Since the franchise's inception in 1977, the myriad alien races that populate a galaxy far, far away have played a vital role in Star Wars. Few fans can forget Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi's initial trip to the Mos Eisley Cantina, a world-building set piece that showcased many of the alien races that Star Wars has to offer.
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From cute and cuddly to warmongering and lethal, the aliens of Star Wars have always been disparate and dynamic. While each race made an impact uniquely, some aliens stand apart from the rest for having the greatest effect on the fate of the galaxy.
10 Yoda and Grogu's Alien Species is Mysterious and Powerful
Alien race | Unknown |
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Notable members | Yoda, Grogu, and Yaddle |
First appearance | Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back (1980) |
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The alien race to which Yoda and Grogu belong has never been named. Coupled with the fact that Yoda, Grogu, and Yaddle are the only representatives of this species yet to be depicted in live-action, an air of mystery surrounds these aliens. Why are they seemingly so few when they exhibit such awesome power?
This is a question that remains unanswered, but Yoda's race has had an undeniable impact on Star Wars. Highly force-sensitive, full of wisdom, and unparalleled with a lightsaber, this species is one of the most iconic in Star Wars and cinema as a whole, with Yoda's actions doing much to shape the Skywalker Saga.
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9 Jabba the Hutt Embodies the Hutts' Power and Lack of Morality
Alien race | Hutt |
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Notable members | Jabba, Gardulla, and the Twins |
First appearance | Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) |
Jabba and the rest of the Hutts are a feared alien race known for their gargantuan slug-like appearance. Throughout the Star Wars timeline, the Hutts are depicted as gangsters in control of a significant portion of the galaxy's criminal underworld, allowing them to play key roles in major events.
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The Hutts played off both sides during the Clone Wars, solidifying their calculated cruelty and greed. Notably, the most famous Hutt of all, Jabba, came exceedingly close to killing the Rebellion's principal heroes in Return of the Jedi, which would no doubt have resulted in a thunderous Imperial victory were it not for Luke Skywalker's eleventh-hour surprise.
8 Snoke Stands as a New, Man-Made Breed of Alien
Alien race | Nabooian Clone |
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Notable members | Snoke |
First appearance | Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (2015) |
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When he first appeared in The Force Awakens, Snoke, the Supreme Leader of the First Order, appeared to be a mysterious alien hitherto unseen in Star Wars. Snoke proved to be a fearsome adversary, turning Ben Solo to the dark side and commanding the First Order's imperial war machine.
However, Snoke was later revealed to be little more than a puppet, a flawed clone of Emperor Palpatine. This divided fans, but it led to new and intriguing questions. As he was born from a test tube, could it be there is a whole race of Snokes out there in the galaxy somewhere? Given the dark side prowess Snoke inherited from Palpatine and his ability to shake the galaxy to its very foundations, the New Republic can only hope that this is not the case.
7 Darth Maul's Zabraks are Independent, Ruthless, and Mystic Warriors
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Alien race | Zabrak |
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Notable members | Darth Maul and Agen Kolar |
First appearance | Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace (1999) |
The Zabrak boast Darth Maul among their ranks, one of the most iconic aliens to ever grace the world of Star Wars. Typically portrayed as horned, heavily tattooed, and carnivorous, the Zabrak are rightly remembered as one of Star Wars's most fearsome, terrifying, and instantly recognizable aliens.
While Darth Maul was instrumental in Emperor Palpatine's rise to power, the wider Zabraks hold an intriguing place in Star Wars lore. A matriarchal society steeped in dark side magick, the fiercely independent Zabraks played a key role in restoring the Republic throughout the Galactic Civil War. They are a warrior race who refused to capitulate to anyone.
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6 Chewbacca's Wookiees are an Often Subjugated yet Proud Alien Race
Alien race | Wookiee |
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Notable members | Chewbacca and Tarfful |
First appearance | Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (1977) |
Chewbacca was one of the first aliens to appear in Star Wars, and the importance of the Wookiees would only expand as the decades rolled by. Chewbacca's unwavering fidelity to Han Solo, the man who freed him from Imperial subjugation, forever demonstrates the Wookiees' steadfast loyalty.
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The Wookies' noble traits were principally solidified through their depiction in Revenge of the Sith. With their homeworld of Kashyyyk assaulted by the Empire, Chewie and his fellow Wookiees exhibited a unique blend of savagery and flair on the battlefield. Beyond their fierce constancy, what makes the Wookiees important and intriguing is their incongruous mix of warrior-race sensibilities with diplomatic skills.
5 Grand Admiral Thrawn is a Member of the Isolationist Chiss Species
Alien race | Chiss |
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Notable members | Grand Admiral Thrawn |
First appearance |
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Having finally made his much anticipated live-action debut in Ashoka, Grand Admiral Thrawn is one of Star Wars's greatest antagonists. Little is known of the alien race that Thrawn belongs to, but if they are even half as cold, manipulative, and calculating as him, the Chiss are undoubtedly a species not to be trifled with.
The Chiss are ruled over by the Chiss Ascendancy, an isolationist empire that remained far removed from the conflict between the Republic and the Empire. Even so, the prospect of a whole race of Thrawns lurking on the planet Csilla in the Unknown Regions should be enough to strike fear into the heart of even the most seasoned Rebellion fighter.
4 Admiral Ackbar and the Mon Calamari Were Vital in Saving the Galaxy
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Alien race | Mon Calamari |
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Notable members | Admiral Ackbar, Admiral Raddus, Yos Kolina, Lee-Char, and Quarrie |
First appearance | Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) |
Admiral Ackbar is rightly remembered for his tactical prowess. He defended his homeworld of Mon Cala during the clone Wars, led the Rebellion's assault on the second Death Star, and was instrumental in the Battle of Jakku. Indeed, without Ackbar, many of the Rebellion's victories would no doubt have been defeats.
Admiral Ackbar is a Mon Calamari, an aquatic species who shares their home world with the squid-like Quarren. Given that many of the positions of power in both the Rebellion and Resistance were held by Mon Calamarians, it is safe to assume many of the species as a whole hold the same strategic might and cool under pressure that Ackbar exhibits.
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3 Lama Su and his Fellow Kaminoans Were the Harbingers of the Clone Wars
Alien race | Kaminoan |
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Notable members | Lama Su and Taun We |
First appearance | Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) |
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Lama Su served as the Prime minister of Kamino during the latter days of the Galactic Republic. His, and, as such, his species' significance lies in the fact that he oversaw the production of the clone troopers who would go on to serve the Jedi and subsequently the Sith during the Clone Wars.
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The Kaminoans, much like the Mon Calamari, are an amphibious race known for their calm intelligence, as personified through Lama Su. Their pioneering genetic engineering, technological breakthroughs, and cloning forever reshaped the galaxy. Unfortunately, their intellect did not extend to perceiving their manipulation at the hands of the Sith.
2 Poggle the Lesser and the Geonosians Played a Crucial Role in the Clone Wars
Alien race | Geonosian |
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Notable members | Poggle the Lesser |
First appearance | Star Wars Episode II: Attack of the Clones (2002) |
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Poggle the Lesser was a Geonosian, the insect-like alien race that wreaked havoc on the Republic throughout the Clone Wars. He demonstrated the Geonosian's tactical ruthlessness by commanding the Confederacy of Independent Systems' droid armies in both battles for Geonosis, making him and the rest of his species formidable adversaries of the Jedi.
The Geonosians' insectile way of life was so far removed from the Republic, it's no wonder that they chose to side with the Confederacy. This alien race is significant for being instrumental in the construction of the first Death Star; however, their alliance with the fledgling Empire was not to last. Upon the Death Star's completion, the Empire came close to exterminating the Geonosians, resulting in their power in the galaxy being forever diminished.
1 Chief Chirpa and the Ewoks Reshaped the Galaxy Against All Odds
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Alien race | Ewok |
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Notable members | Chief Chirpa and Wicket |
First appearance | Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi (1983) |
Chief Chirpa was the chief of both the Ewok tribe and the Council of Elders that the Rebellion encountered on the forest moon of Endor. A seasoned warrior who inherited the throne from his father, Chirpa had already led his tribe for over forty years before the events of Return of the Jedi.
Though seemingly small and cute, the Ewoks are, in fact, awesome warriors. They are a species of incongruity - though they live in simple dwellings and utilize primitive weaponry, they exhibit tactical might, bravery, and tenacity far beyond their appearance. The Ewok species will forever be significant in Star Wars lore through their instrumental role in the destruction of the second Death Star.
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Star Wars
The original trilogy depictsthe heroic development of Luke Skywalker as a Jedi and his fight against Palpatine's Galactic Empire alongside his sister, Leia. The prequels tell the tragic backstory of their father, Anakin, who is corrupted by Palpatine and becomes Darth Vader.
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- George Lucas
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- Luke Skywalker , Han Solo , Princess Leia Organa , Din Djarin , Yoda , Grogu , Darth Vader , Emperor Palpatine , Rey Skywalker