Bimm (Near-Human)

The Bimms were diminutive humanoids from the planet Bimmisaari. The Bimms consisted of two species&mdash;one, a Near-Human race, the other a floppy-eared, furred humanoid species. Though the two species were completely unrelated biologically, they shared a language and cultural identity as Bimms. Many descriptions of Bimm culture and society ignored the biological differences between the two species.

The Bimms had a reputation as a peaceful, hospitable people. Many traveled the galaxy working as merchants and artists. Others remained on their homeworld, or lived in Bimm enclaves on a variety of planets. Some of the best-known Bimms in galactic history went against their people's stereotypical, inoffensive demeanor, however. These included the Sith adept and serial murderer Toki Tollivar, and an unidentified Bimm who impersonated the Prophet of the Dark Side Kadann and later laid claim to the Imperial throne.

Biology and appearance
One of the Bimm species was thought to have evolved on Bimmisaari. They were slightly taller than the Near-Human Bimms, with an adult height of 1.0 to 1.6 meters (females being slightly taller on average.) They were covered in short fur, ranging from black to tan in color. Their faces had floppy ears, long muzzles, and small black eyes. They had three long fingers and a thumb on each hand.

The Near-Human Bimms differed from the Human norm primarily in their short stature (1.0 to 1.5 meters for adults of both sexes.) Near-Human Bimms were often said to resemble Human children, though males frequently (and proudly) grew full beards. Xenobiologists believed that the Near-Human Bimms arrived on Bimmisaari from a nearby planet eons before the rise of the Galactic Empire, and adopted the culture of the original Bimm species. No other animal species on Bimmisaari was related to them genetically.

Both species called themselves simply "Bimms" and lived harmoniously with each other in their shared forest cities. They considered themselves to be a united people, and were considered as such by the rest of the galaxy. Intermarriage between the two Bimm species was not uncommon, though genetic incompatibilities required such couples to adopt if they wanted children.

Society and culture
Though the Bimm species had lived together for almost all of their recorded history, certain aspects of their culture were more associated with one species than with another. While some sources attributed these cultural tendencies to one species or the other, sources such as Mammon Hoole presented them as aspects of a single, shared culture.

Bimms, especially the Near-Human Bimms, were fond of art, music, and storytelling. Their favorite stories involved heroic adventures, though they were usually content to hear the stories rather than inspired to take part in adventures themselves. The language Bimmini, which was used by both species, was sung, rather than spoken. A Bimm conversation had a seemingly mystical quality, sounding to Human ears like songs being sung in five-part harmony.

The furred Bimms were particularly good merchants, and felt the day was incomplete without a good round of shopping and haggling. The art of bargaining was respected in their culture, and fair dealing was highly honored. However, cheating and theft were tantamount to murder in their society. Furred Bimms were also noted for their yellow clothing.

Both species were noted for their mild-tempered, peaceful tendencies, which was the reason the two species lived together in harmony. This tendency extended to non-Bimm visitors from offworld, who would be treated as honored guests. The Bimm greeting ritual involved a reception line which each visitor would walk through. In complete silence, each Bimm in line would reach out and gently touch the visitor's head, arm, or back. More important visitors would attract correspondingly large crowds in the procession. This honor did not extend to armed visitors, however, who would be expected to leave their weapons behind.

History
Bimms were in contact with the Galactic Republic as early as the Great Sith War. One furred Bimm, Toki Tollivar, defected to the Sith Empire and became a Sith adept. At the war's end, he began a private campaign of revenge and serial murder, before being defeated by the Mandalorian Crusader Rohlan Dyre.

As the Galactic Republic's government became too corrupt in its later years, Bimmisaari quietly withdrew. Luckily for the Bimms, their homeworld was remote enough that few took notice of this, allowing their people to escape most of the chaos of the Republic's fall and the later oppression of the Galactic Empire.

After the Battle of Endor, the Bimms remained neutral, but friendly toward the Alliance to Restore the Republic and later, the New Republic. One Bimm who defied the pacifist Bimm norm during the Galactic Civil War was the false Kadann, a Near-Human Bimm and Imperial Intelligence agent who impersonated the Prophet of the Dark Side Kadann, and later declared himself Galactic Emperor. After the fall of the false Kadann, Leia Organa Solo, Luke Skywalker, and Han Solo were part of a New Republic mission in 9 ABY which was meant to open negotiations for the Bimms to join the Republic.

Bimms in the galaxy
Near-Human Bimms were the most frequently encountered type of Bimms in the galaxy. While Near-Human Bimms who left their homeworld were typically entertainers or scholars, humanoid Bimms who went offworld were usually traders or businesspeople. Some Bimms became adventurers, whether as scoundrels who somehow worked their way into the circles of nobility, or as artists who followed heroes in order to witness great deeds which they could record in ballads. Entire communities of Bimms were also found in enclaves off Bimmisaari, which were noted for their hospitality.

The Bimms also held great respect for the Jedi. Bimms of both species became Jedi during the days of the Galactic Republic. Even after the Republic's fall, tales of Jedi such as Murrtaggh were popular among Bimm bards. Even Bimmisaari's laws prohibiting visitors from carrying weapons were relaxed for visiting Jedi carrying lightsabers.

During the time of the Clone Wars, a group of five Bimm investors visited the Cularin Trade Show, which was being held in the Cularin system, aboard the starship TAV Prosperity. During the show, the ship suffered a hyperdrive failure in the region of the Cularin comet cloud, causing a booth to fall on the investors.

Bimm artists such as Ha'lathin or Vasnish Kay, and traders and smugglers such as Rycar and Rayc Ryjerd, were typical of Bimms in the galaxy.

Behind the scenes
The first depiction of a Bimm was a background character seen in the Mos Eisley Cantina scenes of Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope in 1977. This character, played by little person actor Marcus Powell, was known on set as "Flash Gordon Midget." In 1979's The Star Wars Holiday Special, cut footage of Powell's character shot on the Mos Eisley street set was used. Neither appearance formally named the character or his species.

The name "Bimm" first appeared in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel, Heir to the Empire. 1993's Heir to the Empire Sourcebook, a supplement for West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game written by Bill Slavicsek, described the Bimm species in more detail, and provided illustrations. While the West End Games description of the Bimms said they were "half-furred", an illustration by Allen Nunis and Paul Daly made them appear to be simply short Humans.

In 1995, a comic book adaptation of Heir to the Empire was published by Dark Horse Comics. The adaptation's artwork by Olivier Vatine and Fred Blanchard depicted clearly non-Human aliens with large floppy ears. The same year, however, the Premiere Limited set of the Star Wars Customizable Card Game, published by Decipher, Inc., included a card identifying the "Flash Gordon Midget" from the original film as Rycar Ryjerd, a Bimm smuggler. Ryjerd, having been portrayed by an actor without extensive prosthetics, resembled the Human-like Bimms from West End Games illustrations more closely than the floppy-eared aliens drawn by Vatine and Blanchard. In 1998, a card in the Jabba's Palace Limited expansion set identified another background character in Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, again played by an actor without extensive prosthetics, as Rycar Ryjerd's son Rayc.

The confusion was resolved in 1998 by Daniel Wallace's The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons. The Bimmisaari entry included a drawing of two floppy-eared Bimms, but noted that the planet was also inhabited by a small Humanlike species with the same name. Later works, such as 2001's The Essential Guide to Alien Species by Ann Margaret Lewis and various Wizards of the Coast supplements for their Star Wars Roleplaying Game, went into more detail about the history and shared culture of the two Bimm species.

A later retcon in Abel G. Peña's 2006 article Evil Never Dies: The Sith Dynasties identified Kadann, one of the main villains in the Jedi Prince series of young adult novels by Hollace and Paul Davids, as a Bimm. It also explains that the Kadann in the novels was only posing as the true Kadann, a short Human. Confusion between Near-Human Bimms and Humans also appears in Brian Campbell's 2001 Star Wars Roleplaying Game adventure The Rycar Run, which describes Rycar Ryjerd as a Human.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 38: Faithful Execution
 * Boba Fett: Maze of Deception
 * Boba Fett: Hunted
 * Dining at Dex's
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars: A New Hope (Cine-Manga)
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (PhotoComic)
 * Star Wars: Rebellion
 * The Star Wars Holiday Special
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * The Lost City of the Jedi
 * Mission from Mount Yoda
 * Prophets of the Dark Side
 * Heir to the Empire
 * Heir to the Empire comic
 * Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial
 * Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse
 * Star by Star
 * The Unifying Force
 * Inferno
 * Millennium Falcon
 * Agents of Chaos I: Hero's Trial
 * Agents of Chaos II: Jedi Eclipse
 * Star by Star
 * The Unifying Force
 * Inferno
 * Millennium Falcon