Sardu Sallowe originated from Tatooine. He was a Tusken Raider who ultimately departed his planet of origin. His aim was to seek wealth beyond its boundaries, working as a bounty hunter. The exceptional tracking abilities he cultivated during his formative years led to his success as a bounty hunter. This drew the attention of Embra the Hutt. Sallowe collaborated with figures such as 4-LOM and Zuckuss, along with a group of Jawas who provided regular support.
His most notable accomplishment occurred shortly before the Battle of Yavin. Sallowe, 4-LOM, and Zuckuss were commissioned by Embra to locate the legendary Yavin Vassilika. They faced competition from teams employed by rival Hutts, specifically Jabba and Malta. Despite this, they remained competitive as the search took them to Kalkovak, Mon Calamari, and far into Wild Space. Eventually, the Vassilika fell into the possession of Malta's handmaiden, Jozzel Moffet. She intended to sell it to the Rebel Alliance located on Yavin 4. Sallowe participated in the pursuit to Yavin 4, and after Moffet was killed by Embra's aide, Farquil Ban'n, the Bith handmaiden took Moffet's payment. She then gave Sallowe and Zuckuss a fake to give to Embra. Although they emerged victorious in the pursuit, the majority of their compensation was allocated to repairing the damage sustained by 4-LOM during the treasure hunt.
The true identity and history of Sardu Sallowe remained largely unknown. Local legends on Tatooine suggested he was a Human child, orphaned after a Tusken Raider attack killed his moisture farmer parents, and subsequently raised by Jawas. However, Sallowe was actually a Tusken Raider, born on Tatooine and raised in the harsh deserts of his homeworld. His early life in the desert honed his senses and tracking skills, turning him into a skilled hunter. At an unspecified point, Sallowe made the unusual decision to leave his planet and seek his fortune in the galaxy, for reasons he kept private.
Sallowe effectively used the skills he had acquired, quickly becoming a proficient tracker and an exceptional bounty hunter. While he primarily operated on Tatooine, he was willing to travel off-world for a sufficiently rewarding bounty. On Tatooine, he based himself either in a small dwelling in the alleys of Mos Eisley or in his mobile headquarters, a scaled-down sandcrawler about one-third the size of those typically used by the Jawas.
As Sallowe's reputation grew, it caught the attention of Embra the Hutt. He soon became a regular member of Embra's group of bounty hunters, alongside the Gand Zuckuss and the droid 4-LOM. Sallowe consistently performed well for the Hutt, often collaborating with his fellow hunters. He also frequently worked with a team of Jawa assistants, who carried out various tasks for him, including tracking targets and setting explosives.
Shortly following the Battle of Ylesia in 0 BBY, Embra summoned Sallowe to Tatooine. The Hutt had made a wager with fellow Hutts Jabba and Malta to find the legendary Yavin Vassilika, with the artifact and bragging rights at stake. Each Hutt could hire three contractors for the search, and Embra chose Sallowe, Zuckuss, and 4-LOM. Embra provided a detailed briefing, explaining that Illyan Webble, the president of Seraphan Industries, who had been missing since his ship crashed on an uncharted planet in Wild Space where he discovered the Vassilika, had reappeared on Kalkovak and shared his discovery with traders. The team was tasked with finding Webble, learning the location of the Vassilika, and delivering it to Embra on Nar Shaddaa. Embra offered his assistant Farquil Ban'n to provide any needed assistance.
Sallowe was impressed by the briefing and the potential reward, but inquired about the competition from the other Hutts. Embra's sources had identified most of the competitors: Malta had hired Bossk, IG-88B, and Dengar, while Jabba had enlisted Lando Calrissian, a gambler and treasure hunter, and the smuggling duo of Han Solo and Chewbacca. Embra assured them that dossiers on all would be provided soon. Zuckuss and 4-LOM expressed concern that Jabba's final contractor was unknown, but Sallowe, recognizing the urgency, suggested starting the hunt immediately and identifying the unknown hunter along the way.
The group, aboard Zuckuss's ship, began their search in Crevasse City on Kalkovak, Webble's last known location. Sallowe deployed his Jawas to monitor the other teams while he, Zuckuss, and 4-LOM searched the city's market for Webble. While Sallowe found nothing, his Jawas located Solo and followed him, discovering that both opposing teams were leaving the planet. Upon learning this, Sallowe instructed his partners to abandon their search and follow the other teams.
The group determined that Solo's ship, the Millennium Falcon, was heading to Mon Calamari, and Zuckuss's ship's fast hyperdrive allowed them to arrive first. Records at the Vagabond Registration Office confirmed that Webble had traveled to the ocean world and gone out to sea. Zuckuss suspected Webble was heading to the Knowledge Bank, a sentient cluster of mollusks that knew everything happening on the planet, so the group hired a skiff to pursue him. Meanwhile, one of Sallowe's Jawas located Jabba's team, along with Malta's handmaiden, Jozzel Moffet, and the Rodian Greedo, who had joined them. As they boarded their own skiff, the Jawa planted an explosive in its engine. Another Jawa spotted Boba Fett and reported it to Sallowe.
Sallowe's team reached the Knowledge Bank before the others. Webble was dead, his skiff and partially eaten body beneath the water, but the telepathic Knowledge Bank had absorbed his memories. Zuckuss used the Bank to find the coordinates of the planet where Webble had found the Yavin Vassilika. As they returned to their ship, Jabba's team approached in a second skiff. Sallowe detonated the hidden explosive, stranding his rivals and ensuring his team would be the first to reach the Vassilika.
Upon arriving on the uncharted planet ahead of their rivals, Sallowe was eager to capitalize on their advantage and quickly locate Webble's crashed ship. However, 4-LOM detected the presence of the native Barundi tribe, and Zuckuss, recalling Webble's fear of them, advised caution. Sallowe's tracking skills led them to the Barundi village Webble had mentioned, and 4-LOM investigated while the others waited. The natives were initially indifferent to 4-LOM, but when he found the Vassilika and tried to take it, they attacked. Although Sallowe wanted to help 4-LOM, Zuckuss suggested retreating to plan.
The two bounty hunters returned to Zuckuss's ship to discuss their next move. Sallowe wanted an aerial attack on the village, while Zuckuss preferred a subtle approach. However, near the ship, they were ambushed by Boba Fett. Fett had been alerted by Sallowe's Jawa and followed them to the planet. Sallowe moved to attack Fett, but the bounty hunter quickly incapacitated Sallowe and the Jawas with gas.
Seeing the situation turn against him, Zuckuss made a deal to assist Fett. Fett wasn't after the Vassilika, but had been hired by Jabba to protect his treasure hunters. Solo, Calrissian, Chewbacca, and Greedo had reached the Barundi village, only to be captured. Fett enlisted Zuckuss and Sallowe to help rescue them. Sallowe was reluctant, suggesting they retrieve the Vassilika while Fett was distracted, but Zuckuss convinced him that crossing Fett was too dangerous. With Sallowe agreeing, they watched from a distance, providing cover while Fett rescued Jabba's party. Fett freed Solo and the others, but as they left the prison hut, Dengar, Bossk, IG-88B, and Jozzel Moffet arrived, pursued by predators. As the bounty hunters opened fire, the situation devolved into chaos. Moffet used the distraction to take the Vassilika and the keys to Solo's Millennium Falcon, escaping into the forest. When the predators and natives withdrew, Malta's bounty hunters faced off against Fett, Sallowe, and Zuckuss.
The stalemate ended when Solo and Calrissian noticed Moffet's departure. One of Sallowe's Jawas revealed that Moffet planned to sell the Vassilika to a buyer on Yavin's fourth moon, and the rivals gave chase. Sallowe and Zuckuss arrived on the moon with Jabba's team and interrupted Moffet's sale to General Jan Dodonna of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. When Malta's team arrived, the fighting resumed. Again, Moffet slipped away, this time with her four million credit reward and a fake Vassilika provided by the Rebels. Sallowe and Zuckuss followed her into the jungle but found her dead, killed by Embra's assistant, Farquil Ban'n. The Bith had discovered Moffet's plan and followed her to Yavin 4 to take the money.
Ban'n congratulated Sallowe and Zuckuss and gave them the fake Vassilika to deliver to Embra on Nar Shaddaa. To ensure their silence, Ban'n offered 200,000 credits to cover the cost of repairing 4-LOM's damage. However, the repairs consumed most of their winnings.
Sallowe possessed several traits that aided his bounty hunting career. He was cautious, alert, and sharp-eyed, always investigating his surroundings. These traits were useful for both bounty hunting and scavenging. He was a cunning, nimble, streetwise, and relentless hunter. Sallowe was secretive, and 4-LOM considered him unpredictable, though Zuckuss admired his professionalism.
Sallowe's career as a bounty hunter was unusual for a Tusken Raider. However, even after leaving his people, he maintained his heritage, wearing traditional clothing and a face apparatus, even when unnecessary.
Sallowe's collaboration with Jawas was also unusual, as Tuskens and Jawas rarely got along. Most Tatooine settlers viewed Jawas as vermin. Sallowe, however, preferred their company and used them effectively, as their involvement was rarely suspected. One of Sallowe's Jawa associates was more independent, and Sallowe allowed him to act independently.
Sallowe's early skills served him well as a bounty hunter. He was an expert tracker with keen senses, even behind his wrappings. His senses surpassed 4-LOM's sensors in detecting organic targets, making it difficult to surprise him. Sallowe moved silently, gathering information, and was skilled in escapology and sleight of hand. He was proficient with blaster pistols and rifles, as well as explosives.
Sallowe spoke Tusken, Jawaese, and the Jawa Trade language. He often used a mix of Tusken and Jawaese, leading to speculation that he had been adopted by Jawas. He also read, wrote, and spoke Imperial Basic, though he struggled with the syntax of the Galactic Empire's official language.
Sallowe was recognizable due to his Tusken attire: a shabby cloak with a hood and a breath mask that concealed his face, revealing only his yellow eyes. The Republic Journal of Law-Enforcement and Low-Intensity Conflict described him as looking and smelling "like an over-sized Jawa." Sallowe carried two charges of Synthech explosives with a remote detonator, a blaster pistol, and a knife. His robes concealed a comlink and electrobinoculars.
Sallowe's most formidable equipment was his sandcrawler, a modified Tagge Company Survey-class crawler originally used by a mining company. The sandcrawler required a crew of two, but Sallowe automated it with droids. Its advanced sensors, communications equipment, ten holding cells, and space for sixteen Jawa passengers aided his hunts.
Sardu Sallowe was created by Mike Kennedy for the Dark Horse Comics series Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika, drawn by Carlos Meglia and first appearing in Underworld: The Yavin Vassilika 1, published on December 13, 2000. He was later included in the Star Wars Gamer 6 article Unusual Suspects, by Andrew Hind, and in The Official Star Wars Fact File 76. Sallowe's species was initially unclear, with Unusual Suspects describing the common belief that he was Human. The Official Star Wars Fact File 76 later confirmed he was a Tusken Raider.