Summary
- Nobot is the most terrifying droid in Star Wars, and you can be pardoned for never spotting him in The Phantom Menace.
- Nobot, or Ghost Droid, roams Mos Espa with a creepy past tied to a brutal murder, believed to be influenced by the dark side of the Force.
- Though Nobot’s story remains in the Legends continuity, it is one of the most intriguing background characters in The Phantom Menace.
One background character in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace has a nightmarish backstory that makes him more terriifying than even Darth Maul. Stranded on the desert planet Tatooine, the heroes of The Phantom Menace meet the Chosen One and ultimately clash with a Sith – for the first time in a millennium. But, though they didn’t know it, the most terrifying background character in the movie would never cross their paths directly.
As Qui-Gon Jinn, Padmé, Jar Jar Binks, and R2-D2 enter Mos Espa in search of a new hyperdrive generator, they pass by a disheveled-lookiing protocol droiid, whose silver plating is partially charred black. This droiid was given a chilling story as a result of a feature on the official Star Wars website, What’s The Story?, which allowed Star Wars Hyperspace subscribers to suggest backstories for background characters in the movies. The Mos Espa protocol droid’s chilling origin is one such example, part of the Legends continuity.
Before becoming the alternate Legends timeline in 2014, the Expanded Universe was the official canon of the
Star Wars
franchise.
13 Ways Star Wars Legends Changes The Way You See The Phantom Menace
The Star Wars Legends continuity’s non-movie material greatly enhances the viewing experience of The Phantom Menace in a multitude of ways.
Who Is Nobot, Star Wars’ Most Terrifying Droid?
The mysterious droid is known as “Nobot” or “Ghost Droid” among locals, with the charred silver droid’s serial number having been burned off. Nobot wonders around Mos Espa with no discernible objective, somehow remaining functional, despite Tatooine’s many dangers and with nobody maintaining him. According to the elderly Mos Espa merchant Jira – who charges two peggats to tell the tale of the droid – Nobot arrived in Mos Espa decades ago, covered in blood and blaster bolt scorches, having been the sole witness to the brutal murder of a young pregnant woman – or perhaps they perpetrated the murder.
More chillingly, Nobot was thought to play a recording of the murder from their voice module, with the voice of the terrified woman pleading for her assailant to stop and screaming before the recording turns to static and eventually starts over. Young Tusken Raiders would try to shoot Nobot, only for their weapons to malfunction. Swoop Gangs would similarly find their speeder bikes malfunctioning when attempting to dismantle Nobot. Mischievous moisture farmers would sometimes take Nobot out into the Dune Sea or even the Great Pit of Carkoon, only for the droid to somehow make it back to Mos Espa.
Will Star Wars Ever Reveal What Really Happened To Nobot?
In-universe, some believe that Nobot is imbued with the dark side of the Force, explaining their oddities and potential ties to a horrific murder. Nobot’s creepy backstory gained renewed interest among Star Wars viewers in the Spring of 2022, thanks to their appearance in LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, though Nobot’s history remains exclusive to the Legends continuity for the time being. Regardless, this terrifying droid is one of the most exciting background characters in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, and it would be exciting to see Nobot’s story become canon.
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
The beginning of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace sees young Anakin Skywalker put on his path to discovering his ability to influence the Force. While attempting to thwart the nefarious Trade Federation in their plans for the planet of Naboo, two Jedi discover an exceptionally-gifted slave with the ability to wield the Force. Little do they know, rescuing him is just the beginning of a saga that will span generations of the Skywalker family.