The Fascinating Animal Spirit Guides in Star Wars

The Star Wars universe is a vast galactic ecosystem teeming with species and creatures that run the gamut from monstrous to helpful. One of my favorite things about Star Wars is exploring this colorful diversity of beings, from Pantorans to Kaminoans and rathtars to loth-wolves. This rich world of endlessly exotic places and creatures feels inexhaustible.  

And now, with the beautiful Star Wars Bestiary arriving in November 2024, we can immerse ourselves even more deeply in the exotic creatures of this world, some of which are powerful animal guides to our favorite heroes.

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George Lucas and The Mystical World of Star Wars

‍Star Wars is a mystical universe. Originally, it was shaped by the vision of George Lucas, who once said he considered himself a Christian Buddhist. While I don’t know what he would call himself today, it’s clear that themes of Western Christianity and Eastern religions such as Zen Buddhism and Taoism have deeply influenced his storytelling. From the immaculate conception of Anakin Skywalker, a prophesied savior, to warrior mystics and the formless nature of the Force, George Lucas drew upon spiritual philosophies and mythological archetypes from across the globe, inspiring us all for generations.‍

“[The Force] is an energy field created by all living things.  It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together.”  

~Obi-Wan Kenobi in A New Hope

Dave Filoni and Indigenous Spirituality

Just as our own universe continues to evolve, so does Star Wars, and as new creators play in this galaxy, its philosophy expands. In 2008, Dave Filoni entered the scene with The Clone Wars. He began to weave a new, shimmering thread of Indigenous spirituality into Star Wars storytelling.  

Indigenous:  existing naturally or having always lived in a place; native  – Cambridge Dictionary

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From wolf guides and ancient wall art to portals within spacetime and vision quests, Dave Filoni and Jon Favreau have drawn inspiration from Indigenous peoples' ancient and still living spirituality. 

These traditions predate Christianity and Buddhism. They flow across space and time to encompass the South American jungle, Arctic tundra, or African plain. In other words, our entire planet. The ancestors of every single human being took part in this worldview. It thrums in our DNA, which makes it a timeless and global current upon which to draw inspiration. 

No wonder it’s so powerful.

Dave Filoni first planted this magical seed in The Clone Wars. It took root in Star Wars Rebels and blossomed in The Book of Boba Fett and Ahsoka with journeys through spacetime, tribal initiations, and fantastic animal guides.  

This influence makes sense because Star Wars is global. Universal. Timeless even. Like the Force, it flows through traditions everywhere, permeating and connecting everyone. Here, we’ll explore an ancient and powerful element of Indigenous spirituality that has made it into the Star Wars universe: animal spirit guides.

What Is an Animal Spirit Guide?  

In Indigenous cultures around the world, an animal spirit guide is an animal that helps guide, teach, and/or protect a human, family, or tribe in life and even through dreams and death. Throughout history, people from all seven continents have identified with certain animals, even perceiving some as ancestors.

In Star Wars, I consider an animal spirit guide as a being that helps guide someone between worlds or toward protection, wisdom, or healing.  An animal spirit guide can even lead our heroes to a deeper relationship with the Force. 

But what’s the difference between an animal guide and an animal friend?

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Animal friends live in Star Wars. From Ember, the charhound in The High Republic and Obi-Wan’s loyal eopie in Kenobi to Sabine’s Loth-cat in Ahsoka, animals help our favorite characters. But an animal guide takes it a step further by granting serious protection, guiding one to the next step on their journey, opening portals, or teaching and elucidating the mysteries of the Force.

This power of protection and transmission sets an animal guide apart from an animal friend.

Though, of course, they can be both!

So, let’s jump in.  But be warned!  There be dragons — I mean — fiery spoilers ahead. 

Morai in The Clone Wars, Rebels, and Ahsoka

The Clone Wars Mortis Trilogy

Morai, a winged, owl-like creature, is a mysterious female convor who first appears in The Clone Wars during The Mortis Trilogy (S3E15-17). In Earthly mythology, owls are birds of wisdom (an owl represented Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom) known for their abilities to see through the dark and move between worlds. In Star Wars lore, Morai isn’t all that different.

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In “Overlords,” Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Ahsoka travel to the hidden world of Mortis, where they discover the Father, Daughter, and Son, three beings almost divinely powerful in the Force. The Daughter represents the light side of the Force and appears in wall art with a convor upon her shoulder.  When she sacrifices herself to restore Ahsoka Tano to life, Morai begins to appear in association with Ahsoka.  

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The Clone Wars:  Victory and Death

Throughout Ahsoka’s life, Morai arrives at significant moments. She makes her first  heart-wrenching appearance in Victory and Death, the final episode of The Clone Wars. Ahsoka has faked her death by leaving her lightsaber amongst the debris of the Tribunal, a crashed Star Destroyer. Years later, on the ice-strewn moon, Darth Vader discovers the wreckage and finds his former Padawan’s lightsaber. As he holds it in his hand and ignites it amidst the frozen wasteland, a convor appears above him, circling. For the audience, the connection between Morai and Ahsoka Tano becomes established.

Star Wars Rebels

Morai next appears in multiple episodes of Star Wars Rebels deep into the Reign of the Empire Era.  In “The World Between Worlds” (S4E13), Ezra Bridger wanders through a mysterious dimension of spacetime, sent there for reasons he doesn’t understand. 

As he traverses this mystical landscape, he comes upon Morai and asks her to help him. She shows him a portal that leads to Ahsoka Tano who is locked in a furious battle with Darth Vader as a temple collapses around them. Vader looms above Ahsoka, ready to strike her down. Morai hops and chirps at Ezra until he finally understands what she wants. At the last moment, he reaches in and pulls Ahsoka Tano back to safety.  

Surprised, Ahsoka sees Morai, and we hear three disembodied words echo softly: “I am Daughter.” Ahsoka tells Ezra, “She’s an old friend. I owe her my life.” 

And now we know. Morai is the Daughter of Mortis.

Since the Daughter represented the light side of the Force, from an Indigenous perspective, this could make Morai an ancestor to Ahsoka,  not necessarily of blood, but of a spiritual lineage.

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Ahsoka

Morai appears in the final episode of Ahsoka, “The Jedi, the Witch, and the Warlord” (S1E8). Ahsoka has tracked Thrawn to the planet Peridea, where she and Sabine have found Ezra.  But the journey is far from over. 

In the countryside, Morai calls out to Ahsoka from a rock, chirps to her friend, and does a little hop before flying off. Ahsoka gazes at Morai pensively. It feels like they are silently communicating. Perhaps Morai is letting Ahsoka know that she’s not alone. Morai will always be her ally. 

She’s remained with Ahsoka as a source of protection and inspiration across many eras, from Ahsoka’s time as a Padawan during the Fall of the Jedi through the Reign of the Empire, the Age of Rebellion, and into the New Republic, where Ahsoka has become Master to Sabine.  

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Ahsoka’s journey isn’t over; hopefully, we’ll see Morai again, too. 

The Bendu in Star Wars Rebels

"Jedi and Sith wield the Ashla and Bogan. The light and the dark.  I'm the one in the middle. The Bendu."

~Bendu in Star Wars Rebels

Another powerful animal guide appears on the planet of Atollon in Star Wars Rebels, “Steps into Shadows” (S3E1&2). The Bendu is a Force-sensitive being that looks like a cross between a rocky mountain outcrop and a buffalo.

Honestly, I’m not exactly sure what he is. Animal? Creature? Sage? 

He has power over nature, can vanish at will, and holds the power of prophecy. Most of all, he is wise. Bendu sees the Force in its totality — the dark and the light — and resides in the center. 

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Tragically, Kanan Jarrus has been blinded and is stumbling his way forward, angry, lost, and confused. Kanan needs help. Krykna, giant deadly spiders, hound him; he's losing his padawan to darkness; and he struggles with a new, disorienting disability. Plus, his connection to the Force has frayed. Kanan is drowning. His turbulent meditation awakens this mysterious creature.

Bendu will become a powerful guide. He helps Kanan learn that his fear and grief are attracting the krykna. He guides him to face his alarm over Ezra’s attraction to the dark side, helping the master and Padawan strengthen their bond. And he teaches Kanan how to navigate the environment despite his physical blindness. 

Most importantly, Bendu helps Kanan learn to see inside himself and find his way back to the Force.

“You must learn to see things differently now.”  – the Bendu

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But spirit animals aren’t all soft and fuzzy. Bendu can be dangerous. 

In “Zero Hour Part I and II” (S3E21&22), he grows angry when the war between the Rebels and Empire brings violence to his planet. Kanan implores him to help the Rebels, but Bendu refuses, saying, “I am the one in the middle. I take no sides.” 

In desperation, Kanan calls him a coward.  (I have a bad feeling about this.) In retaliation, Bendu hurls lightning at the planet’s intruders, Rebels and Imperials alike. He even dramatically slams the Ghost, though he doesn’t destroy it. But he does get his point across to Kanan.

It’s never a good idea to insult a spirit guide.  

Ultimately, Bendu is a teacher, and his final lesson is one of respect.

The Loth-Wolf in Star Wars Rebels

Dave Filoni has a thing for wolves. He often sports his signature cowboy hat with a small wolf pin on the front. And it’s not unusual to see him in a Loth-wolf T-shirt. Frankly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he descended from wolves. But I digress.

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In the final season of Star Wars Rebels, he brings this powerful creature to life. He gives it a crucial role in Ezra Bridger’s development, Kanan’s fate, and even that of Darth Sidious. 

It is the Loth-wolf that transports Ezra and his crew across an entire planet by slipping into some secret special hyperspace tunnel.  It is the Loth-wolf that guides Ezra to open the door to the World between Worlds.  It is the Loth-wolf that transmits the spirit of his deceased master and gives Ezra a clear purpose.

The Loth-wolf has POWERS.

In Indigenous shamanic practice and world mythology, wolves are known as guides through the spirit world and can be associated with the dead.  It’s not all that different in Star Wars Rebels. The Loth-wolf is native to the planet Lothal and has a deep connection to the energy of the land and the Force. It is deeply invested in its home world’s fate and can ally with those strong in the Force, even after death.

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The Loth-wolf is first depicted in The Clone Wars in art featuring the Mortis gods.  But, it becomes an active player in Season Four of Star Wars Rebels. In “Flight of the Defender” (S4E6), when Ezra and Sabine are fleeing Imperials into the wilderness, it is a great white Loth-wolf that guides them to safety by carrying them through a kind of hyperspace tunnel within the planet and bringing them back to their base.

In “Kindred” (S4E7), our heroes are again pinned down by Imperial forces, and Loth-wolves carry them by mystical means from the planet's northern hemisphere to the southern one. This is when the great white wolf first calls Kanan by his birth name — his name before Order 66 — ”Dume.” We don't yet know why the Loth-wolf makes this connection, but he’s as interested in Kanan as he is in Ezra.

In “Jedi Night” (S4E10), Hera is captured by Imperials and tortured. It is the great white Loth-wolf that stops Kanan from rashly running off to rescue her, alone and without a plan. Frustrated, Kanan asks him what he wants, and the Loth-wolf answers with a single word:  “Dume.”  

Knowing he’s too emotional to formulate a plan, Kanan sets Ezra in charge of the mission. They succeed. Kanan rescues Hera, but when the fuel platform they’re on takes heavy Imperial fire and erups into flames, he holds destruction back through the Force and pushes Hera to safety.  Massive explosions consume everything, taking Kanan Jarus with them and blasting everyone’s heart to smithereens. 

Oh, the tears.

But as Luke Skywalker once said, “No one’s ever really gone.” Back in Season 3, after Bendu helped Kanan restore his relationship with Ezra, Kanan told his Padawan that he would always be there for him, and he meant it.  In “Dume” (S4E11), we see that Kanan keeps his word even after death.

Ezra is reeling. Without his master, he’s devastated and lost. At night, while he grieves beneath the stars, an enormous Loth-wolf appears, reminiscent of Earth’s ancient dire wolf. Ezra asks who it is. With a single word, it answers. “Dume.”

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Dume and the wolves give Ezra a painted stone, and he tells him that the Jedi Temple is in danger. He holds secrets and knowledge and the powers of destruction. He tells Ezra to “Restore past. Redeem future.”

In “Wolves and a Door” (S4E12), Loth-wolves transport Ezra and his crew through a flowing, blue hyperspace-like tunnel while voices sound out of the void. They lead Ezra and Sabine to the temple. There, they use the magic stone to unlock the mysteries of the wall art.

In “A World Between Worlds” (S4:E13), it is the painted Loth-wolves on the temple, enlivened, that form a moving circle and create a gate to the World between Worlds. The wolves are the gate! Inside, with the help of Morai, Ezra rescues Ahsoka and seals the gate forever. This prevents Darth Sidious from accessing the “conduit between the living and the dead” and the ability to alter the past.

By guiding Ezra, Dume has protected the secrets and knowledge of the Jedi temple from Darth Sidious and the dark side. But his work is not yet over.

We last see Dume in this episode. The temple has collapsed, permanently sealing it against the Emperor. Hera and Ezra gaze out over Lothal. As Hera struggles to come to terms with Kanan’s death, Ezra tells her that, yes, Kanan is really gone, but now Ezra knows what to do. He says, “In a way, Kanan showed me. One last lesson.”

Hera walks away, and as Ezra turns to follow, he senses something.  Turning back, he sees the great Loth-wolf Dume watching him in the distance. They hold each other’s gaze before Dume finally turns and disappears into the light.

Ezra says, “Goodbye, Kanan.” He has finally come to terms with his master’s death. In this final scene, as Ezra walks away, the light grows brighter and brighter, and we know that Kanan is one with the Force.

The Purrgil in Star Wars Rebels and Ahsoka

‍Star Wars Rebels

While the Loth-wolf is intimately connected to the planet Lothal, purrgil venture vastly farther afield. Purrgil are deep-space-faring creatures that journey across galaxies. Visually, they look like a cross between a whale and a giant squid and can grow to the size of star destroyers. They travel in pods and have the mystifying ability to navigate through hyperspace!

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Some believe they are legends, but Hera Syndulla, pilot of the Ghost, has heard of them and is not a fan. They’re said to knock ships out of hyperspace, and she knows pilots who have died because of it. 

In “The Call” (S2E15), Ezra and his crew journey to a mining facility in the inky depths of space. The Ghost is running dangerously low on fuel, but Spectre Cell needs to gather Clouzon-36, a gas that fuels starship hyperdrives, to help fuel themselves and ships in the Rebel Fleet. There’s just one problem. The Empire is in control of the refinery.

As the Ghost crew battles to secure this rare and powerful gas, Ezra is knocked off a platform and lands on the back of a purrgil swimming through space. Ezra can’t breathe. On the verge of unconsciousness, he whispers to the purrgil, “Help. Help me.” 

Like with Morai in the World Between Worlds, Ezra is humble enough to ask for help. He gazes into the purrgil’s immense eye, which is alight with stars. It’s granting Ezra a vision. And with one of its squid-like tentacles, it hands Ezra his helmet so he can breathe. 

Ezra then rides to the rescue of his crew atop the purrgil, gliding through the mist to rescue them all. They’re shocked because they assumed the purrgil were simple, non-sentient beasts. Ezra, however, never underestimated them. He could move beyond preconceived notions of this immense creature and work in relationship with them.

Later, Ezra tells his crew, “I could see what they were thinking. They needed the gas to breathe and travel. The crater was one stop on their long journey.”

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In “Family Reunion – and Farewell” (S4E15), the show’s finale, the purrgil again rescue the Rebels and protect Ezra from death. They destroy Grand Admiral Thrawn’s fleet and, just as Bendu prophesied, wrap Thrawn in their many arms and pull him to his defeat. Then they jump to hyperspace, taking both Ezra and Thrawn along with them to only Force knows where.

Ahsoka 

Just as a helping animal spirit can guide a shaman through spacetime, in Ahsoka, “Part 5:  Shadow Warrior,” the purrgil guide Ahsoka Tano through hyperspace to a far distant galaxy. 

Ahsoka must travel to Peridea to rescue Sabine and find Ezra and Thrawn, but she lacks the coordinates to get there. When a pod of purrgil appears, she climbs out onto her ship and reaches out with the Force. Ahsoka communes with an enormous purrgil. It opens its immense jaw and allows the droid Huyang to maneuver their ship within. 

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Ahsoka doesn’t know where the pod is going, but she trusts the Force to guide them. In a powerful moment of storytelling, the purrgil swim majestically through space, power up, and make the jump to a distant galaxy, taking Ahsoka with them. 

For more on the purrgil, check out “Purrgil Power” by Melissa T. Miller in Star Wars Insider Issue 226 (July/Aug 2024).  

A Tapestry of Interconnection

Loth-wolves encircle the Daughter and Morai in ancient art.  Morai alights on Bendu’s shoulder.  Bendu prophesies Thrawn’s defeat by the purrgil.  The purrgil save Ezra Bridger — Kanan’s Padawan, Dume’s friend. This is the shimmering thread woven through Star Wars storytelling, interconnecting these creatures in a powerful web—a magical circle. 

In 2021, creator Jon Favreau gathers this thread and weaves it into The Book of Boba Fett.

The Lizard in The Book of Boba Fett

When it comes to animal spirit guides, this one is a slam dunk.  

In The Book of Boba Fett, created by Jon Favreau, a little lizard will guide the infamous bounty hunter (played by Temeura Morrison, a man of Indigenous Maori lineage) through a dramatic spiritual death and rebirth.  

This “cute little bugger,” as Boba calls him, is proof that when Yoda said, “size matters not,” he wasn’t kidding.

After surviving the burning digestive juices of the sarlacc, Boba is captured by the Tusken Raiders, an Indigenous desert tribe on Tatooine. Many painful trials ensue. Eventually, Boba learns powerful lessons from the tribe and earns their respect.  

In “Tribes of Tatooine” (S1E2), after Boba has gained the tribe’s trust, the Tuskan chief offers him a gift, presenting him with a little woven basket. “You are a good guide,” he tells Boba. “Now, this gift will guide you.”

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Boba opens the basket and is surprised by what he finds. Somewhat confused, he says, “A lizard? Thank you. I will let it guide me.”

This is when the fun begins! The Tusken flicks a powdered mist into Boba’s face, and the lizard leaps straight up Boba’s nose!  

“It will guide you,” the Tusken says, “from inside your head.”  

Boba very quickly gets high from the endogenous powder and stumbles alone into the desert while images of his former self phase in and out of his vision. In the distance, he sees a sacred tree amidst watery waves in the middle of the Tatooine desert. Impossible! The Dune Sea has turned into an ocean. When he gets to the tree, it is a wild tangle of writhing branches. They encircle him and gather him in their embrace.  

This is a classic initiatory vision.

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Images of Boba’s past confront him. He phases between the former Boba struggling in the sarlacc pit and the current Boba being consumed by the tree. He sees his father, Jango, flying off, leaving him alone on Kamino when he is just a boy. He relives the pain of this wound. Finally, he fights out of the underworld, crawling out of the sarlacc pit while simultaneously breaking free of the tree as the ocean crashes around him.

This is a Star Wars initiation, where the hero fights his way out of the journey rather than surrendering to the experience. Either way, Boba Fett is reborn. Just as life emerges from the sea, so does Boba’s new identity emerge from this experience. It’s an incredible transformation!  No longer does he simply serve himself. Now, he serves the Tusken tribe and the people of Tatooine. The hunter of bounty has died, and a powerful leader is born.

And it is a lizard that guides his way.

Boba returns to the Tusken camp carrying a branch from the mystical tree grown in his vision within the Dune Sea. The Tusken chief opens his little basket, and the lizard emerges from Boba’s nose and hops back in. It has done its job. It has guided Boba Fett through death and rebirth and that is the last we see of this powerful, magical creature.

Conclusion

‍Star Wars may have vicious monsters like multi-tentacled rathtars, carnivorous Drengir, and Force-eating Nameless that can drain a Jedi of life.

But it also has fantastic animal helpers that guide our heroes out of danger and toward wisdom, protection, and light. If we have eyes to see, these beings show us that allies may be found in surprising places. They teach us to ask for help, listen humbly, and connect to the natural world because we can find guidance and protection there. It may come from an owl, a dog, or a lizard.  A mountain or a tree. They all have lessons to teach us because the Force flows through them all. 

If, like our heroes, we listen, look, and connect, we too can take incredible journeys and grow ever stronger in the Force.   

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