Star Wars has transformed the Tusken Raiders into a complex, well-developed culture – so what do the masks worn by Tatooine’s sandpeople mean?

Introduced in the first Star Wars film, the Tusken Raiders remain mysterious to the present day, but their secrets are gradually being revealed. When George Lucas created the first Star Wars movie – in chronological order at least – one thing that stood out was the depth of its world-building. The first act spent a great deal of time on Tatooine and fleshed it out in remarkable depth. However, no Star Wars movie or TV show has shown a Tusken Raider’s face, and many viewers still want to know what they look like behind their masks.

These dangerous desert tribesmen threatened Luke but were driven off when Obi-Wan Kenobi intervened. Star Wars has since returned to Tatooine many times, notably in Lucas’ Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, where the Tuskens were responsible for the death of Anakin Skywalker’s mother. But in truth, they have not been fleshed out until recent years, with Star Wars’ Disney+ TV showsThe Mandalorian and The Book of Boba Fett treating Tuskens as real, three-dimensional characters and finally exploring Tusken culture and history that could potentially continue in upcoming Star Wars TV shows.

The Evolution Of Tusken Raiders

The Tuskens have been massively developed since 1977.

Although Tusken Raiders without masks or goggles have been glimpsed in the old Expanded Universe, these were erased from canon when Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012.

The Tuskens evolved on Tatooine, and it is reasonable to assume their heavy clothing and distinctive masks were originally developed as survival mechanisms. The masks are likely a way of enduring the changing climate, especially given the lack of oceans on Tatooine. Their garb has become as much ceremonial as practical over the millennia, and like Mandalorians, it is forbidden for an unmasked Tusken Raider to be seen by anyone except in private circumstances. Although Tusken Raiders without masks or goggles have been glimpsed in the old Expanded Universe, these were erased from canon when Disney acquired Lucasfilm in 2012.

What Tusken Raiders Look Like Under Their Masks

The hidden faces of the Tuskens are a mystifying Star Wars element.

Jedi Knight: Dark Forces II featured a mercenary gang of unmasked Tusken Raiders called the Grave Tuskens. These Tusken Raiders had a gray-furred, feline appearance. This fits well with accounts that the Tuskens and Jawas are evolutionary cousins, with the Jawas described as rodent-like in Legends, introduced to canon during The Book of Boba Fett. The two being similar in appearance makes sense, as they evolved on Tatooine alongside each other.

The only other occasion where a Tusken was unmasked was in Star Wars: Republic #62. This story was found in a comic book and involved the Chosen One of the Force. In the comic, Anakin Skywalker had nightmarish visions of a Tusken unmasking, likely driven by their murder of his mother, to reveal a face reminiscent of the Predator. Aside from these two instances, though, a Tusken has never been unmasked in Star Wars, especially not in canon.

There has long been speculation that, like Mandalorians, Tuskens are not a single race, but different races sharing the same culture. Legends supported this theory in Star Wars: Republic #59, where a Tusken Raider turned Jedi Master, A’Sharad Hett, removed his face covering in front of Anakin. However, this happened so the “Tusken” could reveal he was a human.

Hett was the son of a human Jedi Knight who had integrated himself into the Tuskens, and a human woman who was captured when she was young and raised as one of them. In canon, The Book of Boba Fett revealed that Boba Fett was integrated into a Tusken tribe for a time. That said, this story did not follow suit with Legends as Boba’s integration was treated as unusual, and he did not come to wear the garb of the Tuskens.

Why Tusken Raiders Wear Masks In Star Wars Stories

The masks of the Tuskens can be explained in several ways.

Tusken clothing and masks were originally developed to help survive the harsh Tatooine climate. The mouth grills are designed to prevent precious moisture from leaving their bodies, while the goggles likely serve to protect their vulnerable eyes from harsh sandstorms on Tatooine. Although the garb and masks began as functional, they have become central to Tusken culture; the youngest children seem to be hidden from outsiders, and then they are ceremonially bandaged so they are safe to go out into Tatooine’s deserts.

Various Tusken tribes look different, taking their unique approaches to their clothing and masks. Those seen in the first A New Hope, Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones and The Mandalorian seasons 1 and 2 wore tan robes and similar equipment, but The Book of Boba Fett‘s Tusken tribe was slightly different. Each wore a different mix of tan and black robes and bandages, giving them a unique look and differentiation.

One fighter was clad almost entirely in black, perhaps indicating their combat prowess and experience. Others wore unusual wrapping around their shoulders or outer robes fashioned like long skirts. The tribal leader’s outfit was particularly complex, likely indicating their rank.

How Star Wars Has Changed Tusken Raiders’ Culture In Modern Lore

The Tuskens have become more believable as genuine people rather than monstrous creatures.

Star Wars traditionally viewed the Tuskens through the eyes of Tatooine’s human inhabitants, which meant they were underdeveloped and narratively treated as lesser beings. This was particularly notable in Attack of the Clones, where Anakin Skywalker slaughtered Tuskens in a fit of grief and rage after his mother’s death. While this was certainly presented as a step along Anakin’s road to the dark side, it was not treated with enough significance given his admission that he killed men, women, and children like animals.

However, this traditional portrayal has changed in recent years. The Mandalorian saw Din Djarin use sign language to communicate with Tuskens, and in season 2, one tribe formed a truce with Tatooine Marshal Cobb Vanth and the town of Mos Pelgo. All this established the precedent for treating Tuskens as individuals and exploring their culture and society. The Book of Boba Fett took this opportunity in flashbacks that showed how Boba fit in with another tribe of Tuskens. Star Wars’ desert savages have now become one of their most intriguing and complex races thanks to further development and cultural exploration.

Why Star Wars Should Never Show An Unmasked Tusken Raider

The intrigue and mystery of the Star Wars race should remain intact.

Recent Star Wars controversy has proved that masked characters should remain masked, at least in the case of the Tuskens. Humans have been fascinated with masked characters since the days of Ancient Greek theatre. Every culture has masks of some form as they add mystery and often hold great social significance. Removing the masks of the Tuskens would not only dishonor their established fictional ways and traditions, but it would also remove the mystery that has made the fictional species so endearing to audiences.

The Book of Boba Fett explored Tusken culture in more depth than ever before but stopped short of unmasking them, which proved a wise decision. As soon as the Tusken Raiders are seen unmasked, nearly half a century of speculation ends. There is very little that Lucasfilm could reveal under the bandages and goggles that would seem a worthwhile payoff, especially since the Tusken’s masks are now iconic. Many simply do not want to find out what an unmasked Tusken looks like because it removes the mystery that made them central to the Star Wars aesthetic in the first place.