Nien Nunb

Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're my only hope.

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"Friend, you've helped me so much today, I greatly appreciate it. I can't begin to thank you for your help. You're the type of person who reminds me why we fight against the Empire."

―Nien Nunb in Sullustese^[src]

Nien Nunb was a male Sullustan smuggler.^[3] He grew up in the caves of his homeworld, Sullust, with his sister, Aril Nunb. Later, he worked for the SoroSuub Corporation as a smuggler. During one of his smuggling flights, he befriended Lando Calrissian—an individual Nunb would have great deals with in later years. It was with Calrissian that he would copilot the Millennium Falcon during the Battle of Endor. He went on to become the administrator of the Kessel spice mines, and sporadically worked with the New Republic and its successor, the Galactic Alliance.

Biography

Born on Sullust, Nien Nunb grew up to pilot a freighter for the SoroSuub Corporation. However, as the company gradually came to support the Galactic Empire more and more, Nunb began stealing from his employers.^[4] Together with his childhood friend, the politician Sian Tevv, Nunb formed a group of Sullustan raiders whose mission was to fight against SoroSuub and the Empire independently of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. SoroSuub retaliated against Nunb with the help of an Imperial Star Destroyer, resulting in the loss of his ship, the Sublight Queen. However, this didn't hinder Nunb from fighting for his people's freedom.

"Don't worry. My friend's down there. He'll have that shield down on time. Or this'll be the shortest offensive of all time."

―Lando Calrissian to Nien Nunb^[src]

Convinced by Sian Tevv, Nunb then joined the Rebel Alliance. He was chosen especially by Lando Calrrissian to co-pilot the Millennium Falcon during the Battle of Endor.^[3] Nien Nunb was awarded the Kalidor Crescent for his heroism in participating in the destruction of the Second Death Star.

Sometime after Endor, Nunb was again part of the Falcon's crew, this time as the co-pilot of Han Solo. Though Nunb had piloted Solo's starship in wild maneuvers through the shipyards of Fondor, Han could not be convinced by Calrissian to accept Nunb as a temporary substitute for Chewbacca, who was spending time with his family on Kashyyyk. Though suspicious about Nunb's qualities, Han's respect for the Sullustan grew during their mission for Vandelhelm, where he even saved Han's life from a stormtrooper attack.

In 13 ABY, Calrissian purchased the spice mines of Kessel and installed Nunb as administrator. The Sullustan managed to dramatically increase the planet's standards by replacing unwilling slave labor with employed species, that like his own people, preferred living underground.^[5] In the same year he assisted Calrissian once more as co-pilot in the Battle of Nam Chorios during the Death Seed crisis.

In 24 ABY, Torvon, a member of Black Sun acting as Nunb's Second Administrator tried to murder Nunb on Kessel, but the Sullustan administrator survived the assassination attempt. When the mines were overtaken by Czethros, leader of Black Sun, Nunb allied with Jaina Solo and Lowbacca to regain control.^[5]

It is said that Nunb was still administrator of Kessel during the war against the Yuuzhan Vong and that he highly increased the planet's defensive systems to hold off the invaders.

Sometime before 43 ABY, he gained a partner's share of the Kessel mines along with Calrissian and his wife Tendra, and helped destroy the subterranean tunnels of Kessel to save the planet from breaking apart from ground quakes.

During 43.5 ABY, Nunb was known to have been a co-owner and manager of of one of Kessel's most prominent mineworks. He was contacted by Ben Skywalker during their search for Sith apprentice Vestara Khai. Nunb informed Ben that a Captain Khai had landed and refueled on Kessel without paying, and had acquired a galactic map update for her ship. He also informed him of the ship's name, She's a Chancer.

Behind the scenes

The character Nien Nunb was realized as a puppet for his appearance in Return of the Jedi. He was performed by Mike Quinn and Richard Bonehill. Quinn operated Nunb's face, which was a large animatronic hand puppet, and Bonehill was the extra wearing the full body suit.

The name refers to the fact that the character was "Number Nine" on the creature packing list, but like many of the nicknames given by the crew, it was changed for marketing purposes.^[6]

Nunb was voiced by Kipsang Rotich, a student from Kenya, in his native tongue of Haya. In the movie, Nunb can also be heard speaking Kikuyu, another Kenyan language.^[7]

Nien Nunb has been used as a gag in several modern cartoons including Family Guy and The Venture Bros. He is also referred to as the "Pancake Kid" by Billy Dee Williams on Robot Chicken.

In Fall 2009, Hasbro released a red B-Wing Pilot in the Legacy Collection Return of the Jedi Line. The figure was named 'Nien Nunb', implying that Nunb was originally the red-suited B-Wing Pilot who stood behind Lando Calrissian in the pre-Endor Briefing Room, and that Lando asked Nunb to be his co-pilot in the Falcon after the briefing. The figure uses the same mold as the Keyan Farlander B-Wing figure, and comes with his own helmet similar to Ten Numb with a breathing apparatus attachment.