Rodian/Legends

"Is it just me, or are these Rodians kind of creepy?"

- Unknown mercenary

Rodians were a humanoid species native to Rodia in the Tyrius system. They were infamous for their violent culture, which sprang from the difficulties of life in the jungles on their homeworld. Though they were often relegated to the fringes of galactic society as bounty hunters or criminal henchmen, Rodians were not merely simple-minded thugs. The Rodian people managed to produce artists, merchants, and politicians who were found even among the upper classes of the Core Worlds.

Appearance and physiology


Rodians were humanoid reptilians with an average adult height of between 1.5 to 1.7 meters. Rodians typically had green skin, although variation in skin pigmentation was common, ranging from blue through to orange. Though very rare, some Rodians had a white pigmentation. This was distinctive among the race and could give rise to various appellations, such as "Jannik the White" or "Evo the Blue". Rodian skin had a pebbled surface, lumpy over most of their bodies, except for their snouts. Due to their love of fighting most Rodians kept in good condition, normally lean and wiry. However, some corpulent Rodians became rather obese, typically those that could hire others to do their fighting, such as Black Sun Vigo Avaro Sookcool or the Nar Shaddaa gangster Reelo Baruk.



With distinctive faces, Rodians had multifaceted eyes, trumpet-like ears, a flexible snout. Crinkling their snouts was the Rodian equivalent of a frown. A ridge of flexible spines adorned their skulls, differing in volume; some Rodians had a broad bush of spines, while others had a narrow band only. Instead of spines, some Rodians grew hair. This occurred more frequently among females, such as Neela and Greeata Jendowanian, but males also grew it, as exemplified by Evo.

Rodians had five long flexible fingers that ended in suction cups, and it was considered a gesture of brotherhood for one Rodian to raise his hand to another, suction cups outward. Rodians secreted distinctive, pungent pheromones, an odor which many species, such as Diollans and Humans, found unpleasant. This was not the case with all species however, as evidenced by the unsavory use of Greedo the Younger's pheromones: a Tatooine bartender by the name of Wuher ground up Greedo's body to use in the creation of a perfect Hutt liquor.

Culture and history
"The Osarians have hired Rodians?" "Nothing like a few mercenaries to quiet things down."

- Jaina Solo and Leia Organa Solo

Rodian culture was obsessed with violence and death. Their jungle-covered homeworld was ill suited to agriculture, requiring Rodians to compete with vicious predators for most of their food. Some of these predators, such as ghests, could wipe out entire Rodian villages. As the Rodians developed cunning hunting tactics to survive, the hunt became central to their culture. Eventually, having driven most of the other predators on the planet to near-extinction, they began to hunt each other in various wars and gladiatorial contests.

Millennia later, all of Rodia was dominated by a handful of large, powerful clans, which had eliminated or enslaved their smaller neighbors. The leader of the most powerful clan, the Soammei Clan, eventually proclaimed himself Inta'si'rin'na, or Grand Protector of the Rodians. Through the rest of Rodian history, the title of Grand Protector shifted from clan to clan as loyalties and power shifted. Some Grand Protectors were able to rule all of Rodia as dictators, while others were limited to domination of one or two major clans.

When scouts from the Galactic Republic arrived on Rodia, they too were hunted, until a clever Grand Protector realized the advantages of contact with galactic society. The hunts were called off, and a new policy was implemented. The Grand Protector declared that the best hunters, as proven by success in various gladiatorial contests and hunts on Rodia, would be allowed to leave the planet for work as bounty hunters, mercenaries, slavers, or similar occupations. The Grand Protector's Hunters' Guild, or Goa-Ato, instituted annual awards (or Atiang) for the best hunters, with such categories as "Best Shot", "Longest Trail", or "Most Notorious Capture."

Rodians were also famous for their drama. Rodian theater began as a simple series of staged fights, encouraged by Grand Protector Harido Kavila as a way for Rodians to burn off their aggression. Over time, it developed into a vibrant, though violent, theatrical tradition. Though not as honored a profession as hunting, each clan had at least one company of actors that performed clan legends. Though actors were barred from directly seeking political power at home, drama also became an acceptable way for dissident elements to challenge established ideas.



Of course, not all Rodians found off-world were bounty hunters or artists. Some were refugees from clan feuds who illegally left Rodia in search of refuge. Illegal emigrants and their descendants born off-world could travel the galaxy freely and work in a variety of professions, from peaceful merchants and technicians to arms dealers and criminal henchmen. While the Rodian authorities treated off-world born Rodians as though they were alien galactic citizens, illegal emigrants were generally not allowed to return to Rodia (though some used forged or legitimate documents to claim off-world status.) Rodian politicians, such as the Clone Wars era Senator Onaconda Farr and Palpatine's aide Dar Wac, were often seen on Coruscant.

During the time of the Galactic Empire, the Rodians were ruled by the Grand Protector Navik the Red, of the Chattza clan. After instigating an inter-clan war and seizing power, Navik tightened restrictions on emigration and built ties with Black Sun and the Galactic Empire. Navik ruthlessly persecuted his rivals, sentencing the entire Tetsu Clan to death. Even Tetsu refugees outside Rodia, such as Greedo the Elder and his family, were pursued by Chattza hunters.



The Yuuzhan Vong invaded Rodia on their march to the Galactic Core, enslaving the population. The alien invaders planned to forge their Rodian captives into deadly warbeasts, under the direction of Master Shaper Taug Molou. He took his Rodian experimental subjects apart on a cellular level, reassembling their genetic code with bits from other creatures. This experiment resulted in the creation of the Vagh Rodiek, mindless warbeasts that moved on crab-like legs with sharp half-meter long scythes of bone in place of arms. The Rodian natural head-spines were mutated into razor-sharp quills. Again, the Rodians that managed to flee Rodia found themselves refugees from persecution.

The Rodians managed to return to Rodia after the war and were represented in the Galactic Alliance Senate by Moog Ulur.

Criminal underworld
The strong association with violence in the Rodian culture led to many pursuing careers in crime offworld. Most popular among these professions, was bounty hunting, a direct application for the hunting skills acquired by many Rodians. Some Rodians became very successful at this, such as Hulas, the leader of the secretive Genoharadan bounty hunter group during the Old Republic period, and Menndo, Hako Armado, Slyder, all active during the days of the Empire.

Perhaps the most notorious attempt by a Rodian bounty hunter, was that made by Greedo the Younger on Corellian smuggler Han Solo. On a contract for the crimelord Jabba the Hutt, Greedo accosted the notorious Corellian in a Tatooine cantina, threatening to turn him in to Jabba. In somewhat confusing circumstances, Greedo was shot by the smuggler, although there is some controversy over exactly how this eventuated. Greedo's backup had actually been paid off by two other Rodian bounty hunters, Thuku and Neesh, who had identified him as from the rival Tetsu Clan, and wished him killed.

The strong association with the bounty hunter profession led to the formation of many armament companies on Rodia. These included the Salus Corporation, Sancretti Arms and Munitions, Interstellar, N'gant-Zarvel, Tonena Munitions Corporation and Rheshalva Interstellar Armaments. Ranged weapons, such as the N'Gant-Zarvel 9118 Carbine, and bladed weapons, such as the Repulsor throwing razor, or Razor stick were popular items produced by these companies. Also popular was the Rodian Stalker armor and Rodian hovercam.



Rodians also became involved in many other forms of criminal activities. Some became very successful in this underworld, such as the Black Sun Vigos Dardo, Clezo, and Avaro Sookcool. Others, such as Reelo Baruk and Ne'Chak, went out on their own, establishing their own criminal organizations, often employing many Rodians, as well as other species, as lackeys. Rodians worked for the criminal organizations like the Exchange, the Sabiador Slavers, or as pirates such as Lekk Bazak. Other notorious Rodian criminals included Slerog Fenn, Ten-Suckers Madoom and the terrorists Beekly Grimlok and Lorgal. Many Rodians also frequently worked in grey areas, such as the smugglers Chihdo and Chordak.



Legitimacy
Despite this proclivity towards crime, many Rodians found fulfillment in more legitimate professions. Rodians were apt mechanics, commonly working among podracers, while a number became successful musicians, such as Doda Bodonawieedo and Greeata Jendowanian. Others also became successful businessmen, such as Kelko, owner of Shusko Station mining operation. Another well-known Rodian was treasure hunter and archaeologist Suz Tanwa, who discovered many precious items from her ancestor Suvam Tan.

Many Rodians also joined the Rebellion and New Republic in various capacities. The elite fighter squadron Rogue Squadron contained a number of Rodian pilots such as Koobis Nu, Andoorni Hui, and Standro Jcir. Many others fought in various other capacities, such as Whewik, Oepoono, Keemaippoom, Othik Wespoch—all members of the Rebel SpecForces.

Rodians went on to work in high positions in the New Republic, such as Narik, on the New Republic Advisory Council, and Senators Navik the Red and Moog Ulur.

Force-sensitives
Many Rodians were Force-sensitive, and were a common presence in the major Force-orders in the galaxy. A number became Jedi Knights, both during the period of the Old Jedi Order, and the New Jedi Order.

During the Old Republic, Rodian Dree Vandap fought in the New Sith Wars, and another Rodian Jedi fought in the First Battle of Kamino. In the New Jedi Order, Kelbis Nu, Jovan Drark, Toile Senn and Twool were all trained Jedi Knights. Both Nu and Drark were killed during the Yuuzhan Vong War; Nu on Eriadu and Drark on the ill-fated mission to Myrkr. Senn was later killed in the Battle of Tralus of the Second Corellian Insurrection.

A Rodian was also known to be part of Darth Krayt's Sith Order, part of the team that ambushed Jedi on the planet Daluuj in 137 ABY.

Some Rodians, such as Vinto, had close associations with Jedi, often working with them on various missions, while others, such as Paemos, were not allied with any particular Force tradition but knew and taught some tricks nevertheless.

Behind the scenes


The Rodians in the Mos Eisley Cantina were referred to during production as Martians, and in 1978 were identified in a memo as "Graffties", a reference to the George Lucas film American Graffiti. It was not until the publication of West End Games' Galaxy Guide 1 that the term Rodian appeared. The same Rodian costume used for Greedo the Younger was also fixed up differently with two extra arms and used for Nabrun Leids, who at the time was referred to as a "Plutonian."

The Rodian mask used for Greedo in A New Hope was originally to be used for the four-armed Morseerians.

In the original versions of A New Hope and Return of the Jedi, all the Rodian background characters wore the same costume as Greedo. The Rodians added to the Max Rebo Band in the Special Edition of Return of the Jedi were the first Rodians to have their own costumes, not to mention the first Rodians to appear on screen who were not bounty hunters.

The name "Rodian" and Rodia first appeared in Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope, but was later used in original scripts and production notes for the Prequel trilogy. This makes it one of the few C-canon elements in the movies.