4. The Majestic Fathiers: Racing Beasts of Canto Bight
Among the many amazing species presented in "Star Wars: The Last Jedi," the Fathiers are among the most captivating and emotionally relevant ones. Prominent in the Canto Bight sequence, these amazing racing creatures epitomise the ideal fusion of foreign exoticism with familiar equine traits. Director Rian Johnson's precise vision and several iterations of the difficult process of creating the Fathiers produced creatures that not only further the story but also inspire viewers' creativity.
The first idea for the Fathiers was somewhat different from their ultimate look. Early ideas called for these creatures with the head of a hammerhead shark and the lengthened neck of a giraffe, a combination that would have produced a somewhat bizarre look. But Johnson made a pivotal choice throughout the design phase that would profoundly affect the emotional resonance of these creatures. He told the design crew to cover the Fathiers' bodies in fur and point their eyeballs forward on their faces. This modification was driven by a wish to make the Fathiers more approachable and empathetic to the viewers.
The narrative function the Fathiers would perform in the movie drove the architectural change. Johnson underlined the need of viewers connecting right away with these species, realising their suffering, and wishing to assist them. The plot concerning Finn and Rose's mission on Canto Bight depends on this emotional involvement since the mistreatment of the Fathiers becomes a symbol of the more general injustices committed by the rich elite of the casino city. Giving the Fathiers more animal traits—such as expressive eyes and a fur coat—the designers produced creatures that would naturally inspire empathy from the audience.
Inspired by a mix of actual creatures, the creature design team—led by Neal Scanlan—brought the Fathiers to life. Key influences were the force and dignity of male lions, which gave the Fathiers strength and nobility. The muscular form of the animals and their manner of living clearly show this leonine inspiration—that of pride and dignity even in confinement. Incorporating equine components also reflected the Fathiers' function as racing animals and provided viewers with a familiar grace in motion that they could readily relate to.
This cautious design technique produces a creature that feels both foreign and familiar. Towering over human characters and exhibiting physical prowess beyond that of any Earth animal, the Fathiers have an extraterrestrial aspect in their general look and scale. Still, their expressive expressions and obvious body language let viewers engage emotionally with them fast. As story devices, this combination makes the Fathiers especially powerful since they both function as relatable characters in their own right and exotic components of the Star Wars universe.
