In the pilot episode of Andor, we saw a strange creature early on in the action. It’s off to the side of the shot and appears to be a cross between an animal and a droid. Even for Star Wars, this hybrid creature was unique. What is it? Turns out it is a Luggabeast, a mysterious species with several interesting attributes, including how it fits into the galaxy.
The Hybrid Creature in Andor Explained
The hybrid creature in question caught the attention of fans in this Reddit forum who speculated about what it could be. A few posts correctly identified it as a luggabeast, officially described as “a non-sentient quadruped species” located “on frontier worlds.” This description is followed by the interesting fact that the masks of this species were “fused permanently onto their faces.”
The luggabeast first appeared on-screen in The Force Awakens (2015), most noticeably on Jakku.
We can think of luggabeasts as creatures designed for work and don’t need food or water because their mechanical systems provide their nutrients. Luggabeasts tended to reside on planets like Jakku for scavenging purposes, and it was the Teedos who fitted these strange creatures with optical and armor cybernetics.
As we briefly saw one on Andor, this luggabeast resembled a robotic elephant on its side that had met his/her final resting place. According to director Toby Haynes, this luggabeast was actually sleeping and played by a real animal (which one is not specified). Why did he include this creature?
This particular luggabeast helped provide the atmosphere of Ferrix and establish the groundmech droid B2. This older “boxy droid” was formerly engaged in salvage scrapping before shifting to a more domestic role with the Andor family. That the luggabeast and other droids were sleeping in the area that B2 maneuvered provided a cluttered, rustic, and desolate feel to the first episode.
In the premiere “Kassa” episode, B2 also encountered Corellian hounds, one of which urinated on B2, who promptly electroshocked the hound away. Similar to the luggabeast, the Corellian hounds added a wild and untamed element to our initial impressions of the settings. An underworld environment pervaded the episode and helped set up the drama of the series.
How a Luggabeast Helped Star Wars
Along with the above elements of setting and environment, the luggabeast was included in the first episode to connect the Star Wars galaxy. In The Force Awakens, we first met a luggabeast who had helped capture BB-8. Including one in Andor acted as a means to bond Jakku with Ferrix and the first sequel movie with this new (at the time) series.
Beyond links to the realistic environments, a luggabeast also provided a fun Easter egg. This past article featured the luggabeast as second on the list of best Easter eggs and reiterated the tie-in of Teedo riding one of them when Rey rescued BB-8. It also acknowledged how in “Kassa,” Cassian walked by “an alien with yellow mechanical arms” that looked very much like “Crusher,” or Roodown, also from Jakku.
These connections are interesting for fans to spot while serving the larger “world-building” premise. This previous write-up about Andor reflected how Easter eggs were used liberally across the first three episodes. In other instances, these fan items helped create bridges to Rogue One, the Clone Wars, and Solo.
Not to overblow the significance of luggabeasts, but some fans even constructed a life-size sculpture to reflect their dedicated interest. And, these beasts have been included in video games like LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Skywalker Saga.
The Hybrid Creature
A luggabeast is the hybrid creature that we saw in Andor. Although not taking on a large role, it did help serve a more direct and long-term purpose. We have episode-to-series implications and galaxy-wide ones from its appearance.