Utapau

Utapau is a planet featured in the Star Wars fictional universe. Located in the Outer Rim, it orbits a star of the same name. It is most famous for being the scene of the Battle of Utapau, marked by the duel where Obi-Wan Kenobi kills General Grievous. It is also known as the homeworld of the Grand Inquisitor of the Galactic Empire, an agent under the orders of Darth Vader.

Despite its mostly desert surface, Utapau is the home world of the Utais, Pau'ans and Amanins. Historically neutral during the major galactic conflicts, the final moments of the Clone Wars saw Utapau occupied by the Confederation of Independent Systems and then by the Galactic Empire.

The planet was created for the film Revenge of the Sith. It was created using a number of cinematographic disciplines, largely using computer-generated images (CGI), but also models, live-action shots and inset actors.

Utapau is also featured in the TV series The Clone Wars, in the novelisation of the film, and in a number of novels, video games and comic strips.

Context

The Star Wars universe is set in a galaxy that is the scene of clashes between the Jedi Knights and the Dark Lords of the Sith, people who are sensitive to the Force, a mysterious energy field that gives them parapsychic powers. The Jedi master the light side of the Force, a beneficial and defensive power, to maintain peace in the galaxy. The Sith use the dark side, a harmful and destructive power, for their own purposes and to dominate the galaxy.

Although the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order seem to have succeeded in securing peace across the galaxy, the discovery of a Sith apprentice on Naboo in 32 BBY leads Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi to take young Anakin Skywalker, who possesses a previously unseen affinity for the Force, under his wing. A war then begins between the Galactic Republic, led by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, and the secessionists of the Confederacy of Independent Systems and their droid army. As the war comes to an end, the separatist leaders are forced to retreat to the remote planet Utapau.

Geography

Spatial location

thumb|Location of Utapau in the galaxy (unofficial map).

Utapau is located in the Tarabba sector of the Outer Rim. The planet, in the system of the same name, orbits the star of the same name. Of the seven planets in this system, Utapau is the fourth from the star. Nine satellites orbit the planet, making it the second planet in the sector with the most natural satellites.

More specifically, it is part of the greater Sarin sector, a group of sectors including Qeimet and the surrounding areas, including Tarabba. This spatial region is the result of a military division of the galaxy made by the Galactic Republic, with each sector associated with a clone sector army. The sector army to which Utapau belongs is the 15th clone army of the Republic, also known as the "Nebular Hook ".

Topography

Utapau is particularly arid. Its surface is covered with desert plains. However, it is also covered by numerous chasms, faults, fossilised dunes and sinkholes. While violent winds batter the surface, the bottoms of the sinkholes shelter bodies of water, as well as a large subterranean ocean. Utapau's nine moons exert a strong gravitational pull on the planet, giving rise to strong tides that erode the planet's rock and cause major earthquakes. population. Humble by nature, they form the working class of the planet. They generally live in underground caves, thanks to their night vision.

The Pau'ans are nicknamed "Ancients" because of their long life expectancy, which is counted in centuries. Carnivores, they have sharp teeth and are large in stature. They have long limbs and no ears. They are closely related to the Utapau fauna, which they have mostly domesticated, and which they use to move around Utapau's rugged surface, or to defend themselves. Although they are a minority on the planet, they are its ruling elite, acting as administrators, diplomats and bureaucrats. Cooperation between Utais and Pau'ans is essential in Utapau societies, and each species respects and appreciates members of the other.

Utapau is also home to another intelligent species, the amanins. Although they originated on Maridun, many tribes settled on the plains of Utapau, with a more primitive lifestyle, close to that of hunter-gatherers. They rarely ventured into the towns. Tall, lanky bipeds, their skin secretes a poisonous mucus, and their small mouths are filled with sharp teeth. They possess several strange abilities, such as the ability to roll into a perfect ball, enabling them to pursue their prey over long distances, or the ability to give birth to two identical individuals if cut in half.

Some of the most famous people in the Galaxy are from Utapau. One of the best-known representatives of the amanin species is the bounty hunter Amanaman, who frequented the court of the crime lord Jabba the Hutt. As for the pau'an species, one of its best-known representatives is the Grand Inquisitor of the Galactic Empire, formerly a guard at the Jedi Temple.

Animal species

thumb|An artist's vision of a [[Pterodactylus|pterodactyl, the main source of inspiration for the dactillions, the flying reptiles that populate Utapau.]]

In addition to the intelligent species that inhabit Utapau, several animal species are endemic to the planet.

Giant spiders, known as ginnthos, can be seen all over the rocky planet, even in the cities of the Utais. They are large, black and purple in colour, and capture their prey.

Other, more peaceful, species of animal were domesticated by the Utais, such as the varactyls, giant lizards with clawed feet that served as mounts for the peoples of the planet.

Winged mounts are also used by the Pau'ans: dactillions. Similar to pterosaurs, they soar through the planet's air using the winds that sweep across it and cling to the walls of wells using their powerful claws.

Living and technology

Despite the inhospitable surface, the inhabitants of Utapau created cities built on the walls of the underground Utapau caves. These cities grew rich mainly through mining.

The planet's main astroport is that of its capital: Pau City. made up of two cylindrical discs covered with toothed teeth. Generally for civilian use, a motorbike was hijacked by General Grievous for use as a combat vehicle during the Battle of Utapau. The planet also has a space defence force, managed by the administrator of Pau City.

Official universe

Clone Wars and the Battle of Utapau

thumb|Cosplay of clone troopers present at the Battle of Utapau: a member of the Airborne Infantry

thumb|Cosplay of clone troopers present at the Battle of Utapau: Commander Cody

During the Clone Wars, the Jedi learn that a Jedi Master has been found dead in Pau City. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker go there and discover that the Confederation of Independent Systems (CSI), an enemy of the Galactic Republic, is linked to the incident. The separatists, led by the cyborg general of the droid armies Grievous, wanted to buy a gigantic kyber crystal from Utapau, the main component of many weapons, including lightsabers. However, the two Jedi decide to destroy the crystal rather than let General Grievous escape with it. This allowed them to deprive the enemy camp of such an advantage.

Chancellor Palpatine, still hiding his secret identity as Darth Sidious, reveals to the Republic the location of the Separatist general and the other leaders of the organisation: the remote world of Utapau. The Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi was therefore sent there on a mission to stop Grievous. Landing in Pau City, Obi-Wan is informed of the presence of the man he is tracking by Administrator Tion Medon. Medon wants to repel the Separatist presence with the help of the Republic. The Separatists has been occupying Utapau since its recent arrival, although the planet prefers to remain neutral.

The Battle of Utapau, which takes place in the final moments of the Clone Wars, should mark the end of the war. When the Jedi arrive at Utapau to defeat Grievous, the two generals engage in a lightsaber duel that leads to a chase. While Grievous travels by wheel bike, he is chased by Obi-Wan, who has the varactyl Boga as his mount. Having lost his weapon, the Jedi grabs that of his enemy and forces his adversary to leave his vehicle. He ends the confrontation by firing a blaster at the cyborg general, destroying his armor.

Although Grievous' death seemed to mark the end of the war, the leader of the Republic army at Utapau, Commander Cody, was nevertheless ordered by Darth Sidious to betray the Jedi, who were now considered enemies of the Republic. However, Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had fallen into a crater on the planet, managed to escape the soldiers' betrayal. He then left Utapau aboard Grievous' ship, the Soulless One, to go to Coruscant.

After the Clone Wars

In 13 BBY, Pau'an Fyzen Gor, a medical student, was kidnapped by Utai pirates in Utapau. Desperate for revenge, he decides to build himself a team of droids equipped with organic limbs. Attacked and captured again by pirates, this time amanin, Fyzen Gor resigned himself to working for the pirates for three years. He then left Utapau and designed a weapon, the Phylanx, with which he attempted to take control of the galaxy.

"Legends" universe

Following the takeover of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney Company, all elements told in derivative products dating prior to 26 April 2014 were declared to be outside of canon and were then grouped together as "Star Wars Legends ".

Before the imperial era

As major storms swept across the surface of Utapau, the Utais built underground dwellings. As the storms intensified, the Pau'ans also eventually settled in the chasms. A military defence fleet was set up, but Utapau remained as neutral as possible during the Clone Wars. Although the name of the desert planet was later changed to Tatooine, the original name was retained for the planet riddled with wells that served as the setting for the duel between Obi-Wan Kenobi and the separatist general Grievous.

The first concept art for Utapau was created by Terryl Whitlatch in March 1995, depicting the planet as a Byzantine style paradise and a central location in the upcoming prequel film. The name Utapau was once again dropped, and the paradisiacal aesthetic formed the basis of what would become Naboo. The next sketches of the planet Utapau were made in June 2002 by Erik Tiemens, a concept artist working on Revenge of the Sith. The concept for the planet Utapau came from ideas that had not been used for the planet Geonosis, featured in Attack of the Clones. Indeed, Erik Tiemens wanted to incorporate mud puddles or springs into this desert planet, ideas rejected by George Lucas, who wanted "something dry ". Like several planets in the Star Wars universe, Utapau's architecture was inspired by the American architect Frank Lloyd Wright, creating a modern, technological atmosphere that is fully integrated into its natural environment.

Creation of the inhabitants

The first concepts of utapauns were those of a hairy, lemur-like species. George Lucas came up with the idea, wanting very fragile creatures in a very fragile world. Several preparatory drawings of these people were made, before the idea was abandoned. Lee Sang-jun, artist on the film Revenge of the Sith, then recycled a concept representing the inhabitants of the planet Mustafar, large humanoids dressed in purple robes, organised around a religious society, for the design of the Pau'ans, at the request of George Lucas, who greatly appreciated the concept. These creatures were transposed to Utapau and given a more important role in the film's story. Bruce Spence, who plays Tion Medon, reports that the make-up took over four hours to apply and over an hour to remove. Coupled with modern prosthetics, this make-up allows the actor to show more facial expressions. Most of the discussions between the administrators of Pau City and Obi-Wan Kenobi are filmed in the Fox studios in Sydney, on a blue screen, before a background is added.

The landscapes of Utapau were also created from scale models, to which digital effects were later added, under the supervision of Brian Gernand, ILM's head of models. Inhabitants were also modelled on the basis of actors who had already been made up.

Adaptations

Video games

As a planet in the Star Wars universe, Utapau appears in several video games.

Utapau is featured in the 2005 video game adaptation of Revenge of the Sith, in a level where the player takes on the role of Obi-Wan Kenobi, first battling General Grievous before fleeing the planet after Order 66. Utapau is one of the terrains in which the player can fight in the 2005 game Star Wars: Battlefront II. As in the film, battle droids face off against clone troopers.

Also in 2005, Utapau is one of the planets that can be visited in Lego Star Wars: The Video Game, with a level featuring the Battle of Utapau. It also features in the game's re-adaptations, Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga in 2007 and Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga in 2022 69,70.

Figurines

Lego produces action figures depicting scenes set in Utapau. In 2005, the box number 7255 General Grievous Chase was released. It includes a motorbike figure and one of the varactyl Boga, along with two character figures: one of Grievous and one of Obi-Wan Kenobi. The number 7656 General Grievous Starfighter, released two years later, includes as the name suggests an interceptor figure and one of Grievous. In 2014, issue 75036 Utapau Troopers was released, including a Separatist droid figure as well as four clone figures. The same year also saw the release of number 75040 General Grievous Wheel Bike. It includes a motorbike figure and two of the characters: Grievous and Obi-Wan Kenobi again note γ. Finally, in 2020, number 75286 General Grievous's Starfighter went on sale. It includes a figure of Grievous's ship, as well as three character figures: one of Grievous, one of Obi-Wan Kenobi and one of a clone trooper.

Several figurines featuring the inhabitants of Utapau were also marketed by Hasbro to coincide with the release of the film Revenge of the Sith in 2005.

In 2005, several models of Utapau were presented at a Star Wars exhibition at the Cité des sciences et de l'industrie at the Porte de la Villette in Paris.

Reception and posterity

The scenes that take place in Utapau, and in particular the lines associated with them, are the source of many Internet memes. One of the most notable scenes in this situation is the one that precedes the duel between the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and the separatist Grievous. Obi-Wan's "Hello there!" followed by General Grievous "General Kenobi, you are a bold one" is ranked as the character's best line by the Screen Rant website. Similarly, the specialist website Comic Book Resources ranked the duel between Obi-Wan and General Grievous as the ninth best lightsaber duel in the saga.

The Allociné website describes it as "a strange planet, lost in the outer rim of the galaxy". In particular, it highlights the fact that Obi-Wan decides to pursue Grievous to such an unusual world, far from the centre of the Galaxy.

The lemur-like appearance originally intended for the Utapauns was adopted for the lurmens eventually present in The Clone Wars television series.

The chase scene in which Obi-Wan rides a varactyl was also the inspiration for a similar scene in the ninth episode of the saga: Star Wars, Episode IX: The Skywalker Ascension. In the latter, Finn rides horse-like orbaks to attack the ships of the Last Order.