We hadn’t seen thisReturn of the Jedirace in 41 years… and now they’ve turned up twice in the last year. George Lucas always loved creating alien races, and he took advantage of theStar WarsSpecial Editionsto introduce so many cool new aliens. One was Rystáll Sant, played by Mercedes Ngoh. The Canadian singer, dancer, actress and yoga instructor was a welcome addition to the singers in Jabba’s Palace.
“I have no idea what I was,” Ngoh admitted in an interview withStar Wars Insider. “I’m half-human and half I don’t know what else! I am definitely half-human, though!” Technically, she was half-Theelin, an alien race later established to be almost extinct, only surviving through reproducing with members of other races.The Theelin haven’t been seen on-screen since… at least, until 2024, when they’ve turned up twice.
The Theelin Have Appeared Twice This Year!
In The Acolyte & Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
The Theelin returned inThe Acolyte, aStar WarsTV show set 100 years beforeThe Phantom Menace. This introducedDafne Keen as the half-Theelin Padawan Jecki, one of the stand-out characters of the series. Keen has always been a skilled stunt performer, and she pulled off some amazing fight choreography.
Then, to the surprise of viewers,Star Wars: Skeleton Crewfeatured a brief appearance by Paloma Garcia-Lee as Melna. One of the many aliens found on the pirateshadowport of Port Borgo, Melna took sympathy on the kids when she found them, although she was somewhat bewildered when they claimed to originate from the legendary treasure planet of At Attin. She seemed to be surprisingly sweet and innocent, despite living in a pirate haven.
Star Wars Is Clearly Ready To Use The Theelin A Lot More
Dafne Keen was a trailblazer
Dafne Keen was clearly something of a trailblazer forStar Wars, because it seems the Theelin are back. It makes sense; Lucasfilm managed to work out the make-up and prosthetics, and the costuming team surely isn’t going to let all that effort go to waste. We haven’t seen Theelin in 27 years, but it’s reasonable to assume we’re about to find ourselves in their golden age - just as the VFX team tend to bring back starships once they’ve created 3D models. George Lucas' Special Editions are now receiving an unexpected, if absolutely delightful, new legacy afterThe Acolyte.
Star Wars: Skeleton Crew
Cast
Skeleton Crew follows four ordinary children who become lost in the expansive Star Wars galaxy. As they navigate unfamiliar worlds and the challenges they present, the group endeavors to find their way back to their home planet, undertaking a journey across the iconic Star Wars universe.
