The floater squid was one of two predatory species of floater creatures that lived in the atmosphere of the Outer Rim Territories gas giant Yavin Prime. Three hundred meters in size, its resilient body consisted of an elongated gasbag with tentacles attached to it, and it could reach a speed of three hundred kilometers per hour. It was an opportunistic predator that attacked anything regardless of size, which included the other non-herbivorous floater, the floater shark, as well as starships, including the craft of Corusca gem fishermen.
Biology and appearance[]
The floater squid was one of[1] twelve known species[2] of floater, a type of creature that resided in the atmosphere of the gas giant–type planet Yavin Prime[1] of the Outer Rim Territories' Gordian Reach sector.[3] Its body consisted of a huge,[1] elongated[4] gasbag with ten to fifty[1] large[4] tentacles suspended from it. The squid reached three hundred meters in size, and it was vulnerable to turbolaser fire and ramming by vehicles, with smaller weaponry not affecting it. A hit on the gasbag would cause the floater squid to lose its altitude. The squid moved through Yavin Prime's atmosphere by drawing in air and then ejecting it, allowing it to reach a speed of three hundred kilometers per hour.[1]
Behavior[]
A voracious predator, the floater squid was one of two species of floater that preyed on[1] the ten other species, members of which ranged in length from thirty to fifteen hundred meters.[2] Constantly on the prowl, the squid was willing to attack anything of any size, including the thirty-to-fifty-meter–long predatory floater shark and starships traveling through Yavin Prime's atmosphere. The latter included the trawlers and skiffs used by the fishermen harvesting the planet's valuable Corusca gems. In particular, the floater squids were apparently attracted by the energy pulses of the energy purse seines used by the fishermen.[1]
History[]
At one point between 0 ABY and 3 ABY,[5] the centennial breeding season of Yavin Prime's herbivorous floaters commenced, causing in them heightened aggression. The breeding season and the activity of floater squids both caused considerable difficulties for a team of Corusca gem fishermen attempting to poach on the gem-fishing territory controlled by the Damarind Corporation.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
The floater squid—though not given a formal name at the time—was introduced in Galaxy Guide 2: Yavin and Bespin, a 1989 sourcebook published by West End Games for use with Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game.[4] The creature was subsequently identified by name in Jonatha Ariadne Caspian's 1995 Second Edition to the book. The Second Edition also included a roleplaying adventure idea that involved the appearance of floater squids. This article assumes the scenario plays out as described.[1]
Sources[]
- Galaxy Guide 2: Yavin and Bespin (First mentioned)
- Galaxy Guide 2: Yavin and Bespin, Second Edition (First identified as floater squid)
"ISB Intercepts" — Star Wars Adventure Journal 9- Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds (Indirect mention only)
"Yavin: The Big Red One Part 1" (original article link) on Wizards.com (content now obsolete; backup link) (Indirect mention only)- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia (Mentioned in multiple entries, but without own entry)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 Galaxy Guide 2: Yavin and Bespin, Second Edition
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. I, p. 281 ("floater (1)")
- ↑ The Essential Atlas
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Galaxy Guide 2: Yavin and Bespin
- ↑ Galaxy Guide 2: Yavin and Bespin, Second Edition is set between the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope and Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back, which corresponds to between 0 ABY and 3 ABY per The New Essential Chronology.