TheStar Warsfranchise is one of the most instantly recognizable and popular in the modern day. Created by George Lucas in the 1970s,Star Warsimmediately took over pop culture and become immensely successful. Even those who haven’t seen any of the movies or shows will recognize some of the iconic character designs like those of Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and more.
One of the big reasons why this franchise took off is that audiences found it to be a believable depiction of outer space and a completely different galaxy from our own. A lot of that believability had to do with the use of practical effects in creating the alien creatures (something that, while put to the side during the prequel trilogy, has now come back into fashion after the takeover by Disney). These practical effects helped audiences fall in love with certain characters and species, including the Mon Calamari. This alien species is best known for its representative Admiral Ackbar, the alien known for his iconic “It’s a trap!” line in the original trilogy. The Mon Calamari have a long history beyond Ackbar, however. Here’s everything fans need to know about this alien species.
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What Are The Mon Calamari?
The Mon Calamari live on Mon Cala, a luscious ocean planet filled with coral reefs and underwater forests. They share the planet with the Quarrens, another species that they have had rivalries with at times. One of these clashes was depicted inStar Wars: The Clone Wars, the animated series from George Lucas and Dave Filoni. Both the Mon Calamari and the Quarrenhave gone on to appear inThe Mandalorianas well. That conflict was one of the key battles towards the end of the Clone Wars, with the Quarrens siding with Count Dooku and the Separatists whereas the Mon Calamari remained loyal to the Galactic Republic.
The Mon Calamari vary in appearance depending on the individual. Some of the most famous of the species, such as Admiral Ackbar, sport the traditional facial structure and design, with an orange skin color. However, Mon Calamari can have plenty of other skin tones, from blue to gold to brown. Admiral Raddus inRogue One, who helped lead the Rebellion’s surprise attack on Scarif, had the same general design as Ackbar but with a blue skin tone.
What Is Mon Cala Like?
The planet of Mon Cala, home to this species, is an aquatic world that features coral reefs and marine forests in the oceans. In canon, it is described as a beautiful and unique place, and one that holds many different kinds of wildlife (the Mon Calamari and the Quarren being the most notable of the species that live on the planet). Mon Calamari are comfortable in both underwater and dry environments.
As mentioned, however, Mon Cala has not always been as peaceful or quiet as it may seem based on its appearance. Emperor Palpatine stirred the pot to maketensions rise during the Clone Warsby assassinating a political leader on the planet.
What Did The Mon Calamari Do?
During the time of the Skywalker Saga, the Mon Calamari were traditionally on the side of the Galactic Republic, the Rebellion, the New Republic, and the Resistance. Admiral Ackbar, for example, served in all of those organizations in some capacity, and eventually died in battleduring the events of Episode VIII.
After Palpatine declared himself Emperor and turned the Republic into the Galactic Empire, his newly founded regime occupied the planet of the Mon Calamari and enslaved many of its people. For this reason, many of the Mon Calamari opted to fight for the Rebellion during the Civil War, and even supplied the Alliance with many of the warships needed to take on a fight with the Empire. In canon, this explains why many Rebel generals during the original trilogy in particularwere of the Mon Calamari species.
What Happened To Mon Cala?
Mon Cala fell during the collapse of the Republic and the rise of the Empire. The Imperial occupation of Mon Cala changed the planet from a world of mostly peace to a tense and chaotic atmosphere, but after the fall of the Empire, things did revert to normal.
Mon Cala and the Mon Calamari came back into the spotlight during the war betweenthe First Order and the Resistance, however. General Leia Organa successfully lobbied for the support of the Mon Calamari and their fleet in the Resistance’s fight with Kylo Ren and co., and they were quick to join her as the First Order had moved to occupy the planet in the same way that the Empire did years before. This meant that many Mon Calamari joined the Resistance just as they did with the Rebellion. Aftab Ackbar, the son of the famous Rebel general, played a key role in bringing down the First Order on Exegol in Episode IX.
