The original 1977Star Warsis an undisputed classic that immediately changed the world of blockbuster cinema. It looks a bit quaint, with eight more movies in the series now. Every minor detail of the story has become a bit of crucial lore to the fans. The Sand People of Tatooine weren’t very important to the original story, but they’re part of the story now.
Once upon a time, theStar Wars franchise couldintroduce an alien species or a unique character without the need to expound upon their entire evolutionary chain. The scene in the Mos Eisley Cantina made the audience feel that every background extra was a person with a full life. Now the fans can look up every detail of that life through their preferred encyclopedia.
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What are the Tusken Raiders?
The Tusken Raiders, also known as Sand People, are the indigenous people of Tatooine. The inhospitable desert planet on which Anakin and Luke were born wasn’t always populated by traditional human beings. They’re broadly humanoid, but heavy clothing always obscures their form.They’ve lived on Tatooinefor untold ages and tend to be hostile toward the settlers. Life in the harsh desert has led the Sand People to a life of strict rituals. Their earth-tone garb and masks remain on at all times, barring a couple of ceremonies. It is said that no one has ever seen a Tusken’s face and lived. Tuskens hold water as sacred and believe that all moisture on Tatooine is theirs by birthright. This leads to violence between the Tuskens and everyone else on the planet. Despite their hostilities, Sand People frequently make deals with outsiders.
Tusken Raiders are seen as screeching brutes by most. Their unique call is composed of the brays of donkeys and mules. They can’t speak the main language of the universe, and their main mode of communication is sign language. Those who can communicate with the Sand People generally have a higher opinion of them.Din Djarin is oneof the first characters in the franchise who can consistently speak their language. He confirms that they’re honest people who are bound to their word. Djarin later helped to negotiate peace between the Tuskens and a local human settlement. Through this, fans learned that the Tuskens are strongly opposed to criminal elements in the desert. They want to aid the fight against slavers and work with local law enforcement to get the job done.Boba Fett enjoyed thefull benefits of membership in the Tusken Raiders after they saved him from the Sarlacc pit. Through Fett, the Tuskens gained a measure of sympathy from the rest of the universe and the fan base.
What happened to the Tusken Raiders?
In early drafts of the original 1977 film, Tusken Raiders were designed as spies dispatched by the Empire to find Luke on Tatooine. The final script imagined them as the indigenous people of Luke’s home planet. The first chronological occurrence of the Sand Peoplecomes after Tatooine’s oceansdried for unknown reasons. From that moment, the indigenous locals stayed hidden and hostile. Around 19 BBY, Sand People raided Fort Tusken until its residents abandoned it. That attack earned them the name Tusken Raiders. They continued to menace the locals, including shooting at podracers during the popular sporting event. The Tuskens didn’t become infamous until their run-ins with the Skywalker family.
In 22 BBY, Sand People attacked the Lars moisture farm and kidnapped Anakin Skywalker’s mom, Shmi. Anakin found Shmi beaten and bloodied, just in time for her to die of her injuries.Anakin butchered every SandPerson he could get his hands on in a blind rage. They would go on to attack Anakin’s son, Luke, only to be scared off by Obi-Wan Kenobi.Anakin, now known as Darth Vader, would later return to Tatooine for unrelated reasons and kill a village full of Tuskens on his way through. Boba Fett’s life with the Tuskens came after the fall of the Empire, so it’s safe to assume that the Sand People are doing better than ever. Thanks to the Mandalorians, Tusken Raiders are finally establishing somewhat cordial relationships with the fellow residents of their home planet.
The Tusken Raiders are a unique bunch in the Star Wars universe. They’re an indigenous tribe who have simplyignored most of the fabulous technological innovationsof the era. One could compare them to the North Sentinel Island, ruthlessly defending its shores from anyone who dares to approach. The Tuskens aren’t blameless people. Their violence often affects innocent locals, many of whom aren’t on Tatooine by choice. However, they’re decent Sand People when you get to know them. The Tuskens have grown from minor threats in the first Star Wars movie to a key aspect ofThe Book of Boba Fett,and there are still plenty of interesting things that can be done with them.
