Pantoran

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Pantorans were a Near-Human species native to the moon of Orto Plutonia, Pantora, located in the Pantora system.

Biology and appearance

Pantorans were a sentient species native to Pantora,^[1] a moon orbiting the planet Orto Plutonia.^[2] They were Near-Humans, with a head, a torso and four limbs. At first glance, they only differed from the otherwise similar Humans in their blue skin and yellow eyes.^[2] Like all mammals,^[3] the Pantorans had hair, the color of which varied between black, blue, light purple and sometimes white.^[2] The Pantorans shared many traits with other blue-skinned races, especially the Wroonian species, and, to a lesser extent, the Chiss.^[1] The species had two sexes, male and female—with the latter being recognizable by the presence of breasts. The Pantorans also seemed to have a greater resilience to low temperatures than Humans, since they only needed light wardrobe even under extreme cold weather conditions.^[2]

Society and culture

Pantorans maintained a democratic government of elected officials. They were governed by the Pantoran Assembly, which was in turn presided over by the harsh, iron-willed Chairman Chi Cho and following his death, succeeded by Baron Notluwiski Papanoida. They were an influential people who were part of the Galactic Republic with full Senatorial representation on Coruscant. During the final years of the Galactic Republic, Pantora was represented in the Senate by a young female Senator named Riyo Chuchi.

History

During the Clone Wars, the Pantorans requested, and were granted, a Republic outpost in their system as protection from the Separatists. A Republic military base was established on the frigid world of Orto Plutonia, a protectorate world of Pantora.

When the entire force of clone troopers stationed on Orto Plutonia went missing, the Republic sent Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker to investigate. They were met on the planet by Chairman Cho and Senator Chuchi. Cho immediately attempted to assert his authority, giving orders to both the Jedi and the clone troopers accompanying them.

While searching the empty Republic base, Chairman Cho was convinced the Separatists were responsible. Finding a Separatist base not far away seemed to confirm his suspicions. However, after finding the Separatist base also destroyed with no evidence of contact between the Republic and CIS forces, Kenobi and Skywalker set out on Freeco bikes to discover the truth. They found a tribe of Talz in the hills and discovered they were responsible for the destruction of both bases, having felt threatened by their presence. Though evidence showed the Talz had been on Orto Plutonia for some time, possibly longer than the Pantorans had claimed sovereignty over the planet, Chairman Cho insisted the Talz were trespassers and declared war with them.

POdPantorans-SoI — Irate Pantorans confronting Chairman Papanoida

After a pitched battle, instigated by Cho, the Chairman and many of his clone trooper guards were killed before Senator Chuchi, with the support of the Pantoran Assembly, was able to garner peace with the Talz chieftain, Thi-Sen, assuring him that the Pantoran people would leave Orto Plutonia in peace.

At some point around 21 BBY,^[4] the Trade Federation blockaded Pantora. Many of its denizens protested to the new chairman N. Papanoida, arguing that they should leave the Republic and join the Confederacy of Independent Systems so trade could resume. However, the Baron chose to rely on Senator Riyo Chuchi, asking her to plead for assistance in the Galactic Senate. Eventually, the blockade was lifted and the Pantoran remained under the Republic's banner.^[5]

Behind the scenes

Blue senator concept — Iain McCaig's blue-skinned senator concept art

The Pantoran species was formally introduced in "Trespass," a first season episode of the animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars written by Steven Melching and directed by Brian Kalin O'Connell.^[2] In 2005, the character of Chi Eekway Papanoida had already appeared in the novel Labyrinth of Evil and the movie Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, but she was identified as a Twi'lek at the time.^[6] Her species was later changed to Pantoran following the airing of "Trespass," which retconned the Pantorans' first appearance to Labyrinth of Evil.^[7] Similarly, the Baron N. Papanoida had first been identified as a Wroonian,^[8] until he was retconned as a Pantoran as well.^[9] In 2013, Star Wars authors Abel G. Peña and Rich Handley identified the character of Kosh Kurp as a Pantoran, thus retconning the species' first appearance to the 1995 comic Jabba the Hutt: The Gaar Suppoon Hit.^[10]

The look of the Pantorans in The Clone Wars was inspired by a concept illustration of a blue-skinned Senator drawn by Iain McCaig for Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace.^[1] One such very early design by McCaig, dated from 1995, was shown in a gallery of the interactive CD-ROM Star Wars: Episode I Insider's Guide. In addition to the blue skin, that drawing already featured the trademark yellow eyes and facial tattoos of the Pantorans.^[11] In The Art of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, it was revealed that the blue-skinned man was based on photographer Greg Gawlowski and was meant to depict an "evil senator."^[12] A character of similar appearance was featured on page 172 of The Wildlife of Star Wars: A Field Guide, a reference book written by Terryl Whitlatch and Bob Carrau. The individual in question has blue skin and hair, yellow eyes and facial tattoos,^[13] like the Pantorans shown in The Clone Wars.^[2]

For "Trespass", the actors providing the voices of the Pantoran characters were requested to incorporate a South African accent for their characters.^[14]

Pantorans are playable characters on the massively multiplayer online video game Clone Wars Adventures.^[15]