You remember the first time you saw a Porg, right? It was that The Last Jedi trailer. We saw this tiny, wide-eyed puffball screaming alongside Chewbacca in the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon. Half the internet immediately fell in love. The other half? They groaned. People thought it was just another marketing ploy to sell plushies at Disneyland.
Honestly, they weren't entirely wrong about the plushies. But there's a much weirder, more practical reason why Porgs exist in the first place.
Most people assume Lucasfilm just wanted a successor to the Ewoks or BB-8. That's part of it, sure. But the real story is about birds. Specifically, puffins. When Rian Johnson and the crew flew out to Skellig Michael—the jagged, stunning Irish island that doubled for Ahch-To—they ran into a massive problem. The island is a protected wildlife sanctuary. It was absolutely crawling with Atlantic puffins.
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You couldn't move them. You couldn't shoo them away. Legally, the production wasn't allowed to interfere with them. So, instead of spending millions of dollars digitally removing thousands of puffins from every single frame of the movie, the creature shop decided to just... cover them up. They invented a native species that looked enough like a puffin to blend into the background plates but was "Star Wars" enough to fit the universe. That’s how we got the Porg.
The Anatomy of a Galactic Nuisance
Porgs are basically space penguins crossed with pugs. They’ve got those huge, soulful eyes that make you want to give them your lunch, which is exactly how they survive. Evolutionarily speaking, they are masters of emotional manipulation.
They are sea-dwelling birds, though they aren't great at long-distance flight. They build nests. They dive for fish. They hang out on the cliffs of Ahch-To looking pathetic. Their design is actually pretty brilliant from a puppet perspective. Neal Scanlan’s creature shop built actual animatronics for the film because Rian Johnson wanted the actors to have something real to react to. It’s why that scene where Chewbacca is about to eat a roasted Porg feels so genuinely uncomfortable. You’re looking at a physical object with realistic weight and texture.
Why They Aren't Just Ewok Clones
There is a big difference between a Porg and an Ewok. Ewoks were a tribal society with weapons and a tactical understanding of guerrilla warfare. They were basically tiny, furry Viet Cong. Porgs? Porgs are just animals. They don't have an agenda. They don't have a plan. They just exist to be curious and occasionally annoying.
This distinction matters because it keeps the stakes grounded. When a Porg knocks over a lightsaber or messes with the Falcon's wiring, it isn't "evil." It's just a bird. It adds a layer of ecological realism to the Star Wars universe that we don't always get. The galaxy isn't just Jedi and Sith; it's also filled with dumb birds that like to nest in expensive hyperdrives.
The Polarizing Legacy of the Porg
Let’s talk about the backlash. For a while, "Porg-hating" was a personality trait for certain corners of the fandom.
They saw these creatures as the "Disney-fication" of Star Wars. The argument was that Star Wars should be gritty and serious, and these cute creatures were a distraction. But if you look back at the original trilogy, Star Wars has always been weird and a little bit silly. George Lucas gave us Jawas, Salacious B. Crumb, and yes, Ewoks. The Porg fits perfectly into that lineage of "weird little guys" that populate the background of the galaxy.
Interestingly, the Porgs actually served a narrative purpose for Luke Skywalker’s character. His isolation on Ahch-To was meant to be total. Having these pesky, loud creatures constantly surrounding him emphasized how much he had removed himself from the "civilized" world. He wasn't living in a palace; he was living in a bird sanctuary.
Porgs vs. The Rest of the Cute Canon
Where do Porgs sit in the hierarchy of Star Wars cuteness? It’s a crowded field now. You’ve got:
- Grogu (The Child): The undisputed heavyweight champion. He has a name, a backstory, and Force powers.
- Babu Frik: The tiny droidsmith who stole the show in The Rise of Skywalker.
- Loth-cats: The sassy, feline-like creatures from Rebels and Ahsoka.
- Ewoks: The OGs of the "cute but deadly" category.
Porgs are different because they are purely decorative. They don't drive the plot. They are atmosphere. They represent the "lived-in" feel of the universe. When you see a group of Porgs (which, by the way, is officially called a "murder" or a "parcel," depending on who you ask at Lucasfilm), it makes the planet feel like a real place with a functioning ecosystem.
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The Science of the Squee
There’s actually a psychological reason why we react to Porgs the way we do. It’s called Kindchenschema, or "baby schema." It’s a set of physical features like a large head, high forehead, and big eyes that triggers a caretaking response in humans.
Evolutionary biologist Konrad Lorenz identified this. We are hardwired to think things with these proportions are cute so we don't leave our own babies in the woods. Lucasfilm’s designers are masters of this. They dialed the "baby schema" up to eleven with the Porg. The downturned mouth, the lack of a visible neck, the waddling gait—it’s all designed to bypass your logical brain and go straight to your "must protect" instincts.
How to Spot a "Real" Porg
If you’re diving deep into the lore, you’ll find that Porgs have some weird traits. They are incredibly inquisitive. They are known to be attracted to shiny objects (like lightsabers). They also have a very specific vocalization. Skywalker Sound actually created the Porg noise by mixing the sounds of turkeys, chickens, and shearwaters. It’s a messy, organic sound that keeps them from feeling too "cartoonish."
And yes, they are edible. This is a dark part of the lore that the movies didn't shy away from. On a desolate island like Ahch-To, they are a primary food source for the Lanai (the Caretakers). It’s a reminder that even the cutest things in Star Wars are part of a food chain.
Actionable Insights for the Aspiring Star Wars Naturalist
If you're looking to bring a little bit of Ahch-To into your own life or just want to appreciate the design more, here is how you should approach the "Porg Phenomenon":
1. Study the Puppetry
Watch the behind-the-scenes footage from The Last Jedi. Pay attention to how the puppeteers handle the Porgs. Understanding that these were physical objects helps you appreciate the craft that goes into modern Star Wars. It wasn't just a guy at a computer; it was a team of artists making a mechanical bird blink.
2. Look for the Variants
In the expanded media—comics, books, and games like Vader Immortal—you’ll see different types of Porgs. They aren't all identical. Some have different plumage patterns based on their age or sex (males usually have orange feathers around their eyes).
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3. Appreciate the Practicality
The next time you watch the movie, try to spot the "real" puffins in the background. Now that you know they are there, you can see where the CGI Porgs were layered over the top of the Irish birds. It’s a fun game of "spot the hidden puffin" that gives you a glimpse into the chaos of film production.
4. Explore the Ecosystem
Don't just stop at Porgs. Look into the Thala-sirens (the giant sea sows Luke milks) and the Lanai. Understanding how the Porg fits into the Ahch-To food web makes the world-building feel much deeper than just a collection of cool shots.
The Porg isn't just a toy. It’s a solution to a logistical nightmare on a remote Irish island, a masterclass in character design, and a bridge between the old-school practical effects of the 70s and the high-tech digital world of today. Whether you love them or hate them, they are a permanent, screeching part of the Star Wars legacy.