Watto
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For the Australian cricketer with the same nickname, see Shane Watson.
| Star Wars character | |
| Watto | |
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| Portrayed by | Andy Secombe (voice) |
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| Position | Junk store proprietor |
| Homeworld | Toydaria (resides on Tatooine) |
| Species | Toydarian |
| Gender | Male |
| Affiliation | Commercial |
Watto is a fictional character in the Star Wars universe, featured in the films The Phantom Menace and Attack of the Clones. He is computer-generated and voiced by Andy Secombe.
A mean-tempered, greedy Toydarian, he is the owner of a second-hand goods store in Mos Espa on the planet Tatooine. While one of the minor stores of Mos Espa, Watto's junkyard is nevertheless a wealth of surplus equipment and spare parts.
Among Watto's belongings are the slaves Shmi Skywalker and her son, Anakin. He acquires them after winning a podracing bet with Gardulla the Hutt, and he puts them both to work in his store. Anakin demonstrates an incredible aptitude for equipment repair, and Watto decides to profit from it by having the boy fix various broken equipment in the store.
Anakin is an astonishing pilot, the only human to participate in the treacherous sport of podracing. However, whenever Anakin would race against the scheming Dug Sebulba, Watto would always put money on Sebulba, who always won.
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[edit] In Phantom Menace
Watto's greed gets the better of him when the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and the young Queen Amidala of Naboo cross his path. Watto wagers all his money -- and Anakin as well – on Sebulba, who loses the Boonta Eve Classic to Anakin.
Watto ultimately sells Shmi Skywalker -- in an effort to recover some of his losses -- to a moisture farmer named Cliegg Lars. Lars reports as much to a grown Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones, when he revisited Tatooine a decade later to see his mother.
[edit] Controversy
It has been suggested that this character is offensive because he portrays a Jew. He has a large nose, beady eyes, and speaks in a gravelly, Jewish-sounding accent and is portrayed as greedy and covetous, another common stereotype of Jews.
- "...the most blatant ethnic stereotype is the hook-nosed merchant insect who owns young Anakin" (Hoberman, Village Voice, 1999)[1]
- "Even in a galaxy far away, the Jews are apparently behind the slave trade" (Gottlieb, Slate, 1999)[2]
- "Although a number of groups have protested that Watto is an insulting Arab stereotype, he struck me as more comprehensively anti-Semitic -- both anti-Arab and anti-Jew" (Williams, The Nation, 1999)[3]
- "As we left the movie theater, a couple of young boys around age 12 made reference to 'that weird little Jewish guy with wings.' The movie's depiction in Watto was not at all subtle. It can be counted on to flush out already-formed Jew-haters among young audiences and give them permission to continue their hatred out loud." (Prettyman, American Review, 1999)[4]
Other Star Wars characters have also been alleged to represent offensive ethnic stereotypes. Another example is Jar Jar Binks.
[edit] Expanded Universe
[edit] Canon
Prior to coming to Tatooine, Watto is part of the Ossiki Confederacy Army during the conflicts of his homeworld of Toydaria. In one battle, Watto suffers injuries that left him with a broken tusk and a disabled leg.
On Tatooine, Watto learns much of his business savvy from dealing with the native Jawas. Not only does he have a talent for haggling, but also cannot be affected by Jedi mind tricks. His preferred targets are outlanders, whom he regards as easy marks.
[edit] Non-canonical
The non-canonical Star Wars comic book Star Wars: Visionaries reveals Watto is killed when a half-cyborg recreation of Darth Maul tracks Obi-Wan Kenobi to Tatooine, seeking revenge for his defeat in the Battle of Naboo.
[edit] Behind the scenes
Initial designs for Watto were of a more bird-like nature, including plumage and a beak. Another design included tentacles and a cigar. Watto's face originated in an early Neimoidian picture by design director Doug Chiang. The hooked trunk and crooked teeth were carried over to the Toydarian design.
Animation supervisor Rob Coleman realized that the alien's dental work would need some modification when the time came to create Watto on screen, as Watto's craggy teeth made lip-sync easier said than done. To solve the problem, Coleman broke off one of Watto's incisors, giving him a 'corner-of-the-mouth' vernacular.
The sound of his wings flapping is a looped recording of sound designer Ben Burtt opening and closing an umbrella.
[edit] References
- ^ J. Hoberman: All Droid Up. The Village Voice (May 19 - 25, 1999). Retrieved on June 11, 2006.
- ^ Gottlieb, Bruce: The Merchant of Menace: Racial Stereotypes In A Galaxy Far, Far Away?. Slate (May 27, 1999). Retrieved on June 11, 2006.
- ^ Patricia J. Williams: Racial Ventriloquism. The Nation (June 17, 1999). Retrieved on June 11, 2006.
- ^ Jane Prettyman: George Lucas serves up anti-Semitic stereotype in Star Wars Episode I. American Review (June 3, 1999). Retrieved on June 11, 2006.
[edit] External links
- Watto in the Star Wars Databank
- Watto on Wookieepedia, a Wikia wiki
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