Geonosian

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"You know, another thing most beings fail to realize about the Geonosians is that it's in your nature to be industrious."

―Orson Krennic^[src]

Geonosians were a winged, semi-insectoid species native to the planet Geonosis that created nests in large, spire-like colonies on their homeworld. They were nearly exterminated by the Empire at some point between 14 BBY and 3 BBY. Only a single Geonosian, Klik-Klak, survived the Imperial sterilization of their planet.

Society and culture

Poggle Geo — Poggle the Lesser, Archduke of Geonosis.

A caste-based species separated by positions of drones and warriors, they are born into hives with each led by a queen. The queen lays eggs for the hive, and provides orders to the public leaders of Geonosis.^[13] One such queen, Karina the Great, was even able to control sentient beings, including her own kind, via the use of brain worms.^[8] Drones were capable of becoming warriors if they proved themselves worthy by successfully defeating other drones in an arena.^[14] Geonosians of the warrior caste were known as Geonosian warriors. They had wings and a thick exoskeleton, and they were dedicated to warfare.^[15] Geonosians also celebrated Meckgin, a day in which they celebrated the virtues of industry.^[14] Geonosians would get drunk by eating a special fungus which reacted with their stomach fluids to create a body odor which created euphoria.^[16]

Naturally industrious and barbaric, they were also known to take upon construction projects from outside parties, as was the case when Baktoid Armor Workshop approached them to design factories for the Trade Federation. Productivity was key to Geonosian society, and if not kept in check with enough tasks, hives could devolve into civil war and result in the deaths of thousands of Geonosians.^[14]

History

Clone Wars

GeonosianUndead-LoT — Geonosian zombies during the second Battle of Geonosis

During the reign of Archduke Poggle the Lesser, Geonosis became a member of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The Separatists used the Geonosians to create the Separatist Droid Army. This eventually led to a large battle between the Galactic Republic and the Separatists on Geonosis. The Geonosians were the ones responsible for creating the plans for the Death Star.^[5]^[4]

Imperial Era

"With Poggle dead, the hive queen has appointed a new archduke to oversee the soldiers and drones, but the process is nothing more than conciliatory."

―Orson Krennic^[src]

Following the Clone Wars, the Geonosians were forced by the Galactic Empire to assist in the construction of the Death Star. When the Geonosians were unable to work out how to refine the superweapon's superlaser, the Empire brought in Galen Walton Erso to finish the job. After the Death Star's hyperdrive was operational, the Empire then sterilized the Geonosian species and their homeworld to keep the weapon a secret.^[17] This act of genocide exterminated all but one of the native Geonosian population.^[18]

In 2 BBY, Saw Gerrera, the Spectres, and the former Clone Captain Rex uncovered evidence that the Empire had perpetrated genocide against the Geonosian species. They also helped Klik-Klak,^[11] the sole survivor of the sterilization,^[18] to escape with the last Geonosian queen egg into the depths of Geonosis. The rebels informed Senator Bail Organa and Commander Jun Sato who believed that news of the Empire's atrocities on Geonosis would sway more worlds to the rebellion.^[11]

Unfortunately for Klik-Klak, his hopes were soon dashed. Although the egg did eventually hatch into a queen that later became known as Karina the Great, the last remaining Geonosian Queen was rendered sterile. With no hope of repopulating their species, the Geonosian race was for the time being left functionally extinct but condemned to true extinction upon the death of Karina and Klik-Klak.

Unable to have biological children, Karina, perhaps in a bid to preserve her own sanity, used the vast technological resources of Geonosis to attach herself to a portable droid factory. From this, she generated specially modified B1 battle droids, which were made to resemble her people. Although they were artificial mockeries of the Geonosians, Karina developed a deep attachment to them and came to consider each and every one as her children, just as the other great queens did for their own spawn.

Karina ultimately lost this womb and many of her children when Darth Vader stole it from her in order to build his own droid army shortly after the destruction of the first Death Star. Even so, Karina survived the encounter and proclaimed that this set back would not be the end of her empire.

Behind the scenes

Concept and development

"Doug e-mailed me a picture Iain had done for the Neimoidian face from Episode I, and I went from there. That design was too good not to use."

―Dermot Power^[src]

A termite infestation in George Lucas' house inspired the Geonosians.^[19] The basic design of the Geonosians originate from early designs of the Neimoidians which resembled B1 battle droids.^[20] The sounds of Geonosians were created from mixed recordings of the mating cries of penguins and the sounds of flying foxes in Australia.^[21]

According to concept artist Doug Chiang, before the final design for the Geonosians was pitched, George Lucas originally desired to have the species to take on a chameleon-like quality and be able to change colors based on their surroundings. Though that idea eventually got nixed, the texture and color of the Geonosians does match that of their homeworld Geonosis.^[22]

The inspiration for the Geonosians' role as the ones assigned to construct the Death Star came from a scene in the 1994 film Clerks, in which the main characters ponder over the lives of the "independent contractors" during the construction of the second Death Star.^[23]