Tattoo/Legends



"Please tell me that all that stuff will wash out of your hair" "It will. But the tattoos are permanent." "Tattoos?"

- Myri Antilles startling her father

A tattoo was a marking or insignia printed or drawn onto the body. A number of beings had tattoos, sometimes as part of their culture or an organization.

Notable cultures
Mirialans

The Mirialans and the Kiffar stood out from other Humans and Near-Humans by their tattoos. The Mirialans had a religious belief based on a a primitive understanding of the Unifying Force, and believed that an individual's actions contributes to her or his destiny. Their actions encompass a long and specific list of tests of skill and character. The Mirialans tattooed theselves with patterns on their faces and hands, sometimes on their arms, legs, feet and shoulders. The specific patterns told other Mirialans what tests an individual had undeertaken succesfully, and what general part she or he would take in the future of the Mirialans, as well as that individuals importance to the future of the universe.

The Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and her Padawan Barriss Offee wore unique tattoos to signify that the Force had singled them out for greater destinies. Luminara's tattoos included her lower lip, her chin and the knuckle joints on her hands. Her lower lip was had a purplish-black color,and her chin was adorned with interlocking black diamond-shaped tattoos, while more intricate markings covered her knuckle joints. Later, she had her upper lip tattood as well, and her chin-tattoo was enlarged with more diamonds.

Barris tattoos were not as detailed as her master's, but she knew that she would acquire more of them as she grew older. A diamond-shaped pattern ran across her cheecks and the bridge of her nose, and a diamond-shaped tattoo consisting of four smaller diamonds were emblazoned on the backs of her hands.

Kiffar

The Kiffar, meanwhile, believed that it is the mother who gives life, and the power of the Force flows through her to her children. As part of this belief, the tattoos of the Kiffar signified their family heritage from their mothers. Various patterns, designs and colors identify an individual's clan. Known colors are yellow, like the Jedi Master Quinlan Vos, green, like Asanté Vos, purple, like Horsea , black, like Sintas and Ailyn Vel , and red, like Vanlin.

When an individual's mother was not a Kiffar, appearently the father's tattoos were taken on; this was the case of Korto Vos, the son of Quinlan Vos and Human mother Khaleen Hentz. .

Nightsisters

Several members of the clan of the Dathomiri Nightsisters, adorned their faces and other body-parts with tattoos of various designs. Notable examles of tattooed Nightsisters include Mighella, Ros Lai and Silri.

Yuuzhan Vong

Among the Yuuzhan Vong, tattooing was part of a religious ritual of reshaping and disfiguration. Most Yuuzhan Vong bore severe disfigurements, scars and tattoos to more closely resemble their Gods, which they fanatically worshipped.

Duhma

The Duhma species identified themselves through their tribal tattos of a unique pattern. The former Imperial Colonel Abal Karda had his face tattoed with their symbol, as part of a disguise to avoid being captured for the bounty placed on his head.

Notable organisations
Disciples of Psusan

The Zealots of Psusan, members of the female cult Disciples of Psusan, could be recognized by a spiritual tattoo on the abdomen, surrounding the navel.

The Sith Order

Several members of the Sith Order adorned themselves with black tattoos of various patterns and designs. The Dark Lords of the Sith of the old Sith Empire wore tattos of rank on their foreheads. 1000 year later, the spirit of the Dark Lord Marka Ragnos named Exar Kun the the newest Dark Lord, and made Ulic Qel-Droma Kun's apprentice. Marked with Sith tattos on their foreheads, the newest members of the Sith joined forces.

Darth Maul, a Sith Lord of the Rise of the Empire era, covered his entire body with jagged patterns of Sith tattoos. The Dark Jedi Jerec bore Sith tattos on his face, event hough he was never named a Sith Lord, whereas all, or most of, the members of Darth Krayt's new Sith Order adorned themselves with Sith tattoos on various areas of their bodies.

Rav's Pirates

The pirate Rav and his crew wore tattoos of the Rav's insignia called the Bloody Bones, composed of two crossed red bones. His symbol was feared throughout the Galaxy. After joining Rav's crew, Cade Skywalker was marked with Rav's insignia, but added a skull to his tattoo, thus making the symbol his own.

Notable people with individual tattoos

 * The Dark Jedi Tavion Axmis wore patterns of purple tattoos on her arms and forehead, as well as under her eyes and on the bridge of her nose.


 * The smuggler and Rebel Alliance member Nera Dantels was distinguished by her black talon-shaped tattooed under her eyes. The tattoos were later enlarged, with bigger talons that and also covered her eyes, and the color was changed to dark blue.


 * The near-Humans Jarael and Asajj Ventress both had distinctive tattoos on their chalk-white skin. The skin of the Arkanian offshoot was emblazoned with blue tattoos above and below her eyes, as well as on her arms, whereas Dark Jedi Asajj Ventress wore black tattoos below and beside her eyes, as well as on each side of her bald head. Jaraels tattoos matched her lips and nails.


 * Another near-Human with distinctive facial tattoos was the Jedi-Master Fay, who wore black lines over and below her left eye.


 * Anja Gallandro had a a piranha beetle with a lightning bolt on its back tattooed on her right arm.


 * The Hutt criminal Grappa wore a tattoo of a skull on his forehead.


 * Another tattooed Hutt was the gangster Jabba Desilijic Tiure, who had the symbol of of his clan tattooed on his righ arm. Big Gizz, the leader of Jabba's swoop gang, wore a tattoo identical to Jabba's, on the same arm.


 * The Blue Squadron pilot Dorset Konnair had a blue starflare tattoo covering her right eye. Her skin was also decorated with other symbols, most of which were hidden underneath her clothes.


 * The handmaiden of Malta the Hutt, Jozzel Moffet, had her eyes covered with dark red tattoos that matched her lips and nails.


 * The Mandalorian Canderous Ordo was embazoned with a tattoo of the Mandalorian symbol on one of his shoulders.


 * After the female Twi'lek Sienn'rha was abducted and enslaved by Bib Fortuna, her lekku was tattooed with delicate floral chains. A Twi'lek's lekku was full of nerves, which made the skin extremely sensitive, and tattooing excruatingly painful.


 * Diversity Alliance leader Nolaa Tarkona had her single lekku - the other one was missing - tattooed, and stoically endured the prolonged agony. Everyone who saw her tattoos admired her endurance, which added to her power.


 * Rebel Alliance member Wyl Tarson adroned his skin with a single, big golden tattoo which covered parts of his neck, chest, back, left arm and stomach.


 * Grand Moff Morlish Veed of the New Galactic Empire had a black tattoo of three lines underneath a rectangle, on his right arm.


 * After Myri Antilles startled her father by telling him about her new tattoos, she laughed. It is unclear whether she was telling the truth or only joking.

Tattoos mentioned
Below are appearances of tattoos in mention, excluding all appearances of those individuals that wore them.
 * Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic 16: Nights of Anger, Part 1
 * Marked
 * Cloak of Deception
 * The Approaching Storm
 * Boba Fett: Enemy of the Empire
 * Dark Journey
 * Young Jedi Knights: Return to Ord Mantell
 * Dark Nest I: The Joiner King
 * Bloodlines
 * Exile