The Acolyte series has drawn deep into the extended universe for the purposes of creating a character. In episode 4, an alien is a direct reference to an extraterrestrial species invented for the needs of a novel published 45 years ago.
It is said of Leslye Headland, the creator of the series The Acolytethat she really likes the world of Star Wars. So, the Jedi padawan called Jecki Lon is a direct inspiration for a character who first appeared in the Special Edition — a revision of the original trilogy in 1997, with new scenes and new special effects.
This attraction to the world of George Lucas has manifested itself on other occasions since. Episode 4 of the first season of The Acolyte provided another example of this porosity between the series and the rest of the lore. In fact, the production sought out a creature invented 45 years ago in Star Wars for the purposes of the plot.
The following contains spoilers.
A creature linked to Han Solo
The creature we’re talking about here is a Tynnan — it’s a kind of bipedal rodent that’s small in size, but intellectually evolved enough to deal as equals with other species in the galaxy. In the series The Acolyteone of them is featured: his name is Bazil and he turns out to be an excellent tracker.
Bazil is not able to express himself in Basic – the common language in the galaxy – which means that he cannot be understood directly. However, his facial expressions and the intonation of his cries are enough to understand what he is thinking. In the series, the Jedi order calls on him to find Jedi Master Kelnacca, by giving him a cloth containing his scent.
This creature is not an ex nihilo creation of Leslye Headland. The idea was somehow inspired by an old novel by Star Wars released in 1979: Han Solo’s Revenge. It is in fact in this book, released two years after the very first film of Star Wars (A new hope1977), that the Tynnans species appears for the first time.
This inspiration was confirmed in an article on the official website published on June 17. However, the production took some liberties to make Bazil a little more cute and endearing. By comparison, the Tynnans seen in the visuals designed to depict them look much more rodent-like.
Aside from Brian Daley’s novel, the Tynnans have appeared in role-playing games and novels, and various other publications related to Star Wars — including essential guides to the planets and moons, or to extraterrestrial species. On the other hand, the Tynnans had never been shown on screen, including in cartoons.
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