Iridonian/Legends

"Honor comes from slaying your opponent, and the true reward of any job is the taste of your foe's dying blood on your tongue."

- An Iridonian mercenary

The Iridorians were a warrior people with a particularly bloodthirsty reputation. Most galactic citizens feared them, for it was rumored that they would continue to attack a corpse even after the target was dead and turn against each other in battle when their bloodlust overwhelmed them. The Iridonians were rivals to the Echani and Mandalorian cultures, and members of the species were found on such planets as Manaan during the Jedi Civil War, a period of galactic unrest between 3,959 and 3,956 BBY.

The amnesiac Jedi Knight and former Sith Lord Revan encountered an Iridonian mercenary on Manaan during the war. The armored warrior told Revan of his people's history before Revan continued on his quest for the maps that would lead him to the Star Forge superweapon of the Sith Empire.

Biology and appearance
The Iridonians were a sentient, humanoid species with opposable thumbs. An Iridonian mercenary found on Manaan wore full-body armor and was approximately the same height as the Human Revan.

Society and culture
"Those savages keep hacking at a fallen foe even after death, mutilating the corpse out of pure blood lust."

- Ergeron

Iridonian society was based on a lust for bloodshed and violence. They held a traditional rivalry with the near-Human Echani species and with the Mandalorian warrior culture. The Iridonians dismissed the code of honor Echani held dear, while they despised the Mandalorians for prioritizing credits over bloodshed. Iridonian society's bloodlust was reflected by the words of a mercenary of the species, who told the amnesiac Jedi and former Sith Lord Revan that Iridonians do not have friends. This was evident in the eyes of non-Iridonians; one man reported that in the absence of a foe, they would turn on each other for the sheer thrill of bloodshed. They were believed to continue attacking opponents' bodies even after a victim's death.

History
"I even heard they'll turn on each other when battle fever hits. Who wants to work with someone like that?"

- Ergeron

Iridonians were a rare sight in the civilized galaxy, even during the Jedi Civil War, a conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire beginning in 3,959 BBY. By 3,956 BBY, both sides in the conflict sought to recruit Iridonians to fight for their respective sides due to their reputation as powerful, if eccentric, warriors&mdash;a product of their cultural ethos of savagery. Revan encountered one such Iridonian mercenary on the planet Manaan. This gun-for-hire had been recruited by the Sith to gather youth of the Selkath species, native to the water planet, to the Sith Embassy for training in the ways of the dark side of the Force.

Behind the scenes
An "Iridorian" appears in the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic video game produced by BioWare in 2003. The individual appears on the planet Manaan wearing full body armor, so his actual appearance remains a mystery. However, he does inform the character Revan, controlled by the player, of the history of his species.

Later, in 2008, the Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide was released by Wizards of the Coast. It lists a gear template for "Iridonian Manufacture," which describes Iridonians as "a mysterious species known for their savagery and aggressiveness." This description matches that of the Manaan Iridorian, but not the pre-existing species known alternatively as both Iridonians and Zabraks, who are said to be a more peaceful species. This change, from "Iridorian" to "Iridonian," was confirmed to be deliberate by Rodney Thompson, one of authors of the Campaign Guide, who explained that Lucasfilm Ltd. stipulated the change and that it was "the KOTOR video game that was in error."

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic