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"The Kaleesh are not known for their mercy."
―Grievous[7]

The Kaleesh were a reptilian sentient species from the Wild Space world of Kalee and were formidable warriors, not known for their kindness, and typically concealed their features behind traditional war masks, frequently crafted from the skulls of fearsome beasts in their homeworld. Despite their technological inferiority, they engaged in conflicts, notably against their planetary neighbors, the Huk. The most notorious member of the species, General Grievous, fought as the Supreme Martial Commander of the Separatist Droid Armies during the Clone Wars.

Biology and appearance[]

Kaleesh Unmasked

Grievous' face before being cybernetically enhanced

A species of red-skinned[1] humanoid[3] reptilians[2] from the planet Kalee[6] in Wild Space,[8] the Kaleesh had two[1] beady[9] yellow eyes with slit pupils,[1] enormous tusks on their lower jaws[4] and bony protrusions on their chin, and a mouth full of teeth[10] with two fangs poking out.[5] Although all of their facial features were reminiscent of bats, such as their elongated ears and flat noses, they usually wore masks.[3] Members had four limbs: two legs,[5] back bent,[11] with four toes, and two long, thin arms with four-fingered hands,[5] including an opposable thumb,[10] sprouting sharp, black, or white claws.[12][13][14] They were digitigrades,[5] walking on their toes rather than their entire feet,[15] and they possessed a brain,[16] a heart, lungs,[17] liver,[10] and nerve endings.[18] Their internal organs were extremely flammable.[1][19] Kaleesh possessed a color sense of their eyesight[20] and could recognize whether someone else was cold-blooded.[14] They could also smell an individual's origin and the stench of death,[7] and their scales quivered menacingly when divided between two feelings.[14]

Society and culture[]

The Kaleesh were fierce,[21] proud,[22] primitive[23] warriors,[24] and known for their lack of mercy.[7] According to Kaleesh, their sins are a matter between them and their gods.[14] When Kaleesh returns with spoils of war, they freely plunder the goods of the conquered.[25]

On their native homeworld of Kalee,[26] Kaleesh warriors hunt mumuu,[24] erkush,[27] or karabbac[21] and generally kill to demonstrate their bravery,[26] for more than simply meat, and make clothes out of hides and masks[21] frequently[28] carved from the skulls and bones of one of their fiercest[24] and most lethal[26] predatory beasts.[24] Their features were normally hidden behind[15] traditionally worn fearsome masks[24] featuring their slitted yellow eyes[15] staring through their masks,[29] and when going into battle, smeared[10] karabbac-blood warpaint lines above them.[24] Their skull masks make it difficult to read their expressions, and rarely seen without them.[21] Apparently, if it were discovered that someone wore a similar mask just for effect, the Kaleesh would not tolerate it.[22] Kaleesh also wore cloaks, head wraps, and used weaponry such as swords, shields, spears,[5] and a slugthrower,[30] the Czerka Arms Outland rifles.[23]

History[]

At one point, Kaleesh warlords[31] and warriors[32] took roggwarts as trophies[31] from their battles with the Bitthævrian[32] on their homeworld of Guiteica.[31]

GrievousStatue-SW100Objects

A statue of a Kaleesh holding the severed head of a Skrilling.

The overstretched Old Republic missed many crimes on outlying worlds, but some were inadvertently victimized by the Old Republic. The world of Kalee became one when the low-tech reptilian Kaleesh species were conquered by a greedy insectoid species, the Yam'rii,[23] from the desolate planet Huk[33] in the same system as their planet.[24] The Yam'rii had ruthlessly invaded many worlds in their sector, stripping them of their resources and selling their populations into slavery. When the Yam'rii focused their attention on Kaleesh's homeworld, the results were horrifying. The struggle between the Kaleesh and their technologically superior foes was devastating, resulting in a never-ending war.[23]

One Kaleesh named Qymaen jai Sheelal,[34] later known as Grievous,[35] was born, matured,[23] and learned brutal tactics, determined strategy,[25] battle tactics, and warfare during the Kalee's war against the Yam'rii of Huk,[36] and became a fearsome warrior[37] and warlord.[38] Throughout the years fighting alongside the strongest Kaleesh warriors,[23] the Izvoshra,[35] Grievous had gathered them[30]to serve as his bodyguards. Then, with increased ferocity and determination,[23] Grievous led his people in a ruthless[24] all-war against the Yam'rii[30] while on offensive. In time, the Kaleesh forces successfully repel the Yam'rii from their world.[23] Grievous launched a series of devastating campaigns on the planet, Huk.[33] However, the Yam'rii pulled off an unexpected move and appealed to the Republic for assistance.[23] The Republic[36] and the Jedi intervene,[24] siding with the Yam'rii[36] against the invaders, and the Kaleesh were censured, embargoes and fines were enforced, and hundreds of thousands of them died of starvation.[23]

Grievous's hatred for the Republic and the Jedi only increased,[23] developing a personal vendetta against them,[36] and it may have been the hatred he felt that drove Grievous to join[23] the InterGalactic Banking Clan.[35] Grievous was a phenomenally successful, and the IGBC considered him one of their most important resources; yet, Count Dooku and Darth Sidious, who had big intentions for him, had already taken notice of his deeds.[23] San Hill, Chairman of the InterGalactic Banking Clan, began collaborating with his Separatist allies, including Poggle the Lesser and Dooku to destroy their volatile ally Grievous in order to rebuild him as a super-cyborg of servitude.[39] Grievous was critically injured in a shuttle that was sabotaged,[24] nearly killing him[40] and destroying most[15] of what remained[5] of his original body,[15] and was transformed into a cyborg in command of the Separatist droid army, bringing him face to face with the Jedi he hated,[5] taking their lightsabers over the years until he met his demise on Utapau.[1]

During the First Order-Resistance War,[41] one Kaleesh was present at the Vargo Spaceport on the planet Varkana when the First Order stormtroopers searched the city for resistance spy Norath Kev.[13]

Kaleesh in the galaxy[]

"I met a Kaleesh on my travels who bragged of a revered warrior. He supposedly had cybernetic implants for enhanced combat!"
―An artist learns of Grievous[15]

One such Kaleesh was Dumas Mar'Ti, who was a captain and member of the Byne Guild during the High Republic Era.[14] One of the species' most well-known members was General Grievous, who was also regarded as its most infamous.[15] His mostly cybernetic body eliminated most resemblance to other Kaleesh.[42] As the Supreme Commander of the Separatist Droid Army, he fought in the Clone Wars[43] until he was killed by Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi during the Battle of Utapau.[1] Though not Kaleesh himself,[28] the Delphidian pirate Sidon Ithano wore a Kaleesh mask[44] stolen from the Kaleesh,[17] adopting one of their masks[28] painted[44] in a chosen red color[45] to hide his Delphidian heritage.[28]

Appearances[]

Non-canon appearances[]

Sources[]

Notes and references[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
  2. 2.0 2.1 Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 StarWars-DatabankII Kaleesh in the Databank (backup link)
  4. 4.0 4.1 Helmet Collection logo small Star Wars Helmet Collection 30 (Databank A-Z: Tee Watt Kaa–Kamino)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Lair of Grievous"
  6. 6.0 6.1 Star Wars Journeys: Beginnings
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 Star Wars Battlefront II
  8. Star Wars: The Force Awakens Beginner Game
  9. SWInsider "Galactic Tales: Saber Truth" — Star Wars Insider 210
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 Star Wars 100 Objects
  11. "Almost a Jedi" — The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark
  12. Age of Republic - General Grievous 1
  13. 13.0 13.1 SWResistanceLogo Star Wars Resistance — "The Missing Agent"
  14. 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 "After the Fall" — The High Republic: Tales of Light and Life
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 Star Wars: Alien Archive
  16. Star Wars Made Easy
  17. 17.0 17.1 Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
  18. "The Droid with a Heart" — Myths & Fables
  19. Star Wars: The Complete Saga
  20. Star Wars: Complete Vehicles
  21. 21.0 21.1 21.2 21.3 Star Wars: The Ultimate Cookbook
  22. 22.0 22.1 Star Wars: The Force Awakens: Head-to-Head
  23. 23.00 23.01 23.02 23.03 23.04 23.05 23.06 23.07 23.08 23.09 23.10 23.11 23.12 AltayaCite "The Separatists" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
  24. 24.0 24.1 24.2 24.3 24.4 24.5 24.6 24.7 24.8 24.9 Helmet Collection logo small Star Wars Helmet Collection 8 (Helmets: General Grievous)
  25. 25.0 25.1 Star Wars: The Dark Side
  26. 26.0 26.1 26.2 Bust-Collection-Logo Star Wars Bust Collection 65 (Star Wars Universe: {{{3}}})
  27. GalaxysEdgeLogo icon Star Wars: Galaxy's EdgeDok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities
  28. 28.0 28.1 28.2 28.3 Helmet Collection logo small Star Wars Helmet Collection 59 (Helmets: Sidon Ithano)
  29. Dark Disciple
  30. 30.0 30.1 30.2 AltayaCite "The Separatists" — Star Wars Encyclopedia (English version)
  31. 31.0 31.1 31.2 Build the Millennium Falcon Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 65 (Guide to the Galaxy: Visiting Vassek 3)
  32. 32.0 32.1 Build the Millennium Falcon Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon 65 (German version: {{{3}}})
  33. 33.0 33.1 SWStarshipsAndVehicles Star Wars Starships & Vehicles 55 (Starships and Vehicles: General Grievous's Speeder Wheel)
  34. BYOR2D2 logo small Star Wars: Build Your Own R2-D2 57 (Droid Directory: IG-100 MagnaGuards)
  35. 35.0 35.1 35.2 AltayaCite "Battle Droids and Other Droids of War" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
  36. 36.0 36.1 36.2 36.3 Rise of the Separatists
  37. Ultimate Star Wars
  38. Star Wars Character Encyclopedia: Updated and Expanded
  39. ToppsDigitalLogo Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: San Hill - Banking Clan Chairman - Base Series 1)
  40. Star Wars: A Galaxy at War
  41. Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
  42. StarWars General Grievous in the Encyclopedia (content now obsolete; backup link)
  43. Star Wars: Force Collection (Card: General Grievous [Last Stand] (★★★★★))
  44. 44.0 44.1 Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary
  45. Star Wars: Smuggler's Guide
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