The Pykes were a species of sentient humanoids native to the planet Oba Diah. The species was distinguished by the unsettlingly large heads and undersized faces seen on some of its members. A notable group of Pykes was the Pyke Syndicate, the galaxy's preeminent suppliers of spice, a narcotic substance mined by slaves on the planet Kessel.
Examples of two forms of the Pyke species' body
A sentient species, the Pykes were humanoid, although most were slimmer and taller than most humans. They had two long, lanky legs, and two arms that ended in three- or four-fingered hands. Their heads were large and elongated, with a tapered skull and a proportionately undersized face, a feature which some other species found unsettling. Pykes had two narrow, almond-shaped eyes which could be blue, magenta, purple, or black in color. Their heads rested upon elongated, sinuous necks. The species had two sexes, male and female. Pykes had yellow or green blood.
Some Pykes had smaller craniums than others of the species, as well as short bloated necks, and five or four fingers. Whereas others of the species had a range skin tones including gray and green, these individuals might possessed teal skin with pink accents or a gray-green coloration like their tall brethren. Beneath the masks frequently worn by the species, the short-necked Pykes' faces resembled fish. Another of this Pyke type, however, might have a larger head closer to that of their tall fellows. The atmosphere of the planet Kessel could provoke lethal allergic reactions in Pykes if they were exposed to it for too long, necessitating the wearing of special protective gear if they remained there long-term.
The Pyke capo Quay Tolsite greets arrivals at the spice mines of Kessel.
Pykes hailed from Oba Diah, a terrestrial planet marked by obsidian cliffs. Visitors to Oba Diah viewed both the population and terrain as unwelcoming. The Pyke homeworld served as the headquarters of the Pyke Syndicate, a criminal organization which profited from distributing spice, an illicit substance harvested by slaves in the spice mines of the planet Kessel. The Pykes on Kessel had to wear special breath masks and lead-lined clothing to protect themselves from the planet's harsh climate. To deliver spice to their customers, such as crime families on Coruscant, the Pyke Syndicate relied on smugglers and freighter captains to complete the dangerous Kessel Run.
Before the Invasion of Naboo, the Pyke Syndicate was set to enter clandestine negotiations with Sifo-Dyas to resolve an underground war. Unbeknownst to him, the Pykes had made an alliance with the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus to gain advantage over the other crime families. Tyranus hired the Pykes to shoot down Sifo-Dyas' ship over the Oba Diah moon, killing Sifo-Dyas. The Pykes subsequently locked up Sifo-Dyas' aide, Silman, as insurance against the Sith Lord.
Pykes wearing their masks
During the Clone Wars, the Pyke Syndicate, led by Lom Pyke, joined the Shadow Collective, a criminal alliance formed by Sith Lord Maul. The collective aimed to defeat the Galactic Republic and Confederacy of Independent Systems by uniting the galaxy's criminal underworld. Under Maul's guidance, the Pykes, the Black Sun cartel, and the Mandalorian extremists of Death Watch launched a takeover of Mandalore, which resulted in a planet-wide civil war.
In 19 BBY, the Jedi traced Sifo-Dyas' lightsaber back to Oba Diah, where Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi confront the crime syndicate. In exchange for Silman, the Pykes asked the Jedi to forget the act of treachery the former carried out against the latter. Tyranus arrived soon thereafter and engaged the Jedi and Pykes in battle, killing Lom.
Ahsoka Tano bore witness to the Pyke Syndicate's role in the spice trade when she accompanied the Martez sisters to Kessel to pick up the spice and deliver it to Oba Diah. Though they were captured by their current leader Marg Krim, they eventually managed to escape, and Tano learned of the syndicate's alliance with Maul.
After the rise of the Galactic Empire, the Pykes continued to expand their territory throughout the galaxy. At one point, they made a deal with the Devaronian Roland Durand of the Durand crime family in exchange for spice. However, the spice was stolen by Clone Force 99 with the help of Cid, leading the Pykes to threaten Durand's life. The spice was eventually returned to them and the Pykes punished Durand for his failure by cutting off one of his horns.
The Pyke Quay Tolsite served as a capo in the Pyke Syndicate and overseer of a spice mine on Kessel until he was killed by Qi'ra.
Later, a few members of the Pyke Syndicate attended the auction for Han Solo aboard the Vermillion on the planet Jekara. The auction was hosted by Lady Qi'ra and her recently returned crime syndicate Crimson Dawn. The Pykes attempted to buy the smuggler, but were outbid by the Hutt Clan.
Around 5 ABY, a train of Pykes regularly terrorized a Tusken tribe that Boba Fett resided in, before Fett and several of the Tuskens captured the Pykes on the train and made them walk to Anchorhead and fly off Tatooine. Shortly after this incident, Fett went to the Pykes' headquarters on Tatooine and spoke to the leader of the Pykes in the area. Fett asked the Pyke boss to pay protection money to the Tusken tribe as promised. The Pyke boss said that he could not pay protection money to two groups, according to his superiors on Oba Diah, and informed Fett that the Kintan Striders were already being paid protection money.
By 9 ABY, Jabba's former holdings on Tatooine had been promised to the Pykes by mayor Mok Shaiz. Then, a number of Pykes arrived on Tatooine from a starliner. They continued to establish themselves as a dominating presence on the planet, including in the cities of Mos Espa and Mos Eisley. Law enforcement refused to interfere with them.
Later, marshal Cobb Vanth interrupted a Pykes spice trade in Freetown territory, and told the Pykes that he wouldn't tolerate the spice trade in the town. The Pykes tried to kill him due to his meddling, but Vanth drew his blaster faster and killed all but one who backed out of the fight. Vanth told him to go back and inform the syndicate of his ban, but not without taking the spice and throwing it away. To solve the problem, the Pyke Syndicate sent bounty hunter Cad Bane. When Bane was unable to convince Vanth to change his mind, the two had a duel that ended with Bane injuring Vanth and killing Scott, the marshal's deputy. Later, they bombed the Sanctuary, killing many who were inside. After a battle that took place in the streets of Mos Espa, the Pykes decided to leave the world due to the numerous losses caused by the battle, although Master Assassin Fennec Shand assassinated the Pyke leaders on Tatooine before they could leave.
Pyke concept art by Colin Fix
The Pykes were developed by George Lucas for the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The species debuted in the season five episode "Eminence," which first aired in 2013. The design that became the Pykes originated in an April 2007 sketch of a Jedi character by David Hobbins, which was then selected by Lucas. In mid-2009, Douglas Wheatley refined their looks, and they were planned for inclusion in the canceled game Star Wars: 1313. The 2018 film Solo: A Star Wars Story marked the live-action debut for the species, although they would not appear without a mask until The Book of Boba Fett. This live action design differs from the animated Pyke design first featured in The Clone Wars. Instead of it simply being a case of a species appearing differently between mediums, a Star Wars: Unlimited card drawn by would confirm both designs co-existed in universe.
- LEGO Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga