The Spectacular Live-Action Debut of the Purrgil in Star Wars: A Comparison Like Never Before!

Summary

Ahsoka episode 3 reveals a stunning live-action look at the purrgil from Star Wars, showcasing their intricate design and connection to hyperspace travel.

The purrgil exhibit strong resemblance to whales in both their appearance and sounds, particularly in the live-action version where the resemblance is even more pronounced.

In the live-action adaptation, the tentacles of the purrgil stand out as a prominent feature, surpassing those seen in Rebels in terms of size and danger. They display the ability to grasp objects and potentially even crush starships.

In Ahsoka episode 3, viewers are treated to a captivating sight as they witness a flock of purrgil up close. The level of detail in their live-action portrayal is truly remarkable. Originally introduced in the animated series Star Wars Rebels, the purrgil formed a strong bond with Jedi Padawan Ezra Bridger, revealing their ability to traverse hyperspace. The first glimpse of their live-action depiction was seen in The Mandalorian season 3, when the purrgil made a brief appearance. In the finale of Rebels, they played a pivotal role by enveloping Grand Admiral Thrawn's ship, whisking him and Ezra away to an undisclosed location. The significance of these creatures in the Star Wars universe is growing, and the impressive execution of their live-action adaptation is a testament to Ahsoka's VFX teams. But how have these purrgil evolved from their animated origins?

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The Purrgil Are Clearly Based on Whales - But How Have They Been Realized?

The purrgil, often referred to as "space whales," have a striking resemblance to their live-action design. Their features, such as the grooves on their heads and their hue, bear a strong resemblance to traditional whales. Additionally, the sounds they emit closely emulate the calls of whales, which initially caught Ezra's attention when he connected with them. In the live-action representation, the purrgil appear even more awe-inspiring, mirroring the appearance of real whales more accurately. However, one notable distinction sets them apart: their tentacles. While many aspects of the purrgil align remarkably well with whales, their tentacles deviate from this comparison.

Purrgil Tentacles Are Stunning (& Dangerous) In Live-Action

The most notable and powerful aspect of the purrgil is their tentacles. These appendages serve the crucial function of gathering the necessary energy to navigate through hyperspace, while also possessing the ability to grasp objects. This is precisely how they initially captured Thrawn's ship. In the animated series Rebels, their tentacles were already considerable in size as they effortlessly ensnared Thrawn's vessel and carried it into hyperspace. However, in the Ahsoka series, these tentacles are even more immense, exuding an intimidating and potentially hazardous presence. Ahsoka's ship appears incredibly minute as she and Sabine maneuver through them, suggesting that a single fluid motion of a singular tentacle could easily obliterate the entire craft. Remarkably, these tentacles are merely an extension of the purrgil, which have been magnificently reimagined in live-action form.

Purrgil Vary Dramatically In Size - And There's A Reason

The purrgil's first appearance in live-action has confirmed their varying sizes. While most purrgil in Rebels were large, they were not much bigger than average starships. However, in Ahsoka, many of them are massive. This difference in size can be attributed to both age and subspecies. Among these subspecies, the Purrgil Ultra stands out for its significantly larger size. It is likely that the Purrgil Ultra is the species seen in Ahsoka, and their larger size may enable them to travel through intergalactic hyperspace. These enormous creatures closely resemble Star Destroyers and starcruisers, the latter of which even have a unique purrgil-class designation, honoring their ability to navigate hyperspace with such grace despite their size.

The purrgil will undoubtedly play a vital role in the intergalactic hyperspace travel necessary to reach Thrawn and potentially Ezra. Their introduction in Ahsoka episode 3 was truly remarkable, and the visible relief on Ahsoka's and Sabine's faces indicated their hope of establishing a connection with the purrgil, similar to how Ezra once did, to support their cause. After numerous hints in live-action, witnessing the purrgil in their full form was just as satisfying as anticipated. Additionally, the anticipation grows for what their future holds in Ahsoka and beyond.

New episodes of Ahsoka are released on Disney+ every Tuesday at 6 pm PT / 9 pm ET.