Kyuzo

Kyuzos were a sentient humanoid species native to the gravity-heavy world of Phatrong. The species evolved dense muscle fibers and fast reflexes, possessed skin which could be green or gray, and had wrinkled faces which sported a pair of piercing, yellowish eyes. A species known for its strong sense of justice and honor, notable Kyuzos included the bounty hunter Embo and Constable Zuvio of Niima Outpost, a frontier trading post located on the planet Jakku.

Biology
A humanoid sentient species, Kyuzos originated on the gravity-heavy world of Phatrong. Life under these circumstances resulted in the evolution of dense muscle fibers far better developed than the average bipedal species' and fast reflexes, which made them dangerous opponents on planets with standard gravity. However, such environments caused respiratory and vision problems for Kyuzos, forcing many of them to wear corrective lenses and bandages or a highly pressurized breath mask over their faces to protect their sensitive respiratory systems and assist them in coping with uncomfortable climates. They had green or gray skin, and wrinkled faces that sported a pair of piercing, yellowish eyes with black, slit-shaped pupils. Kyuzos had a range of body types, with some, such as the well-known bounty hunter Embo, being lean and standing 1.99 meters tall, and others, like Constable Zuvio, being stocky and standing 1.6 meters in height. Some had three fingers on a each hand while others had four.

Society and culture
A species known for its strong sense of justice and honor, most Kyuzos regarded oaths and contracts as unbreakable and many species sought to them as mercenaries, law-enforcement personnel and bounty hunters. Kyuzo warriors traditionally wore wide-brimmed war helmets that also served as shields or as thrown missiles. However, not all Kyuzo were fighters&mdash;they were found in a number of professions, and many lived simple lives as farmers and merchants. Despite their honor, Kyuzos had a fondness for rogues, and many of their myths and stories featured ourcast heroes who are forced to oppose the social order. Kyuzos favored their own language, as they found the most prevalent language in the galaxy, Basic, difficult to speak and grammatically confusing. As a result, many relied on electronic translators or interpreter droids when speaking with outlanders.

Kyuzos in the galaxy
Originally from the gravity-heavy world of Phatrong, the Kyuzo species was found throughout the galaxy. A male Kyuzo from his species' homeworld, Embo found great success as a bounty hunter during the Clone Wars, and at one point in the conflict was ranked second only to the infamous Duros Cad Bane. Some Kyuzos settled the farming village of Jowloon on Jaresh, an arboreal world located in the Corva sector of the galaxy's Outer Rim Territories, where they were led by an elderly Kyuzo matriarch named Nyessa, who lived there along with her cousin Grimshaw. During the Galactic Civil War, the villagers were extorted by the Galactic Empire until, with the assistance of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, they were able to force the Empire out of their settlement. Thirty years after the Battle of Endor, a male Kyuzo constable named Zuvio enforced the law in Niima Outpost, a frontier trading post located on the mostly lawless Western Reaches world of Jakku, along with his deputies, his cousins Drego and Streehn.

Behind the scenes
The Kyuzo species first appeared in "Bounty Hunters," the seventeenth episode of the canon animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars' second season. The species' name was taken from one of the character names in The Seven Samurai (七人の侍), a movie by the late Akira Kurosawa, to whom "Bounty Hunters" was dedicated in memory of. The species may been inspired by alternate designs for Neimoidian warriors worked on by Sang Jun Lee for Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, one of which featured a breathing mask and bore a close resemblance to Embo.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Galactic Defense
 * Dark Disciple
 * Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure
 * "High Noon on Jakku"
 * Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
 * Dark Disciple
 * Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure
 * "High Noon on Jakku"
 * Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
 * Dark Disciple
 * Moving Target: A Princess Leia Adventure
 * "High Noon on Jakku"
 * Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
 * Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens

Non-canon appearances

 * Disney Infinity 3.0
 * LEGO Star Wars: The Force Awakens