Roodown

"There's a scrounger in Niima named Crusher Roodown. For years he was one of the Blobfish's best scavengers, but he got into a dispute with the Blobfish, and Unkar sent his thugs to cut off Crusher's arms."

―Rey describes Roodown in her journal^[6]

Roodown, nicknamed "Crusher," was an Abednedo scavenger on the desert planet Jakku. Roodown angered his employer, the junk dealer Unkar Plutt, who suspected the scavenger was selling salvage to a different buyer. As a consequence, Plutt's thugs cut off Roodown's arms, ending his career as a scavenger. However, Roodown was allowed to work for Plutt as a strong back around Niima Outpost using his replacement load-lifter arms, which greatly increased his strength.

Roodown once witnessed Plutt being kidnapped by the criminal Zool Zendiat and described what had happened to the scavenger Rey when she arrived to investigate. When a desert storm later uncovered the downed Star Destroyer Spectral, Plutt encouraged the scavengers of Niima to ransack it for him and had Roodown throttle the scavenger Teedo when he questioned the junk dealer. Constable Zuvio then sliced off Roodown's mechanical hand in order to stop any further harm befalling Teedo. In 34 ABY, shortly after the First Order attacked the nearby Tuanul village, Roodown passed by Rey in the outpost.

Biography[]

Punished by Plutt[]

"Crusher does odd jobs around Niima for half rations now, which is how I know the Blobfish regrets what he did—otherwise he would have had Crusher killed."

―Rey, writing in her survival guide^[6]

Roodown and Rey — Roodown informs Rey that Unkar Plutt has been kidnapped by marauders.

"Crusher" Roodown was an Abednedo^[2] male,^[3] originally from the planet Abednedo,^[1] who for years was one of the best scavengers operating out of Niima Outpost on the planet Jakku, where^[4] he^[2] would bring his junk to trade with the junk dealer Unkar Plutt, the outpost's proprietor. After Roodown and Plutt had a dispute, Plutt sent his thugs to cut off the scavenger's arms^[4] in the belief that Roodown was selling salvage to another buyer.^[7]

Roodown had replacement aftermarket load-lifter arms installed. Unable to salvage again, he was instead allowed to work^[4] for Plutt^[5] around Niima, offering his services as a strong back to other scavengers^[4] and completing other small jobs for half portions of food,^[6] including occasional work as an enforcer.^[7] He at one point raised a fist at a passing speeder while hauling material through the desert near one of the Imperial-class Star Destroyer wreckages in Jakku's^[8] Starship Graveyard.^[4]

Interactions with Rey[]

"Crusher Roodown! Crush that disbelieving sand gnat and toss him out!"

―Unkar Plutt orders Roodown to deal with Teedo^[5]

Roodown witnessed the criminal Zool Zendiat and a group of thugs arrive in Niima and capture Plutt while they searched for the head of a J9 droid that had been sold to the junk dealer. When the human scavenger Rey arrived in the outpost and asked what had happened, Roodown described Plutt's kidnapping to her shortly before the Gabdorin Krynodd declared himself the new "junkboss" of Niima.^[9] Rey then rescued Plutt, who reclaimed control of Niima.^[10]

Roodown Zuvio and Teedo — Constable Zuvio slices off Roodown's hand.

When a storm uncovered the Interdictor-class Star Destroyer Spectral among the sands of Jakku, Plutt gathered together the scavengers of Niima and announced the appearance of the ship, encouraging them to scavenge it for him. The scavenger Teedo was dubious of the starship's existence and spoke out against the junk dealer, causing Plutt to order Roodown to crush the naysayer. The Abednedo grabbed Teedo by the throat and lifted him into the air but was prevented from doing any further harm by Constable Zuvio, who sliced off Roodown's hand with a polearm.^[5]

Rey was the first to set out for the Spectral, after which Plutt ordered the other scavengers to steal whatever she scavenged and bring it to him. The other scavengers then raced off to try and reach the Spectral while Roodown had his hand reattached by a small droid. During the reattachment, Zuvio threatened Roodown and told him to warn Plutt and his friends that no harm should come to Rey.^[5]

Attack on Niima[]

Shortly after the First Order attacked the nearby Tuanul village^[11] in 34 ABY,^[12] Roodown was dragging a sled with three non-functional I2-CG droids^[4] around Niima when he passed Rey, who had just returned from scavenging in the Starship Graveyard.^[11]

Roodown on Jakku — Roodown worked as a strong back in Niima Outpost for Unkar Plutt.

Around a day later, Niima was attacked by the forces of the First Order.^[11] Rey later wrote about Roodown in a survival guide she compiled and theorized that he had been allowed to live and work in Niima after losing his arms only because Plutt regretted the incident.^[6]

At some point, Roodown met an artist who was compiling a journal of sketches and stories. The sketch and a description of Roodown were included when the journal was restored, expanded, and displayed by the Graf Archive^[13] at some point after 34 ABY.^[14]

Personality and traits[]

"Off-worlders led by some guy called Zool Zendiat. They blasted the outpost and grabbed Unkar. Serves 'im right, if you ask me."

―Roodown describes Unkar Plutt's kidnapping to Rey^[9]

Roodown was a large member of the Abednedo species,^[15] with black eyes and mottled, gray-and-pink skin.^[4] When Unkar Plutt was captured by marauder Zool Zendiat, Roodown believed the junk dealer deserved what had happened to him.^[9] Despite this, he was willing to obey Plutt's command to throttle Teedo. When Constable Zuvio told Roodown to spread the word that no harm should come to Rey, the Abednedo questioned why he should be concerned by the possibility.^[5]

Equipment[]

After losing his real arms to Unkar Plutt's thugs, Roodown's yellow cybernetic replacement arms granted him greatly enhanced strength.^[7] He used a sled in Niima that was made out of a scrapped water tank shell and salvaged thruster frame spokes.^[4] Roodown wore green pants with a brown belt, and brown sandals with blue socks.^[11]

Behind the scenes[]

Character creation[]

"I was pretty pleased by the alien being all over the film! Roodown is vastly bigger than the other aliens of the same species. I just thought he'd fallen down on his luck, and now he's got these giant JCB-style arms."

―Jake Lunt Davies^[16]

Roodown behind the scenes — Ian Whyte in costume as Roodown on the set of *Star Wars: The Force Awakens*

Roodown was created for the 2015 sequel trilogy film, Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, in which he was portrayed by Ian Whyte, who also played the character Bollie Prindel in the film.^[17] Roodown was created by creature concept designer Jake Lunt Davies,^[16] and his costume was made up of foam and lightweight plastic, with both the suit and mechanical arms attached like a backpack to Whyte's back. The suit was made light and airy due to the extreme heat of the sets in Abu Dhabi, where Roodown's scenes were filmed.^[18] An altered version of Roodown's costume can be seen in "Kassa," the first episode of the television series Andor's first season,^[19] which aired on September 21, 2022.^[20]

Naming and other appearances[]

Roodown was not identified in the film^[11] but was first named in Rey's Survival Guide by Jason Fry,^[6] Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary by Pablo Hidalgo,^[4] and The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens by Phil Szostak, reference books released simultaneously in conjunction with the film^[21] on December 18, 2015.^[22] Like all members of the Abednedo species identified by Hidalgo in the Visual Dictionary, the character was named in reference to the music of the Beastie Boys, as The Force Awakens director J.J. Abrams is a fan of the group.^[23] "Roodown" is likely a reference to the song "Root Down."^[24]

Roodown concept — Jake Lunt Davies designed Roodown for *The Force Awakens*.

Prior to the film's release, Roodown made his first appearance in Star Wars: The Force Awakens Immersive 360 Experience, a video created by ILMxLAB as a tie-in to the film and released on September 23, 2015.^[8] He also appeared in the Jakku portion of the non-canon Disneyland theme-park attraction Star Tours: The Adventures Continue,^[25] which opened on November 16, 2015.^[26] During the segment, Roodown is hauling junk through the wreckage of a Star Destroyer on Jakku when the StarSpeeder 1000 carrying the ride's passengers crashes into the wreckage nearby. Before continuing with his task, Roodown briefly turns his attention to the vehicle, from which several of Unkar Plutt's thugs then begin to scavenge. The StarSpeeder then takes off and leaves the wreckage and Jakku.^[25]