Admiral Ackbar facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Gial Ackbar |
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| Star Wars character | |
Timothy D. Rose as Admiral Ackbar in Return of the Jedi (1983)
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| First appearance |
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| Last appearance | The Last Jedi (2017) |
| Created by |
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| Portrayed by | Timothy D. Rose |
| Voiced by |
Other:
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| Information | |
| Species | Mon Calamari |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation | Supreme Commander of the Alliance Fleet |
| Affiliation |
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| Title | Fleet Admiral |
| Relatives |
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| Homeworld | Mon Calamari |
Fleet Admiral Gial Ackbar is a famous character from the Star Wars movies and stories. He is a member of the Mon Calamari species, who are fish-like aliens that can live both on land and underwater. Ackbar was a top military leader for the Rebel Alliance, a group fighting against the evil Galactic Empire.
Ackbar is best known for leading the attack on the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi (1983). His smart plans were very important for the Rebels to win this big battle. Even though he didn't have much screen time, Ackbar became a fan favorite.
He has appeared in many other Star Wars stories, like books, comics, video games, and TV shows. He also returned in the newer movies, Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) and Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017).
Ackbar has unique salmon-colored skin, webbed hands, a high head, and large fish-like eyes. In the movies, he was brought to life using a puppet or a full costume. Puppeteer Timothy D. Rose played him in all three films. His voice was first done by Erik Bauersfeld, and later by Tom Kane.
One of Ackbar's most famous lines is "It's a trap!" from Return of the Jedi. This line became very popular and is often used as an Internet meme. Many fans were sad and surprised by his quick death in The Last Jedi.
Contents
Admiral Ackbar's Story
Early Life and Joining the Rebellion
Admiral Ackbar first appeared in a Star Wars newspaper comic strip before Return of the Jedi came out. In the comic, he was the leader of the Mon Calamari people. They are fish-like humanoids with salmon-colored skin and webbed hands, able to breathe both on land and underwater.
Ackbar's home planet, Mon Cala, was attacked by the Galactic Empire. The Empire destroyed cities and enslaved the Mon Calamari. Ackbar was one of the first to be captured.
He became a servant to Grand Moff Tarkin, a high-ranking Imperial officer. During this time, Ackbar secretly learned a lot about the Empire's plans and military tactics. He also learned about the Death Star, a giant space station that could destroy planets.
After being freed, Ackbar joined the Rebel Alliance. His knowledge about the Empire was incredibly helpful. He convinced his people, the Mon Calamari, to join the Rebels, bringing their huge Mon Calamari cruisers to strengthen the Rebel fleet.
Ackbar started as a Commander and even helped design the powerful B-wing starfighters. Because of his success, Rebel leader Mon Mothma promoted him to Admiral. He eventually became the commander of the entire Rebel fleet.
Role in Return of the Jedi
Admiral Ackbar was the first non-human character shown as a main leader in the Star Wars movies. In Return of the Jedi, Rebel spies found plans for a new, unfinished Death Star. Ackbar and Mon Mothma planned a surprise attack on it.
This attack, called the Battle of Endor, involved two parts. General Han Solo led a team on the moon of Endor to destroy the Death Star's energy shield. Meanwhile, Ackbar and General Lando Calrissian led the space battle against the station.
Ackbar commanded the attack from his main ship, the Home One. But the Empire knew about the plan! Emperor Palpatine had set a trap. Imperial forces attacked the Rebel fleet with many TIE starfighters and Star Destroyers.
Ackbar quickly realized, "It's a trap!" He wanted to retreat, but Calrissian convinced him to keep fighting to give Solo's team more time. The Rebels suffered many losses, but they eventually destroyed the Death Star and defeated the Empire.
Appearances in The Clone Wars
Ackbar also appeared in the animated TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. This show takes place about 20 years before the first Star Wars movie. In the series, Ackbar was a chief adviser to the Mon Cala king and captain of the royal guard.
He showed his leadership skills by trying to protect Prince Lee-Char and unite the Mon Calamari people during a civil war on their planet. Even with help from Jedi like Ahsoka Tano and Anakin Skywalker, Ackbar was captured.
However, the Quarren, another species on Mon Cala, eventually turned against the Separatists who caused the war. Ackbar was freed and helped lead a counterattack to take back the planet.
Role in the Sequel Trilogy
Admiral Ackbar returned in the newer Star Wars movies. He had retired from military service, but Leia Organa convinced him to come back to fight the First Order. The First Order was a new evil group formed from the remains of the old Empire.
Ackbar became an Admiral again and was a leader of the Resistance, which Leia led. He commanded the Resistance fleet from his ship, the Raddus. Everyone in the Resistance respected him because he was one of the few commanders who had fought the Empire when it was strongest.
In Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), Ackbar helped plan the attack to destroy the First Order's new superweapon, Starkiller Base. He watched as the Resistance successfully destroyed it.
In Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), Ackbar led the Resistance as they escaped their base. The First Order chased them, and their ships attacked the Raddus. Ackbar was on the main bridge when it was hit by enemy fire. He was killed in the explosion, along with most of the other leaders.
Even though he had no lines during his death scene in the movie, a comic book version of The Last Jedi showed his last words were: "Torpedoes inbound. It's been an honor serving with you all."
Ackbar in Other Star Wars Stories
Admiral Ackbar has appeared in many Star Wars stories outside of the main movies. These include novels, comic books, and video games.
Legends Stories
Before 2014, many Star Wars stories were part of what was called the "Expanded Universe." These stories are now known as Star Wars Legends. In these tales, Ackbar was a very important character.
- He appeared in the adventure book Strike Force: Shantipole, where he secretly developed the B-wing starfighters.
- In the Dark Empire comic series, he helped the Rebel Alliance fight against a resurrected Emperor Palpatine.
- After Return of the Jedi, he held a key position in the New Republic, the new government that replaced the Empire.
- He was a main character in the Heir to the Empire book trilogy, helping to defeat Grand Admiral Thrawn, a new Imperial leader. He was even wrongly accused of treason but was proven innocent.
- Ackbar also led the successful mission to recapture the planet Coruscant in the Star Wars: X-wing novels.
- He retired in the New Jedi Order book series due to old age, but returned to help fight the Yuuzhan Vong, a dangerous alien invasion. He died of old age shortly before the end of that war.
Ackbar also appeared in several Star Wars video games:
- He gave military briefings in the 1993 game Star Wars: X-Wing.
- He was a Captain in the 2003 online game Star Wars Galaxies.
- In Star Wars Battlefront: Renegade Squadron (2007), he was kidnapped by Boba Fett and had to be rescued.
- He could be played as a hidden character in the 2008 game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed on the Wii.
Official Canon Stories
After 2014, new Star Wars stories became part of the "official canon." Ackbar also has new adventures in these stories.
- In the Star Wars: Aftermath novel series, set right after Return of the Jedi, Ackbar warned the new Republic that the Empire was still a threat. He helped hunt down the remaining Imperial forces.
- He commanded the New Republic fleet during the Battle of Jakku, which was a big victory that ended the Galactic Civil War.
- In the novel Star Wars: Bloodline, Ackbar sent messages of support to Leia Organa after it was revealed she was Darth Vader's daughter.
- He was captured by the First Order in a comic book story, but was rescued by C-3PO and other Resistance members.
- Ackbar appeared in the comic series Darth Vader: Dark Lord of the Sith, which is set earlier in time. He was a commander for King Lee-Char on Mon Cala and tried to fight off Darth Vader's forces.
- A Mon Calamari named Aftab Ackbar, who is Admiral Ackbar's son, appeared in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Aftab became a Colonel in the Resistance and helped fight against the First Order.
What Makes Ackbar Special?
Ackbar is shown as a brilliant military leader. He is very good at planning battles and strategies. He is also organized and pays attention to details, which makes him a very effective commander.
He is known for being careful and thoughtful, like when he first wanted to retreat during the Battle of Endor. But he is also brave and leads his soldiers directly into battle. Ackbar is always trying to improve himself as an officer. For example, he practices fighting with weapons against holograms to stay sharp. He also studies different weapons and fighting styles.
Ackbar is also seen as wise and noble. He is a peaceful being who had to learn about war because of the Empire's cruelty. He always worked for peace, even while fighting. He is respected by his troops and always acts with justice and honor.
In the newer Star Wars movies, Ackbar is a bit more gruff because he is older. He sometimes calls younger officers "fry." His dedication to his duty meant he didn't have much time for a personal life or family, except for his nieces and later, his son.
How Ackbar Was Created
Designing the Character
Originally, Ackbar was planned to look more human-like in the script for Return of the Jedi. But Star Wars creator George Lucas decided he should be an alien. The director, Richard Marquand, chose a design by artist Nilo Rodis-Jamero.
Rodis-Jamero's first sketch of Ackbar was made in 1981. It looked very similar to how Ackbar appears in the movie, with his unique head and a slight hunch. Some people working on the film thought the design looked too silly or ugly, but Marquand insisted on it. He wanted to show that good characters don't always have to be "good-looking."
Ackbar's first name, Gial, was not revealed until 2012 in a Star Wars reference book.
Costume and Puppet
Ackbar's look in the movie was created using a mix of a half-body puppet and a full-body costume. The "Monster Shop" at Industrial Light & Magic, Lucas's visual effects company, made them.
For close-up scenes where Ackbar spoke, puppeteer Timothy M. Rose sat inside the character's chest and moved the head like a hand puppet. Another puppeteer, Mike Quinn, controlled the eyes with cables. For wider shots, Rose wore the full costume, and Quinn used a remote control for the mouth.
Ackbar's costume was a white jumpsuit with yellow stripes, a white vest, and a utility belt. The white boots were the same as those worn by Imperial stormtroopers.
Filming and Portrayals
Ackbar had 14 lines in Return of the Jedi, and his scenes took six weeks to film. The filmmakers even shot alternative scenes with a human character saying Ackbar's lines, just in case the puppet's mouth movements didn't look realistic. Luckily, they weren't needed.
Lucas wasn't completely happy with the final look of the puppet, feeling it was a compromise. He even thought about replacing Ackbar's footage with a better mask in 2005, but it never happened.
Timothy Rose was a puppeteer who worked on Muppets projects before Return of the Jedi. He wasn't originally hired to play Ackbar, but he liked the character's look and asked to play him. He didn't know Ackbar would become such an important character.
Rose returned to play Ackbar in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi. He was sometimes frustrated by the secrecy on set, which meant he didn't know much about Ackbar's full role until filming.
The voice of Admiral Ackbar in Return of the Jedi was done by Erik Bauersfeld, a radio dramatist. He came up with the voice on the spot after seeing a picture of Ackbar. Bauersfeld didn't get on-screen credit at first, but fans eventually learned he was the voice. He reprised the role in the 1993 video game Star Wars: X-Wing and in The Force Awakens, which was his last role before he passed away in 2016.
After Bauersfeld's death, Tom Kane voiced Ackbar in The Last Jedi. Kane had already voiced Ackbar in several other Star Wars games and attractions. Voice actor Artt Butler played a younger Ackbar in The Clone Wars TV series.
Breckin Meyer also voiced Ackbar in the comedy show Robot Chicken: Star Wars, where he parodies the character.
Ackbar's Cultural Impact
"It's a trap!"
Admiral Ackbar's line, "It's a trap!", from Return of the Jedi, became one of the most famous and loved lines from the original Star Wars movies. It is also a very popular Internet meme. Many fan videos on YouTube feature or parody Ackbar and this line.
The line wasn't in the original script; it was first written as "It's a trick!" but was changed later. Erik Bauersfeld, who voiced Ackbar, said he didn't even remember how he said the line, but fans loved it.
The line has appeared in TV shows like The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. The 2011 episode of the animated comedy series Family Guy that spoofs Return of the Jedi was even named "It's a Trap!". There's even a smartphone app that just plays Ackbar's "It's a trap!" line.
In 2018, the original comic strip story where Ackbar first appeared was officially titled after his famous line.
Images for kids
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Timothy D. Rose as Admiral Ackbar in Return of the Jedi (1983)
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An animated version of Ackbar in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, which is set roughly 20 years before the first Star Wars film.
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Ackbar as he appeared in Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015), which was released 32 years after Return of the Jedi.
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Timothy Rose, pictured here in 2016, portrayed Ackbar in all three Star Wars films.
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Erik Bauersfeld, pictured here in 2015, provided the voice of Ackbar in Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.
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Tom Kane, pictured here in 2008, voiced Ackbar in The Last Jedi and other works of Star Wars media.
