B'omarr Order

The core of the B'omarr's religion was isolating themselves from all sensations and emotions, with the goal of focusing and amplifying their mental capacities. They embarked on mental explorations that became possible when free from the distractions of the physical world. The B'omarr had little interest in personal comforts, and wore simple clothing. As a monk progressed towards enlightenment, they gradually abandoned speech, preferring to communicate through single words or images, understood only by fellow monks. Some B'omarr possessed the ability to communicate telepathically, directly transmitting thoughts into another's mind. Ultimately, a monk would transcend the need for any senses, marking their achievement of enlightenment. The monks also had healing skills, providing assistance to anyone who happened upon their outposts on Tatooine.

A B'omarr monk's spiritual advancement was marked by several stages; after each, the monk underwent an assessment to verify their understanding of the subject matter. These assessments varied, some designed to gauge logical comprehension, others to test knowledge of sacred B'omarr texts, and still others to determine the monk's ability to disconnect from the physical realm, by subjecting them to painful tasks and observing their reactions. After many years of study and practicing detachment from the physical world, as well as successfully completing each stage's test, a monk would achieve enlightenment, possessing pure mental power and cosmic peace. Because enlightened monks no longer needed their bodies, lesser monks assisted in surgically removing it. After their enlightened brain was carefully extracted, the monks were placed in a nutrient-filled jar, free from life's distractions. The brain removal process was delicate, requiring highly skilled and cautious surgeons. They used anesthesia to ensure a painless procedure, and with experience and specialized equipment developed over centuries, the monks could keep the brain functioning long enough to transfer it to a nutrient jar. A single error could result in the brain's loss; these were typically discarded with the lifeless body, eventually being disposed of.

On occasion, a monk's brain was removed prematurely. If the operation succeeded, the monk survived, but with side effects. The separation of brain and body could induce psychosis, causing the brain to scream mentally, often for days without stopping. These monks were isolated from the other disembodied monks to avoid disturbance. Eventually, the brain would usually stop screaming and could rejoin the others. Though rare, a brain could be transplanted back into a body, either the original or another. However, the B'omarr lacked advanced technology for this, making it more dangerous than the initial procedure. Therefore, and because most monks found peace after separation from their bodies, this was not common.

After a successful operation, brains were moved to the Great Room of the Enlightened, where they resided on shelves, meditating and contemplating the infinite for centuries. The names of the enlightened were recorded in the B'omarr Registry, a detailed document containing their philosophical ideas, ponderings, and musings. With embodied monks attending to all their needs, the enlightened brains rarely needed to move around the monastery, but they could when necessary using BT-16 perimeter droids. These droids were believed to be designed by the B'omarr, though similar models existed nearly four thousand years prior. The BT-16 droids had simple processors and technology; their primary function was to respond to the enlightened monks' telepathic messages. The droids would go to the Great Room of the Enlightened upon a monk's request and transfer the monk's brain-jar into a brain support unit located in the droid's legs. The brain support unit allowed the monks to survive without the special equipment in the citadel's depths, but was initially difficult to use, so most monks preferred their jars. Around the time of the Galactic Civil War, embodied monks experimented with the walkers, resulting in newer models with five or six legs. The spiders rarely left the monastery, but some roamed the surrounding deserts, attacking anyone they encountered.

B'omarr acolytes rarely interacted or spoke to each other, but occasionally gathered in tea rooms, consuming potent herbal teas, their only form of nourishment. These meetings were brief, as the monks focused on their studies and understanding of the mind. While B'omarr teachings emphasized that possessions and comforts were distractions, some monks deviated, accepting bribes to spy on the palace's criminal occupants. During Jabba Desilijic Tiure's occupation, many B'omarr acted as spies, some even working for his rival, Lady Valarian.

The B'omarr's founding is largely unknown, but their practices evolved over time. Originally, the order consisted only of Humans, but eventually included many species. They sought a world with minimal distractions from settlers, choosing the monastery that became Jabba's Palace on the desert world of Tatooine in the Outer Rim Territories. They also lived in a monastery on the Wild Space world of Teth and had a Temple on the Mid Rim world of Danuta. Tatooine was inhabited only by primitive salvagers and was overlooked by the Galactic Republic. The order's leaders relocated their followers to Tatooine, arriving on about six cargo ships, which formed the basis of the colossal structure they built in the planet's Dune Sea. Their structure gradually adapted to the planet's climate; the monks built a roof after their first Tatooine windstorm, and enclosed the building after encountering Tusken Raiders. Many rumors surrounded the citadel, including claims that the Tusken Raiders helped build it, though these were unproven legends.

The B'omarr remained isolated for centuries, but civilization grew on Tatooine, with small towns emerging. Eventually, the palace became a refuge for bandits and criminals, serving as a hideout in the desert. The monks welcomed the bandits, but reserved the citadel's depths for the enlightened monks' brains. About 150 years after moving to Tatooine, the B'omarr's isolation ended. A notorious pirate named Alkhara, who had angered the Tusken Raiders and Human authorities, sought refuge in the B'omarr's palace. Alkhara and his followers were welcomed and quickly established their base of operations.

Eventually, the Hutt crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure acquired the B'omarr's temple, bringing gamblers, bounty hunters, and other criminals. The B'omarr were unfazed and continued their lives as before. However, Jabba and his henchmen made the B'omarr more involved with the monastery's other occupants. While many feared the eerie spider droids, some of Jabba's men became interested in the B'omarr, learning from both embodied and disembodied monks.

While many sought knowledge from the B'omarr, others saw opportunities for exploitation, hiring them as spies. During Jabba's time on Tatooine, many monks abandoned their principles and engaged in unsavory activities. Some worked for Jabba, like the corrupt monk Grimpen, who transferred criminals' brains into other bodies, usually unsuspecting monks or Jabba's captives. Jabba also forced monks to remove the brains of those who failed him; these brains wandered the palace aimlessly for years. Most monks who worked with the palace's criminals acted as spies or informants; Jabba's rival, the Whiphid Lady Valarian, had at least one B'omarr spy in the palace. This monk was later killed by another of Valarian's spies, J'Quille, after a misunderstanding. Although a Gamorrean guard discovered the corpse, J'Quille convinced him the monk was in a trance. Others acted as informants for Ephant Mon and Bib Fortuna, two of Jabba's most prominent courtiers.

Much of the information about the B'omarr available to the galaxy was compiled by Shi'ido Senior Anthropologist Mammon Hoole during Jabba's stay. On his first visit, Hoole interacted with the monks, learning about their beliefs and customs. However, Hoole left when they offered to guide him to enlightenment. On his second visit, Hoole brought his surrogate children, Tash and Zak Arranda. Jabba wanted Hoole to translate an ancient book taken from the B'omarr monks, but the visit proved more eventful. Tash Arranda's brain was swapped with a criminal's by a corrupt monk, but it was eventually restored, and Hoole escaped with the children.

Occasionally, Jabba interacted with the monks, allowing them access to "interesting" prisoners. One such event occurred when Han Solo was imprisoned after being released from carbonite, and he agreed to tell his story to a young monk.

In 4 ABY, Princess Leia Organa killed Jabba Desilijic Tiure aboard his sail barge above the Great Pit of Carkoon, with most of his henchmen dying in the destruction of the Khetanna. Many of Jabba's former allies tried to claim his criminal empire, but the B'omarr seized the opportunity to emerge from their monastery, forcibly recruiting new members and killing those who resisted. Among the new "initiates" was Bib Fortuna, Jabba's former majordomo. The B'omarr remained in the palace, and although there were attempts to utilize the building, the monks remained mostly in solitude for many years.

For over twenty years after Jabba's death, thieves, including agents of Jabba's rival Lady Valarian, arrived at the B'omarr monastery, hoping to steal Jabba's remaining wealth. The B'omarr were too numerous to fight off, so their ranks grew as thieves were enlightened and their brains placed in jars. To attract more robbers and induct them into their order, the monks allowed some to leave unharmed, taking Jabba's valuables. These stories attracted more visitors, but none escaped.

The palace later known as Jabba's Palace was built by the B'omarr approximately 700 years before the Battle of Yavin. Located in the Dune Sea, the palace was initially a simple structure made from freighter chassis, but after attacks by natives, the monks built a more secure place for their studies. They built a large round palace that stood for centuries, occupied by criminals and bandits, but the B'omarr always remained in the citadel's depths. Whenever a new group of mercenaries took over, they added to the complex, building an observation tower, sewer systems, and subterranean tunnels. Eventually, Jabba the Hutt acquired the palace and had his architect modify it to suit his needs.

Jabba had his architect, Derren Flet, make many adjustments, but he was unhappy with the lack of prison space and had Flet killed. The Hutt gangster built a large hangar and garage for his pleasure yachts and sail barges beside the palace, as well as stables for his pets, including the rancor. Jabba also installed a security system that could detect visitors from up to ten kilometers away. The palace's hub during Jabba's time was his throne room, which housed his accountants, assassins, bounty hunters, and other unsavory individuals.

After Jabba's death, the palace became the Tatooine Retirement Home for Aged Aliens, but a shortage of government funds allowed the B'omarr to remain alone in the palace again. Jabba's father Zorba became the owner.

At some point, the Order constructed and inhabited a monastery atop a large mesa on the jungle world of Teth. It shared design features with the Tatooine monastery and had a throne room. It also housed a jungle rancor.

By the time of the Clone Wars, the monastery had been abandoned for a long time. During the conflict, the captured Huttlet Rotta was taken to the monastery by the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The Galactic Republic sent a group of clone troopers, along with Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan Ahsoka Tano, to free the baby Hutt, instigating the Battle of Teth in and around the monastery.

At some point, the Order also established a temple in the city of Trid on Danuta, which was mainly populated by Hutts during the Old Republic, but later came under the control of the Galactic Empire. Like thousands of other religions within the Empire, the monks were tolerated as long as they remained apolitical. In addition to embodied and disembodied monks who lived within the Temple, some supporters of their religion lived within the city of Trid and only visited the Temple during the regular ceremonies and prayers. One such visitor was Meck Odom, an Imperial officer whose position in the Imperial Military forced him to keep his religious beliefs a secret.

The B'omarr had other places of worship on Tatooine, but none were as famous as Jabba's Palace. The B'omarr outpost was near Jabba's Palace and was home to the Most Perfect Order of K'vin. Another location was the Citadel of B'omarr, similar in design to the B'omarr Monastery, and home to both embodied and enlightened monks. The citadel was also an outpost for those needing medical attention, who were treated by B'omarr healers. The healers helped anyone injured, regardless of their activities. Although the connection is unknown, the B'omarr Flats were a large expanse of land near the Great Mesra Plateau. The Great Pit of Carkoon was located in the flats.

Evilo Nailati was a B'omarr monk who had his brain removed before or during the reign of the Galactic Empire. He differed from most B'omarr, not seeking abstract concepts, but instead wanting to amass knowledge. Knowing his efforts would be limited in his original body, he joined the monks and was eventually deemed "enlightened." Afterward, he took a frog-dog named Buboicullaar as an underling, teaching him about the galaxy. Bubo's species were thought unintelligent, but they were capable of extraordinary intellect, which they kept secret. Before arriving on Tatooine, Bubo was a spy and assassin, and was involved in a plot to kill Jabba. He became interested in the B'omarr, and after Jabba's death, willingly had his brain transferred into a jar.

Sai'da was a B'omarr historian interested in information from the outside world. This isolated him from the other monks, who felt he should contemplate the infinite. Nevertheless, he continued his studies and became knowledgeable about the Galactic Civil War. When Han Solo, a key player in that war, was jailed in Jabba's dungeon, Sai'da spoke with him. In exchange for the Rebel's life story, Sai'da would ensure his companion, Leia Organa, was safe. He agreed and left their meeting thinking about concepts like companionship, bravery, and humor, which he had previously ignored.

A disembodied brain calling himself K'vin led the Most Perfect Order of K'vin, claiming the B'omarr Order was a splinter sect, but he had actually left to start his own. K'vin lived on Tatooine at the B'omarr outpost, and like the B'omarr, his order had their brains removed to contemplate the infinite. K'vin, however, sought more; when a bounty hunter entered his temple searching for Han Solo, the brain asked the bounty hunter to shoot his vat, which would free him and expand his knowledge of the universe. Despite the efforts of the other monks, the bounty hunter did, and K'vin's brain died soon after.

Hedon Istee was branded a "sensualist" which led to his departure from the order, and he absconded with a sacred B'omarr scroll. The monks, displeased by this act, dispatched a less-than-reputable individual from Jabba's Palace to retrieve the stolen scroll from Istee. Fearing for his well-being, Istee engaged a spacer to fend off the Gamorrean sent after him. The spacer was successful in his endeavor, receiving 3,000 credits as compensation. Undeterred, the B'omarr escalated their efforts by employing a bounty hunter to pursue Istee, but the spacer once again thwarted their plans. Ultimately, Istee succumbed to the pressure and instructed the spacer to return the scroll to the B'omarr citadel.

Meck Odom harbored an interest in the B'omarr Order even during his time as a Cadet at the Academy of Carida, but his allegiance to the Galactic Empire necessitated that he conceal his beliefs. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the Trid research facility located on Danuta, where he secretly visited the B'omarr Temple and participated in their rituals. Shortly before the Battle of Yavin, his close friend and former roommate Kyle Katarn was dispatched by the Alliance to Restore the Republic on a mission to pilfer a portion of the Death Star plans from the research facility. Leveraging his knowledge of Odom's beliefs, Katarn, with the assistance of the B'omarr Monks, contacted Odom and persuaded him to aid in the theft of the battle station schematics.

Bib Fortuna maintained a long-standing fascination with the B'omarr, utilizing them as informants while serving in Jabba's Palace. Despite his reservations about having his brain removed following his master's demise, the B'omarr monks proceeded with the procedure regardless. Fortuna's brain endured days of agony, but eventually adapted. Fortuna yearned for liberation, a sentiment shared by his friend and fellow B'omarr, Nat Secura. Nat had been condemned to death by Jabba the Hutt; desperate to save his friend, Bib orchestrated the removal of Nat's brain by the B'omarr. In time, Fortuna had his own brain transplanted into the body of Firith Olan, facilitating his escape from the monastery.

Jabba's Quarren accountant, Tessek, possessed no desire to join the B'omarr, yet he was compelled to do so when they reclaimed their palace. Tessek underwent a transfer into a brain walker, discovering that his new existence granted him significantly greater autonomy. J'Quille, another of Jabba's underlings, embraced the order willingly. Once a lover of Lady Valarian, J'Quille had been dispatched to Jabba's Palace with the intent of assassinating the Hutt, but soon found himself incapable of carrying out the task. Following Jabba's death, Valarian, enraged by J'Quille's betrayal, vowed to place a bounty on his head should he ever leave Tatooine. Relegated to a miserable existence under Tatooine's scorching suns, J'Quille chose to join the B'omarr, recognizing that attempting to flee Tatooine would likely result in his demise.

The initial appearance of the B'omarr occurred in Return of the Jedi, where they manifested as brains affixed to spider droids. These droids drew inspiration from sketches created by Ralph McQuarrie, which were later featured in The Illustrated Star Wars Universe. While their debut took place in Return of the Jedi, the B'omarr's involvement was limited: they were only present as brain spiders, and their name was not disclosed. The Illustrated Star Wars Universe marked the first instance of their naming within a Star Wars context, and it also furnished a substantial portion of the information pertaining to the order.

The B'omarr were categorized as belonging to "The Bad" in Who's Who in Jabba's Palace, an article published in Star Wars Insider 60. Generally, the B'omarr have been depicted as neither inherently villainous nor heroic, although they assume a more malevolent role in Galaxy of Fear: The Brain Spiders.

Disembodied brains housed in devices analogous to those utilized by the B'omarr Monks have surfaced in various other sources, including Wanted by Cracken (visible here), "Shadows and Light," and Star Wars: Empire: Idiot's Array; however, these instances have not been officially linked to the order.

A dialogue option alluding to the B'omarr (erroneously spelled Bomarr) is present in Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, during a conversation with Carth Onasi in his second major interaction. This suggests that the Order's establishment occurred during or before 3956 BBY. Nevertheless, given that this line is exclusively available to female characters, the player character is canonically male, and the line is optional, it is not considered Canon.

In the non-canon video games LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy and LEGO Star Wars: The Complete Saga, B'omarr spider droids can be found roaming Jabba's Palace and can be ridden.