The Porg In Star Wars Explained

"Star Wars" is easily one of the largest and most recognizable franchises in the world, with a die-hard fanbase and even entire dedicated sections of the Disneyland and Disney World theme parks. "Star Wars" already had six movies and a television series before Disney took ownership of the rights in 2012. Since then, there have been several new television series and films, including the latest canon film trilogy.

Whether in the films or on TV, "Star Wars" is no stranger to odd creatures ranging from adorable to downright frightening. It was in the original "Star Wars" trilogy that the Ewoks on planet Endor were introduced in "The Return of the Jedi," and audiences wasted no time falling in love with the adorable teddy-bear-esque creatures.

One of the latest tiny and overwhelmingly cute additions to the films are the Porgs. They first appeared in "Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi" on the planet Ahch-To, where Luke Skywalker hid from everyone in his self-imposed exile. The feathered and beak-less bird-like creatures blanket the island, and their big eyes and small stature are visible in almost every scene.

While adorable, Porgs having had zero appearances in the films until "The Last Jedi" is no coincidence. The Porg came to life for a very specific reason. The creatures themselves are merely a disguise for a real-life animal that just didn't fit in the "Star Wars" universe. The island of Skellig Michael, off the coast of Ireland, which served as the filming location for "The Last Jedi," doubles as a wildlife preserve, and puffins flock to it several times a year. Porgs were designed to disguise the plethora of puffins that called the filming location home.

The idea to trade out puffins for Porgs was thought up by the movie's writer and director Rian Johnson when he realized that editing out each individual puffin would be nearly impossible. With "Star Wars" being the home of so many alien creatures already, the Porgs fit right into the story. Their appearance takes inspiration from several different animals. Jake Lunt Davis, the concept designer of the Porgs, told StarWars.com in an interview which animals made the cut. "It was influenced by a seal and a pug dog and the puffin. The big eyes of a seal or the big eyes of a pug dog and the sort of funny, ugly face of a pug. I mean, pug dogs aren't, by their nature, obviously cute."

Creating the Porgs took one less stress away from filming on location, and also presented fans of the franchise with something they never knew they needed: yet another adorable creature among the many worlds of "Star Wars."