Lekku/Legends

"Oh, yes. Wormheads. Twin tendrils off head. Females much yum-yum."

- Vilmarh Grahrk

Lekku, singular lek and also known as tchun-tchin or (by other species) braintails or head-tails were the tentacles hanging from the heads of all Twi'leks.

The lekku protruded down the back of the skull and contained part of a Twi'lek's brain. A Twi'lek's braintails served many purposes in their daily lives and culture, storing fat and other qualities. The Twi'lek's native language of Twi'leki was spoken using a combination of words and subtle movements of the lekku.



A Twi'lek's brain tails were highly sensitive, and grabbing them forcefully was so painful that it could easily incapacitate almost any Twi'lek. (Despite this, some Twi'leks would cover their lekku with elaborate tattoos). Since they housed parts of a Twi'lek's brain, damage to the brain tails also caused lasting brain damage, though the tissue contained within a lekku does not control any vital function but contain unconscious long-term memories.

They could be bent around the neck or shoulders in varying combinations for aesthetic purposes, more or less compared to how Humans cultivate and arrange the shape of their hair.

Long or multiple lekku were considered great status symbols, and often went hand in hand with respect, influence and wealth. A Twi'lek's braintails could be likened to phallic symbols, and for both sexes larger lekku brought with them some indistinct positive connotations. There were instances of Twi'leks born with triple or even quadruple lekku, and such individuals were common in the aristocracy of Ryloth.



Their braintails were a source of great pride to Twi'leks, especially when confronted by other species. The name "tchun-tchin" actually referred to each lekku&mdash;tchun being left lek while tchin was the right. In casual conversation the Twi'leks would usually refer to their lekku as "tchun" or "tchin".

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
 * Darth Bane: Path of Destruction
 * Cloak of Deception
 * Darth Maul: Shadow Hunter
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones comic
 * Republic Commando: Triple Zero
 * Republic Commando: True Colors
 * MedStar I: Battle Surgeons
 * Coruscant Nights I: Jedi Twilight
 * The Force Unleashed novel
 * Tales from Jabba's Palace
 * X-wing: The Krytos Trap
 * Tatooine Ghost
 * I, Jedi
 * Vector Prime
 * Dark Tide II: Ruin
 * Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen
 * Dark Nest III: The Swarm War
 * Tempest
 * Exile
 * Sacrifice
 * Sacrifice