This installment’s hunt for answers wasn’t sparked by any long-burning question. It probably won’t turn your world upside-down like the Max and Wedge posts did. But if I were the kind of guy who really enjoyed photo-supported Star Wars esoterica (and I am), I’d be all over this (and I am). I stumbled upon this latest discovery while researching the Max Rebo entry. For years now, there was a reference photo in our image archives that had been labeled a Rebel commando. Based on that keyword, this reference photo saw print in a couple of sources like, until a few weeks ago, StarWars.com. But as soon as I learned that this is not a Rebel commando, I had them pull it.
There's something not right about this guy....
Not so easy to correct are the incidents where this mislabeled photo has made its way into some Star Wars books. In 2001, the Wizards of the Coast Rebellion Era Sourcebook used this image to illustrate their section on the Rebel strike team.
Sharing a page with the EU's General Cracken.
The Official Star Wars Fact Files periodicals from De Agostini used it here in a similar capacity:
Who elected this guy our poster boy?
And the 2005 DK books release, Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, has this guy labeled as a Rebel “wilderness fighter.”
Who's scruffy-looking?
But there was just something about this guy that bugged me. Sure, his duster looks like the camo pattern used by the Rebels, but why is he wearing those long robes?
No, please. Put the coat back on.
What is with that helmet? That doesn’t look standard issue
Maybe he bumps into things a lot.
And then there’s the boots. Don’t get me started on those boots.
Tragic.
But I never lingered too long on this guy because, hey, I’m a busy guy with a lot of Max Rebo-related research to do. But while going through the documentary “Classic Creatures: Return of the Jedi” (it’s on the Blu-ray set), everything stopped when this shot of director Richard Marquand in Jabba’s throne room set came up.
* RECORD SCRATCH *
Waaaaaaaaait a second. What’s Beardy Commando doing there? Could it be? Could he in fact be a bounty hunter lurking in the background of Jabba’s palace, and not in fact a Rebel commando at all?
A cursory look at the Rebel briefing scene helped support this. This guy is not in that scene. Nor is he in the hangar scene where the Rebels load into the shuttle. But he’s also not visible at all in Jabba’s palace. Combing through it produced nothing conclusive. Near as I can tell, this might be him lurking in the background next to Dengar in the shot where Bib Fortuna tries to stop Luke Skywalker from entering.
Stop. Rewind. Enhance.
So if he was on set that day, maybe I should look at the still photography. In our image archives, we have binders of contact sheets of undigitized imagery from unit photography. With a loupe in hand, I looked through all the photography taken during Jabba’s throne room scenes. I couldn’t see him, but I did find some support in that his already-scanned and commando-keyworded reference photography showed up amid extras from Jabba’s palace. This suggested to me he was in costume and photographed the day those scenes were filmed, even if no still photography exists of him on set.
So, I went to my first epiphany-producing clue: behind-the-scenes documentary footage. Looking at what’s on the Blu-ray, I spotted him briefly in a little featurette that introduced the Tatooine environments of Episode VI. Getting closer now…
Gotcha.
Luckily I had the opportunity to go back to the original unedited documentary footage and skimmed through the Jabba’s palace scenes, hoping to see evidence of this guy on set.
Paydirt. So, this bearded “Wilderness Fighter” is not a Rebel commando lurking about the Home One or on Endor. He is in fact a scruffy looking henchman in Jabba’s palace. Good thing I caught this now rather than, oh, 29 years after an action figure might have been produced!
The image archives team updated their keyword so this guy doesn’t turn up in any searches for Rebel commandos, thus preventing him from being mislabeled in books or other products. They also made me this inspirational image of our moody extra to help commemorate this find.
Pablo Hidalgo is paid to know the difference between Romba and Lumat and dies a little bit inside when you misspell Wookiee or Lucasfilm. He lives in San Francisco and also on Twitter as @infinata.
His angry look and role in Jabba’s Palace and penchant for lame headwear makes him a contender to be the Star Wars relative of Jayne Cobb.
so… time to make the awesomest costume ever?
Wonderful discovery! That explains why he’s never seen alongside other Commandoes and wasn’t seen aboard Home One! It also explains his strange headgear.
But could you also please give him a proper name?
Aww, let the poor guy be a commando! Or at least a bounty hunter or something! Long as he’s there, you know
But who plays unnamed henchman?
That might require more digging than I’m capable of! Finding paperwork about extras — those performers without dialog — is really tough!
Where do you find the photo archive that you got this from?
The image archives I refer to are the ones here at Lucasfilm.
Stolen valor!
Retcon this. He was a wilderness fighter for the Rebels. But he went into Jabba’s Palace as a backup plan in case stuff got too real. He could be a homie of Lando.
Fantastic research work Pablo. And I would have almost accepted that it was comedian Russell Brand, Lol.
There’s a Star Wars name for him…Brussel Rand
Brussel Rand, eh? I am from Brussels, Belgium and (in Dutch) that is what we call the suburbs
Damn Pablo, you always know how to unravel the mysteries of the star wars universe! Great job amigo! keep up the great work and we’ll keep reading!
I for one, love these articles, keep ‘em coming.
So, Pablo, this is related but I’m asking you directly. Are there any good reference photos of Luke’s costume from RotJ? I’ve seen a few where he’s in front of what looks like parachute material, and a couple in front of a red backdrop, but none with the clarity of the ones in this article.
UGHHHH how I want your job, Pablo.
But not Chee’s, though. Don’t get me wrong… I love figuring out retcons, but I don’t fancy being a nerd-rage punching bag.
Great find! If this guy ever gets a backstory I’m sure it will involve him spying on the Rebels for Jabba. Or visa versa.
While perusing the archives you didn’t by any chance notice any proof of Bane Malar actually being on set did you?
Yes please! Some new info on Bane Malar’s origins that can clear up the palace Doallyn vs. Bane Malar mystery would be nice!
Also could you give us the location of Attark in the palace scenes as well? He, Sic-Six and the Rock Wart are the only critters I haven’t seen in any shot of the movie…
Excellent work Mr. Hidalgo. Makes a lot of sense.
Brilliant article Pablo!
Wow, that’s an impressive research!
Great work!
Yet another fascinating article, Pablo ! Thankyou !
At the start of the article, I thought the head gear looked like the one worn by the A / B wing fighter pilots, or the Nein/Ten Numb actors. I think it’s a given that the art/constume depts recycle their props, so I thought I might have had some validity with my reasoning………….??!
Nat
Cool discovery!But he could be a spy or he was a rebel commando.Because he looks cool with this headpiece and thermodetonators(or other grenades). The only thing we know about him now that he was at jabbas palace in Star Wars Episode VI Return of the Jedi
Great Detective work, but what is his shtick? Now that he’s been brought to light, who is he, what is his name, where does he come from and who does he work for? Can we breath some life into this unknown?
Awww! You should have waited until a figure had come out as a Rebel Commando then immediately after release posted this article. I’m sure it would have been withdrawn. Imagine how valuable that figure would have been. We could have made a tidy profit there. Damn!
Thanks for this terrific article. You did some serious detective work here. This is fascinating.
Good work, I always was suspicious about him being a commando. Never looked like one.
Wow, great detective work! (something I’m much more appreciative of after spending 2 months ID’ing all the ewoks, still waiting for the article naming those guys) That guy always bugged me too, always thought he was one of the stunt guys from that shot of Luke on the Death Star with the commandos. Looking for new things I never saw before in the background is one of the great things about watching these movies that keeps them fresh after 30 years.
Going by the pic with Han it it, that looks like Amanaman’s staff on the left so if he is to his right he could be behind these guys http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/7/7c/Duro_aqualish1.jpg (next to the Duro, behind the H’nemthe who by the way is seen in a still without the mask as a human with a helmet http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lh7dku1FwL1qc5859o1_500.jpg what’s up with that?)
Yay, watched it again he IS there you can see a flash of his green coat above the Gammorean Guard’s head just as Luke says “miss”!
I checked the scene you mention and it looks to me that it is the Duro who’s wearing this guy’s clothes… Maybe they told him to wear a Duro mask at the last moment…