Watto's flunky

Watto's flunky was a Human male who lived in Tatooine, in the city of Mos Espa, and sometimes helped the Toydarian junk dealer Watto sort junk. In 32 BBY, he met the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, who asked the flunky about a T-14 hyperdrive generator, which the Jedi needed to buy. The flunky identified one available from Watto but at great cost. Jinn then met Watto himself, and made a bet with the junk dealer; should Watto's young slave, Anakin Skywalker, win the annual Boonta Eve Classic Podrace, Watto would provide the Jedi with the T-14.
The next day, the flunky was enjoying a day off with his friend Kreg in the Mos Espa Grand Arena's cantina, 7-Gee Lounge, when Jinn came to ask him about the location of Watto, with whom he had to speak. The drunken flunky first refused to help the Jedi, but soon changed his mind and directed Jinn to Watto when the Jedi bought him a juri juice. Soon after, the race started, and the flunky watched it with Watto.
==Biography==
===Career on Mos Espa===
A Human male who lived on the planet Tatooine in the city of Mos Espa, Watto's flunky worked for the Toydarian junk dealer, sometimes sorting junk for him in his shop. Besides Watto, whom he befriended, the flunky was acquainted with several other individuals, like his Ithorian friend Kreg, Podracer and his "drinking buddy" Teemto Pagalies,Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace: Prima's Official Strategy Guide as well as Watto's young slave boy Anakin Skywalker.
In 32 BBY,The New Essential Chronology a day before the scheduled annual Boonta Eve Classic Podrace, the flunky was passing time in the junkyard of Watto's Shop when Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, who was looking to buy a T-14 hyperdrive generator from the Toydarian, approached him.
Jinn asked the flunky who he was, and the man explained his job as Watto's employee. When Jinn asked about the T-14, the flunky warned him that while Watto indeed had one, he would not sell it cheap. The Jedi Master also inquired what the flunky knew about Watto and Skywalker. The flunky revealed that Watto liked to bet on the winner of the Boonta's Eve race, but doubted that the Toydarian would wager with Jinn. About Skywalker, the flunky said that while the boy owned a Podracer, and was skilled at pilotting it, the flunky believed Skywalker could not defeat the reigning podracing champion of Tatooine, Sebulba.
As Jinn could not afford enough money to buy the generator, he was forced to make a bet with Watto, wagering that Skywalker would win the year's Boonta Eve race; should the slave boy win, Watto would free him, and give the T-14 to the Jedi. Contrary to the flunky's beliefs, the Toydarian agreed on the terms of the bet.
===The Boonta Eve race===
The next day, the flunky received a day off from Watto, which he used to attend the race. Before the race started, the flunky settled in the 7-Gee Lounge, a cantina just next to the Mos Espa Grand Arena, and passed time by listening to a duo of Wookiee and Ortolan musicians and drinking alcohol with Kreg. Jinn, meanwhile, was looking for Watto in the arena, to discuss the terms of their bet.
Jinn asked about Watto's whereabouts from Teemto Pagalies, who was also drinking in the 7-Gee Lounge. With some persuasion, Pagalies agreed to help the Jedi, and directed him to the flunky, claiming that he would know where Watto was.
However, the now drunken flunky, who was not too happy to have his drinking interrupted, refused to aid Jinn. Kreg suggested that Jinn buy the flunky a drink to loosen his tongue. Jinn bought a glass of juri juice from the bartender droid EV-7G7 for the flunky, who quickly became more friendly towards the Jedi. Before helping the Jedi Master, the flunky asked Jinn to buy a drink for Kreg too, and the Jedi did so. The flunky went to see if the Toydarian would speak with Jinn, but instead of waiting at the cantina, Jinn decided to follow the flunky and meet with Watto himself.
When the race finally started, the flunky joined Watto in the latter's private box to watch the race. While at first disadvantaged, Skywalker soon started to catch up with Sebulba. The flunky realized that Skywalker could defeat the Dug, but Watto remained confident that Sebulba would best the boy. The Toydarian was soon proved wrong when Skywalker caused the champion's Podracer to crash. Skywalker crossed the finish line, winning the race, earning his freedom and gaining the T-14 hyperdrive generator for Jinn.
==Personality and traits==
The flunky held changing opinions on different matters. When he met Jinn for the first time, he showed neither kindness nor spite toward Jinn. Later, however, the flunky was annoyed when the Jedi Master disrupted his partying by asking about the location of Watto. Viewing Jinn as a nerfherder, the flunky bluntly ordered him to scram, but immediately changed his mind when Jinn offered him a juri juice. While he initially believed that Skywalker could not defeat Sebulba in the Podrace, he began to suspect that the boy actually had a chance to win as the race came to its final lap. The flunky had several friends, and he was quick to make more of them; he considered Jinn as one when the Jedi bought him a drink.
While under the influence of alcohol, the flunky's voice remarkably changed, as did his attitude. His usually calm appearance became more short-tempered, and he wanted to enjoy his day off without being bothered by business matters. However, as his friend Kreg noted, he became social after a few drinks, and could be persuaded with one. The flunky chose not to drink alone, and asked Jinn to buy a juri juice for his Ithorian friend too. When the flunky agreed to ask Watto about Jinn, he warned the Jedi not to expect much, as he believed the Toydarian would not want to speak with the Jedi. The flunky was surprised and slightly angered when he realized that Jinn had not remained in the cantina as the flunky had ordered, and tried in vain to command Jinn to return to it.
==Behind the scenes==
Watto's flunky appears in the Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace video game, in which he is voiced by Joe Alaskey. While his name is not revealed in the game, the game's credits list him "Watto's Flunky".
===Canonicity===
The Phantom Menace provides several alternative choices on how to deal with the flunky. In the game, he is first met by Qui-Gon Jinn, who is controlled by the player, in the sixth level "Mos Espa". Jinn does not have to interact with him in this level, and having a conversation with him does not affect the game's storyline. In addition, Jinn can kill the flunky, but this will cause Watto and Anakin to refuse aid from the murderer, basically making the level impossible to finish.
The flunky plays a relatively major part in the next level, "Mos Espa Arena". Only he can open the door which leads to Watto, with whom it is essential to talk in order to finish the level. Jinn can persuade Teemto Pagalies to help him to find Watto, and the racer will direct him to the flunky, although the Jedi can speak with the flunky on his own. Killing the flunky is again possible, and if done after talking with Watto, the level can be completed. However, even if killed, he is still seen alive, watching the podrace with Watto in the end of the level.
Due to these options, the canonical way to deal with the flunky is ambiguous. However, the flunky's dialogue in the arena level implies that Jinn has already talked with him in the previous level. Since he was seen alive during the Boonta Eve race, his possible death in the game is non-canonical. Furthermore, the exact canonical form of the dialogue choices Jinn uses is ambiguous. This article assumes 100% game completion.
==Appearances==
*Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace video game 
==Sources==
*Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace: Prima's Official Strategy Guide
==Notes and references==
Category:Servants
Category:Tatooinians
Category:Unidentified humans
Category:Unidentified males