Sentience

"The ability to speak does not make you intelligent."

- Qui-Gon Jinn to Jar Jar Binks

Sentience was the ability of an organic species to think intelligently. Sentient species notably included the Ewoks, the Patitites, and the Geonosians. There existed creatures that appeared to have emerging sentience, such as the Zillo Beast. Under the laws of the Galactic Republic, sentient beings could not be used as slaves. However, slavery thrived on certain remote planets such as Tatooine, and was considered a profitable trade among the Zygerrians. Most robots were afforded programming that did not allow them to harm sentient beings, with notable exceptions such as the police droids and the battle droids.

Appearances

 * Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace
 * Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones
 * Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * Star Wars Episode VII