The five year milestone of both the new canon, which started with the excellent A New Dawn in September 2014, and of the site Mynock Manor itself is finally here and we have the article you’ve all been waiting for: a look back at the handling of the majestic, mighty, and marvelous mynock in canon over these past five years. Come along as I flutter into the mynocks’ greatest hits, improvements to make, and the newest additions to the great, nay greatest line of Star Wars creatures…of which we have ZERO bias towards.
Mynocks, for better or worse, were first introduced hanging out inside the belly of giant space slug, threatening the already broken Millennium Falcon with total disrepair by feeding on the ship’s power cables. One even died when the heroes discovered their innocuous feeding, a problematic approach to dealing with non-sentient creatures (besides that one time in Legends yore) who were only feasting on the ship because someone was crazy and stupid enough to land within their chosen domain. Their appearances remained largely ignominious beyond The Empire Strikes Back, though a few bright spots managed to sneak through, like a form of lightsaber combat named after them. When canon rest, an opportunity arose for their branding to change, and while it’s been more positive all around, it could always find some improvements.
It all started strong in John Jackson Miller’s A New Dawn, where security professional Zaluna Myder’s team was nicknamed Myder’s Mynocks, and while it’s meant as clever alliteration with Zaluna’s last name (a similar cleverness, if I do say myself, leading to this site’s name), they wouldn’t have made the choice of ‘mynock’ if people didn’t feel the creatures meant security, fairness, and righteousness. In Ken Liu’s The Legends of Luke Skywalker, a tall-tale about the erstwhile Jedi Master finds him on a Magic School Bus-like journey through an exogorth, revealing the beauty of the mynock’s symbiotic relationship with the giant space slugs, much like the mystical Force’s relationship with the galaxy at large and those who use it, an apt analogy because the mynocks are the perfect creature for it; you don’t get Ken Liu to write about any creature, you get him to write about the ones you want to lead the franchise for decades to come, and the honor was most appreciated. Recently, the mynocks have even been heroes, as seen in A Crash of Fate, an instrumental act of heroism which helps out Izzy and Jules in their day-long adventure on Batuu so the two live long enough to save local farms and fall in love! One could say mynocks are the secret cupids of the GFFA and probably not be too far off, as their antics with the Falcon did help draw Han and Leia closer as well (even if the two were meanies during their stay in the exogorth)!
Beyond numerable, memorable contributions to the canon, the mynocks’ family grew in exciting and unique ways as well. Star Wars Rebels introduced fyrnocks, a ground-based variety hurt by sunlight, originally shown as frightening creatures as they attempt to protect their home when Sabine Wren and Hera Syndulla pick up a mysterious package on their lawn. Later in the same season, Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger split from the main group to draw off pursuit, luring the Grand Inquisitor to the fyrnock’s home, and thanks to Ezra’s ability to connect with living creatures, the creatures join the Rebellion to fight off the nasty Inquisitor; this includes a giant fyrnock mother, though unfortunately Ezra has to summon her by tapping into the dark side. The fyrnocks’ noble sacrifices are not in vain, as Ezra learns an important lesson regarding the dark side and the entire group of the Ghost is instrumental in freeing a whole planet from the grips of the Empire! And in Thrawn – Treason we meet the grallocs, a larger cousin of the mynock, making heroic look easy as they feast on shipments involved with building the Death Star, having sensed the evil the parts within are helping build. Just like their smaller, less regarded cousins, these additions are fighting the good fight against the tyranny that is the Empire, so both the fyrnocks and grallocs are welcomed members of the family!
As much as I’d abhor hunting such obviously heroic creatures as the mynock family, they know that, even in death, their lives can help sustain others. Which is a very good thing, because have you ever even heard of a mynock roast on Ardennia, let alone been able to enjoy one? These are known throughout the galaxy and many chefs and foodies flock to Ardennia to witness both the spectacle of the roast and taste the mind-meltingly good mynock main dish, flavors which leave all those who eat it baffled and speechless…or so we’ve heard from a few Ardennians. Mynocks also make for a tasty, healthy alternative meat for wings instead of creatures like nerfs or moofs. We can only hope Strono “Cookie” Tuggs has included a new mynock delicacy in his upcoming cookbook so even more people can taste the wonders of a mynock. Fyrnocks and grallocs are a little less appetizing, however, but journey to the right world and you might never know you’ve enjoyed sustenance from the mynock family.
As I mentioned earlier, it hasn’t all been great for the mynocks in canon, as most of their mentions (numbering nearly 40 times across canon so far, via Wookieepedia) are some type of derogatory comment or slurring the mynock name as some type of swear. As demonstrated above, what exactly have the mynocks done to deserve such verbal persecution? We continue to hear they are a nuisance, but considering the old adage is “show, don’t tell,” when will we be shown they are anything but heroic? Like the “change my mind” meme, I’ll be sitting within the comfy confines of the Manor, awaiting any challenge.
I appreciate you, dear reader, for staying so long at the Manor to learn all about the mighty mynocks, who might’ve gotten to the power cables on your ship during your stay, sucking the power dry, unfortunately leaving you stranded here….like I was, so many years ago. Eventually I was pressed into service at the Manor, as there is nothing else to do on this desolate rock clumped way down the line as hyperspace’s last stop. If you manage to escape, will someone please take me with them?!? Alas, if it’s not possible, and you’re stuck here with me still, one of the better ways to pass the time, beyond screaming into the void of the endless swamp world around us and being forced to write mynock propaganda by the mynocks, is to sing-along or dance your heart out to the incredible tunes by the Earth-based Modal Nodes, specifically their catchy, New Republic Chart Topping song, a place it gained due partly thanks to its title: “Mynock!” (Lyrics here)
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website @MynockManor.
If you enjoyed our 5 years of canon article, look no further than our Star Wars‘ 40th Anniversary article about what a Star Wars miniature golf course could be like!