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Lekku

From Wookieepedia, the Star Wars wiki.

Example of normal lekku.
"Oh, yes. Wormheads. Twin tendrils off head. Females much yum-yum."
―Vilmarh Grahrk[src]

Lekku, singular lek and also known as tchun-tchin or (by other species) braintails or head-tails were the tentacles hanging from the heads of all Twi'leks and Togrutas.

The lekku protruded down the back of the skull and contained part of a Twi'lek's brain. A Twi'lek's braintails served many purposes in their daily lives and culture, storing fat and other qualities. The Twi'lek's native language of Twi'leki was spoken using a combination of words and subtle movements of the lekku.

A female Twi'lek slave with shorter lekku.

A Twi'lek's brain tails were highly sensitive, and grabbing them forcefully was so painful that it could easily incapacitate almost any Twi'lek. (Despite this, some Twi'leks would cover their lekku with elaborate tattoos). Since they housed parts of a Twi'lek's brain, damage to the brain tails also caused lasting brain damage, though the tissue contained within a lekku does not control any vital function but contain unconscious long-term memories.

They could be bent around the neck or shoulders in varying combinations for aesthetic purposes, more or less compared to how Humans cultivate and arrange the shape of their hair.

Long or multiple lekku were considered great status symbols, and often went hand in hand with respect, influence and wealth. A Twi'lek's braintails could be likened to phallic symbols, and for both sexes larger lekku brought with them some indistinct positive connotations. Most male Twi'lek's had longer lekku than the average females. Males also featured large bumbs on their brows above each eye. The brow deposits on some truly corpulent males developed into a second set of anterior lekku. Such individuals were common in the aristocracy of Ryloth. On their barely habitable homeworld, both the increased weight and the extra lekku were signs of wealth and status.

A corpulent Twi'lek's quadruple lekku.

Their braintails were a source of great pride to Twi'leks, especially when confronted by other species. The name "tchun-tchin" actually referred to each lekku—tchun being left lek while tchin was the right. In casual conversation the Twi'leks would usually refer to their lekku as "tchun" or "tchin".

Togrutas also sport the head-tails. This species, however, has three (rarely four) head tails, the two at the side of the head and one from the lower-back of the skull.

The Twi'lek Desvin Tor'thal had his lekku modified by Thaum Rystra using Sith Alchemy, to give them stingers that could fire poison.

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