Pets of the Old Republic: #21: Devious Creep

Halloween is the perfect holiday to inspire me to explore another spooky and weird corner of Star Wars: The Old Republic with a pet whose name literally says it all: the Devious Creep! The Creep is part of a class of pets like the Mischievous Miniprobe, whose name is entirely descriptive and does not clarify what kind of creature it is or where it comes from. We know nothing else at all about this strange, alien imp beyond its appearance and epithet.

Is this a larval form of an adult monster? Is it related to other creatures or species from SWTOR or Star Wars in general? Is it a creep like someone who leaves inappropriate voice mails or a creep like something that lurks in the shadows? Is it both? And what do you mean it’s devious? Is it plotting against me?

Nobody knows! And here’s the thing, I’m not sure I want to know. In fact, yes, I am certain, I do not want to know. This thing is nightmare fuel, and learning anything more about it can only make it worse. The tooltip players click to summon this pet refers to it as a Blurrg, which it clearly is not. The pet’s model does seem to use the same skeleton as a Blurrg, and this reference may simply be a placeholder that was never corrected. This oversight suggests to me that even the devs refuse to name this beast! I don’t blame them.

Against my better judgment, let’s take a close look at the Creep. It has long, sharp, hooked horns that frame what seems to be a vertically aligned mouth, two large tusks for holding its prey, and two tiny teeth at the base of its mouth for tearing flesh. It just gets ickier. Those two chonky legs suggest it can run fast in a pinch, and its armored carapace means it can take a beating after it has clamped down on its next meal.

And what are those yellow things on the Creep’s back? If it’s an armored braincase, it might explain how it got so devious. But I fear they might be coverings for wings like we see on a flying beetles. The notion that these things can fly just makes it so much worse.

However, the Devious Creep’s most prominent feature is, of course, its single, large glowing eye. Like small cats and snakes, the Creep has an eyeball with a long vertical pupil, which indicates that it is an ambush predator. The fact that the Creep’s large eye glows with yellow malice seems to me that it really doesn’t care if you see it coming. At the first sight of that peeper, you really should start running or pull out a flame thrower.

An Abyssin cowers in the tomb of Naga Shadow on Korriban.

Aliens and creatures with a single eye, are relatively rare in Star Wars lore, but the two most prominent cyclopic examples can be encountered in SWTOR. The first is an Abyssin, an alien race that appeared in the cantina scene in Star Wars: A New Hope. Aside from the trait of having just one eye, the Creep and the Abyssin seem to share little else in common.

This Baby Dianoga has found its way into the kitchen of Bog’s Bounty Banquet Hall and is hoping to snatch up a scrap or two.

The Creep’s eye is similar in shape and color to the most well known single-eyed creature in Star Wars: the Dianoga, the tentacled monster encountered by Han, Luke, Leia and Chewie in the garbage masher scene in A New Hope. The eye of the Dianoga is only the tip of its much larger octopus-like body, so the Creep doesn’t seem closely related to the famous alien cephalopod either. However, I agree with Luke Skywalker’s assessment that shooting either of these ravenous creatures “Anywhere!” is an appropriate response to an unwanted encounter with them.

“Once you name it, you start getting attached to it!”

The one positive point in favor of the Creep is its similarity to creatures from a different franchise of Disney movies. If you told me that the Devious Creep was the bad seed cousin of Mike Wazowski from Monsters, Inc., I would not doubt it. If that is the case, then the Creep is likely extremely good at inspiring nightmares in small children. Probably too good.

Finally, the source of the Devious Creep pet is SWTOR’s Cartel Market. The pet has only been available for sale for short periods of time, often around Halloween. Players looking to acquire this pet will have to check the Galactic Trade Network. Because of its rarity, the Creep tends to be one of the most expensive pets for sale. In my research, I discovered that on the Star Forge server, there was only one Creep listed for the cool price of a half billion credits. I shall let you decide if that’s worth it to you.

I cannot deny its distinctive, yet disturbing appearance makes the Devious Creep one of the most unique and mysterious pets in the game. My Sith Inquisitor loves it dearly, but knows full well that this nasty little incubus probably does not love her back.