Quarren

"The Quarren are being used. I've seen it happen before. Count Dooku has deceived them."

- Ahsoka Tano to Captain Ackbar, explaining the recent behavior of the Quarren.

The Quarren, also known by the derogatory nickname "Squid Heads", were a humanoid, squid-like species native to the planet Mon Cala, where they coexisted with the Mon Calamari in a tense, albeit peaceful, relationship.

Biology and appearance
The Quarren were a squid-like species with four facial tentacles which protruded from their lower jaw. Their skin colors ranged from light-skinned to a dark pink. They had a pair of deep, turquoise eyes and finned hands with suction-tipped fingers. Being an amphibious species, they were strong swimmers. They were also bipedal beings that could walk and sit upright. In the two long protrusions that extended from either side of their faces, Quarren had gill-like structures that were actually hearing organs. The Quarren were also capable of spitting out clouds of ink as a defensive measure.

History
The aggressive Quarren shared their homeworld of Mon Cala with the more peaceful Mon Calamari, another amphibious species. Around the time of the Trade Federation's Invasion of Naboo, a Quarren Senator named Tikkes represented Mon Cala in the Galactic Republic Senate. During the Separatist Crisis Tikkes defected to the Confederacy of Independent Systems, and was replaced in Galactic Senate by the Quarren Loyalist Tundra Dowmeia.

During the Clone Wars, the Separatists, acting through the Karkarodon advisor Riff Tamson, stirred up trouble between the Quarren and the Mon Calamari. Following the assassination of the Mon Calamari King Yos Kolina, the Quarren led by Chieftain Nossor Ri contested his son Prince Lee-Char's claim to the throne. With the encouragement of Tamson, Ri called for new leadership and a chance for the Quarren to rule Mon Cala. This led to a civil war on Mon Cala with the Separatists backing the Quarren Isolation League and the Republic supporting the Mon Calamari. Prior to the outbreak of fighting, Senator Padmé Amidala and her Jedi bodyguard Anakin Skywalker visited Mon Cala city in attempt to broker peace between the two warring species.

However, the Quarren launched a preemptive strike on the City of Mon Cala with Separatist aqua droids, but were repelled by the Mon Calamari's Jedi and clone allies. The Quarren then counter-attacked with Hydroid Medusas, gigantic jellyfish with electrified tentacles, which succeeded in overwhelming the Mon Calamari and Republic allies. Soon after this, the Quarren were able to capture the Capital. The remaining Mon Calamari and Jedi forces were forced to retreat. Despite the victory, Ri was uneasy with his new Separatist allies after Tamson complied with Count Dooku's orders to enslave the Mon Calamari population.

Quarren forces then participated in a manhunt for several enemy fugitives including Prince Lee-Char, Senator Amidala, Skywalker, and the Jedi Ahsoka Tano and Kit Fisto. Despite resistance from the fugitives and the arrival of Gungan reinforcements, the Quarren and Tamson's Separatist forces succeeded in capturing the fugitives. However, the Quarren-Separatist alliance fell apart after Nossor Ri learned that Tamson intended to crown himself as the new ruler of Mon Cala. Ri foiled Tamson's plot to execute Prince Lee-Char, who wanted to restore relations between the Mon Calamari and Quarren. The Quarren then joined forces with the Mon Calamari, the Republic, the Jedi, and the Gungans in a combined effort to expel the Separatist invaders from Mon Cala. Following the death of Tamson, the Quarren accepted Lee-Char as the new King of Mon Cala.

After uncovering the sinister Separatist plot and re-aligning themselves with the Mon Calamari, the Quarren and Mon Calamari fought as allies to uphold peace, from the final stages of the Clone Wars and throughout the Galactic Civil War. Quarren Heavy Gunners were Quarren soldiers in the Alliance to Restore the Republic.

Quarren in the galaxy
Several Quarren individuals could be found throughout the galaxy in various walks of life. Christo, Tikkes, and Tundra Dowmeia served as senators in the Galactic Senate during the last days of the Galactic Republic. One Quarren migrant named Lauli Wahlo operated a noodle shop in Coruscant's underworld while another Quarren migrant named Amit Noloff was a member of the Iego council. During the Galactic Civil War, Tessek worked as a book-keeper for Jabba the Hutt on the planet Tatooine. During the Clone Wars, many Quarren were employed by Jabba Desilijic Tiure to serve him as guards. The former slave Quarren Palabar, along with his companions the Wookiee Greybok and the Weequay Hatchet, took part in the New Republic's liberation of Kashyyyk.

Behind the scenes
Quarren first appeared in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi," which was first released on May 25, 1983.

Non-canon appearances

 * Disney Infinity 3.0