Aliens of "The High Republic"

Mirialans

Mirialans were a near-human species from planet Mirial- a cold, dry planet located in the Outer Rim. Mirialans could be identified by their green skin and geometric face tattoos. Face tattoos could be gained after completing a special task, but some were status symbols. Tattoos were seen as an important, yet sometimes antiquated tradition among the Mirialan people.

Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and her apprentice Barriss Offee were the first Mirialans to appear in Star Wars. However novels and guidebooks from 2002 first identified the pair as being human. It may have been the 2004 MedStar novels that first assigned the Mirialan species name to the two Jedi.

In The High Republic series Vernestra Rwoh is a young Mirialan Jedi knight. Vernestra is the main character in “A Test of Courage” by Justina Ireland.

Umbaran

Umbarans were sometimes known as Shadow People. They hailed from a dark planet in the Ghost Nebula in which never saw daylight. Their colorless eyes could see deep into the ultra-violet spectrum. The Umbaran culture was a complex caste system and individuals would spend their lives attempting to rise into higher and higher social levels.

Sly Moore, chief of staff to Chancellor Palatine, was the first Umbaran to appear in a Star Wars film.  The character design of Sly Moore was inspired by Gothic Subculture. Moore was a close confidant of Palpatine and was rumored to have given birth to Palpatine’s son Triclops.

Orla Jareni is an Umbaran Jedi Knight / Wayseeker who appears in the novel “High Republic: Into the Dark” by Claudia Grey.

Zygerrian

Zygerrians were a fur-covered, pointy eared species from the outer rim. On their native world the Zygerrian government ran a slave trade.  Zygerrians often carried retractable shock-whips, which were a symbol of their culture. Shock whips were non-lethal as Zygerrians preferred to capture their enemies, rather than kill them. 

Zygerrians were first mentioned in “The Star Wars Sourcebook “in 1987. They first appeared onscreen in The Clone Wars animated series. Though the Zygerrians featured in Clone Wars are coyote-like in appearance, Zyggerrians that appeared prior to the animated series were hairless with facial ridges. Dave Filoni chose the coyote appearance specifically because he wanted the species to look deceitful. 

Farzala is a Zygerrian Jedi Padawan that is featured in the “High Republic Adventures” comic series.

Pantoran

Pantorans were a blue-skinned species from the moon, Pantora. The Pantorans had an very old society that once worshipped a moon goddess. ThModern Pantora was known for its beautifully designed democratic society, which stood as a symbol against oppression and slavery. Pantorans often wore golden face tattoos which denoted their family symbols.

Pantorans are not to be confused with other blue skinned species such as the Chiss (who have red eyes) or Wroonians (who have yellow eyes).

Star Wars fans were able to glimpse a very early concept drawing of a Pantoran as far back as 1995 as part of the “Star Wars: Episode I Insider's Guide CD-ROM”. The species would not appear onscreen until “Revenge of the Sith” premiered a decade later, where George Lucas and his daughter, Katie, appear as Baron Papanoida and Chi Eekway Papanoida. Initially the Pantoran name was not attached to the species. According to old guidebooks, the character that George Lucas played was a Wroonian and the character that Katie Lucas played was a Twi’lek. There’s even an action figure of the Katie Lucas character with Twi’lek Lekku. However in 2009 a Season 1 episode of “Clone Wars”. Firmly establishes these characters as being Pantoran.

Pantoran characters appear in “The High Republic: Into the Dark” and “The High Republic: A Test of Courage”. 

Tholothian

Tholothians were a human-like species with long white tendrils growing from their heads. Tholothians tended to have dark skin and blue or violet eyes. Tholoth was a warm world with many trees. The Tholothian government prided itself in keeping wildlife preserves over large swaths of their planet.

Many Tholothians were skilled force users including Jedi Council Members Adi Galia and her cousin, Staff Allie. Indeera Stokes is the Tholothian Jedi who appears in the novel “The Light of the Jedi”