For other uses, see Jawa (disambiguation). For other uses, see

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"I can't abide those Jawas! Disgusting creatures!" ―C-3PO [src]

Jawas were a sentient species of meter-tall humanoids native to the Outer Rim desert world of Tatooine. Jawas who migrated from Tatooine were referred to as Offworld Jawas.

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Biology and appearance Edit

What Jawas hid underneath their heavy robes was subject to much speculation from the colonists who settled on Tatooine,[2] with rumors claiming they were giant rodents or devolved humans.[7][16] Although Jawas were typically small, measuring only one meter,[2] some of them were significantly taller than that. One of those abnormally gangly Jawas was almost as tall as a 3PO-series protocol droid,[5] a model of protocol droid measuring 1.71 meters.[17]

According to the gangster Adwin Charu, Jawas had a musky, animal odor which he likened to a fraternity of wet rats.[18]

Society and culture Edit

"My ship has been destroyed. I'm trapped here."

"Stripped. Not destroyed. The Jawas steal. They don't destroy."

"Stolen or destroyed, makes no difference to me." ―Djarin and Kuiil Listen (file info) [src]

Jawas were passionate scavengers, combing the deserts of Tatooine for droids or scraps which they would capture and sell to the local residents, forming a codependent circle of trade. However, they had a reputation for swindling, selling hastily refurbished equipment and faulty droids. Thus, moisture farmers were wary of their goods, but they often purchased them due to being hard-pressed to find a better selection in their remote locations.[1]

Jawas were found lurking at podracing tracks in order to haul away smoking debris from crashed Podracers. Jawas were usually first on the scene of a crashed starship, as Anakin Skywalker discovered when he crash-landed the Twilight.[19]

A Jawa could often speak both their native Jawaese—which utilized scent as well as spoken words to convey meaning, thus making it impossible for outsiders to understand—and their simpler Jawa Trade Talk, allowing them to communicate more easily with other species.[7]

Jawas traveled through the desert and transported their droids in their sandcrawler transports.[1] Defunct mining companies on Tatooine had abandoned these vehicles in the desert once their projects failed, allowing the Jawas to use them as mobile bases.[7] Jawas used ion blasters to stun droids[5].

Jawas had a tentative peaceful relationship with the Tusken Raiders, or "Sand People," an aggressive species also native to Tatooine. However, the Jawas preferred to avoid the Sand People when possible due to their unpredictable nature. They also feared the Krayt dragon, and getting caught in a sandstorm was just as dangerous.[1][7]

Jawas present on Arvala-7 had a love for mudhorn eggs, going so far as to trade a large pile of parts for a single egg.[6]

History Edit

One band of Jawas was responsible for locating and reuniting C-3PO and R2-D2 after their escape pod crash-landed on Tatooine. The band subsequently sold the droids to Luke Skywalker's uncle, Owen Lars. The entire clan was later interrogated and then slaughtered by stormtroopers who had come looking for the droids. The stormtroopers attempted to make the carnage look like the work of Sand People but Obi-Wan Kenobi was able to see through the ruse when he and Luke Skywalker came across the corpses. Kenobi later burned the bodies out of respect.[5]

Following the Battle of the Great Pit of Carkoon, a band of Jawas scavenged a suit of corroded Mandalorian armor from the desert. The gangster Adwin Charu traveled to the Jawas' sandcrawler to recover it. However, he was accosted and beaten in combat by Cobb Vanth, a self-styled lawman.[18]

Jawas in the galaxy Edit

"You want a cup of Jawa Juice?" ―FLO to Obi-Wan Kenobi [src]

A popular galactic drink known as Jawa Juice existed and was served in locations such as Dex's Diner on Coruscant. However, it was not made from or by Jawas.[7]

Jawas were present on other worlds in the galaxy, referred to as Offworld Jawas. Ships travelling to and from Tatooine led to some of them migrating from their homeworld and making their way to other planets. They continued their old habits on the new planets, still obsessed with scavenging technology where possible.[20] Some could be found on the Nevarro, the world where the Tribe took refuge,[21] and at least one clan possessing a sandcrawler lived on Arvala-7. This clan was encountered by the Mandalorian bounty hunter known as Din Djarin, who had traveled to Arvala-7 while on a job. Upon returning to his ship, the Razor Crest, he found the Jawas had mostly dismantled it. In an attempt to get his parts back, Djarin pursued the Jawa sandcrawler, and killed several Jawas before he was stunned by their ion blasters. Eventually, The Mandalorian as well as his friend, the Ugnaught Kuiil, struck a deal with the Jawas: he would obtain a mudhorn egg in exchange for his parts. The Mandalorian was successful in gaining the egg, and the Jawas returned his parts.[6]

Behind the scenes Edit

No canonical source has revealed what a Jawa looks like under the hood. In behind-the-scenes shots from Return of the Jedi, the Jawas have squarish heads covered in black cloth with large yellow eyes that appear mechanical. However, this is a costume and so may not represent their canonical appearance. The original Star Wars novelization implies a possible familial relationship between Jawas and Tusken Raiders. It also describes Jawas as rodent-like and compares them to de-evolved Humans, though these could be mere metaphors.

According to Stephen J. Sansweet's book Star Wars: From Concept to Screen to Collectible, the Jawas were the centerpiece in one of the strangest copyright infringement cases involving Star Wars. In 1978, small hooded creatures with glowing eyes that Neil Young called "Roadeyes" began accompanying the rocker on stage during a concert tour, in a tour film, and on the cover of the album Rust Never Sleeps. The case was settled out of court.[22]

Appearances Edit

Non-canon appearances Edit

Sources Edit

Notes and references Edit



