Exogorth

"This is no cave!"

- Han Solo

Exogorths, also known as space slugs or giant space slugs, were members of a silicon-based species that resided in the hollows of asteroids. At least one such creature lived in the Hoth asteroid belt.

Biology and appearance
Space slugs reached full maturity at ten meters and reproduced by splitting into two smaller, separate bodies. If a space slug was incapable of this process, its growth continued uninterrupted, potentially reaching lengths of 900 meters. Slugs of this size were known to swallow starships whole and house entire ecosystems.

Often living in asteroid fields, space slugs would burrow into an asteroid until completely hidden. From there, they fed on stellar energy emissions, mineral-rich deposits from the asteroid, floating space debris, and other silicon-based creatures, such as mynocks. Largely dormant, the opportunistic feeder could lunge upon passing ships. However, doing so used up all of its energy, exhausting it.

History
After the Battle of Hoth, the Millennium Falcon fled pursuing TIE fighters by hiding inside what they believed to be the crater of a large asteroid; in reality, the maw was a giant space slug. While sitting in the cockpit, Leia Organa was disturbed by a mynock, and she stepped outside with Han Solo and Chewbacca to investigate. When shots were fired, the space slug lurched: Solo, realizing where they actually were, ordered everyone back in and flew the Falcon out before the space slug closed its mouth. The space slug emerged and snapped its jaws at the Falcon, but the freighter was too fast, so it receded into the crater.

Appearances

 * A New Dawn
 * Bounty Hunt
 * Star Wars Battlefront
 * Star Wars 4: Skywalker Strikes, Part IV
 * Doctor Aphra 15: Remastered, Part II
 * Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back
 * The Empire Strikes Back: So You Want to Be a Jedi?
 * Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back junior novelization
 * Aftermath
 * The Legends of Luke Skywalker
 * Star Wars: Forces of Destiny: Volume 3
 * Star Wars: Forces of Destiny: Volume 3