Aged, mature, and somewhat pompous, Captain Tarpals commands a patrol squad protecting Otoh Gunga from anything that might threaten the Gungan population. In his years of service, the Gungan soldier has seen many threats come and go, including a variety of lethal sea creatures that roam the murky depths surrounding his underwater city. He has also grown weary of another "menace" to Otoh Gunga: the clumsy antics of Gungan-in-exile Jar Jar Binks.
Since the creature design of Jar Jar Binks was the prototype for most other Gungans appearing in the film, the design team had to come up with ways to differentiate those Gungans with more prominent roles. To this end, the artists experimented with facial features and expressions, as well as costuming, to achieve character individuality. In the case of Captain Tarpals, drooping whiskers and hair-like finlets were introduced to indicate advanced age. Further design features include the presence of battle gear, which helped to give Captain Tarpals the look of a combat-seasoned military figure.