Reek

For other uses, see Reek.

"Reeks are terrifically territorial and have been known to use their substantial facial horns to gore, maim, or otherwise injure assailants (or, because of their poor eyesight, creatures who just happen to pass too close to the herd)."

―From the journal of Ardis San Tekka^[1]

Reeks were large, muscular quadrupeds native to the planet Ylesia^[8] that could also be found on Saleucami and the Codian Moon.^[1]

Biology and appearance

"He could tear the horns off a reek with his bare hands."

―Han Solo, on Grakkus Jahibakti Tingi^[10]

Reeks were powerful and territorial mammals with a single central horn atop their head and a cheek horn on either side. They lived on grass plains and turf and had powerful hind limbs for charging.^[2] According to the Mandalorian Aran Tal, the creatures had an overwhelming smell.^[11]

Though naturally herbivores, a starved reek could become a ravenous meat-eater and change its skin color to a deep red, while on other worlds they could be brown, gray, or sometimes yellow. Those bred in the Petranaki Arena were purposely fed meat in order to increase their overall aggression,^[12] and were equipped with nose rings to be used by handlers.^[2] Their sprawling posture and immense weight made them relatively slow-moving. They sported two large cheek horns that could be used for head-locking in combat with another reek as a show of dominance within a herd; these fights could end in the death of one of the reeks.^[1]

Reeks from the Codian Moon lived in small herds.^[13]

Reeks in the galaxy

A reek was used in the attempted execution of Anakin Skywalker in the Petranaki Arena on Geonosis just prior to the Clone Wars. Anakin, however, tamed the creature with the Force and broke his chains before directing it against a nexu attacking Padmé Amidala, killing the smaller predator. The reek then separated from the Jedi when a battle erupted in the arena, destroying battle droids with impunity and losing one of its cheek horns to Mace Windu before attacking Jango Fett. Though Fett avoided being trampled by the creature and killed it with a single expertly aimed shot to the eye, with his WESTAR-34 blaster pistol. However the reek damaged his JT-12 jetpack, which Fett was unaware of and attempting to use the damaged jetpack led to his own death moments later by Windu's blade.^[7]

The creatures existed on Saleucami as well, where one was ridden by General Grievous, leader of the Separatist Droid Army, during the battle of Saleucami.^[14]

Garnac's hunting guild killed a reek and placed its head in their Ubrikkian Floating Fortress, alongside the trophies made of other creatures.^[15]

Behind the scenes

Reeks first appeared in Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.^[7]

There is a discrepancy regarding the creature's height. Both the Encyclopedia and Databank entries agree that these creatures stood at about 2.24 meters tall. However, the later Star Wars Journeys: Beginnings claims that they stood at 4.04 meters in height. As 4.04 meters is the listed length of reeks in the Star Wars Legends continuity, however, Beginnings may have mistakenly listed the creature's length as its height.