5 Scariest Creatures in Star Wars

Across the plethora of planets in the Star Wars galaxy, there are countless species that populate the universe. Some are adorable, like Ewoks and the Porgs. Others are pretty gross, like Jabba the Hutt and Watto.

And then there are the terrifying creatures that no one would want to come face to face with.

From the caves of Both to the deepest recesses of a space asteroid, Star Wars has no shortage of disgusting, vile, and scary creatures.

Whether the films are exploring sand, snow, or space, the are hazards everywhere dangerous to Rebels and Imperials alike. Some of the creatures are frightening a enough to make a Jedi squirm.

Even though the saga has a lot of high-concept fantasy fare, some of the creature designs are straight out of horror movies. And while mynocks and acklays are the stuff of nightmares, they’re not even the scariest creatures in the Star Wars galaxy.

Read on to find out what we think are the most horrifying creatures in the Star Wars saga.

Space Slug

After a daring escape from Imperial TIE Fighters in The Empire Strikes Back, the Millennium Falcon took refuge in the tunnels of a large asteroid.

They tried to wait out the Empire’s forces and fix their malfunctioning hyper drive, but literally ended up in the belly of the beast.

The scene played out like a sci-fi version of Jaws, with Leia Organa, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and C-3PO thinking they’re safe because the Empire can’t find them. But after getting rid of the mynocks feeding on the ship’s power source, the realize they’re in more danger than they thought.

Han beckons the crew back on the ship so they can get to safety, realizing their hiding spot is actually inside a gigantic space slug.

The monster is barely seen, only in the end when they escape its jaws and it tries to bite back. It’s a moody scene in the movie, more of which is filled with awful creatures lurking in the depths.

 

Dianoga

The first terrifying creature in the Star Wars universe mostly works because of a conventional horror presentation.

After Luke Skywalker, Chewie, and Han raid the Death Star to rescue Princess Leia, they all escape an overwhelming gunfight by diving into the trash chute. Unfortunately, that dump is the lair of the diabolical dianoga.

It’s only visible by its single eye that lurks in the water, popping out to survey its prey.

Its presence added a terrifying layer of tension to the scene, even if the monster was fully revealed on the screen.

Much like some of the best horror movies, the scariest creatures are best left to the imagination.

 

Rathtar

These creatures had the benefit of state-of-the-art CGI, and they look straight out of H.P. Lovecraft’s brain.

Though they’re shown on screen, the dark setting and frantic pacing of the scene make a clear view all but impossible, and rathtars are much more horrifying because of it.

When Han Solo is nearly punished for conning two different gangs of smugglers in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Rey and Finn decide to create a diversion and accidentally unleash these horrifying creatures.

The ratters proceed to eat quite a few people, and nearly introduce Finn to his early demise.

They roll around at high speeds thanks to their tentacles, which they’re covered with. And those giant mouths and sharp teeth are pretty terrifying. As Han said, he used to have a bigger crew, making rathtars some of the most dangerous creatures in the galaxy.

 

Wampa

When we first meet Luke Skywalker in The Empire Strikes Back, he seems hopeful and optimistic as the Rebels continue their campaign against the Empire. That all goes out the window rather quickly when he’s mauled by a hairy, white creature that then drags his body through the snow.

The next scene is memorable for showing how Luke’s mastery of the Force has come a long way, using it to pull his lightsaber from the snow. But the quick shots of the wampa are pretty scary.

Now, your mileage may vary, but the Special Editions attempted to improve on these scenes by reshooting the wampa with an improved costume, giving it more screen time and debilitating the mystery.

Star Wars worked best in these moments when the filmmakers employed the same tactics as those old school horror films. Those tight shots of the wampa moving toward Luke took away from the mystique.

But the original wampa scene was truly scary, setting the stage for the tonal shift toward pessimism in that installment in the Star Wars franchise.

 

Rancor

A mixture of rotoscoped animation and practical effects, the Rancor fight scene in Return of the Jedi was a cinematic accomplishment.

After Luke Skywalker gives himself up to Jabba the Hutt, he’s forced to fight for his life against this hulking monster that would probably be a better fit in a horror film.

The dark lighting and cave-like setting below Jabba’s lair add to the mood, which quickens the film’s pace almost instantly. At first, characters were falling into Jabba’s grasp one by one.

With this scene, though, Luke has to fend off a gigantic monster that violently eats one of its prey seconds before turning its attention to the lightsaber-less Jedi.

The rancor is by far the most terrifying creature in the Star Wars universe if only for its carnivorous, imposing nature, despite being one of the simplest creature designs in the saga.

What do you think is the scariest monster in the Star Wars saga? Let us know on the Star Wars on ComicBook.com Facebook page, or tweet to us @ComicBook!

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