Often while looking at publications like the Star Wars Special Edition Sourcebook, Galaxy Guides, or the card game, casual fans of the trilogy wonder exactly where some of these background aliens were in the movies. This break-down of the cantina sequence points out who is where, shot-by-shot.
If you blink, you'll miss these characters from the first shot. The
light-absorbing Defel alien was originally called "Wolfman" by the production
crew. The huge-headed Brainiac is a hyper-intelligent Siniteen alien, nicknamed
"Brainee." Trinto Duaba was once known as "Terminal Man." Next to him is
the smuggler Bom Vimdim, an Advozsec from Riflor.
The Arcona are a species of limbed snakes fom the planet Cona, in the Teke Ro system. Arcona eyes are very poor at processing shapes, so the aliens have a heat-sensitive bulb between their eyes that helps bring their world into focus. Arcona experience addictive hallucenogenic spells if exposed to simple salt. Arcona salt addicts are easy to spot by their gilttering yellow eyes. Hem Dazon is a salt addict. He was a simple puppet on set, nicknamed "T-head."
Myo is a hulking Abbysin, a species of cyclopean humanoids with impressive regenerative abilities. He was nicknamed "Cyclops" by the crew.
Muftak is a Talz, a rare species of powerfully-built humanoids from the frigid world of Alzoc III. Muftak himself is a Mos Eisley street urchin. His production nickname was "Four Eyes."
Lirin C'arn is a Bith male who occasionally sits in with the cantina band.
Djas Puhr is a Sakiyan bounty hunter with excellent tracking skills
and peripheral vision.
Feltiperrn Trevagg is a Gotal, a humanoid species with energy-sensitive cones atop their heads. He works for the Mos Eisley government as a tax collector.
M'iiyoom Onith, whose name means 'Nightlily', is a H'nemthe. This species' female ritually kills the male after mating. The females use their razor-sharp tongue conealed in their beaks.
Trevagg has no idea what he's getting into.
There were originally two wolfmen in the cantina, both of which were replaced in the Special Edition. The first was known as Wolfman by the crew.
This alien was later revealed be a Defel, a species of light-absorbing
humanoids. Defels all-but disappear in normal light, looking like walking
shadows.
Melas is a Sarkan male who works as a trader and merchant. This alien replaced the Defel in the Special Edition. Although it looks like there are two new aliens in the Special Edition, both aliens are the same puppet. In this inset, you'll note the back of Ketwol's head is the front of Melas' face.
The camera pans across several aliens and humanoids. Here, we see the gold-clad Leesub Sirln, a female Qiraash on the run from the Empire. Next to her is an obese walrus-like alien known only as "The Colonel," his production nickname. Lurking in the background are the Tonnika Sisters, twin con artist who are more than meet the eye. The reptilian Sai'torr Kal Fas is a combat-ready Saurin from Durkteel. The four-armed mask-wearing spacer is Nabrun Leids, a Morseerian. Next to him is the diminutive Bimm, Rycar Ryjerd. And gruff ol' Wuher tends bar.
The henchmen Jabba takes with him to visit Solo in the Special Edition can be seen in the cantina. One is a tall thin humanoid with a pointed skullcap, while the other is a burly human with a salt and pepper beard. They are both at the bar.
There are a number of as-yet unnamed spacers in the cantina. Spacer 1 wears a glossy black mask, and the yellow flight suit Bossk will be wearing in The Empire Strikes Back. Spacer 2 wears an elaborate white spacesuit with a bullet-shaped glassy helmet. The third spacer is Danz Borin, a Corellian from Nar Shaddaa. He wears a grey flight suit, and a helmet with a square-shaped yellowed visor.
Yerka Mig is a human fugitive who escaped the Raltiir crackdown. His blue-and-black jacket can be seen on a number of different extras throughout the Mos Eisley scenes. Takeel is a burned out bounty hunter. He is a hunchbacked snaggletoothed alien.