Maccabree

Last Updated: 12/4/2023

Name: Maccabree

Humanoid: No

Classification: Alternative

Homeworld: Unknown (Firefist Galaxy)

Coloration: Tan or Gray

Biology: We actually do not know what the Maccabree’s body truly looked like. The only things we know is that they are a tentacled cephalopod akin to an octopus, they had gray or tan skin with large, somewhat humanoid faces, and disproportionately wide eyes and a mouth. We have never seen any visible nostrils, ears, or tentacles. The Maccabree would quickly die if they were removed from the specific atmosphere and gravity of their homeworld, and could only travel offworld in specialized pressurized units. Every time we’ve seen them, they are nested within a robotic, almost organic looking mech suit that doubled as a life support system for traveling offworld. 

These suits sometimes varied in appearance, but usually had a bulky mechanical frame and fleshier looking hands and a head. Despite their somewhat realistic appearance and natural functionality, these bodies were still mechanical and the heads could be destroyed with no injury to the actual Maccabree host. The Maccabree could actually shed their mechanical limbs and launch the torso into the air to retreat from dangerous situations, although they were essentially immobile until they were extracted or could receive a new suit. The suits were over 2 meters tall and very wide, however it is unclear just how large the actual Maccabree were.

Lore: The Maccabree were a fairly mysterious species that could be found on an unknown planet within the Unknown Regions. Their system, known by the locals as the Firefist Galaxy and by the Republic/Empire/New Republic as the Companion Besh Galaxy, had seldom been explored by the outside galaxy, aside from a few unmanned probe explorations. This area of the Unknown regions also contained species like the Nagai, the Faruun, and the Tof, which clearly looked down at the Maccabree as a lesser species. 

They were known for being a naturally aggressive species who were constantly engulfed in civil wars and tribal disputes on their homeworld, prior to their exposure to the outside galaxy. They were a crude species who dwelled in surface caves, and fought primarily using their tentacled arms. This went on for many years until they were eventually visited by the Tof. They attempted to combat the invading Tof forces, but stood no chance, and were quickly conquered. Many of the Maccabree were enslaved and used as the subjects of Tof experiments and other cruel and unusual punishments. After the Tof had grown tired of experimenting on the Maccabree, they released them all and left the world, however, the remnants of the cephalopod society were now in shambles and the species was broken and tamed.

Shortly after this event, the Maccabree were approached by, and allied with, both the Nagai and Faruun species. They had also been persecuted by the Tof, and decided to band together in solidarity. The Faruun were a much more advanced species, and were able to develop the suits became a standard among the Maccabree, especially now that they began to travel offworld. The Faruun did eventually fall away from this trio of species as the Nagai began to grow bold and hungered to conquer the galaxy. The Maccabree served as a large part of their fighting force, and they began marauding any worlds they came across (as well as still clashing with the Tof). They would eventually attack worlds belonging to the Alliance of Free Planets (the stage between the Rebel Alliance and the New Republic) like Kashyyyk and Kinooine, before things finally came to a head at the Second Battle of Endor.

The conflict between the Alliance and the Nagai/Maccabree resulted in massive Maccabree casualties, and a full retreat. They had a few more skirmishes with the Alliance during the following month, and at some point their alliance with the Nagai began to wane. They were ambushed by the Tof at Zeltros and suffered even more casualties, only able to survive by finally siding with the Alliance of Free Planets and another powerful force known as the Hiromi Empire. Sometime before this event they seemed to have severed their ties with the Nagai, although it is unclear who they allied with going forward.

Legends/Canon: The Maccabree and all of the lore surrounding them (aside from the existence of the Companion Besh Galaxy) only exist within Star Wars Legends. 

Unexplored: So originating from the Unknown Regions, the Maccabree don’t necessarily have to be fully explored. Some mystery can be left about their origin, and even possibly their homeworld, depending on if we are going to see individual instances or their civilization in general. Either way, it would be nice to know what they look like without the mechanized suits. How long did they go without contact with the outside galaxy, and when did the other species first discover them? How much did they suffer at the hands of the Tof, and what kind of experiments were performed on the Maccabree? 

How many stayed on their homeworld when the others joined up with the Nagai? Was it the entire race, or simply a group of revolutionaries? How many were left alive by the time they reached Zeltros, and did any abandon their brethren on other worlds and pursue other careers or lifestyles? When and why did they eventually leave the Nagai? And did they eventually join the Alliance of Free Planets (and later the New Republic) or did they go right back to fighting them, become neutral, or retreat back into the recesses of the Unknown Regions? There’s actually a lot that could be explored aside from what I just mentioned, but this general information is probably the best to consider for now, especially if you are writing within the context of the main Legends timeline. If you are adding them to Canon, you can essentially take unlimited liberties when characterizing the Maccabree, but it may be best to leave at least some of their preexisting lore as it’s fairly unique and interesting.

Additional Notes: My initial thoughts when learning about this species was that they reminded me of the villain M.O.D.O.K. from Marvel (and to a lesser extent TMNT’s Krang, although that’s probably more appropriate). Upon further research, they actually turned out to be incredibly interesting with a lot of surprising twists in their lore. I can only think of 3 other species that utilize droid-like “mech suits” to get around, those being the Shards, the Sugi, and the Ssori. I find all of them very fun and very diverse despite having such a similar concept, and the Maccabree are no exception.

I definitely want to see this species in Canon, even if they have to be made slightly more realistic. Instead of looking quite as goofy and rotund (as original as it is), they would probably be better received by becoming more streamlined and adding the “cool” factor. I just cannot express how much I enjoy this species, from their lore to their design to their concept. I hope you can appreciate them as well, and whether it’s an official property or simply a fanfic, I want to see so much more of them in the near future.

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