The Basilisk war droid was a powerful, semi-sentient combat droid, used by the Mandalorians during the Great Sith War and the Mandalorian Wars.
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1 Warrior
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War Mount
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- 'The Basilisk war droid is the epitome of weapon technology. State of the art weaponry, armor, and maneuverability.'
- âZuka
Characteristics
The Basilisk war droid resembled a mechanical cross between a Zalorian rock-lion and a Karran beetle, standing on its six legs, two clawed, powerful front legs, and four smaller hind legsâat a height that varied from 2.98 meters upward to five meters, depending upon the model. The Basilisk's droid brain gave it a, animal-like self-awareness of a semi-sentient degree, and though they could operate independently, the war droids most often took the role of loyal mounts to direction-giving riders, and had to be powered up or shut down externally in a process that took seconds. Basilisk droids formed powerful empathetic relationships with their riders, and were known to howl as if in pain when their rider was killed.
The bodies of Basilisk droids were heavily armored and often colored in shades of green, though others were known to display hues of gray, or red with gold. The Mandalorian riders, who controlled the beast-like droids from armored saddles atop the Basilisks, were known to garnish their mounts with an assortment of their personal weaponry strapped to the droid's body, including axes, swords, and flashpistols. The war droid's open combat models were, themselves, armed with a powerful array of artillery: pulse-wave cannons and auto-firing laser cannons, shatter-missile launchers, and concussion missile launchers with a four-missile payload that could all be found on or under the armored plates of Basilisks. At the droid's nose resided the Basilisk's primary weapon, a cluster of shockwave generator rods that together could form a burst of plasma capable of ripping through the hulls of starships. Even the droid's heavy claws that adorned it's two front legs, used mostly as landing struts or for walking on the ground, could be used for brawling, crushing obstacles, or tearing open the body of an opponent. Basilisk droids often carried a pair of deployable space mines, and war droids could also tow volatile atomic compression bombs between them, catapulting the nuclear bomb into an enemy ship or space station.
Modification
Mandalorian tinkering eventually spawned countless customized variants of the Basilisk, such as the two-seated bomber, which accommodated both a pilot and gunner, while the designated stealth configuration bore lighter armament and supplementary engines. Later models departed dramatically from the original droid's design, incorporating closed cockpits and larger S-foils, virtually eliminating the droid's animalistic appearance in favor of a form more similar to that of a starship.
Method of operation
Basilisk droids could operate effectively on the ground, in the air, or in the vacuum of space, and sensor clusters located at the fore and aft of the war droid allowed the Basilisk to detect threats from all directions. On the ground, Basilisk droids were typically slow and lumbering, but could move at faster speeds when required. In aerial combat, the Basilisk's rear armored wing plates typically tucked against their bodies while at rest would lift up to expose a set of high-boost engines that allowed the Basilisk droid to fly at high speed. However, while the war droid could reach great speeds, especially during bombing runs, it was slow to turn, weighted down by its heavy armor, and without stabilizer fins, a Basilisk in flight was hard to control.
History
- 'In 4,017 BBY, Crusaders appeared in the Core Worlds, waging war against the inhabitants of Basilisk. Overrun, the Basiliskans seeded their own world with toxins to deny it to the Crusaders who abandoned it but took numerous Lagartoz War Dragons, Basilisk warships, and war droids for their own use.'
- âVilnau Teupt
- 'Time was when Mando'ade rode war droids into deep space, no fancy hulls, raw vacuum that far from your shebs. That's how we won an empire.'
- âRam Zerimar
With the Basilisk war droids under their command, the Mandalorian Crusaders conquered Kuar, and raided the borders of Krath space near the Empress Teta system. There, the Mandalorians came into conflict with the fallen JediUlic Qel-Droma: Qel-Droma and Mandalore the Indomitable agreed to a challenge of single combat to take place on Kuar. Amidst the duel, Mandalore the Indomitable mounted his Basilisk war droid in combat against Qel-Droma, only to be defeated and forced on his honor to swear loyalty to the recently anointed Sith Lord. In service to Qel-Droma and his Sith Master, Exar Kun, the Mandalorians under Indomitable rode their Basilisk war droids into battle in an attack on Foerost that allowed them to claim the fleet of vessels being constructed at the planet's shipyards. Shortly thereafter, the Mandalorian Crusaders' Basilisk riders were part of Qel-Droma's assault on the galactic capital world of Coruscant. Though the Mandalorians were ordered to retreat following the false declaration of Qel-Droma's death, they struck at Onderon atop their Basilisk droids, intent to conquer the world for Qel-Droma when they learned he had indeed survived. During the fighting at Onderon, however, a Galactic Republic frigate opened fire on Mandalore the Indomitable's war droid, leaving the Mandalorian leader to crash on Onderon's moon, Dxun, where he perished at the hands of the indigenous beasts. Upon finding the ceremonial Mask of Mandalore, Mandalore the Indomitable was replaced by a new warrior as the Mandalorian leader. Although the Great Sith War ended soon after, the new Mandalore had his own plans for the Mandalorians and their Basilisk droids.
The Mandalorian Wars
- 'The doors opened in front of me and the air was sucked out of the drop bay, scattering crystals of frozen vapor across my path. I can't describe what it feels like to look directly down at a world, falling continuously as you circle it, with barely fifteen centimeters of armor plate protecting you. When the magnetic locks disengaged on my droid I plunged out of the drop bay towards the battle that waited below.'
- âCanderous Ordo speaking to Revan
Mandalore the Ultimate set out to challenge the Republic and conquer the known Galaxy in what became known as the Mandalorian Wars. Mandalorian warriors astride Basilisk droid mounts assaulted Althir, and devastated Cathar, massacaring the Cathar populace, before moving on to conquer Flashpoint. At the battle at Vanquo, Basilisk droids took part in the orbital fighting, with one droid latching onto a Republic Aurek-class tactical strikefighter and tearing the canopy from the vessel with its claws. By this point in time, the Mandalorians had established a number of Basilisk war droid variants, and a large number of the droids took part in the Mandalorian Invasion of Taris, with many patrolling the skies of Taris during the Neo-Crusader occupation.
War droids fought alongside the Mandalorians again at Onderon and Dxun, while several Basilisks and their riders fell victim to the Rakghoul outbreak on Jebble. At Essien, at least a dozen Basilisk droids were part of the Neo-Crusader forces intent on taking the planet. During the fighting, the war droid flown by Ko Sornell was shot down, though she and her son Gheedor were saved from the Republic Army by the pacifistic JediZayne Carrick. A squadron of Basilisk droids were carried aboard the Kandosii-type dreadnaughtParjai, headed for the planet Dantooine when the Mandalorian Knights targeted the Jedi Enclave there. At Duro, the Neo-Crusaders struck with numerous Basilisk droids, raining them down on the orbiting cities in a manner similar to meteors, and war droids fought under Cassus Fett at Jaga's Cluster.
End of an era
The Mandalorian Wars came to an end with the Battle of Malachor V, where Mandalore the Ultimate was killed by the Jedi KnightRevan, and the Mandalorian fleet was devastated over Malachor V by the superweapon known as the Mass Shadow Generator. In victory, Revan commanded that the Mandalorians disarm, and even destroy their Basilisk droids. However, not all obeyed the terms Revan set down, and kept their war droids in secret, the Mandalorians of Clan Ordo and Clan Jendri were two such groups who refused to give up their loyal mounts. While searching for the Mask of Mandalore, which was taken and hidden by Revan following his defeat of Mandalore the Ultimate, several clans including Jendri and Ordo traveled to the Outer Rim world of Rekkiad, bringing their Basilisks with them. The Basilisk droids belonging to Clan Ordo assisted in transporting heavy cargo across the frozen, ice-covered surface of Rekkiad, before being forced into a skirmish with the Basilisk riders of Clan Jendri, when Ordo's members crossed into the territory Clan Jendri had established. However, Jendri possessed only four war droids in comparison to Ordo's six, and the battle turned in Clan Ordo's favor as the members of Clan Jendri retreated with their Basilisks. Clan Ordo succeeded in recovering Mandalore's Mask from Rekkiad, and Canderous Ordo went on to become Mandalore the Preserver.
Fate of a legend
By the time of the Great Galactic War, Basilisk war droids were all but extinct. Now only a handful remain, some are still maintained by the odd Mandalorian, but most are deactivated and are kept in private collections. While a couple are behind transparisteel cabnets in museums. The disappearance of the Basilisk, while it is a tragedy, has truly made the Galaxy a safer place.
Notable models
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STAR WARS BASILISK WARS DROID + TARJETA (ALTURA = 9-10 CM) CINE (COMBINO ENVÃOS)
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Galaxy at War ~ COMMANDO DROID #7 Star Wars miniature WotC
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Star Wars Miniatures Galaxy at War 39/40 Treadwell Droid
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Star Wars Miniatures Galaxy at War 02/40 Battle Droid
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WOTC Star Wars Minis Promo Poster - Begin Your Assault w/Basilisk War Zip NM-
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Galaxy at War ~ COMMANDO DROID #6 Star Wars miniature WotC
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Disney Hasbro Star War R2-MK & Jedi Mickey Star Tours Figures Astromech Droid
Pre-OwnedTime left1d 9h left0 bidsFrom United StatesCustoms services and international tracking provided -
3.75 Inch Star War Figure SKYWALKER Clone Trooper Yoda Carnor Darth Wader Droid
Brand NewFrom ChinaBuy It NowPre-OwnedFrom United StatesBuy It Now -
New ListingNew $150 Disney Star War Sphere BB-9E droid LED R2D2 App-Enabled Droid (VD01ROW)
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Galaxy at War ~ BATTLE DROID SERGEANT #3 Star Wars miniature WotC
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BB-9E black astromech droid first order 3.75 inch' Star War last jedi Force Link
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LEGO Star Wars Minifigure Lot of 1 Droid Magnagaurd Custom Cape Cloth Clone War
Brand NewFrom United StatesBuy It NowPre-OwnedFrom United StatesBuy It Now -
Star Wars Miniatures Galaxy at War 07/40 Commando Droid
Pre-OwnedFrom United StatesBuy It NowCustoms services and international tracking provided34% off -
LEGO Star War Droid Escape 9490. Missing Minifigs
Pre-OwnedFrom United Statesor Best OfferCustoms services and international tracking provided -
2x #07 Commando Droid Galaxy at War Star Wars Minis NM
Brand NewFrom United StatesBuy It Now -
K-2SO - Reprogrammed Droid [x1] Empire at War Complete Card w/ Dice Star Wars De
Pre-OwnedFrom United Statesor Best OfferStar Wars: Galaxyâs Edge, Disneylandâs new Star Wars land, opened this past weekend to rave reactions. While the park opened with only a single new attraction, Disney did manage to mount a full complement of unique retail experiences. One of the most exciting is Droid Depot, where you can build your own custom astromech droid.After previewing the product line at this yearâs Star Wars Celebration in Chicago I rushed to the shop on opening day for the full experience. My gut take: the finished droid is well worth the $99.99 price tag, but the experience itself needs a bit of fine tuning.My trip to Droid Depot began, as do most things at Disneyland, with a short wait (about 30 minutes) in line. While waiting, I interacted with multiple hotspots inside the store through the Play Disney Parks app. I also chatted with a few cast members, each one role-playing as a citizen of the planet Batuu. Thatâs how I learned about Mubo, the utai proprietor of the Droid Depot, and a master collector and tinkerer.Like all of the shop owners at Galaxyâs Edge, however, Mubo never actually makes an appearance. I guess itâs little too hot in Anaheim, California for prosthetics.Once I made it to the kiosk, I picked between either an R2 or a BB style astromech droid. The staff charged my credit card, then handed me a wire basket with a parts list printed on the bottom. After making my selections, a hired hand escorted me to the conveyor belt, where parts streamed out of the back room.The conveyor evokes that scene from Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back where Chewbacca gathers up the scattered pieces of C-3PO, but in practice itâs an imperfect system. Turns out that once you enter the Droid Depot, your options for customization are limited to whatâs on hand at that given moment.Before leaving for Disneyland, I sat down with my daughters, ages 9 and 5, and decided on a color scheme for the droid that I would bring home from my trip. I stood there next to the conveyor belt for a good few minutes, but the right colors simply werenât coming down the line. I even asked a cast member if they could grab a specific set of components for me from the back room, but they declined to help me out. It was a little disappointing to travel all that way, wait in multiple lines, and then not be able to create the exact droid my kids asked for.Things got a little better at the droid building station.I lugged my tray full of droid parts across the store and plunked down at a workstation in the middle of the room. Thatâs where I found step-by-step instructions printed on the work surface. Step one required an electric screwdriver to attach the legs. It had just the right amount of torque so that there was no risk of stripping the parts. Next came the dome on top, which snapped in place easily enough. Finally, I had to choose a handful of plastic accent bits for the chest and legs.Whatâs more problematic is the flow of the space itself
But again, I couldnât find the right colors for those accent pieces in the tiny trays at my workstation. I asked a cast member to help me out, and again they declined, saying that I had to work with the parts that were there in front of me. Rather than put blue accents on my red-and-white droid, instead I walked around the U-shaped set of build stations, rifling through bins filled with other guestsâ parts to find the ones I wanted. It was a bit awkward, but no one seemed to mind.Once I finished with assembly, a cast member socketed my droid into a special slot on my workstation, paired it to a remote control unit, and powered it up for the first time. There was a flutter of lights and motion, and just like that, little R2-E2 was born. The whole process took less than 15 minutes.As successful as we found the reservation-reliant crowd control at Galaxyâs Edge, the droid building experience still had a few bugs. The number of guests in the shop seemed a bit high, given the amount of space we all had to work with, but thatâs expected on opening day. Perhaps some of the issues with parts availability will disappear once the team at Galaxyâs Edge gets some more repetitions in, and once the buyers get a handle on how much they need to keep in stock at any given time.Whatâs more problematic is the flow of the space itself.On the other side of the line to enter the Droid Depot is where all the droid accessories are, and I passed it up the first time around. I had to backtrack to get the special droid-carrying backpack, then cart it to the kiosk to purchase it for an additional $39.99. Given the hustle and bustle, there just wasnât much room to browse the other accessories on display.Thereâs also another optional bit thatâs easy to overlook, since itâs tucked in the back corner of the shop opposite the entrance: Every droid has a slot for whatâs called a personality chip, which costs an extra $12.99. Once installed they change the sound a droid makes from standard R2-D2 and BB-8 noises to something else.There are two each for the Resistance, the First Order, and the Scoundrels faction, but thanks to how loud it gets inside the shop, itâs almost impossible to hear what they all sound like. The demo station where the personality chips are on sale needs to have a much higher volume setting, and it wouldnât hurt if the droids themselves had a volume button as well.Once outside the shop, I put my droid inside his backpack and wore him facing forward. Thanks to a zippered flap with a magnetic clasp, I was essentially babywearing my little buddy through the park for the rest of the day.Whatâs fun is that little R2-E2 reacted to the sights at Galaxyâs Edge along with me. He made excited little chirps when we entered the Resistance Forest, and moaned in despair when we wandered too close to the First Order. It was just enough to make him feel alive, like an active participant in the experience.Even more exciting was what happened once I left the park. When I landed at OâHare Airport I had a bit of a wait before my luggage arrived, so, I busted out little R2-E2. Would you believe that droids work particularly well on the long, tiled corridors inside Terminal 4? Hiding myself behind pillars here and there, I would drive the droid up to folks who looked the most despondent about their delays. Reactions ranged from curiosity to outright delight when his little dome pivoted to look at them, chirped, and blinked. Honestly, Iâve never seen so many people smiling inside an airport.If youâre heading to Galaxyâs Edge with kids of any age, then a trip to Droid Depot is a must. Not only is it a great way to ease kids into the incredibly immersive park, but youâll basically be adding another character experience to your day.Just take your time, be patient, and try to grab one of those handy backpacks before you leave the shop.This article is about the ancient Mandalorian war droid. You may be looking for the Bes'uliik-class starfighter, created in 40 ABY.Basilisk war droid
Production information
Creator
Manufacturer
Place of manufacture
Class
Technical specifications
Height
Armament
- Shockwave generator rods[3]
- Laser cannons[3]
- Pulse-wave cannons[3]
- Shatter-missilelaunchers[3]
- Space mines[5]
Equipment
- Heavy armor[4] and claws[3]
- Fore and aft sensor clusters[6]
- High-boost engines[6]
- 1 day's worth of consumable rations[5]
Chronological and political information
Affiliation
- 'The Basilisk war droid is the epitome of weapon technology. State of the art weaponry, armor, and maneuverability.'
- âZuka[src]
The Basilisk war droid was a powerful, semi-sentientcombat droid, designed by the Basiliskanracenative to the planetBasilisk, located in the Core Worlds. Following the Mandalorian Crusaders' conquest of Basilisk in 4017 BBY, the Mandalorianwarriors pillaged the powerful war droids for themselves. To the Mandalorians, the Basilisk droid was known as the Bes'uliikâthe 'iron beast' in the Mandalorian language of Mando'aâand came to be valued as animal-like companions. Measuring several meters in height, Basilisk droids resembled a cross between a Zalorianrock-lion and a Karran beetle, though there were those that noted the similarity between the war droids and their reptilian Basiliskan creators. Basilisk war droids were armed with an array of weapons in and on their armored frame, including laser and pulse-wave cannons, shockwave generator rods, and shatter-missilelaunchers. The Mandalorians were known for riding Basilisk war droids down into the atmosphere of a world from space at tremendous speeds, using gravitational force and the element of surprise to overwhelm their foes. Over time, the warrior culture adapted the droids to suit different combat roles, and developed new iterations of the Basilisk that included enhanced features such as a closed cockpit.With the Basilisk war droids under their control, the Mandalorian Crusaders struck at worlds across the galaxy, conqueringKuar and assaulting the shipyards of Foerost. Aligned with the Sith LordsUlic Qel-Droma and Exar Kun during the Great Sith War, the Mandalorians rode their Basilisks into combat during an attack on the galactic capital of Coruscant, and again during the fighting at Ossus against the forces of the Galactic Republic. At Onderon, the Mandalorian Basilisk riders flew in opposition to the world's famed Beast Riders. Following the end of the Great Sith War, the Basilisk war droids went on to become a powerful component of the Mandalorian Neo-Crusader forces during the subsequent Mandalorian Wars: Basilisk droids participated in battles at Cathar, Vanquo, Essien, and Althir III.Following the Mandalorians' defeat at Malachor V in the final battle of the Mandalorian Wars, the warriors were commanded by the Jedi KnightRevan to destroy their Basilisk mounts as part of the terms of their surrender. However, not all complied with Revan's demands, and numerous Basilisk droids continued to survive with Mandalorians who refused to give up their beast-like companions, including members of Clan Jendri and Clan Ordo. Even still, the war droids' numbers dwindled over time, and by the rise of the New Republic, most Baslisk droids could only be found in the museums of the galaxy. The Basilisk droid remained a symbol of strength in the Mandalorian culture, and the design of later Basilisk droids could be found emulated in the StarViper-class starship manufactured by MandalMotors; the Mandalorian company also named it's Bes'uliik-class starfighter after the ancient war droids.DescriptionEdit
A beast-like droid, the Basilisk war droid visually resembled a mechanical cross between a Zalorian rock-lion and a Karran beetle, standing on its six legsâtwo clawed, powerful front legs, and four smaller hind legsâat a height that varied from 2.98 meters[3] upward to closer to five meters, depending upon the model.[4] The Basilisk's droid brain gave it a rudimentary, animal-like self-awareness[3] of a semi-sentient degree,[4] and though they could operate independently, the war droids most often took the role of loyal mounts to direction-giving riders,[5] and had to be powered up or shut down externally in a process that took seconds.[4] Basilisk droids formed powerful empathetic relationships with their riders,[3] and were known to howl as if in pain when their rider was killed.[4]The bodies of Basilisk droids were heavily armored[4] and often colored in shades of green,[3][7] though others were known to display hues of gray,[5] or red with gold.[8]Mandalorian riders, who controlled the beast-like droids from protective armored saddles atop the Basilisks,[4] were known to garnish their mounts with an assortment of their personal weaponry strapped to the droid's body, including axes, swords, and flashpistols. The war droid's open combat models were, themselves, armed with a powerful array of artillery:[6]pulse-wave cannons and auto-firing laser cannons,[5]shatter-missilelaunchers,[3] and concussion missile launchers with a four-missile payload[5] could all be found on or under the armored plates of Basilisks. At the droid's nose resided the Basilisk's primary weapon, a cluster of shockwave generator rods that together could form a burst of plasma capable of ripping through the hulls of starships. Even the droid's heavy claws that adorned it's two front legs, used mostly as landing struts[3] or for walking on the ground,[4] could be used for brawling,[1] crushing obstacles, or tearing open the body of an opponent.[3] Basilisk droids often carried a pair of deployable space mines,[5] and war droids of the combat type could tow volatile atomic compression bombs between them, catapulting the nuclear bomb into an enemy ship or space station.[3] Mandalorian tinkering eventually spawned countless customized variants of the Basilisk,[2] such as the two-seated bomber, which accommodated both a pilot and gunner, while the designated stealth configuration bore lighter armament and supplementary engines.[6] Later models departed dramatically from the original droid's design, incorporating closed cockpits and larger S-foils, virtually eliminating the droid's animalistic appearance in favor of a form more similar to a starship.[9]Basilisk droids could operate effectively on the ground,[4] in the air, or in the vacuum of space, and sensor clusters located at the fore and aft of the war droid allowed the Basilisk to detect threats from all directions.[6] On the ground, Basilisk droids were typically slow and lumbering,[4] but could move at faster speeds when required.[8] In aerial combat, the Basilisk's rear armored wing plates[6]âtypically tucked against their bodies while at rest[4]âwould lift up to expose a set of high-boost engines[6] that allowed the Basilisk droid to fly at speeds up to 550 kilometers per hour.[5] However, while the war droid could reach great speeds, especially during bombing runs, it was slow to turn, weighted down by its heavy armor, and without the stabilizer fins at the tip of the droid's tail section, a Basilisk in flight was hard to control.[4]RoleEdit
- 'The doors opened in front of me and the air was sucked out of the drop bay, scattering crystals of frozen vapor across my path. I can't describe what it feels like to look directly down at a world, falling continuously as you circle it, with barely fifteen centimeters of armor plate protecting you. When the magnetic locks disengaged on my droid I plunged out of the drop bay towards the battle that waited below.'
- âCanderous Ordo, speaking to Revan[src]
With a level of intelligence slightly above that of typical domesticated creatures, the animal-like Basilisk droids formed strong empathetic bonds with their Mandalorian owners. These bonds allowed the droids to react almost preternaturally to the commands of their riders, and act as extensions of their own bodies. They were loyal companions,[3] and were capable of serving as mechanical beasts of burden, carrying heavy equipment or towing large sleds laden with cargo.[4]In spite of their mechanical beast-like appearance and animal-level intelligence, a Basilisk acted more often as a gunship than a droid. Capable of operating in the vacuum of spaceâtheir Mandalorian riders dressed in pressurized suits of vacuum-sealed Mandalorian armor[3]âBasilisk war droids were carried aboard Mandalorian warships, held in place by magnetic locks until being launched from drop bays,[10] where they could participate in fleet engagements alongside other Mandalorian craft, even using their claws to latch onto opposing vessels.[11] Pairs of war droids were able to coordinate the deployment of towed bombs against enemy starships or space stations. Basilisk droids could also enter a planet's atmosphere, and it was not uncommon for Mandalorian riders to direct their mounts in a surging dive directly from orbit to the planet's surface, using the rapid rate of descent to confuse the targeting computers of opposing ground cannons.[3]Within the atmosphere, Basilisk droids were used to conduct high-speed bombing runs, or provide strafing air support for ground troops while hovering. On the ground, the typically lumbering war droids[4] were capable of significant bursts of speedy movement,[8] and could use their heavy claws to batter or slice the body of a hostile.[3]HistoryEdit
Creation and captureEdit
- 'In 4017 BBY, Crusaders appeared in the Core Worlds, waging war against the inhabitants of Basilisk. Overrun, the Basiliskans seeded their own world with toxins to deny it to the Crusaders who abandoned it but took numerous Lagartoz War Dragons, Basilisk warships, and war droids for their own use.'
- âVilnau Teupt[src]
The Basilisk war droids were first created by the Basiliskan race, a technologically minded reptilian people from the Core Worlds planet Basilisk,[1] thousands of years prior to the rise of the Galactic Empire. In 4017 BBY, the Mandalorian Crusaders under the command of Mandalore the Indomitable launched an assault on Basilisk. The Basiliskans were overwhelmed by the Mandalorian Taungwarriors, but rather than allow the invaders to claim their world,[2] the arrogant Basiliskans[1]poisoned their own planet in order to deny it to the Crusaders. Their actions succeeded in ensuring the Mandalorians abandoned the toxic world,[2] but not before looting countless Basilisk war droids,[1] along with numerous Basiliskan warships and Lagartoz War Dragons.[2]Mandalorian war mountsEdit
- 'Time was when Mando'ade rode war droids into deep space, no fancy hulls, raw vacuum that far from your shebs. That's how we won an empire.'
- âRam Zerimar[src]
Among the most unique weapons in the galaxy, the Basilisk war droid became a frequent sight among the forces of the Mandalorian Crusaders.[5] Though the Mandalorians were traditionally ambivalent toward the use of droids,[3] preferring the benefits of their own hard work,[12] the Mandalorians came to view their acquired war mounts as close companions, forming strong empathetic bonds with their droids.[3] Known in the Mandalorian language of Mando'a as bes'uliike, or 'iron beasts',[13] only the warriors of the highest standing in a clan were given the honor of piloting a Basilisk droid.[4] The Mandalorians took to feeding their Basilisks a combination of locap plasma and unrefined Mandallian Narcolethe, and when a Basilisk droid fell in battle, it was given the funeral rites of a warrior before being sent to rest in the heart of a star.[3]With the Basilisk war droids under their command, the Mandalorian Crusaders conqueredKuar,[2] and raided the borders of Krath space near the Empress Teta system. There, the Mandalorians came into conflict with the fallen JediUlic Qel-Droma: Qel-Droma and Mandalore the Indomitable agreed to a challenge of single combat to take place on Kuar. Amidst the duel, Mandalore the Indomitable mounted his Basilisk war droid in combat against Qel-Droma, only to be defeated and forced on his honor to swear loyalty to the recently anointed Sith Lord. In service to Qel-Droma and his Sith Master, Exar Kun, the Mandalorians under Indomitable rode their Basilisk war droids into battle in an attack on Foerost that allowed them to claim the fleet of vessels being constructed at the planet's shipyards.[14] Shortly thereafter, the Mandalorian Crusaders' Basilisk riders were part of the Qel-Droma's assault on the galacticcapital world of Coruscant. Though the Mandalorians were ordered to retreat following the false declaration of Qel-Droma's death,[15] they struck atOnderon atop their Basilisk droids, intent to conquer the world for Qel-Droma when they learned he had indeed survived. During the fighting at Onderon, however, a Galactic Republicfrigate opened fire on Mandalore the Indomitable's war droid, leaving the Mandalorian leader to crash on Onderon's moon, Dxun, where he perished at the hands of the indigenous beasts.[16] Upon finding the ceremonial Mask of Mandalore, Mandalore the Indomitable was replaced by a new warrior as the Mandalorian leader. Although the Great Sith War ended soon after, the new Mandalore had his own plans for the Mandalorians and their Basilisk droids.[2]Mandalore the Ultimate set to challenge the Republic and conquer the known galaxy, inducting as many of its inhabitants as Mandalorians as possible with his army of Mandalorian Neo-Crusaders in what became known as the Mandalorian Wars.[5] Mandalorian warriors astride Basilisk droid mounts assaultedAlthir,[10] and devastatedCathar,[17]wiping out close to ninety percent of the Cathar populace, before moving on to conquerFlashpoint.[2] At the battle at Vanquo, Basilisk droids took part in the orbital fighting, with at least one droid latching onto a Republic Aurek-class starfighter and tearing the canopy from the vessel with its front claws.[11] By this point in time, the Mandalorians had established a number of Basilisk war droid variants, and a large number of the droids took part in the Mandalorian Siege of Taris,[2] with several patrolling the skies of Taris during the Neo-Crusader occupation.[18]War droids fought alongside the Mandalorians again at Onderon and Dxun,[9] while several Basilisks and their riders fell victim to the rakghouloutbreak on Jebble.[19] At Essien, at least a dozen Basilisk droids were part of the Neo-Crusader forces intent on taking the planet. During the fighting, the war droid flown by Ko Sornell was shot down, though she and her son Gheedor were saved from Republic fire by the pacifistic JediZayne Carrick.[20] A squadron of Basilisk droids were carried aboard the Kandosii-type dreadnaughtParjai, headed for the planet Dantooine when the Mandalorian Knights targeted the Jedi Enclave there.[21] At Duro, the Neo-Crusaders struck with numerous Basilisk droids, raining them down on the orbiting cities in a manner similar to meteors,[9] and war droids fought under Cassus Fett at Jaga's Cluster.[10]The Mandalorian Wars came to an end with the Battle of Malachor V, wherein Mandalore the Ultimate was killed in single combat by the Jedi KnightRevan, and the Mandalorians' fleet was devastated over Malachor V by the superweapon known as the Mass Shadow Generator.[2] In victory, Revan commanded that the Mandalorians disarm, and even destroy their Basilisk droids.[3] However, not all obeyed the terms Revan set down, and kept their war droids in secret; the Mandalorians of Clans Ordo and Jendri were two such groups who refused to give up their loyal mounts. While searching for Mandalore's Mask, taken and hidden by Revan following his defeat of Mandalore the Ultimate, several clans including Jendri and Ordo traveled to the Outer Rim world of Rekkiad, bringing their Basilisks with them. The Basilisk droids belonging to Clan Ordo assisted in transporting heavy cargo across the frozen, ice-covered surface of Rekkiad, before being forced into a skirmish with the Basilisk riders of Clan Jendri, when Ordo's members crossed into the territory Clan Jendri had established. However, Jendri possessed only four war droids in comparison to Ordo's six, and the battle turned in Clan Ordo's favor as the members of Clan Jendri retreated with their Basilisks. Clan Ordo succeeded in recovering Mandalore's Mask from Rekkiad, and Canderous Ordo went on to become Mandalore the Preserver.[4]As the new Mand'alor, the traditional leader of the Mandalorian clans,[22] Canderous Ordo attempted to unite the Mandalorians that had scattered after the end of the Mandalorian Wars, assembling his clan and others[1] at the Mandalorians' old outpost on the Onderon moon of Dxun. There, the Mandalorians who rallied to Ordo kept a modified Basilisk war droid, one with an enclosed cockpit and room to seat three Humanoid individuals. When the Jedi Exile Meetra Surik traveled to Dxun, she made use of Clan Ordo's Basilisk droid to reach the Onderon capital city of Iziz, swooping sharply from the moon down to the planet's surface to evade the fire of the city's laser cannon defenses. The city locals feared the Basilisk's arrival, the memory of seeing the droid in action during the recent Mandalorian Wars still fresh in many of their minds.[9]By 2 BBY, Chop'aa Notimo had come into possession of a Basilisk war droid. That year, Notimo and his band of Mandalorian mercenaries took CorelliansenatorGarm Bel Iblishostage on the planet Bespin. At the request of Jedi Knight Rahm Kota, the former Sith apprentice Galen Marek set out to rescue Corellia's senator from Bespin's capital, Cloud City, engaging Notimo's mercenaries before finally confronting the veteran Mandalorian soldier. Notimo called upon his Basilisk war droid to engage Marek, using the droid's heavy claws and laser cannon to keep the Force-wielder at bay. However, Marek was eventually able to violently throw the war droid into a wall, before ripping its mechanical body apart using the Force. Without his droid mount, Notimo attempted to fight Marek on his own but was defeated and killed, and Bel Iblis was rescued.[8]During the Galactic Civil War, engineers were able to acquire schematics for manufacturing recreations of the ancient Basilisk war droids. The droids the engineers designed were largely similar to the animalistic incarnation of the Basilisk, though they incorporated a pair of hind legs in addition to the long-standing front set, and could only carry one rider. During the early portion of the war between the Galactic Empire and the Alliance to Restore the Republic, these war droids were available for purchase to a number of spacers.[23]By the time of the New Republic, Basilisk war droids had become a rare sight in the galaxy. Most had been destroyed, and those that survived were largely deactivated, able to only be found behind the transparisteel display barriers of the galaxy's museums.[3]LegacyEdit
- 'It's called the Bes'uliik. The Basilisk. I always had a soft spot for the ancient battle droids. Good old Mando name and old-fashioned Mando iron in a state-of-the-art package.'
- âJir Yomaget, discussing the Bes'uliik-class starfighter[src]
Despite the decline of the Basilisk's presence in the galaxy,[3] the war droid remained a powerful symbol in the Mandalorian culture,[24] and an icon of Mandalorian strength.[25] When MandalMotorsâa prominent Mandalorian starship company[26] headquartered in the capital city of the planet Mandalore, Keldabe[24]âbegan designing the StarViper-class attack platform around the time of the Battle of Yavin, many element of later Basilisk droid incarnations were evident in the new starfighter's conception.[27]Decades later, the engineers at MandalMotors created a new prototype starfighter known as the Kyr'galaar. However, upon the discovery of a new lode of nearly indestructible Mandalorian beskar iron on Mandalore, the company's CEO, Jir Yomaget, decided to incorporate the addition of beskar armor plating and rechristened the vessel as the Bes'uliik-class starfighter. A long-time admirer of the ancient Basilisk war droids, Yomaget felt the name appropriate for the highly advanced starfighter.[24]Behind the scenesEdit
- 'The Basilisk war droid version presented in K2 was an intentional departure from the ones presented in Tales of the Jedi, and we are happy, because frankly, those look really stupid. This is much the same reason that many of the designs in K1 are a departure from the ship designs in TOJ, and with good reason. So yes, the Basilisk droid version was an intentional departure from the older models, and we take full responsibility. It is noteworthy that LucasArts and Lucasfilm agreed with our decision on the first pass, much as they agreed with the decisions made with K1's look.'
- âChris Avellone.[src]
Basilisk war droids first appeared in the Star Wars universe in the first issue of the Tales of the Jedi story arc The Sith War, entitled Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War 1: Edge of the Whirlwind and written by Kevin J. Anderson.[14] The war droids continued to appear in subsequent issues[15] throughout the story arc,[16] and were given informational entries in The Essential Guide to Droids[6] and it's later update.[3]The first Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republicvideo game provides a detailed mention of the Basilisk war droids,[10] before appearing in the sequel, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords.[9] However, there was a discrepancy between the Basilisk droid as described by the player's companion, Canderous Ordo in Knights of the Old Republic, and the appearance of the droid in the sequel. Ordo indicates that the vehicle is a small, open-aired mount,[10] whereas Knights of the Old Republic II portrays a closed fighter, copying the design of PrinceXizor's Virago from Star Wars: Shadows of the Empire.[9] This was a conscious decision by Chris Avellone and the second game's developers, who described the original animal-like appearance of the Basilisk droids as 'really stupid', and attempted to replace the fantastical, 'ancient' look of the comics with the more grounded look of the movies.[28] However, both designs are canon, and references have subsequently been made to the older version, so this difference may have been implicitly retconned as a difference between varying models of the war droid type.[2]Dustin Weaver, the artist for Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: Flashpoint seems to have made an effort to reconcile the design variations, depicting Basilisks with both the body of the traditional mount-type droid and the wings and details of the Virago-like design from Knights of the Old Republic II.[11] Basilisk war droids made a number[17] of appearances[18] throughout the Knights of the Old Republiccomic series,[19] and into the subsequent mini-series, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: War.[20] Several Basilisk droids featured in Drew Karpyshyn's Star Wars: The Old Republic tie-in novel, The Old Republic: Revan,[4] and the PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, and Wii versions of Star Wars: The Force Unleashed included a Basilisk war droid as part of a boss fight on Bespin.[8] Two of Karen Traviss' Legacy of the Force novels, Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice[24] and Legacy of the Force: Revelation, mention the Basilisk war droid,[25] and Basilisk replicas can be found in the massively-multiplayer online game, Star Wars Galaxies.[23]Some ambiguity over the origins of the war droid's name have arisen since it first appeared. When introduced in the Tales of the Jedi comics, the Basilisk name was given with no explanation,[14] and may have been a reference to the basilisk of real-world myth.[29] Later, with the release of The History of the Mandalorians reference article in the eighty-sixth issue of Star Wars Insider, Abel G. Peña linked the Basilisk droids with the Basiliskan race of the planet Basilisk, implying that the Basilisk name was a descriptor based upon its creators.[1] However, Karen Traviss, while developing the Mando'a language, created the Mandalorian word bes'uliik in reference to the war droids, a name which meant 'iron beast'.[13] There is, as yet, no canonical explanation of the apparent homonymy of the name of the planet and the Mando'a term, though various solutions are possible.Page 86 of The New Essential Guide to Droids states that the Mandalorians obtained the war droids from 'the Basilikian homeworld.'[3]AppearancesEdit
- Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War 1: Edge of the Whirlwind(First appearance)
- The Taris Holofeed: Invasion Edition(Mentioned only)
- Knights of the Old Republic 48: Demon, Part 2(Appears in flashback(s))
- Knights of the Old Republic: War 2(Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic(Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic(Codex entry)
- Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Hutt Cartel(Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game(PSP, PS2 and Wii versions only)
- 'Lessons from the Past'âStar Wars: Force and Destiny Core Rulebook
- Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided
- Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption(Mentioned only)
- Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice(Mentioned only)
- Legacy of the Force: Revelation(Indirect mention only)
SourcesEdit
Wookieepedia has 29 images related to Basilisk war droid.- 'Straight from the Horse's Mouth: A Guide to the Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi Universe, Part 1'âStar Wars Insider 26
- 'Straight from the Horse's Mouth: A Guide to the Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi Universe, Part 2'âStar Wars Insider 27
- 'Straight from the Horse's Mouth: A Guide to the Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi Universe, Part 3'âStar Wars Insider 28
- The Official Star Wars Fact File45(MIL11-12, Military Droids)
- 'The History of the Mandalorians'âStar Wars Insider 80
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia(As 'war-mount')
- The Essential Atlas(Picture only)
- The Not-So Magnificent Seven on StarWars.com(article) (backup link)
- Drawing from the Imagination: Mythological Creatures in Star Wars, Part 1 on StarWars.com(article) (backup link)
- 'Authors of the Expanded Universe: Tales of the Sith'âStar Wars Insider 153
Notes and referencesEdit
- â 1.01.11.21.31.41.51.61.71.8'The History of the Mandalorians'âStar Wars Insider 80
- â 2.002.012.022.032.042.052.062.072.082.092.102.11The Essential Guide to Warfare
- â 3.003.013.023.033.043.053.063.073.083.093.103.113.123.133.143.153.163.173.183.193.203.213.223.233.243.253.26The New Essential Guide to Droids
- â 4.004.014.024.034.044.054.064.074.084.094.104.114.124.134.144.154.164.17The Old Republic: Revan
- â 5.05.15.25.35.45.55.65.75.85.9Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
- â 6.06.16.26.36.46.56.66.7The Essential Guide to Droids
- âThe Essential Atlas
- â 8.08.18.28.38.4Star Wars: The Force Unleashed video game
- â 9.09.19.29.39.49.5Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
- â 10.010.110.210.310.4Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
- â 11.011.111.2Knights of the Old Republic 8: Flashpoint, Part 2
- âImperial Commando: 501st
- â 13.013.1Mando'a dictionary
- â 14.014.114.2Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War 1: Edge of the Whirlwind
- â 15.015.1Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War 2: The Battle of Coruscant
- â 16.016.1Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War 6: Dark Lord
- â 17.017.1Knights of the Old Republic 42: Masks
- â 18.018.1Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic: Knights of Suffering
- â 19.019.1Knights of the Old Republic 28: Vector, Part 4
- â 20.020.1Knights of the Old Republic: War 2
- âKnights of the Old Republic: War 4
- â 'The Mandalorians: People and Culture'âStar Wars Insider 86
- â 23.023.1Star Wars Galaxies: An Empire Divided
- â 24.024.124.224.3Legacy of the Force: Sacrifice
- â 25.025.1Legacy of the Force: Revelation
- âThe Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- âStar Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
- âChris Avellone on the Obsidian forums
- âWikipedia's article on the mythical basilisk
External linksEdit
- Basilisk War Droid on SWG Wiki
- Basilisk War Droid Schematic on SWG Wiki
Mandalorianstarship classes Transports Aka'jor-class shuttle · Kiltirin-class dungeon ship
Kom'rk-class fighter/transport · Mandalorian dungeon ship
Mandalore the Indomitable's shuttle · Mar'eyce
Meteor-class Q-Carrier · Neo-Crusader Q-Carrier
Shaadlar-type troopship · Stathas-class freighter · Tra'kad-class transportStarfighters Basilisk war droid · Bes'uliik · Cabur-class starfighter
Davaab-type starfighter · G1-M4-C Dunelizard fighter . Fang fighter
Gladiator-class assault fighter · M3-A Scyk fighter
M12-L Kimogila heavy fighter · M22-T Krayt gunship
Mando-Verpine Assault Fighter · StarViper-class attack platform
Vyrhawk fighter-bomberPatrol ships Pursuer-class enforcement ship Gunships Teroch-type gunship Corvettes Crusader-class corvette Cruisers Mandalorian cruiser · Mandalorian warship
Venator-class Star DestroyerBattleships Jehavey'ir-type assault ship · Kandosii-type dreadnaught · Keldabe-class battleship
Kyramud-type battleship · Spirit of Vengeance[edit] You can't have a great 'Star Wars' adventure without a good droid getting involved. Much like how earthlings have their smart phones, the galaxy far, far away is populated with an overwhelmingly amount of droids, all designed to do a number of tasks, ranging from destruction and murder to translation and navigation -- and pretty much everything else in between.RELATED: 15 Revelatory Scenes in New Rogue One TrailerBut these mechanical companions aren't just sidekicks, and just because they aren't human doesn't mean they donât have personalities. Sure, there are plenty of droids used as eye-catching props in the 'Star Wars' trilogies, but the best droids are characters in their own right, as nuanced and captivating as Leia, Han, Vader and the rest. Considering just how many droids have been used in the current 'Star Wars' canon, we thought it was time to come up with a definitive ranking of the best droids in 'Star Wars.' Start calculating the odds that your favorite will come out on top.Continue scrolling to keep readingClick the button below to start this article in quick viewStart NowCommentEmailadvertising15 4-LOM
Hitman 1 pc game download. First Appearance: 'Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back' (1980)There are plenty of droids that missed the cut in this list, which has to be pointed out because even though 4-LOM's at the bottom, he's still pretty cool. As one of the bounty hunters assembled on the bridge of the Star Destroyer Executor in 'Empire Strikes Back,' 4-LOM is part of one of the most iconic scenes in the entire franchise. While his overall design is a little lacking (he's not the only all-black protocol droid on this list), his incredibly creepy insect head makes him really stand out. It has to be noted that 4-LOM would rank higher on this list if he, you know, didanything in the film. His profile also might be higher if a mistake hadn't erroneously labeled him by the name 'Zuckuss' for years. But his correct name is short for 'For Love Of Money,' and everyone can agree that's a baller name for a bounty hunting droid.14 R5-D4
First Appearance: 'Star Wars' (1977)R5-D4 is one of the many astromech droids to appear in the franchise and on this list, but he's still worth singling out for props and praise. For one thing, R5 has a cooler look, with his red-and-white color scheme and squared off head making him stand apart from a lot of other astromechs (particularly the most famous astromech). And unlike 4-LOM, R5 did make an impact in his film; if R5 hadn't malfunctioned after Luke and Uncle Owen purchased him from the Jawas, then the moisture farmers wouldn't have purchased R2-D2 -- and the Death Star plans would have just ended up rattling around in a sandcrawler for who knows how long! Plus, his fiery death inspired his action figure to have a projectile missile in his head. Say what you will, but at least R5-D4 had a cool toy.advertising13 GNK power droid
First Appearance: 'Star Wars' (1977)For a droid with surprisingly little screen time and no unique individual designation, this random GNK power droid -- or 'gonk' droid -- sure has captured a lot of imaginations over the years. Maybe it's because this is the one droid that is so obviously just a person wearing a big ol' stack of Rubbermaid boxes? The simplicity of the design and the ease with which it can be replicated has a certain amount of DIY charm to it. Or maybe people still have a soft spot for Gonk because this droid is so easily impersonated thanks to its signature 'gonk' gibberish -- a language actually called 'Gonkian'? 'Gonk' is also a really entertaining word to say. So no, Gonk doesn't do a whole lot in the movies, or say a whole lot besides its name, but its low budget nature speaks to what made 1977's 'Star Wars' so magical.12 IG-88
First Appearance: 'Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back' (1980)There were two droids present in that iconic bounty hunter scene in 'Empire Strikes Back,' and IG-88 is easily the cooler of the two. While 4-LOM looks a bit like a cosplaying Threepio, IG-88 is unlike any other droid we've seen in the 'Star Wars' franchise. As an assassin droid, IG-88 was literally made for murder. However, in a unique display of self-awareness, IG-88 struck out on his own to become an individual bounty hunter.IG-88 was so successful as a bounty hunter that he got on Darth Vader's radar. IG-88 would no doubt be higher on this list if, like all the bounty hunters not named Boba Fett, he actually did anything in 'Empire.' But IG-88 deserves respect just because of that menacing, spindly design and calculating, inhuman head. This is easily one of the creepiest droids in the 'Star Wars' canon, thus making IG-88 instantly memorable.11 K-2SO
First Appearance: 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story' (2016)The newest droid on the block, K-2SO is a member of the cast of 'Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.' We still haven't seen this droid in a full-length feature yet, but what we've seen from the trailers is enough to get us excited. K-2SO's personality is unique compared to all the other droids we've heard speak; as a former Imperial security droid, K-2SO's pretty cavalier about murder and destruction, all while maintaining a chipper tone.Then there's K-2SO's design. Standing at near-Wookiee heights, this is the first droid that actually looks like it could easily bludgeon any attacker and win any hand-to-hand fight. Marry that aesthetic with Alan Tudyk's charming voice and you have one truly odd droid. If K-2SO lives up to the intriguing nature of the trailers, it's likely a future list could place this droid within the top 10.10 Battle Droid
First Appearance: 'Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace' (1999)Like the polarizing Ewoks, your opinion of the Battle Droids probably depends on exactly how old you were when you first saw 'The Phantom Menace.' These guys are somehow even more ineffectual than stormtroopers and their reliance on catch phrases (like 'Roger Roger') could be seen as a turnoff. On the other hand, if you've watched the 'Star Wars: Clone Wars' cartoon, then you know that these guys are cannon fodder, but crazy entertaining cannon fodder.When the Battle Droids are used for physical comedy instead of menace, they actually work really well and prove themselves to be way more entertaining than stormtroopers ever were. So don't look at battle droids as threatening; look at them as what they truly are -- the slapstick comics of the 'Star Wars' universe.9 0-0-0 & BT-1
First Appearance: 'Darth Vader' #3 (2015)Kieron Gillen and Salvador Larroca's 'Darth Vader' series from Marvel Comics introduced a combo of droids so inseparable that it would be cruel to split them up on this list. Speaking of cruelty, there are no crueler droids on this list than Beetee and Triple-Zero. Beetee's a 'blastomech' prototype designed to look like a standard astromech droid, but packed with dozens of bazookas/lasers/etc. Similarly, Triple-Zero may look like an ordinary protocol droid, pre-shiny finish, but he's actually programmed for torture (in addition to etiquette).These droids were switched on by the tech genius and rogue archaeologist Doctor Aphra and handed over to Darth Vader to use in his personal missions. The two proved themselves to be loyal to murder over anything else, and only ended up on Doctor Aphra's side due to some loopholes in their programming. Still, no matter who's in charge of them, they're content.. as long as they're killing.8 Droideka
First Appearance: 'Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace' (1999)However ineffectual the battle droids may be, droidekas were as deadly. Of course the flipside is that these destroyer droids have zilch in the way of personality or catch phrases. Still, droidekas are one of the few actually threatening droids in the 'Star Wars' films -- and they have a design that sets them apart from every other menace. To start, these things don't just walk into battle, they roll and then pop open, guns a-blazing. Whereas battle droids were easily disposed of, destroyer droids come equipped with actual shields that protect them from return fire. Droidekas also play defense and offense simultaneously, making them a unique problem for their adversaries to solve, including jedi, who are often (though not permanently) stymied by their effective design. If you're able to deflect blaster fire while shooting lasers like a droideka, then you don't really need to compensate with pratfalls and 'Roger Rogers.'7 Probe Droid
First Appearance: 'Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back' (1980)The Imperial probe droid easily glides into the top 10, pretty much solely because of its design. Yes, it also plays a pivotal role in 'Empire Strikes Back,' as this is the probe droid that alerts the Empire to the Rebel's Hoth headquarters. It also took part in a quick snow-covered shoot-out with Han and Chewbacca before hitting a self destruct. But what's really memorable about this droid is its ink-black, squid-like design. With dangling appendages and a hamburger-shaped head covered in lenses and 'eyes,' this is another adversarial droid with an unsettling image. The sight of this thing gliding along would fit right in with a horror movie. On top of all that, the probe droid -- like the aforementioned Gonk -- is equally quotable. Of course, quoting the probe droid depends on how you hear its chirping alien, warbling signal. 'Admira-pass-ko, admira-pass-ko'? Sure, just go with that.6 2-1B
First Appearance: 'Star Wars: Episode V -- The Empire Strikes Back' (1980)After talking about a string of murder droids, let's turn our attention to the good doctor himself, 2-1B. Forget Threepio and Artoo, no droid probably did as much for Luke Skywalker than 2-1B. 'Empire Strikes Back' is bookended with scenes of Luke getting absolutely wrecked, both by a marauding wampa and his own father. In both instances, there's 2-1B to the rescue, equipped with a bacta tank and a spare hand to replace the one the young Jedi lost in battle.With his expertise in medicine and on-point bedside manner, 2-1B's the real hero of 'Empire Strikes Back' -- at least from a certain point of view. At the same time, 2-1B's also a great example of the importance of color in 'Star Wars.' With his sharp cheekbones, hollowed out eyes, spindly appendages and translucent ribcage, 2-1B could easily look like a creepy metal skeleton. But that cool blue-and-silver color scheme makes him look like the friendly droid he is.5 EV-9D9
First Appearance: 'Star Wars: Episode VI -- Return of the Jedi' (1983)On the polar opposite end of the droid spectrum lies EV-9D9, Jabba's supervisor droid that worked in the crime lord's palace on Tatooine. EV-9D9, or Eve for short, is notable because she's the only droid on this list with feminine programming. She's also notable for her job, which involved the punishment and torture of misbehaving and malfunctioning droids.The way that Eve barked orders at Artoo and Threepio, cutting off the protocol droid before he could answer any question and calling the astromech 'feisty,' you kinda got the impression that she really loved her job. And while Eve has the same spindly frame as a droid like 2-1B, her harsh bronze and rusty color scheme makes her way less friendly looking. EV-9D9's one scene in 'Return of the Jedi' is filled with snark and sadism, meaning she actually comes across way more evil than a lot of the other 'evil' droids on this list.4 C1-10P
First Appearance: 'Star Wars Rebels' (2014)C1-10P, nicknamed Chopper, is the resident droid member of the Ghost crew, an assemblage of freedom fighters and early members of the galactic Rebellion. But unlike the other astromechs employed by the Rebellion, Chopper's a bit of a jerk. Okay, that's an understatement. While this droid always does what's right eventually, he will protest with aggressive barks and burps the instant he feels slightly undervalued or annoyed. Unlike the other astromechs, he even has two tiny grabber arms, which he uses to repair the Ghost ship or wave around sassily. Yes, Chopper is an astromech droid that puts his 'hands' on his 'hips' when he's angry.But while he may seem fiercely independent and ferociously indifferent to others, he's really covering up the devotion he feels to his owner Hera and possibly even the tragedies he saw when he was paired with a Republic Navy Y-wing during the Clone Wars. Chopper's attitude and nuanced personality easily make him a top-five droid.3 C-3PO
First Appearance: 'Star Wars' (1977)The questions he asks are ones the audience would ask, and the information he rattles off is usually needed exposition. When he gets too annoying, the film uses him as a comedic punching bag ('Shut him up or shut him down!'). Plus, you can't argue with the fact that he played a pivotal role in keeping the Rebels from becoming Ewok food in 'Return of the Jedi.' Just generally, if ol' Goldenrod wasn't around, who would make sense of all the alien languages for the gang? Love him or hate him, Threepio's an integral part of the team and one of the most iconic characters in the franchise.2 BB-8
First Appearance: 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' (2015)It is hard creating meaningful new characters in a franchise as beloved and long-lasting as 'Star Wars.' Fans naturally gravitate to the characters they already know or met as a child. Nostalgia's a hard thing to overcome when trying to make new characters stick. That's partially why BB-8 is so absolutely remarkable. As soon as fans saw the orange and white astromech variant rolling through the sands of Jakku in the very first 'Force Awakens' teaser, they knew this character was something special.First, BB-8's design is unlike anything else on this list; while he bears a resemblance to traditional astromechs, his rolling design is so simple yet so surprising that it immediately catches your eye. Remember how shocked everyone was to see BB-8 roll out on stage, proving that he's a practical droid and not a CG trick? That's part of BB-8's fun. On top of that, he has a warm and inviting personality, coming across in his relationship with Rey and Poe as kind of a plucky housecat.That outgoing and friendly personality has made him a natural favorite of today's young generation of 'Star Wars' fans. Kids. Love. BB-8. It's about time we welcomed him into the pantheon of Most Loved 'Star Wars' Characters.1 R2-D2
First Appearance: 'Star Wars' (1977)Deciding between Threepio, Beebee and Artoo was tough, as all three are integral players in the 'Star Wars' franchise. When it comes down to it, though, Artoo Detoo has the edge. For one thing, he's stealthily one of the most important characters in the entire franchise. No, he's not a Skywalker, but this little guy played a major role in 1977's 'Star Wars' and 1999's 'The Phantom Menace' -- and every other 'Star Wars' film in between.He's wily, snarky, sassy, courageous and mischievous; his personality seems to contain depth that the other droids on this list just don't have. He delivers Death Star plans, fixes spaceships in the middle of dogfights, hot-wires everything in sight, serves drinks, keeps secrets, plays tug of war with Jedi masters and -- most importantly -- perseveres. Even with his presumably foul mouth of bleeps and bloops (C-3PO is constantly smacking his chrome dome for being rude), Artoo still manages to be adorable. Yeah, he was the BB-8 before BB-8 was BB-8. He also gets points for being the only 'Star Wars' character to get a personalized Christmas carol sung by a young Jon Bon Jovi. Artoo Detoo, you're the greatest droid ever.Basilisk War Droid
Which Star Wars droids are at the top of your list? Let us know in the comments!NexteXecuted: 10 Times An X-Men Viciously Took A LifeLeave A Comment