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Watto

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this Toydarian junk dealer operated a large shop on the outskirts of Mos Espa, shortly before the Battle of Naboo. A former member of the Ossiki Confederacy Army on his homeworld of Toydaria, Watto lost a tusk and sustained a leg injury while fighting in the seasonal wars fought by his people. After retiring from active service, Watto traveled to Tatooine to set up his own junk business. A skilled gambler, Watto won the rights to Shmi and Anakin Skywalker in a bet with Gardulla the Hutt. Since that time, he used Anakin to maintain his shop while using Shmi for other duties. While he was Anakin's owner, Watto discovered that the boy was quite skilled at fixing things, and was also a quick study in podracing. Watto used the fact that Anakin was human - a trait not often associated with pod racers - to win money from his rivals in wagers on the races. He met his match when Qui-Gon Jinn arrived in Mos Espa, hoping to replace the hyperdrive on Queen Amidala's ship. Qiu-Gon recognized Anakin's skill as coming from the Force, and helped the boy enter the Bootna Eve race. When Anakin won the race, Qui-Gon not only won the hyperdrive but also Anakin's freedom. Watto never fully recovered from the loss of such a skilled slave, but his heart did soften a little bit. He even began to blame others for his so-called bad luck, knowing that much of his success had been due to Anakin's abilities. Watto began to treat Shmi with more respect, and even splurged once a week to buy them both some nectarot and pallie wine. Several years after Anakin left Tatooine, Watto agreed to sell Shmi to Cliegg Lars, who had obviously fallen in love with the slavewoman. Watto made several excuses and created a number of delays in the transaction, torn between the loss of a slave - albeit an older slave - and his hope that Shmi would be happy with Cliegg. Finally, it was Owen Lars who helped his father trick Watto into selling Shmi in exchange for a Tobal lens. After the deal was made, Watto admitted that he had deactivated Shmi's slave transmitter just months after Anakin was freed, afraid that Shmi would wander aimlessly off in sorrow and blow herself up. Years later, when Anakin returned to Tatooine in search of Shmi, Watto provided Anakin with information on the Lars family's location.