Summary
- The Sarlacc, known for its appearance in Return of the Jedi, is a large cephalopod monster with a powerful stomach that eats anything that falls into it, including stormtroopers.
- The Brain Worm, featured in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, is a Geonosian parasite that can take over a host's body and control their actions, but cannot survive in cold temperatures.
- The Rancor, famously seen in Return of the Jedi, is a deadly creature with claws and teeth. While often seen as a killer, it has been domesticated in the past and is weak to certain frequencies of sound.
Although Star Wars is most well known for its mystical Jedi and galaxy spanning narratives, another thing the franchise thrives at is creating compelling monsters. With so many different alien species and planetary cultures scattered throughout the galaxy, there are countless dangerous creatures lurking in dark and unexpected corners. Some species can be cute and cuddly like loth-cats, but others are just as horrifying as they are deadly.
Many of the monsters found throughout the franchise are not only frightening in appearance, but they also pose a genuine threat to those around them. Some were used to strike fear into viewers for the films and television shows, while others were introduced in non-canon Legends media. Here are the 20 most recognizable and fear-inducing monsters in all of Star Wars.
20 Sarlacc 
One of the most recognizable monsters in all of Star Wars, the Sarlacc appeared as the living in the Great Pit of Carkoon in Return of the Jedi. In the most simple of terms, the Sarlacc is a large cephalopod monster that lives for thousands of years. Utilizing its powerful stomach, it eats whatever happens to fall into its mouth, whether that happens to be stray banthas or even stormtroopers. It is best known as the monster whose stomach Boba Fett crawled out of in the desert of Tatooine, an incredible feat beating a creature that was once thought to have killed him.
19 Brain Worm 
Appearing in the episodes “Legacy of Terror” and “Brain Invaders” of Star Wars: The Clone Wars, what these Geonosian parasites lack in size, they make up for with their frightening abilities. By entering a host’s body, the Brain Worm can take them over completely, controlling their actions and turning both the living and the dead into their servants. Despite this horrifying ability, they are completely unable to survive in cold temperatures.
18 Dianoga 
Typically living in sewers and trash compactors like the one seen on the Death Star in A New Hope, the octopus-like Dianoga is actually sentient. It may have a taste for any humans that might fall into its habitat, but despite this, the creature is confined to the water. Being one of the first monstrous creatures to appear in the Star Wars series, the Dianoga exists as an iconic, though rarely referenced piece of the franchise’s history.
