Category Archives: My Artwork

With summer just around the corner, the perfect pet to kick off the proud month of June is the Shimmering Ginx. There are several other Ginxes available and countless other pets in Star Wars: The Old Republic, but none of them are quite so colorful as this Ginx!

The Shimmering Ginx can be won by players participating in SWTOR’s yearly summer Nar Shaddaa Nightlife Event. The event is coming up in less than one month, so anyone who hopes adopt this flamboyant little frog and several other eye-catching pets do not have long to wait.

Ginxes are frog-like creatures found on the planet Makes as well as in swamps on other worlds around the galaxy including Yavin and Zakuul. Ginxes are generally docile, but fully grown they are quite large and occasionally surly so I don’t advise getting too close. In addition to the Shimmering Ginx, three other Ginx pets are available, including the legendary Venomous Ginx which was rewarded from SWTOR’s infamous and not often missed Galactic Command gearing system of the Fallen Empire era. Players looking for a more sturdy Ginx with which to adventure can also purchase a Ginx Handler’s License from the GTN or Cartel Market which allows players to fight alongside an adult froggy companion of their own.

The Ginx creature companion, a Mesa Ginx, the Shimmering Ginx, a Praire Ginx and a Venomous Ginz always root for the Frogdogs.
Wait. Are there even prairies on Makeb?

Frog-like aliens are extremely common, appearing in both animal and alien form across Star Wars lore. I can only assume that in a galaxy far, far away frogs also taste like chicken given how such diverse characters as Jabba the Hutt, Jar Jar Binx and Grogu all consider them delicious. Return of the Jedi features not one but two frog-like creatures. The most prominent is the Worrt, an alien which is the source of one of several burp jokes in Episode VI. The Worrt’s basic physiognomy is very similar to that of the Ginx, and I imagine they are somewhat related, but perhaps only in the way that a crusty, horny toad is related to a glistening river frog.

This Worrt looks worried.

The second alien is well-known to anyone who participates in PVP in SWTOR: the Frogdog. With their jagged teeth and bulbous eyestalks, Frogdogs are about as creepy as they come. Frogdogs are generally regarded as mere animals, but they are actually fully sentient, a fact that allows them to take advantage of situations in which they might be ignored and dismissed as mere pets.

Score one for the Frogdogs!

Jabba the Hutt apparently used one as a spy in his palace, and it seems likely they have a long association with the Hutts given that Frogdogs are the mascots of one of the most popular Huttball pick-up teams of the Old Republic Era.

Frog Lady is nice. Baby Yoda is a jerk.

There are other intelligent, frog-like creatures in Star Wars, but I’ll spotlight two of the most familiar and recent. Turgle, is an amphibious native of the planet Koboh with long, lankly limbs and slick green and yellow skin. He debuted in 2023 as a companion to Kal Cestis in Respawn’s Jedi: Survivor video game. But I also want to mention the infamous character known only as “Frog Lady”. Frog Lady appeared in the second season of The Mandalorian and played a guest role in two episodes late in the season. At first she and her plight are largely the butt of a series of jokes at her expense, but in her next episode her character is treated with actual empathy and compassion. I attribute that change in tone to Bryce Dallas Howard who directed that episode; she has demonstrated in her work on the show to be willing to focus on the humanity of the characters in the stories she tells. That is as important in Star Wars as in real life.

Representation Matters

When deciding the order of pets to cover in this series, I knew the Shimmering Ginx would be featured in June, Pride Month, the celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer culture. The rainbow is a symbol of their community and the Ginx’s color scheme is equally colorful.

As a CISHET dude, I am not the best person to discuss these issues, but I want to add my voice in support of my friends and family and others of one of the most vulnerable minorities who are being targeted for simply wanting to live their lives as who they are born to be. It has been shown time and time again, that when people can embrace who they are by coming out and/or transitioning and find community with others who support them, they have better, happier and healthier lives.

When it comes to LGBTQ representation, SWTOR has not always had the best track record. At launch, any queer content was, at best, relegated to subtext, despite the fact that Bioware was already known for having gay romances in Mass Effect and the original Knights of the Old Republic. I don’t know if EA or Lucasfilm chickened out, but SWTOR was justly criticized for leaving behind its queer fans.

Over the years, SWTOR has begun to right that ship. Gay romances and flirts were introduced with the game’s first expansion, Rise of the Hutt Cartel. As part of the next, Shadow of Revan, the game introduced Lana Beniko and Theron Shan, who have become the SWTOR‘s major romantic leads, easily eclipsing the original companions in attention and screen time. Both Lana and Theron can be romanced by characters of either gender, and it’s amazing to see how fans have responded to and become attached to those characters. Moreover, many of the game’s original companions have returned to the story with the option to be romanced by same-gender characters, an overdue, but welcome change.

With the current expansion, SWTOR’s efforts at inclusion have continued with trans-friendly customizations for player characters and most recently with a literal rainbow of options for several of the game’s PC alien races.

I never had a problem relating the characters I created in SWTOR, but I’m very happy to see new players have options I never would’ve imagined back in 2011. I’ve being gaming in one form or another for decades, and I’ve seen in myself, my friends, my fellow party members, my guild-mates and members of the online community, the desire to create characters that reflect parts of themselves, characters that amplify parts of themselves others don’t get to see, and characters that lets themselves to be who they aspire to be. I’m very glad to see SWTOR move in a direction that inspires people to play more of these characters in this game that I love.

I don’t know how far the good people at Broadsword can move SWTOR’s old game engine in that direction, but I believe they intend to keep pushing. I hope they succeed. I want SWTOR and its community to be a welcoming place for anyone with good intentions to play and have fun and escape from the trouble of the real world, if only for a little while, into another galaxy where they can be heroes too.

How does the saying go? Yavin showers bring Makeb flowers? As spring gives way to summer, I thought I’d take a look at one of the most (but not, to my surprise, completely) unique pets in Star Wars: The Old Republic, the Makrin Creeper Seedling.

This weird little pet was initially available as a reward for players who pre-ordered SWTOR’s first expansion Rise of the Hutt Cartel but is now available to everyone as one of the rotating options purchased from the Galactic Seasons token vendors on Fleet. When the Makrin Creeper Seedling was suggested for this project, I thought it was the only pet of its kind in the game, but during my research I discovered that there is a second Makrin pet, the Juvenile Makrin Creeper, a pet so rare I don’t think I’ve ever seen one in the game!

Makrin Creepers are described as very large creatures often indistinguishable at first glance from a wooded hillock or copse of trees, most notable for their six spider-like creeping legs which gives them their name . They are normally docile, but can be dangerous if provoked thanks to their thick bark-like hide, enormous size and long, jagged limbs. Players first encountered Makrin on the planet Makeb during Rise of the Hutt Cartel, but they can also be found on Odessen in the wilderness outside the Alliance base.

An adult Makrin Creeper waters itself at an oasis on Makeb.

The codex entry for the Makrin does not clearly address the question of whether they are animal or vegetable. It is very possible their appearance is an adaptation that allows them to better hide from predators, similar to earthborn Phasmids (or stick bugs) or the Orchid Mantis. However, like so many other aliens in Star Wars, I think it’s safe to suggest Makrin Creepers are likely a hybrid of plant and critter, and possess traits and properties of both. I have neither found an official classification nor thought of an entirely satisfying one myself. Should we call them Botansects? Or perhaps Bugflowers?

Plant-like creatures appear in very many stories from our own culture, from the Dryads of Greek mythology, the Fighting Apple Trees in Wizard of Oz to the Ents of the Lord of the Rings and Groot from Guardians of the Galaxy. It should come as no surprise that plant-like creatures appear all over Star Wars lore as well.

The first of these was likely created by artist Ron Cobb as part of the concept art for aliens meant to inhabit the Mos Eisley cantina in the very first Star Wars movie. This “Ambulatory Plant” did not make it into the film, but like so many other unused designs, it found its way into Star Wars lore through the comics and novels and games of the Expanded Universe where it was identified as a Revwien.

Jedi Master Ood Bnar, dreaming of a Datacron on Ossus.

There are many other botanical aliens across the galaxy, but players of Star Wars: The Old Republic may have encountered two others during their adventures.  The first is the Neti Jedi Master Ood Bnar, one of the longest living individuals in all of Star Wars lore. Ood Bnar appeared in some of the very first stories in the Old Republic setting, and while he remains deep in slumber on Ossus at the time of SWTOR, he will reward resourceful players with access to a datacron and a sprig from one of his branches.

The Curse has a hunger that cannot be sated.

The latest plant-like creature we encounter in SWTOR is the Curse, the fearsome final boss in the games most recent and most excellent flashpoint, Shrine of Silence. The Curse a horrid outgrowth of Voss’s Dark Heart, and Illeva has reasonably suggested that the Curse might be related to the Drengir, an invasive race of malevolent, carnivorous plants that threatened the  galaxy during the High Republic era.

Let none of these fearsome, flowering foes dissuade you from adopting a Makrin Creeper Seedling of your very own! It may not be as floofy and huggable as a Loth cat, but when it sprouts to full size, you’ll have made a loyal treehouse-sized, walking forest friend!

As I approach the half-way mark of this project, I decided that the next Pet of the Old Republic ought to be one that can encourage me to keep pressing on towards the finish line. To reach that goal, there is no better choice than Speedy the Turtle.

Speedy is unlike the other pets I’ve covered. Speedy doesn’t follow you on your adventures, instead players can only interact with Speedy by following them on the shore of the Rishi stronghold, where Speedy regularly patrols back and forth along the sandy beach beneath the overlook.

Our Strongholds can often feel rather sterile and quiet, especially compared to other environments in SWTOR, so I always appreciate catching sight of Speedy as they enjoy their walk along the waves. It helps make my stronghold feel more alive. Speedy isn’t a vendor sick of buying my grey items or one of my bored companions staring off into space, Speedy is just out there living their best life and doing their own thing. We can all stand to be a bit more like Speedy, I think.

The Cerulean Turtle and the Juvenile Turtle cheer on Speedy as they make their way up Heartbreak Hill.

For players who want an actual turtle pet to accompany them around the galaxy, there are two options available. The first is the Juvenile Turtle, a pet sold on the Cartel Market or by other players on the GTN.  The second is the turquoise blue Cerulean Turtle that can be purchased by players who have reached the Champion reputation rank with either Manaan Invasion force faction.

Finally, in the interest of covering all bases, I am aware that there is a secret achievement involving Speedy. I can assure you, gentle reader, that even if I play SWTOR until they turn off the lights and unplug the servers I will never, ever unlock that achievement.

Turtles All the Way Down

Turtles, like many other familiar animals, serve as inspiration for many aspects of Star Wars lore. In Star Wars: The Old Republic, players will likely have encountered hard-shelled Shaclaws on their quests around the galaxy. Likewise fans of the Ahsoka show will recall the Noti, aliens found on the planet Peridea in a galaxy even farther away. The Noti also have large carapaces on their back that they use for defense and protection.

Shelleigh the Shaclaw makes a surprise appearance in the Nature of Progress operation.

However, both Shaclaws and Noti seem to be more crustacean than the reptilian turtles, and are at best distant relatives to Speedy. That said, as we’ve seen throughout this Pets of the Old Republic project, it’s very common for Star Wars aliens and creatures to mix and match different characteristics of various earthbound creatures into something new. If the Star Wars design aesthetic could be said to have an over-riding goal, it is to make its worlds, creatures and vehicles familiar at first glance but strange upon closer examination.

A Noti and Sabine Wren from Ahsoka.

Inspiration from actual turtles can be found in other corners of Star Wars lore. One of the earliest examples is alien species known as the Yinchorri who were first introduced in the story “The Alderaan Factor”, one of my favorite Star Wars comics of the 1980’s. They would also appear in several of Dark Horse Comics Star Wars stories in the 1990’s and 2000’s. The Yinchori are humanoid aliens, but their physiognomy is most definitely turtle-like, despite their lack of hard shells.

Yinchori pilots from issue 86 of the Marvel’s Star Wars comic series. Art by Bob McLeod and Tom Palmer.

Where we see the most inspiration from turtles in Star Wars, however, is not in any strange alien creature, but in its vehicles. Turtles are among the many earth-bound animals evoked by the movies’ famous Walker military vehicles. An early design of the fearsome All-Terrain Armored Transport from The Empire Strikes Back with its shell-like main body and head sticking out is certainly more turtle-like than the final version seen in the film, but this design would be revisited during the prequel era for the squatter All Terrain Tactical Enforcer which hews closer to a familiar turtle body-type, despite the addition of two extra legs to its mechanical design.

This connection is made explicitly clear in graffiti created by the Clone Troopers which appears throughout the stories of The Clone Wars animated series. The image seen below is a drawing of their tank as a heavily armed turtle familiar to anyone regardless of their home galaxy.

Turtle power!

Ultimately, is Speedy too much of a turtle and not strange enough to be a proper Star Wars alien? I don’t think so. I’m certain an actual herpetologist could rattle off any number of differences between Speedy and a real turtle. For me Speedy is weird and cute enough to feel at home on Rishi, and I hope to see more additions like that in our collection of Strongholds.