Summary
- The purrgil are a semi-sentient species of space whales in the Star Wars universe, capable of naturally jumping into hyperspace.
- They create their own tunnels through hyperspace known as simu-tunnels and travel to worlds rich in a rare gas called Clouzon-36.
- The purrgil have a significant role in galactic history and have inspired technology such as the Sith Wayfinders. They have appeared in Star Wars Rebels and made their live-action debut in Ahsoka episode 3.
This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episode 3.Ahsoka episode 3 finally showed viewers a flock of purrgil in live-action, and here's all viewers need to know about Star Wars' beautiful space whales. When George Lucas created Star Wars, he knew he needed a way for starships to travel faster than light Inspired by Isaac Asimov's Foundation novels, he came up with the idea of hyperspace; a mysterious dimension that ships could jump into to travel at phenomenal speeds. At first it seemed as though only starships could travel through hyperspace.
That surely meant many were as surprised and delighted as Grogu in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 1, when Grogu saw a flock of purrgil in hyperspace. Just as there are life-forms in space in Star Wars, so there are creatures capable of naturally jumping into hyperspace. They're rarely seen, simply because most starships don't allow their pilots (or co-pilots) the kind of 360-degree view given to Grogu in his station in Din Djarin's N-1 Starfighter. But they've actually been part of Star Wars for years, they're an important part of galactic history, and they're now at the center of Ahsoka's exciting plot.
What Are Purrgil, Star Wars' Hyperspace Whales?
First introduced in the animated Star Wars Rebels TV series, the Purrgil are a semi-sentient species of space whales who use hyperspace to travel between the stars. They create their own tunnels through hyperspace (known as simu-tunnels), and their migration routes take them to worlds rich in a rare gas called Clouzon-36, which they consume. As beautiful as the purrgil may be, most navigators consider them hazardous; Din Djarin is fortunate his Naboo N-1 Starfighter didn't get knocked out of hyperspace, because the creatures are blissfully unaware of the ships that travel faster-than-light.
Most purrgil are "only" the size of a small starship, but a subspecies known as Purrgil Ultra can be as large as an Imperial Star Destroyer. They typically travel in groups, and these have been referred to with a variety of names - flocks, swarms, or even pods. Each group is led by a so-called Purrgil King, a large typically male creature that appears to choose their direction of travel.
How Purrgil Travel Through Hyperspace
Hyperspace is still something of a mystery, even in the Star Wars universe itself, which means the nature of purrgil hyperspace travel is hotly debated. They are known to travel through hyperspace tunnels, called "simu-tunnels," created when their bodies metabolize Clouzon-36 into hyperspace fuel. These simu-tunnels can bisect other hyperspace routes, and sometimes cross over major trading routes, meaning purrgil are a real navigational hazard. Fortunately, some sources have indicated the purrgil follow set migration routes, which means they can be avoided. Din Djarin clearly traveled a little too close to one of these migration routes in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 1.
Purrgil Have Actually Traveled Across The Galaxies
The Ahsoka Disney+ TV show has revealed the purrgil migration routes actually cross the void between the galaxies. It's long been known that the first hyperspace travelers were inspired by purrgil, but it now seems these ancient beings may not have been from the main Star Wars galaxy at all. Morgan Elsbeth has retrieved an ancient starmap, and Ahsoka's credits show this starmap - hyperspace routes that follow the purrgil migrations, and chart the pathway to Peridea. It seems that, long ago, travelers crossed the intergalactic void by following the paths charted by purrgil.
Purrgil Inspired Jedi & Sith Wayfinders
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker introduced viewers to Sith Wayfinders, ancient technology that allowed the Sith to find their long-lost redoubt of Exegol. The movie itself never explained how these worked, but according to Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker Visual Dictionary, the Wayfinders were inspired by studies of how purrgil navigate through hyperspace. The explanation makes sense, because travel through hyperspace involves complex navigational calculations, but purrgil perform these at an instinctual level. It's possible the starmap retrieved by Morgan Elsbeth in Ahsoka is similar technology.
Which Star Wars TV Episodes The Purrgil Have Appeared In
The purrgil first appeared in Star Wars Rebels season 2, episode 15, in the episode "The Call." There, a group of rebels attempted to steal hyperfuel from the Mining Guild, only to cross paths with a flock of purrgil. Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger possessed a light side Force power allowing him to establish empathic bonds with creatures, and he was able to create a powerful connection to the purrgil, learning their true nature - and their feeding habits. The rebels shut down the Mining Guild operation, which had been stopping the purrgil feeding.
The purrgil returned in the Star Wars Rebels finale, with Ezra Bridger summoning them for help in a time of need. His homeworld Lothal was under attack by Imperial forces led by the Imperial warlord Grand Admiral Thrawn, and Ezra asked the purrgil to help him protect the planet; they jumped out of hyperspace, capturing Thrawn's flagship, before vanishing with his vessel. Ezra, who was directing the attack from the flagship, was lost as well.
Purrgil were glimpsed by Grogu in The Mandalorian season 3, episode 1, but they didn't make their full live-action debut until Ahsoka episode 3. There, visiting the planet Seatos, Ahsoka was startled to find she was flying into a flock of purrgil over the planet. This presumably means the atmosphere there is rich in Clouzon-36, and it seems this is the last stop for the purrgil before they travel on through the void between galaxies to distant Peridea. Lady Morgan plans to follow a starmap based on purrgil migration routes to Peridea, where she senses Grand Admiral Thrawn calling out to her for help.
The purrgil have also been mentioned a few other times in Star Wars lore. Leia's adopted father Bail Organa mentioned them in the first episode of the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ TV show, remembering how he'd dreamed of adventure traveling the stars following purrgil. A hologram of a purrgil can be seen in the Star Wars Squadrons game, and they've been name-dropped in novels and audiobooks including Cavan Scott's Dooku: Jedi Lost, Chuck Wendig's Aftermath: Life Debt, and Alex Segura's Poe Dameron: Free Fall. Still, their role in Ahsoka is unprecedented, and surely means they'll be explored in a lot greater detail going forward - not least because they're now clearly as important to Star Wars' past as itis future, given their routes once connected all the galaxies.