We’re already aware of a few of the new characters who’ll be introduced in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, including Naomi Ackie’s Jannah, Richard E. Grant’s Allegiant General Pryde and Keri Russell’s Zorii Bliss. But there’s one that we’ve overlooked until now. Literally, in fact, as they’re so teeny-tiny.
Today, however, a Triple Force Friday livestream event unveiled our first look at Babu Frik, a pocket-sized alien with major tech skills. The official Star Wars website described Babu as a “tiny Anzellan droidsmith” who “works among the Spice Runners of Kijimi and can reprogram or modify virtually any droid — regardless of the security measures protecting its systems.” We can only guess how he fits into the plot, but it doesn’t seem ridiculous to suggest that our heroes have to go to him to help them fix up one of the droids.
But which one? BB-8? R2-D2? D-O? There’s an interesting theory going around that he might finally give Threepio back his memories of the Prequel Trilogy. That would be cool, but perhaps he’s enlisted to fix up the droid after he develops those scary red eyes, as glimpsed in the second Rise trailer. There’s also some chatter going around that he’s the same alien seen fixing Kylo Ren’s broken helmet in the first trailer, but don’t believe it as they’re definitely two different characters.
If you’re wondering about exactly how small Babu is, he’ll come as an accessory to a Threepio action figure and this photo of the two items together makes clear that he’s only about the size of the droid’s head. I think every Star Wars fan is now ready to protect Frik with their lives and will riot if anything happens to him in the movie.