What's With Obi-Wan Riding Quetzalcoatl?

[Battlehymn Republic]

Seriously, that beast with the funny roar was one of the weirdly light-hearted moments in Episode 3, since Obi Wan's the only person on all of Utapau seen riding one. What's the name of the species?

[Lord Revan]

a female varactyl, plus creatures name is Boga.

[Firefox]

She was a varactyl named Boga.

EDIT: Curses.

[Darth Fanboy]

In the movie, the creature seems to swim off, but the novel, Boga "gives her life" to save Obi Wan. Whats the deal?

[Lord Revan]

In the movie, the creature seems to swim off, but the novel, Boga "gives her life" to save Obi Wan. Whats the deal?

well novel she's hit with several heavy weapons, were as in the movie she's hit none (the shot is a near miss that hits the rockface).

[Darth Garden Gnome]

well novel she's hit with several heavy weapons, were as in the movie she's hit none (the shot is a near miss that hits the rockface).

"Several heavy weapons"?

[Lord Revan]

well novel she's hit with several heavy weapons, were as in the movie she's hit none (the shot is a near miss that hits the rockface).

"Several heavy weapons"?

mortars, T-21s, missile launchers you name it (that's in the novel that is), in movie there only near miss from single cannon shot (does this clear it up).

[Battlehymn Republic]

Man, you guys are thorough.

Seriously, did anyone think the same thing as me? That it was exactly like the mythical description of Quetzalcoatl (well, except it was neither a man, a god, or a caucasian), and that it was a very weird, cowboy-ish moment?

[Vympel]

I thought him riding it was awesome, not weird. It looked very realistic.

One thing that pisses me off is fuckwits who attempt to nitpick a movie they clearly weren't paying any attention to. I've heard numerous criticisms as to the Separatists being unable to hear Obi-Wan nearby because he had a big lizard making hooting noises- except of course that when he gets into the Separatist control centre Boga doesn't make a fucking sound and Obi-Wan makes a special point of calming her down with the force.

[Kuja]

If she had been more snakelike, and done some flying, I'd have thought of Quetzacoatl. As it was, nah, but that's a funny comparison.

[ANGELUS]

That it was exactly like the mythical description of Quetzalcoatl

"exactly like the mythical description"? not really, since Quetzalcoatl is a feathered snake, not some sort of lizard.

Ok, maybe it's head might be a little like Quetzalcoatl's.



But still, is this what this thread is all about? "Hey that thing looks like Quetzalcoatl", I think this is just spam.

[Darth Garden Gnome]

mortars, T-21s, missile launchers you name it (that's in the novel that is), in movie there only near miss from single cannon shot (does this clear it up).

Wow. Sounds infinately more thorough. Did they hit the beast spot on? That could one durable animal...

[Comosicus]

mortars, T-21s, missile launchers you name it (that's in the novel that is), in movie there only near miss from single cannon shot (does this clear it up).

Wow. Sounds infinately more thorough. Did they hit the beast spot on? That could one durable animal...

As far as I remember from the movie, the hit miss so only the shrapnel should have hit the lizard. And her scales I think would offer some protection to that.

[Noble Ire]

mortars, T-21s, missile launchers you name it (that's in the novel that is), in movie there only near miss from single cannon shot (does this clear it up).

Wow. Sounds infinately more thorough. Did they hit the beast spot on? That could one durable animal...

Of course, in the novel, it describes Obi-wan being showed in the steaming flesh of his steed. The scales werent quite tough enough I guess.

[Battlehymn Republic]

But still, is this what this thread is all about? "Hey that thing looks like Quetzalcoatl", I think this is just spam.

I was asking what its name was. If there's a high-bandwith online Star Wars dictionary that's specific enough to list every steed Obi-Wan's ever ridden on, then this thread would be meaningless.

But I digress. The point it is that it's reptilian, and looks like it has feathers.

[Utsanomiko]

since Obi Wan's the only person on all of Utapau seen riding one.

Not quite, since Obi-Wan rides out of a stable full of Varactyls when we first see Boga. Two of them can bee seen in the background when he first lands on the platform, although those two have a single ridge of feathers running down their head and neck, so are probably male.

[Lord Revan]

mortars, T-21s, missile launchers you name it (that's in the novel that is), in movie there only near miss from single cannon shot (does this clear it up).

Wow. Sounds infinately more thorough. Did they hit the beast spot on? That could one durable animal...

nope it was near miss that hit the rockface under the lizard and showered her with shrapnel.

[Kurgan]

Man, you guys are thorough.

Seriously, did anyone think the same thing as me? That it was exactly like the mythical description of Quetzalcoatl (well, except it was neither a man, a god, or a caucasian), and that it was a very weird, cowboy-ish moment?

I got a distinct vibe that Lucas was tributing Ray Harryhausen (Sinbad movies, Clash of the Titans) in AOTC (check out the arena battle, especially Obi-Wan vs. that crab thingy).

ROTS's "Boga" reminded me of Irwin Allen's work (Lost World) and others who used the cheap techniques of pet lizards with stuff glued on to let them pass as "giant monsters" and "dinosaurs."

I honestly thought the lizard died... from a combination of the long fall and the shrapnel from the explosion (assuming the cannon shot didn't hit the creature's flesh at all). It really "swims away" to safety in the movie? The novel may have colored my view, but I swore it didn't come back up moving after the splash. It's not as if Boga had the Force like Obi-Wan did, to survive. With the other "long falls" the lizard takes, it always lands on its feet, and this was may longer than any it took previously.

And yes, I did think the iguana looked very realistic. Much better than previous "beast-rider" interactions seen in Star Wars with CG, like the giant tick/cow Anakin surfs on or Padme riding that crocodile in the Geonosis Arena (it was cool but she looked like she was just riding an effect.. held too steady). The bull creature in AOTC was good though. Probably the worst ever was the CG Stormtrooper riding that dewback in the ANH SE. I don't mind the creature design, but that trooper looks like a plastic scarecrow.

Anyway, I think what many people object to with Boga is that ok, you have this big lizard, fine, but then it makes this really annoying call that goes on and on and on... not that this couldn't happen but it's like, okay so either Lucas wanted to try to make it overly cute, or he wanted to use it as an air horn like "Hey! Look at this awesome effect I made!!" rather than letting it just blend seamlessly with the rest of the action as if it were no big deal. When they show a cowboy on his horse in the types of movies Lucas is imitating, unless my memory is faulty, it isn't loudly whineying and neighing constantly, just a bit at the start for drama and maybe a few noises when the ride is over (or when he's about to fall off a cliff/trample some person).

[Cykeisme]

Of course, in the novel, it describes Obi-wan being showed in the steaming flesh of his steed. The scales werent quite tough enough I guess.

True, but in the novel, Boga was hit directly by heavy weaponry, multiple times (:(). In the movie, she only had to survive shrapnel from the single hit on the cliff-face.. hence the comment about her scales protecting her.

I thought her call was unique, like no Earth creature, yet sounding like it could be be the sound some creature would make. The sound was, perhaps, made a tad bit too frequently. Verbose beastie!