Gigoran

Last Updated: 12/6/2023

Name: Gigoran

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Beast (Canine/Ursa)

Homeworld: Gigor

Coloration: White, Brown, Gray, Black

Biology: Gigorans are massive, beast-like creatures, similar in biology to Wampas, although they are both completely sapient and sentient. They were massive in stature, often standing 2 or more meters in height. They have fluffy, yet silky, fur that ranges from white to gray to black. They are generally heavy set, their faces are more scrunched together than many beast-like species, and they had longer hair extruding from the top of their heads similar to that of humans. This hair was generally the same color as the rest of their fur. The Gigorans’ eyes could be black, brown, red, or yellow. Their physiology made them incapable of speaking Basic, and they had to rely on external voice box translators to communicate with other species.

Lore: Gigor is an extremely frigid world, remaining fairly primitive and desolate. Gigoran society was actually comparable to that of the Wookiees. They were somewhat tribal, but still advanced enough to use basic technologies, weapons, and establishments. Unlike Wookiees, however, Gigorans lived in cities carved from icy caverns, instead of elaborate tree houses. Before the start of the Galactic Civil War, they did not have many interactions with the outside galaxy. When they did, they were required to use language vocoders to communicate via Galactic Basic.

Shortly after the rise of the Empire, Gigor was invaded by both the Zygerrians as well as the Imperials. Both factions captured and enslaved the majority of the Gigorans, and treated them as very valuable slaves as they were strong and durable. Although they were a relatively peaceful race, the Zygerrians sold many of the Gigorans off as bodyguards. They also encouraged bounty hunters and mercenaries to travel to Gigor to capture their very own Gigoran, leading to many of them becoming mercenaries themselves. The Empire on the other hand replaced their dwindling Willie supply with Gigorans, who were both heartier and less likely to revolt. Those who did escape regularly allied themselves with the nearest Rebel cell they could find, whether that was the Partisans or a more peaceful sect. It would appear that they faced another wave of persecution under the First Order as well.

Legends/Canon: Believe it or not, the Gigorans actually date back to 1994, and were introduced in a Star Wars roleplaying game. Because of this, they technically did exist in Legends, although they weren’t necessarily even truly “canonized” back then. They weren’t officially Canonized until Rogue One, released in 2016. As you will see with the images below, they have been altered massively, and only traces of what the 1994 Gigorans were made it into the Canon version of the species. In Legends, they were a much more primitive species, able to speak Basic without a vocoder, but usually relying on their own language of grunts and barks. They were more closely related to canines, or even simians from some depictions, and were the Star Wars equivalent of cavemen. The most modern technology they had were stone tools and fire. They were still sold into slavery, but this predates the Zygerrians as we know them, so even that bit of lore is different.

Unexplored: There’s definitely a lot here to unpack. Gigorans are practically a mix between a Wookiee and a Wampa, with the physiology and homeworld of Wampas, but the culture and history of Wookiees. Like Wookiees, they were enslaved by the Galactic Empire, but with the added bonus of being enslaved en masse by the Zygerrian Empire as well. They had a tragic history, and unlike the Wookiees who engaged in wars like the Clone Wars, it would seem the Gigorans really did just want to live in peace. However, many were broken and scarred so far behind their peaceful upbringings, that they had no choice but to become mercenaries or heavy troops in the Rebellion.

Once you develop and distinguish their background and culture a little more, you can actually craft some really interesting characters and stories about the Gigorans. How would one who was captured by the Zygerrians differ from one who worked for the Empire? What would the progression of a peaceful giant to a beast damaged beyond psychological repair look like? Why did some join the Rebellion, while others remain as body guards and bounty hunters, and what did each one think of the other? How were they affected by the Clone Wars, and how did they react or apply what they had learned to their newfound oppression under the First Order. There as some great cultural topics to explore here, and it could make for a very interesting character study within the Star Wars universe.

Additional Notes: I still cannot believe that this species actually existed for over 20 years before it’s actual Canon debut. The more I researched this species, the more I fell in love with them, and I definitely personally want to try to write and characterize a Gigoran character sometime in the near future. This species gets a high grade in potential from me!

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