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{{FAnom}}
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{{Eras|featured}}
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{{Species
{{Sentient
 
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|imageBG=
 
|image=[[File:Xamster from Fact File.png|250px]]
 
|image=[[File:Xamster from Fact File.png|250px]]
 
|name=Xamster
 
|name=Xamster
|planet=[[Xagobah]]{{Ref|<ref name="CSWE III 340">''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]'', Vol. III, p. 340.</ref>}}
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|designation=[[Sentience|Sentient]]<ref name="SWC 92">''[[Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels]]'', p. 92.</ref>
 
|class=[[Reptile]]<ref name="SWC 92" />
|language=Unidentified [[Xamster language]]{{Ref|<ref name="ANT 10">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 10.</ref>}}
 
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|planet=[[Xagobah]]<ref name="CSWE III 340">''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]'', Vol. III, p. 340.</ref>
|height=1.07 meters{{Ref|<ref name="NK DB">{{DB|character|nevakee|Neva Kee}}</ref>}}
 
  +
|habitat=
|skincolor=Yellow, green,{{Ref|<ref name="SWC 92">''[[Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels]]'', p. 92.</ref>}} purple{{Ref|<ref name="CSWE III 340" />}}
 
  +
|diet=
|haircolor=None{{Ref|<ref name="SWC 92" />}}
 
|eyecolor=Red,{{Ref|<ref name="SWC 92" />}} jade green{{Ref|<ref name="ANT 10" />}}
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|language=[[Xamster language]]<ref name="ANT 10">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 10.</ref>
 
|height=1.07 [[Imperial standard meter|meters]]<ref name="NK DB">{{DB|character|nevakee|Neva Kee}}</ref>
|distinctions=[[Bat]]-like ears,{{Ref|<ref name="CSWE III 340" />}} bi-pointed beak,{{Ref|<ref name="SWC 92" />}} ridges of spikes along back and belly{{Ref|<ref name="SWC 92" />}}
 
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|length=
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|wingspan=
 
|skincolor=Yellow, green,<ref name="SWC 92" /> purple<ref name="CSWE III 340" />
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|haircolor=None<ref name="SWC 92" />
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|feathers=
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|eyecolor=Red,<ref name="SWC 92" /> jade green<ref name="ANT 10" />
 
|distinctions=[[Bat]]-like ears,<ref name="CSWE III 340" /> bi-pointed beak,<ref name="SWC 92" /> ridges of spikes along back and belly<ref name="SWC 92" />
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|lifespan=
 
|races=
 
|races=
 
|members=
 
|members=
*[[Neva Kee]]{{Ref|<ref name="NK DB" />}}
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*[[Neva Kee]]<ref name="NK DB" />
*[[Xeran]]{{Ref|<ref name="ANT 10" />}}}}
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*[[Xeran]]<ref name="ANT 10" />}}
 
{{Quote|Who are you?''"<br />"''Who am I? On Xagobah, we like to ask questions before we answer them.|Boba Fett meets Xeran|Boba Fett: A New Threat}}
 
{{Quote|Who are you?''"<br />"''Who am I? On Xagobah, we like to ask questions before we answer them.|Boba Fett meets Xeran|Boba Fett: A New Threat}}
'''Xamsters''' were a [[species]] of [[Sentience|sentient]] [[reptile]]s who hailed from the [[Outer Rim Territories|Outer Rim]] [[planet]] [[Xagobah]]. Xamsters were characterized by their large [[ear]]s, red or green [[eye]]s, and bicuspid beaks. Their scaly skin ranged in color from yellow to purple and sported several spiky crests. The reptiles stood slightly over one [[Imperial standard meter|meter]] tall on two short [[Limb|legs]] with spay-toed feet. They had formidable claws and [[Tooth|fangs]].
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'''Xamsters''' were a [[species]] of [[Sentience|sentient]] [[reptile]]s who hailed from the [[Outer Rim Territories|Outer Rim]] [[planet]] [[Xagobah]]. Xamsters were characterized by their large [[ear]]s, [[red]] or [[Green (disambiguation)|green]] [[eye]]s, and bicuspid beaks. Their scaly skin ranged in color from [[yellow]] to [[purple]] and sported several spiky crests. The reptiles stood slightly over one [[Imperial standard meter|meter]] tall on two short [[Limb|legs]] with splay-toed feet. They had formidable claws and [[Tooth|fangs]]. Their [[brain]]s were capable of quickly and efficiently processing sensory input.
   
The Xamsters cohabited with the myriad [[fungus|fungal]] lifeforms of Xagobah, caring for the [[malvil-tree]]s and enjoying food, shelter, and useful [[spore]]s in return. Much of Xamster technology centered on the harvesting and implementation of spores. Members of the species tended to be polite and peaceful with outsiders. Xamsters could be found offworld; the [[podracer]] [[Neva Kee]] participated in the [[Boonta Eve Classic]] of [[32 BBY]], for example.
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The Xamsters cohabited with the myriad [[Fungus|fungal]] lifeforms on Xagobah, caring for the [[malvil-tree]]s and enjoying food, shelter, and useful [[spore]]s in return. Much of Xamster technology centered on the harvesting and implementation of spores. Members of the species tended to be polite and peaceful with outsiders. Xamsters could be found off-world; the [[podracer]] [[Neva Kee]] participated in the [[Boonta Eve Classic]] of [[32 BBY]], for example.
   
During the [[The galaxy|galaxy]]-spanning [[Clone Wars]], the Xamsters found themselves confronting [[Confederacy of Independent Systems|Separatist]] forces led by [[Wat Tambor]] of the [[Techno Union]]. The newcomers' leader sequestered himself in a citadel called [[Mazariyan]] and [[Slavery|enslaved]] Xamsters to defend him from the forces of the [[Galactic Republic]]. When Republic forces did arrive, they, too, drafted Xamster [[soldier]]s, and the species' population centers thinned to the point that not enough Xamsters remained to tend to the malvil-trees. A young [[bounty hunter]] named [[Boba Fett]] arrived during the [[Battle of Xagobah]] and befriended a member of the species named [[Xeran]]. With the help of this Xagobah native's knowledge of spore-based technology, Fett infiltrated Mazariyan and allowed the Republic to rout Tambor and his forces.
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During the [[The galaxy|galaxy]]-spanning [[Clone Wars]], Xamsters found themselves confronting [[Confederacy of Independent Systems|Separatist]] forces led by [[Wat Tambor]] of the [[Techno Union]]. The Separatist leader sequestered himself in a citadel called [[Mazariyan]] and [[Slavery|enslaved]] Xamsters to defend him from the forces of the [[Galactic Republic]]. When Republic forces did arrive, they, too, drafted Xamster [[soldier]]s, and the species' population centers thinned to the point that not enough Xamsters remained to tend to the malvil-trees. A young [[bounty hunter]] named [[Boba Fett]] arrived during the [[Battle of Xagobah]] and befriended a member of the species named [[Xeran]]. With the help of this Xagobah native's knowledge of spore-based technology, Fett infiltrated Mazariyan and allowed the Republic to rout Tambor and his forces.
   
 
==Biology and appearance==
 
==Biology and appearance==
{{Dialogue2|Xeran|The tyrant who is holed up there has twisted the evolution of Xagobah's lifeforms. He has taken fungus that were benign, feeding only on bacteria. He has taken our gentle malvil-trees. He has bioengineered them so that they are now perverted and kill things without feeding on them.|Boba Fett|Things like humanoids.|That is correct. And Xamsters.|Xeran and Boba Fett|Boba Fett: A New Threat}}
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{{Quote|The tyrant who is holed up there has twisted the evolution of Xagobah's lifeforms. He has taken fungus that were benign, feeding only on bacteria. He has taken our gentle malvil-trees. He has bio-engineered them so that they are now perverted and kill things without feeding on them.''"<br />"''Things like humanoids.''"<br />"''That is correct. And Xamsters.|Xeran and Boba Fett|Boba Fett: A New Threat}}
Xamsters were [[Sentience|sentient]], bipedal [[reptile]]s who walked on squat, bowed [[Limb|legs]] ending in flat feet with four splayed toes and dark, raised nails.<ref name="SWC 92" /> Their arms, in contrast, were long, thin and muscular,<ref name="ANT 9">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 9.</ref> and terminated in clawed, four-fingered hands.<ref name="ANT 10" /><ref name="SWC 92" /> Members of the species ranged in height from as small as 1.07 [[Imperial standard meter|meters]]<ref name="NK DB" /> to taller than a 12-year-old [[Human]].<ref name="ANT 9" /> Each Xamster had a bulbous abdomen, which narrowed to a sunken chest and a long, thin neck. The reptiles were covered in loose folds of scaly skin<ref name="SWC 92" /><ref name="ANT 11">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 11.</ref> that ranged in pigmentation from purple<ref name="CSWE III 340" /> to green and yellow. This coloration could vary in a single individual: for instance, the Xamster [[Neva Kee]] featured one hue on the back of his torso and head, and the outside of his arms and legs; while scales of another color covered his belly, neck, and throat, and the insides of his arms, legs, and [[ear]]s. Three crests of spiky growths punctuated the Xamster hide: one ran from the midpoint of the spine to the posterior, another ran down the length of the belly, and a third went from the dome of the head down the back of the skull.<ref name="SWC 92" />
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Xamsters were [[Sentience|sentient]], bipedal [[reptile]]s who walked on squat, bowed [[Limb|legs]] ending in flat feet with four splayed toes and dark, raised nails.<ref name="SWC 92" /> Their arms, in contrast, were long, thin and muscular,<ref name="ANT 9">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 9.</ref> and terminated in clawed, four-fingered hands.<ref name="SWC 92" /><ref name="ANT 10" /> Members of the species ranged in height from as small as 1.07 [[Imperial standard meter|meters]]<ref name="NK DB" /> to taller than a twelve-year-old [[Human]].<ref name="ANT 9" /> Each Xamster had a bulbous abdomen, which narrowed to a sunken chest and a long, thin neck. The reptiles were covered in loose folds of scaly skin<ref name="SWC 92" /><ref name="ANT 11">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 11.</ref> that ranged in pigmentation from [[purple]]<ref name="CSWE III 340" /> to [[Green (disambiguation)|green]] and [[yellow]]. This coloration could vary in a single individual: for instance, the Xamster [[Neva Kee]] featured one hue on the back of his torso and head, and the outside of his arms and legs; while scales of another color covered his belly, neck, and throat, and the insides of his arms, legs, and [[ear]]s. Three crests of spiky growths punctuated the Xamster hide: one ran from the midpoint of the spine to the posterior, another ran down the length of the belly, and a third went from the dome of the head down the back of the skull.<ref name="SWC 92" />
   
The head itself was dominated by two [[bat]]-like ears<ref name="CSWE III 340" /> that stood erect at both sides of the elongated, high-domed skull. The ears could be particolored, with insides and outsides of different hues. The cranium angled from a point in the back downward to the visage. The face tapered to a beak with two sharp, downward-curving points.<ref name="SWC 92" /> Although this beak lacked lips,<ref name="ANT 9" /> Xamsters were able to smile,<ref>''[[Star Wars: Episode I Racer]]''.</ref> a gesture that revealed their mouthful of white, razor-sharp [[Tooth|teeth]].<ref name="ANT 10" /><ref name="ANT 11" /> Two small nostrils on the beak facilitated respiration,<ref name="SWC 92" /> and two large, ellipsoidal [[eye]]s with pointed ends<ref name="ANT 9" /> peered from beneath bony eye sockets.<ref name="SWC 92" /> These lidless orbs could be jade green<ref name="ANT 10" /> or red in color.<ref name="SWC 92" />
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The head itself was dominated by two [[bat]]-like ears<ref name="CSWE III 340" /> that stood erect at both sides of the elongated, high-domed skull. The ears could be particolored, with insides and outsides of different hues. The cranium angled from a point in the back downward to the visage. The face tapered to a beak with two sharp, downward-curving points.<ref name="SWC 92" /> Although this beak lacked lips,<ref name="ANT 9" /> Xamsters were able to smile,<ref name="EIR" /> a gesture that revealed their mouthful of [[white]], razor-sharp [[Tooth|teeth]].<ref name="ANT 10" /><ref name="ANT 11" /> Two small nostrils on the beak facilitated respiration,<ref name="SWC 92" /> and two large, ellipsoidal [[eye]]s with pointed ends<ref name="ANT 9" /> peered from beneath bony eye sockets.<ref name="SWC 92" /> These lidless orbs could be jade green<ref name="ANT 10" /> or [[red]] in color.<ref name="SWC 92" /> The Xamster [[brain]] was specialized to process sensory information quickly.<ref name="SWCE 140">''[[Star Wars Character Encyclopedia]]'', p. 140.</ref>
   
 
==Society and culture==
 
==Society and culture==
 
{{Quote|My name is Xeran. I am a Xamster. My family has been bound to this malvil-tree, Malubi, for one thousand turns of Xagobah. Once hundreds of us lived here and harvested Malubi's spores. Now only I remain.|Xeran|Boba Fett: A New Threat}}
 
{{Quote|My name is Xeran. I am a Xamster. My family has been bound to this malvil-tree, Malubi, for one thousand turns of Xagobah. Once hundreds of us lived here and harvested Malubi's spores. Now only I remain.|Xeran|Boba Fett: A New Threat}}
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[[File:Neva Kee (Anakin's Speedway).jpg|thumb|left|upright|Xamsters sometimes wore clothing, such as robes.]]
Xamsters lived in communities deep within the [[fungus|fungal]] forests of their [[homeworld]]. They coexisted symbiotically with the fungi: a family of Xamsters bound themselves to a particular type of fungus known as a [[malvil-tree]] and treated it like a beloved pet or even a member of the family. The reptiles gave their own malvil-tree a name and tended to its growth and feeding.<ref name="ANT 10" /> In return, the [[tree]] permitted the Xamsters to take up residence inside it<ref name="ANT 11" /> and obeyed simple commands, like raising or lowering its branches to afford the caretaker a better look at the surrounding terrain. Most importantly, the family was able to harvest the tree's [[spore]]s. They could use these fungal products for diverse tasks.<ref name="ANT 10" /> For example, certain spores could be used to coat someone's eyes, granting the ability to peer through the fog of spores that shrouded the surface of Xagobah. Malvil-tree spores also granted safe passage through the forest to those who coated themselves in it; otherwise, other hungry trees might mistake the traveler for a meal.<ref name="ANT 11" /><ref name="ANT 12">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 12.</ref> Xamsters knew of other useful fungi as well, including [[Xabar]], which could be used to make a potent form of [[spice]] with the power to paralyze the user.<ref name="ANT 11" /> Although offworlders used Xabar to simulate [[death]] and, they hoped, gain a glimpse of the afterlife,<ref name="AGoSaV 36">{{InsiderCite|89|Underworld: A Galaxy of Scum and Villainy}}</ref> Xamsters used its coma-enducing properties to fake death and thus escape enemies.<ref name="ANT 11" />
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Xamsters lived in communities deep within the [[Fungus|fungal]] forests of their [[homeworld]]. They coexisted symbiotically with the fungi: a family of Xamsters bound themselves to a particular type of fungus known as a [[malvil-tree]] and treated it like a beloved pet or even a member of the family. The reptiles gave their own malvil-tree a name and tended to its growth and feeding.<ref name="ANT 10" /> In return, the [[tree]] permitted the Xamsters to take up residence inside it<ref name="ANT 11" /> and obeyed simple commands, like raising or lowering its branches to afford the caretaker a better look at the surrounding terrain. Most importantly, the family was able to harvest the tree's [[spore]]s. They could use these fungal products for diverse tasks.<ref name="ANT 10" /> For example, certain spores could be used to coat someone's eyes, granting the ability to peer through the fog of spores that shrouded the surface of Xagobah. Malvil-tree spores also granted safe passage through the forest to those who coated themselves in it; otherwise, other hungry trees might mistake the traveler for a meal.<ref name="ANT 11" /><ref name="ANT 12">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 12.</ref> Xamsters knew of other useful fungi as well, including [[Xabar]], which could be used to make a potent form of [[spice]] with the power to paralyze the user.<ref name="ANT 11" /> Although offworlders used Xabar to simulate [[death]] and, they hoped, gain a glimpse of the afterlife,<ref name="AGoSaV 36">{{InsiderCite|89|Underworld: A Galaxy of Scum and Villainy}}</ref> Xamsters used its coma-inducing properties to fake death and thus escape enemies.<ref name="ANT 11" />
   
By the time of the [[Clone Wars]], Xamsters had adopted the same technology used throughout [[the galaxy]] to supplement their fungal tools. For example, members of the species fought with [[blaster rifle]]s during hostilities on their world.<ref name="ANT 9" /> Although some Xamsters went nude,<ref name="SWC 92" /> others wore pouches to carry possessions,<ref name="ANT 11" /> and those engaged in fighting on Xagobah wore purple-gray camouflage to blend in better with their [[planet]]'s terrain.<ref name="ANT 9" />
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By the time of the [[Clone Wars]], Xamsters had adopted the same technology used throughout [[the galaxy]] to supplement their fungal tools. For example, members of the species fought with [[blaster rifle]]s during hostilities on their world.<ref name="ANT 9" /> Although some Xamsters went nude,<ref name="SWC 92" /> others wore pouches to carry possessions,<ref name="ANT 11" /> and others wore simple clothing, such as robes.<ref name="AS">''[[Star Wars: Anakin's Speedway]]''.</ref> Those engaged in fighting on Xagobah wore purple-[[gray]] camouflage to blend in better with their [[planet]]'s terrain.<ref name="ANT 9" />
   
 
Xamsters were naturally kind and non-violent.<ref name="P 4">''[[Boba Fett: Pursuit]]'', Chapter 4.</ref> They spoke a [[Xamster language|language]] of sharp clicks and guttural growls. Their laughter especially sounded like growling, although a smile conveyed that the deep rumbling noise indicated amusement and humor rather than anger. The species reckoned [[time]] based on what they called the "turns of Xagobah."<ref name="ANT 10" /> Some Xamsters went by two-part names, such as Neva Kee,<ref name="NK DB" /> while others introduced themselves by one name alone, such as Xeran.<ref name="ANT 10" />
 
Xamsters were naturally kind and non-violent.<ref name="P 4">''[[Boba Fett: Pursuit]]'', Chapter 4.</ref> They spoke a [[Xamster language|language]] of sharp clicks and guttural growls. Their laughter especially sounded like growling, although a smile conveyed that the deep rumbling noise indicated amusement and humor rather than anger. The species reckoned [[time]] based on what they called the "turns of Xagobah."<ref name="ANT 10" /> Some Xamsters went by two-part names, such as Neva Kee,<ref name="NK DB" /> while others introduced themselves by one name alone, such as Xeran.<ref name="ANT 10" />
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==History==
 
==History==
 
{{Quote|My sympathy lies with the Xamsters.''"<br />"''Very well. I will not detain you. The natives of Xagobah are in dire need of whatever help they are given.|Boba Fett encounters Glynn-Beti after infiltrating Mazariyan|Boba Fett: A New Threat}}
 
{{Quote|My sympathy lies with the Xamsters.''"<br />"''Very well. I will not detain you. The natives of Xagobah are in dire need of whatever help they are given.|Boba Fett encounters Glynn-Beti after infiltrating Mazariyan|Boba Fett: A New Threat}}
[[File:Xagobah.jpg|thumb|200px|right|The Xamsters evolved on [[Xagobah]] in the [[Outer Rim Territories]].]]
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[[File:Xagobah.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The Xamsters evolved on [[Xagobah]] in the [[Outer Rim Territories]].]]
The Xamsters evolved on Xagobah,<ref name="CSWE III 340" /> a world that circled a blue [[Star|sun]]<ref name="CD 23">''[[The Cestus Deception]]'', Chapter 23.</ref> and that was covered in such a prevalence of fungal lifeforms that violet spores permeated the fetid [[Atmosphere|air]] and covered the surface in a thick, purple haze.<ref name="ANT 7">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 7.</ref> While offworlders who visited the planet had to keep out of the world's harsh sun lest they be burned,<ref name="CD 23" /> and wear [[breath mask]]s or take antidotes to counteract harmful spores, lest they be poisoned,<ref name="ANT 7" /> the Xamsters evolved to tolerate such conditions and to live closely with their planet's most dominant form of life. The reptilian species learned to harness these native fungi, cultivating certain species to harvest specific spores that could perform helpful tasks. In particular, the fungus known as the malvil-tree became an integral part of Xamster culture as families learned to domesticate them for shelter and spore cultivation.<ref name="ANT 10" /><ref name="ANT 11" />
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Xamsters evolved on Xagobah,<ref name="CSWE III 340" /> a world that circled a blue [[Star|sun]]<ref name="CD 23">''[[The Cestus Deception]]'', Chapter 23.</ref> and that was covered in such a prevalence of fungal lifeforms that violet spores permeated the fetid [[Atmosphere|air]] and covered the surface in a thick, purple haze.<ref name="ANT 7">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 7.</ref> While offworlders who visited the planet had to keep out of the world's harsh sun to avoid being burned,<ref name="CD 23" /> and wear [[breath mask]]s or take antidotes to counteract harmful spores, lest they be poisoned,<ref name="ANT 7" /> Xamsters evolved to tolerate such conditions and to live closely with their planet's most dominant form of life. The reptilian species learned to harness these native fungi, cultivating certain species to harvest specific spores that could perform helpful tasks. In particular, the fungus known as the malvil-tree became an integral part of Xamster culture as families learned to domesticate them for shelter and spore cultivation.<ref name="ANT 10" /><ref name="ANT 11" />
   
Representatives of the galaxy beyond Xagobah first reached Xagobah's region of [[Realspace|space]] sometime between [[3,000 BBY|3,000]] and [[1,000 BBY]].<ref name="EA 120">''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 120.</ref> The world lay on an offshoot of the [[Rimma Trade Route]] that ran from the [[Colu system|Colu]] to [[Sharlissia]] [[system]]s.<ref name="EA 5">''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 5.</ref> As the planet became integrated with the galaxy, Xagobah became part of the [[Mayagil sector]] of the [[Outer Rim Territories]].<ref>Although ''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]'', Vol. III, p. 340, places Xagobah at the border of the [[Mid Rim|Mid]] and Outer Rim, ''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]]'' and ''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas Online Companion]],'' p. 6, place it well within the borders of the Outer Rim.</ref>
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Representatives of the galaxy beyond Xagobah first reached Xagobah's region of [[Realspace|space]] sometime between [[3000 BBY|3000]] and [[1000 BBY]].<ref name="EA 120">''[[The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 120.</ref> The world lay on an offshoot of the [[Rimma Trade Route]] that ran from the [[Colu system|Colu]] to [[Sharlissia system|Sharlissia]] [[Star system|systems]].<ref name="EA 5">''[[The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 5.</ref> As the planet became integrated with the galaxy, Xagobah became part of the [[Mayagil sector]] of the [[Outer Rim Territories]].<ref>Although ''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]'', Vol. III, p. 340, places Xagobah at the border of the [[Mid Rim|Mid]] and Outer Rim, ''[[The Essential Atlas]]'' and ''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas Online Companion]],'' p. 6, place it well within the borders of the Outer Rim.</ref>
   
Offworlders became more common on the world, some drawn to learn a martial art called [[Tal-Gun]],<ref name="CD 23" /> and others by the Mayagil sector's amenability to [[smuggler]]s.<ref name="ANT 6">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 6.</ref> Offworld interests also brought war to the region, and from [[1,004 BBY|1,004]] to [[1,000 BBY]], Xagobah fell within the confines of the [[New Sith Empire|Sith Empire]] during the [[New Sith Wars]].<ref name="EA 133">''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 133.</ref>
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Offworlders became more common on the world, some drawn to learn a martial art called [[Tal-Gun]],<ref name="CD 23" /> and others by the Mayagil sector's amenability to [[smuggler]]s.<ref name="ANT 6">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 6.</ref> Off-world interests also brought war to the region, and from [[1004 BBY|1,004]] to 1000 BBY, Xagobah fell within the confines of the [[New Sith Empire|Sith Empire]] during the [[New Sith Wars]].<ref name="EA 133">''[[The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 133.</ref>
   
 
===Clone Wars===
 
===Clone Wars===
 
{{Quote|War has come to Xagobah. Though we wanted no part of it, still war claimed us. Many of my people have been forced to serve one side or the other. Many others fled, only to be shot in flight. Our malvil-trees are dying of neglect and loneliness. And now I am caught between two armies&mdash;|Xeran|Boba Fett: A New Threat}}
 
{{Quote|War has come to Xagobah. Though we wanted no part of it, still war claimed us. Many of my people have been forced to serve one side or the other. Many others fled, only to be shot in flight. Our malvil-trees are dying of neglect and loneliness. And now I am caught between two armies&mdash;|Xeran|Boba Fett: A New Threat}}
 
At some point between [[52 BBY|52]] and [[32 BBY]], Xagobah became a pawn of [[Sith Lord]] [[Palpatine|Darth Sidious]] as he manipulated the politics of the [[Galactic Republic]] behind the scenes, setting the stage for his alter-ego, Palpatine, to become the [[Galactic Emperor|emperor]] of the entire galaxy.<ref name="EA 141">''[[The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 141.</ref> When the conflict known as the [[Clone Wars]] erupted&mdash;thanks to Sidious' machinations&mdash;the [[Confederacy of Independent Systems]] consolidated its forces in the Rim<ref name="EA 152">''[[The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 152.</ref> and sent [[General]] [[Grievous]] to capture Xagobah.<ref name="CSWE III 340" />
[[File:BobaFett 5 art.jpg|thumb|left|[[Boba Fett]], [[General]] [[Grievous]], and [[Wat Tambor]] all had a profound effect on the Xamsters of [[Xagobah]] during the [[Clone Wars]].]]
 
At some point between [[52 BBY|52]] and [[32 BBY]], Xagobah became a pawn of [[Sith Lord]] [[Palpatine|Darth Sidious]] as he manipulated the politics of the [[Galactic Republic]] behind the scenes, setting the stage for his alter-ego, Palpatine, to become the [[Galactic Emperor|emperor]] of the entire galaxy.<ref name="EA 141">''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 141.</ref> When the conflict known as the [[Clone Wars]] erupted&mdash;thanks to Sidious's manipulations&mdash;the [[Confederacy of Independent Systems]] (CIS) consolidated its forces in the Rim<ref name="EA 152">''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 152.</ref> and sent [[General]] [[Grievous]] to capture Xagobah.<ref name="CSWE III 340" />
 
   
 
[[File:BobaFett 5 art.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Boba Fett, General Grievous, and Wat Tambor all had a profound effect on the Xamsters of Xagobah during the Clone Wars.]]
In [[20 BBY]], Xagobah gained a new resident: [[Wat Tambor]], head of the [[Techno Union]] and a high-ranking leader in the CIS.<ref name="NEC 80">''[[The New Essential Chronology]]'', p. 80.</ref> Tambor molded the native fungi to his will, bioengineering them to form a huge, pyramidal fortress known as the [[Mazariyan]] Citadel, a supposedly impregnable redoubt in which he sequestered himself.<ref name="ANT 11" /> Meanwhile, Tambor and his forces rounded up Xamsters from the forests of Xagobah to impress them into his service; those who refused were summarily executed.<ref name="P 4" /> By 19.5 BBY, Tambor had embedded himself in a swarm of [[IG-227 Hailfire-class droid tank|droid tanks]], [[OG-9 homing spider droid|spider droid]]s, and top-of-the-line [[battle droid]]s.<ref name="ANT 3">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 3.</ref>
+
In [[20 BBY]], Xagobah gained a new resident: [[Wat Tambor]], head of the [[Techno Union]] and a high-ranking leader in the CIS.<ref name="NEC 80">''[[The New Essential Chronology]]'', p. 80.</ref> Tambor molded the native fungi to his will, bioengineering them to form a huge, pyramidal fortress known as the [[Mazariyan]] Citadel, a supposedly impregnable redoubt in which he sequestered himself.<ref name="ANT 11" /> Meanwhile, Tambor and his forces rounded up Xamsters from the forests of Xagobah to impress them into his service; those who refused were summarily executed.<ref name="P 4" /> By 19.5 BBY, Tambor had embedded himself in a swarm of [[IG-227 Hailfire-class droid tank|droid tanks]], [[OG-9 homing spider droid|spider droids]], and top-of-the-line [[battle droid]]s.<ref name="ANT 3">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 3.</ref>
   
The Galactic Republic sent [[clone trooper]]s under the command of [[Jedi Master]] [[Glynn-Beti]] to take Tambor into custody. They besieged Mazariyan<ref name="ANT 3" /> while Republic [[starship]]s [[Battle of Xagobah|battled]] the Confederacy in space around the planet.<ref>{{InsiderCite|86|Unknown Soldier: The Story of General Grievous}}</ref> When the Republic [[commander]]s realized that they could not sustain their siege with the manpower they had available, they too took to rounding up Xamsters to force them to fight for their side. Such conscripted [[soldier]]s were paid for their service, but they were not given the chance to turn down their summons to military duty.<ref name="ANT 10-11">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapters 10&ndash;11.</ref> The ongoing hostilities thus forced scores of Xamsters to take up arms, most of whom had never before handled a weapon.<ref name="ANT 10" /> Xamsters died in great numbers,<ref name="CSWE III 340" /> and their sylvan communities thinned out to such an extent that family malvil-trees went untended and began to die off.<ref name="ANT 10" />
+
The Galactic Republic sent [[clone trooper]]s under the command of [[Jedi Master]] [[Glynn-Beti]] to take Tambor into custody. They besieged Mazariyan<ref name="ANT 3" /> while Republic [[starship]]s [[Battle of Xagobah|battled]] the Confederacy in space around the planet.<ref>{{InsiderCite|86|Unknown Soldier: The Story of General Grievous}}</ref> When the Republic [[commander]]s realized that they could not sustain their siege with the manpower they had available, they also took to rounding up Xamsters to force them to fight for their side. Such conscripted [[soldier]]s were paid for their service, but they were not given the chance to turn down their summons to military duty.<ref name="ANT 10-11">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapters 10&ndash;11.</ref> The ongoing hostilities thus forced scores of Xamsters to take up arms, most of whom had never before handled a weapon.<ref name="ANT 10" /> Xamsters died in great numbers,<ref name="CSWE III 340" /> and their sylvan communities thinned out to such an extent that family malvil-trees went untended and began to die off.<ref name="ANT 10" />
   
A Xamster named [[Xeran]] lost most of his family to the fighting, leaving him the sole custodian of the family malvil-tree, [[Malubi]].<ref name="ANT 10" /><ref name="CSWE III 341">''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]'', Vol. III, p. 341.</ref> In 19.42 BBY,<ref name="NEC 79">''[[The New Essential Chronology]]'', p. 79.</ref> Xeran came across a young [[Human]] [[Youngling|boy]] trapped inside a carnivorous fungus called a [[flimmel tree]]. The boy blasted his way out, leading Xeran to suspect him of being yet another violent offworlder&mdash;little did the reptile know that the Human was actually a 12-year-old [[Boba Fett]], sent to Xagobah by his boss, [[Jabba Desilijic Tiure]], to capture Wat Tambor for the Republic.<ref name="ANT 3" /> Xeran led the boy to his family malvil-tree and eventually came to trust the stranger's story that he was an enemy of Wat Tambor's. In the end, the Xamster decided to help the young bounty hunter in his quest. He provided the Human with different types of spores that could aid him in penetrating Mazariyan and apprehending the Separatist leader inside.<ref name="ANT 10-11" />
+
A Xamster named [[Xeran]] lost most of his family to the fighting, leaving him the sole custodian of the family malvil-tree, [[Malubi]].<ref name="ANT 10" /><ref name="CSWE III 341">''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]'', Vol. III, p. 341.</ref> In 19.42 BBY,<ref name="NEC 79">''[[The New Essential Chronology]]'', p. 79.</ref> Xeran came across a young [[Human]] [[Youngling|boy]] trapped inside a carnivorous fungus called a [[flimmel tree]]. The boy blasted his way out, leading Xeran to suspect him of being yet another violent offworlder&mdash;little did the reptile know that the Human was actually a twelve-year-old [[bounty hunter]] by the name of [[Boba Fett]], who had been sent to Xagobah by his boss, [[Jabba Desilijic Tiure]], to capture Wat Tambor for the Republic.<ref name="ANT 3" /> Xeran led the boy to his family malvil-tree and eventually came to trust the stranger's story that he was an enemy of Wat Tambor's. In the end, the Xamster decided to help the young [[bounty]] hunter in his quest. He provided the Human with different types of spores that could aid him in penetrating Mazariyan and apprehending the Separatist leader inside.<ref name="ANT 10-11" />
   
During the encounter, the young Fett felt sympathy for the plight of Xeran and his people. This only fueled his determination to take Tambor's head back to Jabba.<ref name="ANT 19">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 19.</ref> The Xamster's gifts proved instrumental in gaining entry to the fortress, but once inside, Fett found Grievous there, who proved more than a match for the young Human. The boy used Xeran's Xaban fungus to fake his own death and avoid being killed by the Separatist leaders.<ref name="ANT 24">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 24.</ref> Although Fett failed to capture Tambor, he allowed the Republic forces to also breach the hideout, sending Tambor and Grievous to flight.<ref name="P 3">''[[Boba Fett: Pursuit]]'', Chapter 3.</ref> Their departure obviated the presence of the Republic ground forces, who also left,<ref name="P 4">''[[Boba Fett: Pursuit]]'', Chapter 4.</ref> and the Xamsters of Xagobah were once again left in peace, albeit as a Republic-held world.<ref name="P 8">''[[Boba Fett: Pursuit]]'', Chapter 8.</ref>
+
During the encounter, the young Fett felt sympathy for the plight of Xeran and his people. This only fueled his determination to take Tambor's head back to Jabba.<ref name="ANT 19">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 19.</ref> The Xamster's gifts proved instrumental in gaining entry to the fortress, but once inside, Fett found Grievous, who proved more than a match for the young Human. The boy used Xeran's Xabar fungus to fake his own death and avoid being killed by the Separatist leaders.<ref name="ANT 24">''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]'', Chapter 24.</ref> Although Fett failed to capture Tambor, he allowed the Republic forces to also breach the hideout, sending Tambor and Grievous to flight.<ref name="P 3">''[[Boba Fett: Pursuit]]'', Chapter 3.</ref> Their departure obviated the presence of the Republic ground forces, who also left,<ref name="P 4" /> and the Xamsters of Xagobah were once again left in peace, albeit as a Republic-held world.<ref name="P 8">''[[Boba Fett: Pursuit]]'', Chapter 8.</ref>
   
 
===Later history===
 
===Later history===
After Palpatine's machinations secured him the throne of the [[Galactic Empire]], the [[Alliance to Restore the Republic]] launched the [[Galactic Civil War]]. When the Empire was defeated at the [[Battle of Endor]] in [[4 ABY]], the government splintered into squabbling factions. Xagobah fell within the domain of one of them, the [[Eriadu Authority]].<ref name="EA 194">''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 194.</ref> By [[9 ABY]], however, the world and its general region of space had become part of the holdings of the [[New Republic]], the successor to the Alliance;<ref name="EA 200">''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 200.</ref> it remained within New Republic territory until at least [[11 ABY]].<ref name="EA 206">''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 206.</ref> The population of the world was somewhere between 10 and 100 million c. [[25 ABY]].<ref name="EA 17">''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]],'' p. 17.</ref> Over a century later, in [[137 ABY]], the Xamster homeward had fallen into territory controlled by [[Darth Krayt]]'s [[Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire|Galactic Empire]], but it fell within the sphere of influence of the [[Galactic Federation of Free Alliances]], the government that Krayt had toppled.<ref name="EA 226">''[[Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 226.</ref>
+
After Palpatine's maneuverings secured him the throne of the [[Galactic Empire]], the [[Alliance to Restore the Republic]] launched the [[Galactic Civil War]]. When the Empire was defeated at the [[Battle of Endor]] in [[4 ABY]], the government splintered into squabbling factions. Xagobah fell within the domain of one of them, the [[Eriadu Authority]].<ref name="EA 194">''[[The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 194.</ref> By [[9 ABY]], however, the world and its general region of space had become part of the holdings of the [[New Republic]], the successor to the Alliance;<ref name="EA 200">''[[The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 200.</ref> it remained within New Republic territory until at least [[11 ABY]].<ref name="EA 206">''[[The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 206.</ref> The population of the world was somewhere between 10 and 100 million c. [[25 ABY]].<ref name="EA 17">''[[The Essential Atlas|Star Wars: The Essential Atlas]],'' p. 17.</ref> Over a century later, in [[137 ABY]], the Xamster homeworld had fallen into territory controlled by [[Darth Krayt]]'s [[Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire|Galactic Empire]], but it fell within the sphere of influence of the [[Galactic Federation of Free Alliances]], the government that Krayt had toppled.<ref name="EA 226">''[[The Essential Atlas]]'', p. 226.</ref>
   
 
==Xamsters in the galaxy==
 
==Xamsters in the galaxy==
One Xamster who became well known off Xagobah was [[Neva Kee]], who made a name for himself on the professional [[podracing]] circuit. Kee's unorthodox racing tactics earned him a reputation as a maverick. This status was exemplified by his unusual [[podracer]], a [[Farwan & Glott]] [[FG 8T8-Twin Block2 Special]], which, unlike most other vehicles in the races Kee entered, had its [[engine]] and body joined as a single unit. Kee's rebellious nature earned him many enemies in the sport, but it also garnered the adulation of a large base of fans, who treated Kee as a superstar. Nevertheless, the Xamster kept his cool and single-mindedly pursued his goal to dominate his sport.<ref name="NEGC 135">''[[The New Essential Guide to Characters]]'', p. 135.</ref> In [[32 BBY]], Kee was the favored racer on the [[Baroo Coast]] track on the planet [[Baroonda]].<ref name="EIR">''[[Star Wars Episode I Racer]]''.</ref> The Xamster's ambitions were brought to an end during the [[Boonta Eve Classic]] podrace on [[Tatooine]] that same year: The pilot strayed from the course in the second lap, never to be seen again.<ref name="NEGC 135" />
+
One Xamster who became well-known off Xagobah was [[Neva Kee]], who made a name for himself on the professional [[Podracing]] circuit. Kee's unorthodox racing tactics earned him a reputation as a maverick. This status was exemplified by his unusual [[Podracer]], a [[Farwan & Glott]] [[FG 8T8-Twin Block2 Special]], which, unlike most other vehicles in the races Kee entered, had its [[engine]] and body joined as a single unit. Kee's rebellious nature earned him many enemies in the sport, but it also garnered the adulation of a large base of fans, who treated Kee as a superstar. Nevertheless, the Xamster kept his cool and single-mindedly pursued his goal to dominate his sport.<ref name="NEGC 135">''[[The New Essential Guide to Characters]]'', p. 135.</ref> In [[32 BBY]], Kee was the favored racer on the [[Baroo Coast]] track on the planet [[Baroonda]].<ref name="EIR">''[[Star Wars: Episode I Racer]]''.</ref> The Xamster's ambitions were brought to an end during the [[Boonta Eve Classic]] Podrace on [[Tatooine]] that same year: the pilot strayed from the course in the second lap, never to be seen again.<ref name="NEGC 135" />
   
 
==Behind the scenes==
 
==Behind the scenes==
[[File:Xamster concept art.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The Xamster design for ''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]'' was much more detailed than the digital character eventually inserted into the film.]]
+
[[File:Xamster concept art.jpg|thumb|right|upright|The Xamster design for ''Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace'' was much more detailed than the digital character eventually inserted into the film.]]
The art department of [[Industrial Light & Magic]] created the Xamster Neva Kee for the podracing sequence of ''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]'', released in [[1999]]. Over the preproduction process, concept sketches by [[Terryl Whitlatch]] were considered interchangeably for both Kee and [[Wan Sandage]], another podracer pilot.<ref>''[[Star Wars: Episode I Insider's Guide]]''</ref> After [[George Lucas]] chose the final versions of these two characters, the production team sculpted a detailed character maquette of Kee. Nevertheless, in the final film, Kee appears only as a low-resolution computer-generated character seated in his racing vehicle.<ref name="NK DB" /> Photographs of the maquette have since appeared in numerous sources as Kee himself, rather than as production art.<ref>See ''[[Episode I: The Visual Dictionary]]'', p. 57, and ''[[Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary]]'', p. 63, for two examples.</ref>
+
The art department of [[Industrial Light & Magic]] created the Xamster Neva Kee for the Podracing sequence of ''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]'', released in [[1999]]. During the preproduction process, as early as [[1996]], concept sketches by [[Terryl Whitlatch]] were considered interchangeably for both Kee and [[Wan Sandage]], another Podracer pilot.<ref name="EIIG">''[[Star Wars: Episode I Insider's Guide]]''</ref> After [[George Lucas]] chose the final versions of these two characters, the production team sculpted a detailed character maquette of Kee.<ref name="NK DB" /> Although the podracer pilots were intended to be clothed in ''The Phantom Menace'',<ref name="SWCTP 88">''[[Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels]]'', p. 88.</ref> and concept drawings of Kee in podracing gear were generated,<ref name="EIIG" /> photographs of the nude maquette have since appeared in numerous sources as Kee himself, rather than as production art.<ref>See ''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Visual Dictionary]]'', p. 57, and ''[[Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary]]'', p. 63, for two examples.</ref> In the final film, Kee appears only as a low-resolution computer-generated character seated in his racing vehicle.<ref name="NK DB" />
   
 
Several sources provide a brief outline of Kee's career,<ref>See {{FFCite|26|POD2, ''Podracer Pilots''}}, p. POD2, and ''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]'', Vol. II, p. 205, for example.</ref> and he appears in the video game ''[[Star Wars: Episode I Racer]]''. The game gives his unusual podracer good traction but a poor top speed. Aside from Kee's story, however, for years little was known about the species as a whole aside from their appearance. Finally in [[2004]], author [[Elizabeth Hand]] expanded on the Xamsters and their culture in her novel ''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]''.
 
Several sources provide a brief outline of Kee's career,<ref>See {{FFCite|26|POD2, ''Podracer Pilots''}}, p. POD2, and ''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]'', Vol. II, p. 205, for example.</ref> and he appears in the video game ''[[Star Wars: Episode I Racer]]''. The game gives his unusual podracer good traction but a poor top speed. Aside from Kee's story, however, for years little was known about the species as a whole aside from their appearance. Finally in [[2004]], author [[Elizabeth Hand]] expanded on the Xamsters and their culture in her novel ''[[Boba Fett: A New Threat]]''.
Line 71: Line 81:
 
==Appearances==
 
==Appearances==
 
*''[[Star Wars: Episode I Racer]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars: Episode I Racer]]''
  +
*''[[Star Wars: Anakin's Speedway]]''
 
*''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]'' {{1st}}
 
*''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]'' {{1st}}
 
*''[[Republic HoloNet News Core Edition 14:9:04]]'' {{Mo}}
 
*''[[Republic HoloNet News Core Edition 14:9:04]]'' {{Mo}}
Line 77: Line 88:
   
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
*''[[Episode I: The Visual Dictionary]]'' {{1stID}}<!--May 1999-->
+
*''[[Star Wars Episode I: The Visual Dictionary]]'' {{1stID}}<!--May 1999-->
 
*''[[Star Wars: Episode I Insider's Guide]]''<!--June 1999-->
 
*''[[Star Wars: Episode I Insider's Guide]]''<!--June 1999-->
  +
*''[[Star Wars: Episode I Racer: Prima's Official Strategy Guide]]'' {{Po}}<!--Jun 1999-->
  +
*''[[Star Wars: Episode I Racer: Official Nintendo Player's Guide]]''<!--Jun 1999-->
 
*''[[The Art of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]''<!--Sep. 1999-->
 
*''[[The Art of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace]]''<!--Sep. 1999-->
 
*''[[Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Episode I]]''<!--2000-->
 
*''[[Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Episode I]]''<!--2000-->
  +
*''[[Star Wars Episode I: I Am a Pilot]]'' {{Po}}<!--Mar 2000-->
*{{YJCCG|Boonta Eve Podrace|link=boontaevepodrace/light/large/13nevakeepodracerpilot.html|cardname=Neva Kee}}<!--2001-->
+
*{{YJCCG|Boonta Eve Podrace (YJCCG){{!}}Boonta Eve Podrace|link=boontaevepodrace/light/large/13nevakeepodracerpilot.html|cardname=Neva Kee}}<!--2001-->
 
*''[[The New Essential Guide to Characters]]''<!--2002-->
 
*''[[The New Essential Guide to Characters]]''<!--2002-->
 
*{{FFCite|26|POD2, ''Podracer Pilots''}}<!--2002-2005-->
 
*{{FFCite|26|POD2, ''Podracer Pilots''}}<!--2002-2005-->
Line 87: Line 101:
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary]]''<!--2006-->
 
*''[[Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary]]''<!--2006-->
 
*''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]''<!--2008-->
 
*''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]''<!--2008-->
  +
*''[[Star Wars Character Encyclopedia]]''<!--2011-->
 
*{{DB|character|nevakee|Neva Kee}}
 
*{{DB|character|nevakee|Neva Kee}}
  +
*{{FFCite|y=2013|3|POD8, ''The Boonta Eve Classic Podrace''}}
   
 
==Notes and references==
 
==Notes and references==
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{{Scroll_box|height=230px|width=100%|content={{Reflist}}}}
{{Scroll box|
 
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{{Reflist}}
 
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{{Interlang
 
|de=Xamster
 
|hu=Xamster
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|nl=Xamster
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|ru=Замстеры
 
}}
 
}}
   
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[[Category:Outer Rim species]]
==External links==
 
*{{CUSWEID|31867|Xamster}}
 
 
 
[[Category:Reptilian sentient species]]
 
[[Category:Reptilian sentient species]]
 
[[Category:Sentient species (X)]]
 
[[Category:Sentient species (X)]]
[[Category:Xamsters| ]]
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[[Category:Xamsters|Xamsters]]
 
[[de:Xamster]]
 
[[nl:Xamster]]
 

Revision as of 00:01, 26 May 2014

Click here for Wookieepedia's article on the Canon version of this subject.  This article covers the Legends version of this subject. 

Warning: This infobox has missing parameters: subspecies, mass and unrecognized parameters: members, imageBG


"Who are you?"
"Who am I? On Xagobah, we like to ask questions before we answer them."
―Boba Fett meets Xeran[src]

Xamsters were a species of sentient reptiles who hailed from the Outer Rim planet Xagobah. Xamsters were characterized by their large ears, red or green eyes, and bicuspid beaks. Their scaly skin ranged in color from yellow to purple and sported several spiky crests. The reptiles stood slightly over one meter tall on two short legs with splay-toed feet. They had formidable claws and fangs. Their brains were capable of quickly and efficiently processing sensory input.

The Xamsters cohabited with the myriad fungal lifeforms on Xagobah, caring for the malvil-trees and enjoying food, shelter, and useful spores in return. Much of Xamster technology centered on the harvesting and implementation of spores. Members of the species tended to be polite and peaceful with outsiders. Xamsters could be found off-world; the podracer Neva Kee participated in the Boonta Eve Classic of 32 BBY, for example.

During the galaxy-spanning Clone Wars, Xamsters found themselves confronting Separatist forces led by Wat Tambor of the Techno Union. The Separatist leader sequestered himself in a citadel called Mazariyan and enslaved Xamsters to defend him from the forces of the Galactic Republic. When Republic forces did arrive, they, too, drafted Xamster soldiers, and the species' population centers thinned to the point that not enough Xamsters remained to tend to the malvil-trees. A young bounty hunter named Boba Fett arrived during the Battle of Xagobah and befriended a member of the species named Xeran. With the help of this Xagobah native's knowledge of spore-based technology, Fett infiltrated Mazariyan and allowed the Republic to rout Tambor and his forces.

Biology and appearance

"The tyrant who is holed up there has twisted the evolution of Xagobah's lifeforms. He has taken fungus that were benign, feeding only on bacteria. He has taken our gentle malvil-trees. He has bio-engineered them so that they are now perverted and kill things without feeding on them."
"Things like humanoids."
"That is correct. And Xamsters."
―Xeran and Boba Fett[src]

Xamsters were sentient, bipedal reptiles who walked on squat, bowed legs ending in flat feet with four splayed toes and dark, raised nails.[1] Their arms, in contrast, were long, thin and muscular,[5] and terminated in clawed, four-fingered hands.[1][3] Members of the species ranged in height from as small as 1.07 meters[4] to taller than a twelve-year-old Human.[5] Each Xamster had a bulbous abdomen, which narrowed to a sunken chest and a long, thin neck. The reptiles were covered in loose folds of scaly skin[1][6] that ranged in pigmentation from purple[2] to green and yellow. This coloration could vary in a single individual: for instance, the Xamster Neva Kee featured one hue on the back of his torso and head, and the outside of his arms and legs; while scales of another color covered his belly, neck, and throat, and the insides of his arms, legs, and ears. Three crests of spiky growths punctuated the Xamster hide: one ran from the midpoint of the spine to the posterior, another ran down the length of the belly, and a third went from the dome of the head down the back of the skull.[1]

The head itself was dominated by two bat-like ears[2] that stood erect at both sides of the elongated, high-domed skull. The ears could be particolored, with insides and outsides of different hues. The cranium angled from a point in the back downward to the visage. The face tapered to a beak with two sharp, downward-curving points.[1] Although this beak lacked lips,[5] Xamsters were able to smile,[7] a gesture that revealed their mouthful of white, razor-sharp teeth.[3][6] Two small nostrils on the beak facilitated respiration,[1] and two large, ellipsoidal eyes with pointed ends[5] peered from beneath bony eye sockets.[1] These lidless orbs could be jade green[3] or red in color.[1] The Xamster brain was specialized to process sensory information quickly.[8]

Society and culture

"My name is Xeran. I am a Xamster. My family has been bound to this malvil-tree, Malubi, for one thousand turns of Xagobah. Once hundreds of us lived here and harvested Malubi's spores. Now only I remain."
―Xeran[src]
File:Neva Kee (Anakin's Speedway).jpg

Xamsters sometimes wore clothing, such as robes.

Xamsters lived in communities deep within the fungal forests of their homeworld. They coexisted symbiotically with the fungi: a family of Xamsters bound themselves to a particular type of fungus known as a malvil-tree and treated it like a beloved pet or even a member of the family. The reptiles gave their own malvil-tree a name and tended to its growth and feeding.[3] In return, the tree permitted the Xamsters to take up residence inside it[6] and obeyed simple commands, like raising or lowering its branches to afford the caretaker a better look at the surrounding terrain. Most importantly, the family was able to harvest the tree's spores. They could use these fungal products for diverse tasks.[3] For example, certain spores could be used to coat someone's eyes, granting the ability to peer through the fog of spores that shrouded the surface of Xagobah. Malvil-tree spores also granted safe passage through the forest to those who coated themselves in it; otherwise, other hungry trees might mistake the traveler for a meal.[6][9] Xamsters knew of other useful fungi as well, including Xabar, which could be used to make a potent form of spice with the power to paralyze the user.[6] Although offworlders used Xabar to simulate death and, they hoped, gain a glimpse of the afterlife,[10] Xamsters used its coma-inducing properties to fake death and thus escape enemies.[6]

By the time of the Clone Wars, Xamsters had adopted the same technology used throughout the galaxy to supplement their fungal tools. For example, members of the species fought with blaster rifles during hostilities on their world.[5] Although some Xamsters went nude,[1] others wore pouches to carry possessions,[6] and others wore simple clothing, such as robes.[11] Those engaged in fighting on Xagobah wore purple-gray camouflage to blend in better with their planet's terrain.[5]

Xamsters were naturally kind and non-violent.[12] They spoke a language of sharp clicks and guttural growls. Their laughter especially sounded like growling, although a smile conveyed that the deep rumbling noise indicated amusement and humor rather than anger. The species reckoned time based on what they called the "turns of Xagobah."[3] Some Xamsters went by two-part names, such as Neva Kee,[4] while others introduced themselves by one name alone, such as Xeran.[3]

History

"My sympathy lies with the Xamsters."
"Very well. I will not detain you. The natives of Xagobah are in dire need of whatever help they are given."
―Boba Fett encounters Glynn-Beti after infiltrating Mazariyan[src]
Xagobah

The Xamsters evolved on Xagobah in the Outer Rim Territories.

Xamsters evolved on Xagobah,[2] a world that circled a blue sun[13] and that was covered in such a prevalence of fungal lifeforms that violet spores permeated the fetid air and covered the surface in a thick, purple haze.[14] While offworlders who visited the planet had to keep out of the world's harsh sun to avoid being burned,[13] and wear breath masks or take antidotes to counteract harmful spores, lest they be poisoned,[14] Xamsters evolved to tolerate such conditions and to live closely with their planet's most dominant form of life. The reptilian species learned to harness these native fungi, cultivating certain species to harvest specific spores that could perform helpful tasks. In particular, the fungus known as the malvil-tree became an integral part of Xamster culture as families learned to domesticate them for shelter and spore cultivation.[3][6]

Representatives of the galaxy beyond Xagobah first reached Xagobah's region of space sometime between 3000 and 1000 BBY.[15] The world lay on an offshoot of the Rimma Trade Route that ran from the Colu to Sharlissia systems.[16] As the planet became integrated with the galaxy, Xagobah became part of the Mayagil sector of the Outer Rim Territories.[17]

Offworlders became more common on the world, some drawn to learn a martial art called Tal-Gun,[13] and others by the Mayagil sector's amenability to smugglers.[18] Off-world interests also brought war to the region, and from 1,004 to 1000 BBY, Xagobah fell within the confines of the Sith Empire during the New Sith Wars.[19]

Clone Wars

"War has come to Xagobah. Though we wanted no part of it, still war claimed us. Many of my people have been forced to serve one side or the other. Many others fled, only to be shot in flight. Our malvil-trees are dying of neglect and loneliness. And now I am caught between two armies—"
―Xeran[src]

At some point between 52 and 32 BBY, Xagobah became a pawn of Sith Lord Darth Sidious as he manipulated the politics of the Galactic Republic behind the scenes, setting the stage for his alter-ego, Palpatine, to become the emperor of the entire galaxy.[20] When the conflict known as the Clone Wars erupted—thanks to Sidious' machinations—the Confederacy of Independent Systems consolidated its forces in the Rim[21] and sent General Grievous to capture Xagobah.[2]

BobaFett 5 art

Boba Fett, General Grievous, and Wat Tambor all had a profound effect on the Xamsters of Xagobah during the Clone Wars.

In 20 BBY, Xagobah gained a new resident: Wat Tambor, head of the Techno Union and a high-ranking leader in the CIS.[22] Tambor molded the native fungi to his will, bioengineering them to form a huge, pyramidal fortress known as the Mazariyan Citadel, a supposedly impregnable redoubt in which he sequestered himself.[6] Meanwhile, Tambor and his forces rounded up Xamsters from the forests of Xagobah to impress them into his service; those who refused were summarily executed.[12] By 19.5 BBY, Tambor had embedded himself in a swarm of droid tanks, spider droids, and top-of-the-line battle droids.[23]

The Galactic Republic sent clone troopers under the command of Jedi Master Glynn-Beti to take Tambor into custody. They besieged Mazariyan[23] while Republic starships battled the Confederacy in space around the planet.[24] When the Republic commanders realized that they could not sustain their siege with the manpower they had available, they also took to rounding up Xamsters to force them to fight for their side. Such conscripted soldiers were paid for their service, but they were not given the chance to turn down their summons to military duty.[25] The ongoing hostilities thus forced scores of Xamsters to take up arms, most of whom had never before handled a weapon.[3] Xamsters died in great numbers,[2] and their sylvan communities thinned out to such an extent that family malvil-trees went untended and began to die off.[3]

A Xamster named Xeran lost most of his family to the fighting, leaving him the sole custodian of the family malvil-tree, Malubi.[3][26] In 19.42 BBY,[27] Xeran came across a young Human boy trapped inside a carnivorous fungus called a flimmel tree. The boy blasted his way out, leading Xeran to suspect him of being yet another violent offworlder—little did the reptile know that the Human was actually a twelve-year-old bounty hunter by the name of Boba Fett, who had been sent to Xagobah by his boss, Jabba Desilijic Tiure, to capture Wat Tambor for the Republic.[23] Xeran led the boy to his family malvil-tree and eventually came to trust the stranger's story that he was an enemy of Wat Tambor's. In the end, the Xamster decided to help the young bounty hunter in his quest. He provided the Human with different types of spores that could aid him in penetrating Mazariyan and apprehending the Separatist leader inside.[25]

During the encounter, the young Fett felt sympathy for the plight of Xeran and his people. This only fueled his determination to take Tambor's head back to Jabba.[28] The Xamster's gifts proved instrumental in gaining entry to the fortress, but once inside, Fett found Grievous, who proved more than a match for the young Human. The boy used Xeran's Xabar fungus to fake his own death and avoid being killed by the Separatist leaders.[29] Although Fett failed to capture Tambor, he allowed the Republic forces to also breach the hideout, sending Tambor and Grievous to flight.[30] Their departure obviated the presence of the Republic ground forces, who also left,[12] and the Xamsters of Xagobah were once again left in peace, albeit as a Republic-held world.[31]

Later history

After Palpatine's maneuverings secured him the throne of the Galactic Empire, the Alliance to Restore the Republic launched the Galactic Civil War. When the Empire was defeated at the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, the government splintered into squabbling factions. Xagobah fell within the domain of one of them, the Eriadu Authority.[32] By 9 ABY, however, the world and its general region of space had become part of the holdings of the New Republic, the successor to the Alliance;[33] it remained within New Republic territory until at least 11 ABY.[34] The population of the world was somewhere between 10 and 100 million c. 25 ABY.[35] Over a century later, in 137 ABY, the Xamster homeworld had fallen into territory controlled by Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire, but it fell within the sphere of influence of the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, the government that Krayt had toppled.[36]

Xamsters in the galaxy

One Xamster who became well-known off Xagobah was Neva Kee, who made a name for himself on the professional Podracing circuit. Kee's unorthodox racing tactics earned him a reputation as a maverick. This status was exemplified by his unusual Podracer, a Farwan & Glott FG 8T8-Twin Block2 Special, which, unlike most other vehicles in the races Kee entered, had its engine and body joined as a single unit. Kee's rebellious nature earned him many enemies in the sport, but it also garnered the adulation of a large base of fans, who treated Kee as a superstar. Nevertheless, the Xamster kept his cool and single-mindedly pursued his goal to dominate his sport.[37] In 32 BBY, Kee was the favored racer on the Baroo Coast track on the planet Baroonda.[7] The Xamster's ambitions were brought to an end during the Boonta Eve Classic Podrace on Tatooine that same year: the pilot strayed from the course in the second lap, never to be seen again.[37]

Behind the scenes

Xamster concept art

The Xamster design for Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace was much more detailed than the digital character eventually inserted into the film.

The art department of Industrial Light & Magic created the Xamster Neva Kee for the Podracing sequence of Star Wars Episode I: The Phantom Menace, released in 1999. During the preproduction process, as early as 1996, concept sketches by Terryl Whitlatch were considered interchangeably for both Kee and Wan Sandage, another Podracer pilot.[38] After George Lucas chose the final versions of these two characters, the production team sculpted a detailed character maquette of Kee.[4] Although the podracer pilots were intended to be clothed in The Phantom Menace,[39] and concept drawings of Kee in podracing gear were generated,[38] photographs of the nude maquette have since appeared in numerous sources as Kee himself, rather than as production art.[40] In the final film, Kee appears only as a low-resolution computer-generated character seated in his racing vehicle.[4]

Several sources provide a brief outline of Kee's career,[41] and he appears in the video game Star Wars: Episode I Racer. The game gives his unusual podracer good traction but a poor top speed. Aside from Kee's story, however, for years little was known about the species as a whole aside from their appearance. Finally in 2004, author Elizabeth Hand expanded on the Xamsters and their culture in her novel Boba Fett: A New Threat.

Appearances

Sources

Notes and references

  1. 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels, p. 92.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. III, p. 340.
  3. 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 Boba Fett: A New Threat, Chapter 10.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 Databank title Neva Kee in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link)
  5. 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 Boba Fett: A New Threat, Chapter 9.
  6. 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 Boba Fett: A New Threat, Chapter 11.
  7. 7.0 7.1 Star Wars: Episode I Racer.
  8. Star Wars Character Encyclopedia, p. 140.
  9. Boba Fett: A New Threat, Chapter 12.
  10. SWInsider "Underworld: A Galaxy of Scum and Villainy" — Star Wars Insider 89
  11. Star Wars: Anakin's Speedway.
  12. 12.0 12.1 12.2 Boba Fett: Pursuit, Chapter 4.
  13. 13.0 13.1 13.2 The Cestus Deception, Chapter 23.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Boba Fett: A New Threat, Chapter 7.
  15. The Essential Atlas, p. 120.
  16. The Essential Atlas, p. 5.
  17. Although The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. III, p. 340, places Xagobah at the border of the Mid and Outer Rim, The Essential Atlas and Star Wars: The Essential Atlas Online Companion, p. 6, place it well within the borders of the Outer Rim.
  18. Boba Fett: A New Threat, Chapter 6.
  19. The Essential Atlas, p. 133.
  20. The Essential Atlas, p. 141.
  21. The Essential Atlas, p. 152.
  22. The New Essential Chronology, p. 80.
  23. 23.0 23.1 23.2 Boba Fett: A New Threat, Chapter 3.
  24. SWInsider "Unknown Soldier: The Story of General Grievous" — Star Wars Insider 86
  25. 25.0 25.1 Boba Fett: A New Threat, Chapters 10–11.
  26. The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. III, p. 341.
  27. The New Essential Chronology, p. 79.
  28. Boba Fett: A New Threat, Chapter 19.
  29. Boba Fett: A New Threat, Chapter 24.
  30. Boba Fett: Pursuit, Chapter 3.
  31. Boba Fett: Pursuit, Chapter 8.
  32. The Essential Atlas, p. 194.
  33. The Essential Atlas, p. 200.
  34. The Essential Atlas, p. 206.
  35. Star Wars: The Essential Atlas, p. 17.
  36. The Essential Atlas, p. 226.
  37. 37.0 37.1 The New Essential Guide to Characters, p. 135.
  38. 38.0 38.1 Star Wars: Episode I Insider's Guide
  39. Star Wars Chronicles: The Prequels, p. 88.
  40. See Star Wars Episode I: The Visual Dictionary, p. 57, and Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, p. 63, for two examples.
  41. See The Official Star Wars Fact File 26 (POD2, Podracer Pilots), p. POD2, and The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia, Vol. II, p. 205, for example.
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