Klatooinian

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Klatooinians were a humanoid species from the planet Klatooine, located in the Si'Klaata Cluster. For most of their history, they were closely associated with the Hutts, as criminal henchmen, soldiers, and slaves. By the time of the Galactic Civil War, however, some Klatooinians began to break away from their servitude.

History

"They've been in service to the Hutts for over twenty-five thousand years."

―Luke Skywalker^[src]

When the Hutts were waging a war against Xim the Despot circa 25,100 BBY, they looked for help on some of the planets in the Si'Klaata Cluster. Hutt envoys asked Klatooinians to become part of their army. Klatooinians thought of it as a sacred war, and Barada M'Beg signed a treaty promising that Klatooinians would be slaves of the Hutts forever.

After the defeat of Xim at the Third Battle of Vontor, Klatooinians continued to serve the Hutts under the terms of the Treaty of Vontor. Many of their children were named Barada or M'Beg to honor Barada M'Beg.^[2] Other common Klatooinian names included Bekure, Drekk, Jarakar, Massa, Rokar, and Sovara.^[3]

The Klatooinians revered the Hutts, whose natural lifespan spanned several centuries, as near-gods—possibly even the Ancients of Klatooinian myth. In fact, the Fountain of Ancients was renamed the Fountain of Hutt Ancients. Under Hutt rule, the Klatooinian elders were allowed to rule Klatooine, but all off-world concerns, such as the infamous Klatooinian Trade Guild, were wholly under Hutt control. In 44 ABY, damage to the Fountain of Ancients by Sith operatives served as a pretense for the Klatoonians to declare the Treaty of Vontor breached by the Hutt, thus voiding their enslavement. Widespread slave revolts marked the Klatoonian uprising, which was part of a larger anti-slavery movement in the Galaxy at the time.

Society and culture

"I wouldn't dismiss them quite so quickly. They may not be attractive to your eyes, Vestara, but their culture predates even the Old Republic. You're looking at one of the oldest species in the galaxy."

―Luke Skywalker to Vestara Khai^[src]

Klatooinian civilization was notable for its strong belief in tradition and the wisdom of elders. The center of their culture was the Fountain of Ancients, a slowly evolving natural glass sculpture on Klatooine's Derelkoos Desert. Long before the formation of the Galactic Republic, primitive Klatooinians discovered the Fountain, and revered it as a symbol of patience, tenacity, and the idea of strength coming from age.

Their society was ruled by a Council of Elders, who granted young Klatooinians few rights. Klatooinians were taught the myths and traditions of their people from a young age, in a process which tended to suppress individuality. At the age of ten, they would be sold into servitude, with the most rebellious youths sent into the harshest conditions.

Klatooinians in the galaxy

Klatoonian roustabout — A Klatooinian roustabout

Other Klatooinians served non-Hutt masters. In 30 BBY, Dark Side Adept Profex Rynalla traveled to the planet Leritor with an entourage of two dozen Klatooinians, who served her as soldiers and slavers by kidnapping locals and forcing them to search for a secret Sith treasure.^[4] During the Clone Wars there was a bounty hunter named Castas who worked alongside Aurra Sing, Bossk, and Boba Fett.^[5]

Despite being vassals of the Hutts, some Klatooinians served the Galactic Republic as part of the Jedi Order. The Jedi Sta-Den Eekin and Tarados Gon were killed during the First Battle of Geonosis.^[6]

During the Galactic Civil War, many young Klatooinians were inspired by the Rebel Alliance's message of freedom, and such Rebel victories as the Battle of Yavin. Many young Klatooinians turned their backs on tradition and rebelled against their former masters, sometimes joining up with smugglers, pirates, or rival criminal organizations. Some remained on their homeworld, hiding in the wilderness. A few, such as the technologist Rolanda Gron, managed to join the Rebellion themselves. During the Yuuzhan Vong War, a Klatooinian was a Galactic Alliance spy in the Peace Brigade.

Most Klatooinians, however, remained servants of the Hutts, working for the Klatooinian Trade Guild or various Hutt kajidics. Indeed, their servitude continued well into the time of the New Republic. Jabba the Hutt had several Klatooinians in his employ, including Barada, the chief mechanic on the Khetanna, and Umpass-stay, his bodyguard, spy, and drummer.

CastasFull-R2CH — Castas, a Klatooinian bounty hunter

Behind the scenes

In Tales of the Jedi: Knights of the Old Republic the Klatooinians are mistakenly referred to as "Baradas".

The PC game Star Wars: Rebellion describes the Klatooinian species as having two tentacles coming from their heads. This seems to be a mistaken reference to the Twi'lek species.

There seems to be some discrepancy regarding Klatooinian hands. In the Prequel Trilogy, the Klatooinians have elongated, sharp claws that resemble blades, though in the artwork for The New Essential Guide to Alien Species and in the original trilogy the Klatooinians have human-like hands. Whether there are two subspecies of Klatooinian or not is unknown.