Iakaru

Last Updated: 12/14/2023

Name: Iakaru

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Beast (Simian)

Homeworld: Iakar

Coloration: Orange, Brown, Tan, White, and/or Pink

Biology: Iakaru were a primitive primate species hailing from the planet Iakar. They were roughly humanoid in shape, with wide features, but still sporting a bipedal, two arm/two leg frame. Despite their short, somewhat rounded build, they were considered incredibly agile, flexible, and could swing through the dense jungle vines of Iakar with relative ease. They were also very strong for their size, and it was believed they had evolved sentience not long before their relatively recent discovery.

Visually, Iakaru eyes generally sported black sclerae and pupils, sandwiching bright orange irises. These eyes granted the species tremendous eyesight and depth perception, presumably developed for precise movements when swinging. The also had great spatial awareness, and their eye brows or “brow tufts” (as well as possibly their moustache-like growths) functioned as extrasensory hairs, not unlike cat whiskers.

While most of their body was covered in thick brown or orange fur they could grow white with age, their faces remained exposed and fleshy, showcasing wide, toothy mouths and flat noses with nostrils that curled upwards in a “U” shape. They also had small ears tucked away on the sides of their heads and behind their upper tufts.

The species communicated using a simple language known as Iakari, which consisted or whoops and screams. While it was believed that Iakaru were incapable of pronouncing Galactic Basic for some time, that has since been disproven. There are no know instances of a Force Sensitive member of this species, although that does not mean it wasn’t possible or unlikely.

Society: The Iakaru were still considered a relatively primitive people by the start of the Galactic Civil War, classified as being generally territorial on their homeworld of Iakar but still curious of outsiders. Supposedly, they were not exposed to offworlders until shortly before the start of the Clone Wars, when some galactic pharmaceutical companies decided to pursue ventures on Iakar. They had realized the planet was secretly rich with medicinal ingredients and compounds, and shortly thereafter flocked to the planet to begin harvesting. Relationships between the merchants and the Iakaru were initially good, and this is when they had their first technological boom, starting to develop as a society and discovering how to use advancements weapons and spacecraft. They did not, however, have access to hyperspace travel at first and the majority of the galaxy did not even know they existed.

Relationships with offworlders were stained, unfortunately, when the Clone Wars began, and both sides of the war began setting up research installations on the planet, driving the Iakaru people further and further into their dense jungles. When the Galactic Civil War began, the Empire completely took over the planet, capturing and enslaving many of the Iakaru, with others fleeing the planet as refugees. Many of these Iakaru who had left their homeworld for the first time ended up on other jungle or forest worlds such as Karolia or Gabrador III, although many would come back out of hiding and ally themselves with the Rebel Alliance shortly thereafter, serving as proficient warriors among the rebellion. They were still a rare sight in the galaxy, but those who did make it offworld were touted as extremely quick learners, with some even achieving roles such as doctors.

Legends/Canon: The Iakaru did not exist in Star Wars Legends, instead being introduced into Canon alongside Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

Unexplored: The majority of the race have yet to be explored, with only a handful of instances known so far. Because they have been confirmed to be on the primitive side of a budding sentient species, a lot of my usual worldbuilding question are already somewhat answered by default. It appears that there were many serving alongside the Rebel Alliance, and we do not truly know how just how proficient and/or brutal they were on the field of battle. We also do not know exactly when they first developed sentience/sapience, when they were first discovered and how their relations with the pharma companies panned out, as well as what truly went down on Iakar during the Clone Wars or how they viewed those factions. We also haven’t seen much of the species post-Empire, aside from like one random spice dealer, so was it possible they all settled back on their homeworld and became isolationists, or did they adopt hyperspace technologies and begin really spreading out among the stars? Overall, there really isn’t much to explore with their past, but there is a whole lot to cover with their uncertain future!

Additional Notes: I really dig the Iakar! They have a unique appearance, even for a simian species, and a fairly interesting story just waiting for exploration. I originally claimed they had little in the way of storytelling potential, but I have since changed my tune, and we’re already starting to see more and more of them pop up across media, solidifying their established lore and making them a more prominent staple among the universe! I really hope the Bistan costume as seen in Rogue One is recycled in the future, as it’s actually quite impressive if you watch any Rogue One BTS docs, and I would love to see more of him or them in live action in the future, especially among the ranks of the Rebellion!

Additional Images: