Ithorians

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Ithorians are the native race of the planet Ithor in the fictional Star Wars universe; they first appear in the Mos Eisley Cantina scene of A New Hope.

[edit] Appearance

Commonly referred to as "Hammerheads", Ithorians are basically humanoid in morphology. They tend to have slender, lanky limbs, and a multi-jointed neck that bends forward and up, ending in a T-shaped head with eyes set wide apart, giving them an appearance not dissimilar to an upright version of the hammerhead shark of Earth. Their skin is a dark leathery brown and tends to be a glossy shine.

Ithorians have two mouths, one on either side of their long necks, and four throats. Their indigenous language is therefore difficult to speak for most members of other races, but most Ithorians speak Basic, the lingua franca of the Star Wars universe.

[edit] Society

Ithor is a lush jungle world, and Ithorians rarely exist on its surface, having a deep respect for nature,a force they refer to as Mother Jungle. As a result of this, Ithorians have built floating, dome-enclosed cities that hover in the planet's atmosphere so as not to disturb the ecosystem. Occasionally an Ithorian will "hear the Jungle's Call," and descend to the surface to complete a task or quest or to derive a deeper understanding of nature and communion with Mother Jungle.

It is uncommon for Ithorians to travel galactically, but by no means unheard of. The species is well integrated into galactic politics and commerce. In the larger galaxy, Ithorians tend to serve as botanists and dealers/transporters/caretakers for exotic species of plant life. Ithorians are pacifists and vegetarians, preferring to avoid armed conflict whenever possible, but they are not afraid to defend themselves or their companions when necessary. Ithorians also consider it sacrilege to touch the ground of their homeworld. 7 years after the destruction of the Death Star, the Ithorians protected Wedge Antilles and scientist Qui Xux when they were in exile to hide from Luke's evil apprentice.

[edit] Ithorians of Note

Due to their pacifistic nature, Ithorians do not tend to become involved in the larger strife of galactic intrigue. However, the species is by no means unrepresented in galactic history.

Nearly four thousand years before the events of Episode I the Ithorians led a restoration project for one of the planets bombarded by the Sith during the Jedi Civil War. The location was that of a planet called Telos.

During the days of the Old Republic, a pair of Ithorian siblings known as the Moomo Brothers operated as mercenaries / gangsters. Neither very bright or competent, one of their most high-profile jobs was the failed kidnapping of Arvan Carrick, the father of rogue Jedi Zayne Carrick.

One such Ithorian was named Roron Corobb. Corobb was a Jedi Master of some regard, and while his pacifist beliefs kept him out of the main conflict, he served faithfully as a bodyguard to Chancellor Palpatine. When General Grievous attacked Coruscant, the seat of the Old Republic's government, Corrob was among the Jedi who attempted to lead Palpatine to safety. To slow Grievous's advance, Corrob used his four throats to create a sonic shockwave. Enhanced by the Force, this shockwave was enough to stun Grevious and allow the Jedi to make good their escape.

Years later, another witness to galactic history was Momaw Nadon, a heretical Ithorian who was exiled from the planet. Nadon eventually settled on Tatooine, a harsh, barren desert planet very unlike Ithor. Nadon was a hydroponic farmer, and utilizing a series of underground caves and dwellings was able to produce and grow a vast array of plantlife that would otherwise never be able to exist on the planet's harsh, sun-blasted surface. Though he did not directly enter into the conflict with the Galactic Empire, Nadon was sympathetic to the cause of the Rebel Alliance, and would occasionally offer his caves as a safe haven to Alliance agents on the run from the Emperor. Nadon was present at the Mos Eisley Cantina during the events of Star Wars: A New Hope.

Ithorians are also seen on Telos for a restoration project. You can either help them or Czerka, both enemies. On that planet the leader Ithorian is Chodo Habat, and his assistant Moza.