Talz

"We will leave Orto Plutonia under the watchful eyes of the Talz, from this day forth. And recognize your sovereignty as a free and equal people."

―Riyo Chuchi, to Thi-Sen^[1]

The Talz were a sentient species native to the planets Alzoc III and Orto Plutonia, on which they remained undiscovered until the Clone Wars. Their discovery caused a brief war between a Talz village and the Pantoran Assembly due to Chairman Chi Cho of Pantora believing they were a hostile force. After the death of Cho, Pantoran Senator Riyo Chuchi talked and ended the war with the Chieftain of the village, Thi-Sen, after which the Talz were officially recognized as a free and equal people and were allowed to live peacefully on their homeworld.

Biology and appearance

"Technically, Muftak, I believe your kind may be animals."

―Djas Puhr^[7]

Talz-SoTR — Talz imprisoned as slaves during the Clone Wars.

Talz were large bipeds covered in thick, shaggy white fur with sharp talons capping their five-fingered hands. They possessed four black eyes — the small eyes used for day vision and the larger eyes for night vision — and a small proboscis for feeding and communicating.^[8] The shaggy fur coat protected them against the freezing conditions of their ice and snow habitat.^[5]

Society and culture

"Steady Anakin, they're only curious. Let's not provoke them as the droids and our troops must have done."

―Obi-Wan Kenobi^[1]

The Talz were a primitive civilization that used few tools^[8] and lived a simple life in a harsh environment.^[4] They organized themselves in tribes led by chieftains,^[1] and used the native narglatches as mounts and protection.^[4] They had a language of their own, called Talzzi,^[6] but were unable to speak Galactic Basic Standard.^[1]

History

"They only want to be left alone. The droids attacked them, and I'm afraid our outpost got caught in the middle."

―Obi-Wan Kenobi^[1]

The Talz hailed from Alzoc III^[3] and Orto Plutonia, a frigid planet located in the Pantora system.^[9] During the Clone Wars, both the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems attempted to establish outposts on Orto Plutonia, only to be wiped out by the natives.^[4] After the attack on the Republic base, Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker arrived with a detachment of clone troopers, which included Skywalker's Clone Captain, Rex. The Jedi and clones were also joined by the droids C-3PO and R2-D2, and representatives of the planet Pantora, which was in the same system. These representatives were Chairman Chi Cho, Senator Riyo Chuchi. Cho believed that whoever had attacked the Republic were an aggressive force, and waged war on the Talz who had attacked: Chieftain Thi-Sen and his Talz tribe. The ensuing battle caused heavy casualties on both sides, including the two Pantoran guards who tried to protect the chairman, and the majority of the clone cold assault troopers minus Rex himself and a few other clones. The two Pantoran guards were also killed, and Cho was badly injured. He ordered Chuchi to destroy the Talz, but she refused, as his actions had been seen as being out of order by the Pantoran Assembly. After hearing this Cho was left in disbelief and with his last breaths said that he had died for his people, and then died from his injuries. Chuchi approached Thi-sen, and brought C-3PO as a translator. Chuchi explained that to die for ones people was a great sacrifice, but to live for them was a greater sacrifice. She said she would live for her people, and Thi-sen said he would do the same. The two groups departed as equals, and the Talz were recognized as the sovereign and free people of Orto Plutonia.^[1]

During the Imperial Era, the Talz were still a primitive species. They used few tools, and they were only taken to space by enslavers.^[10] Nevertheless, the Talz fought an insurgency against the Galactic Empire on Orto Plutonia.^[11]

Talz in the galaxy

Muftak-ANH — Muftak, a Talz who resided in Mos Eisley on Tatooine.

By the time of the Clone Wars, the Talz were not advanced enough to master space travel.^[1] At least three Talz were slaves that were held in the slave market on Zygerria.^[12] At some point during the Imperial Era, the elderly Talz Broo lived in the Imperial Elderblock 26-0640 on the Empire's capital Coruscant.^[13] By the time of the Galactic Civil War, the species was still primitive, and Talz were taken out to space by slavers.^[10] During the war, some Talz could be found on planets such as Tatooine,^[2] Espirion,^[14] and Son-tuul.^[15] At least one Talz, Muftak, was present at Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina when Obi-Wan Kenobi saved Luke Skywalker from Cornelius Evazan and Ponda Baba by cutting off the latter's arm.^[2]

By the waning years of the Galactic Civil War, some Imperial personnel considered Talz meat delicious.^[16]

Behind the scenes

The Talz species originally appeared in the Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope. Their culture elaborated in the TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, in the fifteenth episode in Season One titled Trespass.^[1] George Lucas wanted to do a classic Western story in which seemingly primitive native people fought back against a superior military in order to defend their homeland. While designing the clothing and habitat of the Talz, the creators drew upon Inuit, indigenous North American and prehistoric cultures.^[17]