biting scene in “Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope”. The band of heroes, Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Princess Leia Organa, found themselves in an unexpected predicament when they tumbled down a haphazard chute on the Death Star. Their landing spot was none other than a garbage compactor teeming with discarded metal scraps and murky brown water. To add to their woes, they were not the only inhabitants; a slimy alien creature resided there, which nearly drowned Luke when it dragged him under. Fortunately, Han Solo, quick on his feet, used his purloined E-11 blaster rifle to scare off the beast.

In the broader Star Wars universe, as depicted in the films, the creature on the Death Star was merely a voracious monster attempting to devour Luke. However, the modern Star Wars canon has transformed this creature into an unexpectedly empathetic character. To mark the 40th anniversary of ‘A New Hope’, Del Rey published an anthology titled ‘Star Wars: From a Certain Point of View’ in 2017, which offered fresh perspectives on the events of ‘A New Hope’ from minor characters not fully explored in the film. One of these stories, penned by Nnedi Okorafor and titled “The Baptist”, delved into the dianoga’s backstory and explained why it dragged Luke underwater during the original film.

The Dianoga Wanted to Help Luke Skywalker in A New Hope

In “The Baptist,” it’s disclosed that dianogas were not only sentient, but remarkably intelligent. A few among them could manipulate a mysterious power they called “It,” which humans know as the Force. One such dianoga was named Omi, who resided in the swamps of a jungle world called Vodran. On one occasion, she was seized by the inhabitants of this planet and transported to the Death Star. Naturally, Omi experienced fear, bewilderment, and above all, longing for her home. The gleaming metal structures of the Death Star were alien to a creature who had always been surrounded by water and vegetation. At one instance, she managed to break free, but found no refuge, thus was quickly recaptured and discarded into the trash compactor.

The Imperials discovered dianogas beneficial as it devoured organic waste, thereby lessening the amount of trash that required disposal. Interestingly, Omi felt a sense of familiarity in the trash compactor more than any other place within the Death Star, due to its darkness and dampness resembling her swamp. Through the Force, Omi repeatedly had visions of an imminent fiery blast, but also heard a voice urging her, “Stay your course.” She resided in the trash compactor for some duration prior to the heroes’ arrival, and immediately upon their presence, Omi felt an unusual bond with Luke. She sensed that he, too, was capable of “surrendering to It,” and thus she was driven to submerge him, not to drown him but to “baptize” him.

The Dianogoa’s Story Had a Bittersweet Ending

Regarding dianogas, any water – even filthy water like that from a trash compactor – held immense reverence. Okorafor’s words describe it as “the source of life” and “the Great Cleanser at the appropriate time.” For them, this was also true for those who couldn’t dwell in it.
In the story, Omi could perceive that she was discarding a part of herself that was “faint” and “fragile.” Once this rite was finished, she released Luke.
Feeling she had accomplished her life’s mission, she no longer feared anything; not even Han’s destruction of one of her tentacles mattered to her. Omi recognized Luke as significant, thinking that her baptism would enable him to achieve his destiny. Even when the Death Star was destroyed, as foretold in her vision, she found peace.
Believing in reincarnation, dianogas’ last thoughts, as expressed by Omi, were about what she might transform into in her next life.

As a die-hard movie enthusiast, I can say that “The Baptist” showcases the enchantment of an extended franchise like Star Wars in an extraordinary way. Initially, when they were creating A New Hope, none of the creators envisioned the dianoga’s backstory to be as rich and captivating as it is today. In the original film, the dianoga was merely a nameless monster with minimal screen time, serving only to add a touch more thrill to the storyline. But fast-forward four decades, and someone managed to transform this brief appearance into an intriguing tale that expanded the Star Wars universe’s mythos.

The narrative leaves some room for interpretation regarding the events that transpired. Perhaps Luke’s baptism was simply a cultural practice that offered Omi solace in a harrowing situation, but it could also be that she genuinely tapped into the Force. This blessing may have been the key to Luke’s success in destroying the Death Star and eventually saving the galaxy from the Empire’s grasp.

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2025-06-08 00:50