Osha notices the troubled prisoner quickly after being locked up on the ship. Two different supposed crooks clarify that the parasite is used to subdue “violent criminals” by doing “bizarre stuff to your mind.” No matter meaning, it does not appear to be a really nice expertise primarily based on the prisoner’s unnerving contortions.
The identify that the prisoner calls the parasite appears like “dybbuk,” which can be the phrase for a sort of parasitic spirit in Jewish folklore. That may make some sense as an allusion, given the character of the creature. When Osha pries the parasite off of the prisoner later within the episode, it flies away rapidly, exhibiting a daunting quantity of velocity.
That is the primary time that this creature has appeared in “Star Wars,” however there have been a number of related beasties up to now. In “Star Wars: The Clone Wars” Season 2, as an example, there is a collection of episodes involving a novel species of Geonosian mind worm that may take over the minds of its hosts. You’d assume that in a world the place starships and laser weapons are a dime a dozen, you would simply administer a sedative to significantly violent or harmful prisoners. Utilizing such a visceral technique of subjugation feels pointless, but it surely additionally is not that out of character for the Jedi, sadly.