Star Warshas introduced a variety of strange aliens since its beginning. Just the Mos Eisley Cantina scene ofA New Hopeintroduced several aliens that have since become staples of both old and new canon. And yet few are quite as iconic or easily recognizableas the twi’lek. They were mostly supporting and background characters in both the classic and prequel trilogy. But somehow their distinct appearance resonated with fans. They come in many different colors but they are immediately recognizable by their set of head-tails.
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While they may not have been given much focus in the original films, the species has produced several fan-favorite characters. Characters like Mission Vao, Aayla Secura, and Hera Syndulla have been well-received by fans. But there is a lot more to Twi’leks than fans may realize.
The most easily recognizable trait of a twi’lek is their head-tails, called lekku. These are appendages stemming from the back of the head. Most have two of them but some, like the senator Orn Free Taa, can have as many as four. To an outsider, lekku looks sort of like their equivalent of hair. In some ways this makes sense - it is located in the same part of the head and many Twi’leks have been known to stylize their lekku similarly to how other species might customize their hair. But it also has some practical functions.
The full Twi’lek language includes a combination of spoken dialogue and lekku-based gestures. Simple movements of a twi’lek’s head-tails can be used to convey basic statements. For instance, crossing them together is recognized as a sign of affection, while aiming both towards the speaker’s back is seen as an insult. Some wealthy and powerful twi’leks, like Bib Fortuna, use a more elaborate lekku style as a way of showing their status.
4They Are Big Eaters
MostStar Warsfans are familiar with the image of a tall, thin female twi’lek dancer, but it turns out they can eat a lot more than one might initially expect. Having evolved in the harsh environment of Ryloth, the species had to develop a versatile diet to be able to eat whatever was available.
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They even have multiple stomachs. This basically means that even the smallest of twi’leks can eat like the King of Town. Obesity is, however, more common among twi’leks of wealth and power, to the point where it is actually seen as a symbol of status.
3A Twi’lek Helped Build the Empire
The Empire was generally no friend of the Twi’lek species, and yetironically it was one of them who played a big rolein setting it up. Orn Free Taa was a twi’lek senator at the time of the Clone Wars, and he was quite corrupt. He liked to throw lavish parties, spend exorbitant amounts of money, eat lots of food, and pretty much did anything that could put some extra cash in his pocket. And he was also a right-wing extremist who was quick to jump on aggressive militaristic policies. This tendency made him a firm supporter of turning the Republic into an empire, and a favorite tool for Palpatine.
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Even after the empire was formed and its pro-human agenda became more widely known, Orn Free Taa would continue to suck up to imperial officers in exchange for personal gain. He had no qualms being their puppet if it meant he could continue living in luxury and get rid of political rival Cham Syndulla. His greed and corruption would backfire when he was then made a scapegoat to justify arresting Syndulla, though he may have survived the “assassination.”
2Their Homeworld is Tidally Locked
While many species evolved from a harsh environment, few could match the challenge of Ryloth- a world that makesTuchanka look friendly. What was unusual about Ryloth is it is tidally locked. That means it orbits its star but does not rotate, meaning one side is always exposed to the bright light while the other is in constant darkness.
This is not on its own unusual - similar orbits can be seen in the orbits of both our own moon and the planet Mercury. But it poses a significant challenge for life having to live between two extremes. One side is a scorchingly hot environment while the other is a frigid land of perpetual darkness. The only place to survive is a narrow band in between both halves, and even that is difficult.
1They have An Unfortunate History With Slavery
Twi’lek slaves are unfortunately very common in theStar Warsuniverse. Just about every slave-approving faction has taken them at some point - the Hutts, the Exchange, the Empire, the Separatists, the Zygerrians, even other Twi’leks, not to mention they were probably enslaved by the Rakatan Infinite Empire long before any of those. That unfortunately has a lot to do with their history. Twi’leks never managed to achieve space travel on their own, instead, they were introduced to that technology through first contact with other races - who, seeing no other valuable resources, started exploiting the Twi’leks.
Of particular note were the Hutts, who quickly dominated the slave-trading market. Eventhe Old Republicwas willing to dismiss it as “indentured servitude.” Women were considered attractive and often put into positions where they were objectified, while men were usually put to work hard labor. The situation only got worse when Ryloth was found to have a spice that was great for making drugs, which tightened the Hutt’s grip on the world.
