Rathtar Rathtars were large , carnivorous cephalopod s that slithered on land . Regarded as one of the most dangerous beasts in the galaxy , rathtars were known for hunting in packs , and were involved in an incident known as the Trillia Massacre . They shared common ancestry with the sarlacc , blixus and vixus . Biology and appearance . Although the study of rathtars was rare due to the danger posed by the beasts , it was believed that they shared common ancestry with other tentacled species such as the sarlacc s , the blixii , and the vixus of Umbara . Rathtars reproduced by fission , leading to rapidly increasing numbers if the species ' population was not controlled . Rathtars appeared physiologically primitive , endowed with only rudimentary senses and possessing small brain s . Despite the appearance of a mindless eating machine , rathtars proved effective at working together , and displayed affinity for pack hunting . Individual rathtars appeared to become smarter when in proximity to others of its species , and rathtar packs utilized howls , at a frequency beyond humanoid hearing , to communicate among one another . They also vocalized deafening roars when attacking and devouring prey , and let out horrifying shrieks of fury when in pain . Lacking a true skeleton , a rathtar had an enormous , round , slug - like body covered in light - reactive sensing orbs . They possessed multiple long , tentacle - like appendages ; their principle feeding tentacles whipped out to capture and devour prey , which typically consisted of anything they perceived as non - rathtar . The creatures were ravenous and persistent eaters , capable of consuming virtually anything that they could fit into their robust , radial mouth s , which were funnel - shaped and lined with rows of razor sharp teeth . Their throat distended outward into a hollow tongue , useful for swallowing struggling prey . The bilious creatures typically tore their meals apart piece by piece . Capable of locomotion , rathtars curled their ambulatory tentacles inward to form a ball and roll themselves forward in a whirl of whipping tentacles . They moved deceptively fast for their size , and had adhesive pads on their pointed tentacle tips — known as a club — which helped them attach to surfaces . Their tentacles had enormous strength , and were of a muscular hydrostat form . Their fleshy bodies were covered in a hard , rubbery exterior , giving the rathtars a heavy resistance to blaster bolts , small - arms fire , and even biting attacks . Rathtars in the galaxy . The biological study of rathtars was extremely rare due to the beasts ' dangerous nature . Although capturing even one rathtar was considered a near - impossibility , the creatures were targeted by hunters and collectors . More often than not , however , those who hunted rathtars typically ended up being the hunted . They were notably prized by those who amassed live biological specimens , such as King Prana and his rival , Regent Solculvis of the Mol ' leaj system . Rathtars were found on Twon Ketee , where they were hunted by a team employed by a big game hunter during the last decades of the Galactic Republic . The group , led by an alien hunter , encountered a rathtar in the swamps , which used its tentacles to slam the hunters into hard surfaces before devouring them . The massacre was observed by the Sith Lord Darth Maul , who attacked the rathtar with an ax . He defeated the beast , only to recall the creatures were pack hunters , and faced off against two more of the monsters . Maul sated his bloodlust by killing both , dropping a tree on the last , and departed the planet to report back to his Sith Master , Darth Sidious . Prior to his involvement with the Dragon Void Run , Han Solo attempted to steal a newly - hatched rathtar belonging to the alien Dorae , who intended to use the creature to pay off important individuals . The beast attempted to eat Solo , causing his Wookiee First Mate Chewbacca to kill it . Dorae , unable to pay her debts , lost her protection and suffered greatly . She tracked down Solo and Chewbacca during the Galactic Civil War , hoping to exact revenge for her woes . At some point before the Cold war , rathtars were involved in an unspeakably vile and depraved incident that came to be known as the Trillia Massacre , in which many beings were killed and eaten by the creatures . Thirty years after the Battle of Endor , Han Solo transported three rathtars aboard his " Baleen " - class heavy freighter , the " Eravana " , though getting the creatures aboard cost Solo most of his crew . Solo was transporting the creatures to a collector , King Prana , who he said was in competition with the regent of the Mol ' leaj system . When Han , Chewbacca and BB - 8 were confronted by Kanjiklub and the Guavian Death Gang , Rey and Finn were below the deck , listening . When it seemed like Han was in trouble , Rey proposed they close the blast doors on either side of Han and Chewie by resetting the fuses . Rey unfortunately tinkered with the wrong set of fuses , unleashing the rathtars whose horrible cries echoed throughout the freighter . Just as the combined gangsters of Kanjiklub and the Guavian Death Gang were about to kill Han and Chewie , both groups were suddenly attacked from behind by two of the rathtars , while the third chased Finn and Rey throughout the ship . Finn was grabbed by a rathtar and almost killed , but Rey saved him at the last second by closing a door on the tentacle holding Finn . When Rey , Finn and Solo boarded the " Millennium Falcon " to escape , a rathtar attached itself to the cockpit window , trying to bite through it . The " Falcon " entered hyperspace while the rathtar was still clinging to the ship , and was ripped apart by the extreme acceleration , leaving smears on the window . A number of rathtars survived aboard the " Eravana " , and King Prana ultimately learned of the incident , unhappy at being denied his prizes .