Cyclorrian

Last Updated: 1/31/2024

Name: Cyclorrian

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Insectoid/Dwarf

Homeworld: Clyclor

Coloration: Grey, Blue, and Brown

Biology: The Cyclorrians were a race of diminutive fly-like Insectoids hailing from the bustling world of Cyclor. They were squat, standing only around 1 to 1.3 meters tall on average. They sported small feet, and much larger three-fingered hands. Their skin is coarse in texture, generally grey, although they usually had patches of blue and brown/tan all across their body. They were also covered in a number of bumps, spots, and many wrinkles. 

Cylorrians had huge heads and incredibly large, compound eyes. These eyes were reflective, often described as “pearlescent,” and were usually a gradient of blue to purple in coloration. They also had long, pointed ears, a trait uncommon among Insectoid species. They had two sets of antennae, one pair extending up from the top-back portion of their head. The others extended outward from the bottom corners of their mouths. Cyclorrians had many wrinkles on their faces, seemingly regardless of age.

We do not know what the Cyclorrians’ mouths looked like, as they were always seen wearing some sort of breathing apparatus. There was clearly some difference between the atmosphere of Cyclor and other worlds, although we don’t know exactly what this difference was. Their extrasensory antennae helped them navigate the dark tunnels of their subterranean dwellings, and the soles of their feet actually possessed a natural “adhesive” in nature, allowing them to easily cling to uneven surfaces, vertical walls, or even ceilings it would seem.

We do not know if they had the capacity to speak Galactic Basic, but their facial apparatuses may have doubled as translating vocoders. Their natural languages was very “inhuman,” consisting primarily of quick clicking and chirping noises. Cyclorrians had keen senses, and especially heightened eyesight. It was also known that their faces changed shades depending on certain moods, turning purple when incredibly upset or stressed. Cyclorrians required much less sleep than the average galactic being, able to work non-stop for well over a twenty-four hour day with little problem. It was also theorized they possessed some sort of pseudo-hive mind, or at the very least, they had a non-verbal method of syncing their actions to increase teamwork and productivity.

Lore: The Cyclorrians originated on the planet Cyclor, living inside the massive caverns and catacombs beneath the world’s surface. Because of this, they were well acclimated to and much more comfortable in dark environments, although it is unclear if they are bothered by bright lights or not. We know that they evolved to gain sentience a fairly long time ago, as they were well known by the time of the High Republic. In fact, they were strong supporter of the Galactic Republic, presumably indicating that they were members and represented on the Senate as well. The Cyclorrians created many of the most well know and reliable vessels utilized by the Republic centuries or even potentially millennia before the rise of the Galactic Empire.

The Cyclorrians operated out of “Swarms,” clans spawned from a number of Cyclorrian families and varied widely in size. Swarms usually shared philosophies and made decisions collectively, often collaborating with other Swarms to accomplish large tasks. Individually, the Cyclorrians were not very imposing, nor intelligent, however when gathered in their Swarm, they were quite the formidable force. Certain manufacturers took advantage of this, constructing massive shipyards above Cyclor and employing entire Swarms of locals as their workforce, a venture that turned out to be incredibly profitable due to their association with the Incom Corporation. We also know that at least one entire Swarm joined the Resistance to fight against the First Order.

During the High Republic era, the Cyclorrians were responsible for constructing the Elite-class Research Vessels, as well as the smaller but much more utilized Z-29 Skyhawk Starfighters, valuable assets to both the Republic and the Jedi Order. This made them the prime target for a Nihil raid, which was exactly what happened 231 BBY. The Nihil launched a full scale invasion on the Incom Cyclor Shipyards, forcing the Cyclorrians to take up arms, despite not being trained soldiers or really ever engaging in violent action prior. They put up a surprisingly valiant fight, working diligently to protect their precious creations, and while all of the invaders were eventually killed when the Jedi came to the rescue, many Cyclorrians from among at least one prominent Swarm were also casualties of this fight. Unfortunately, that same year, a second battle between the Nihil and the Jedi also took place above Cyclor with almost equally as devastating results, seemingly resulting in the lessened Cyclorrian involvement we see among the Republic by the start of the Clone Wars.

Individual Cyclorrians often had a hard time getting around, so many utilized larger mobile platforms or loadlifter workframes to travel. We also know that many took up jobs as technicians, although they rarely did so alone. Seeing a Cyclorrian who had traveled offworld without the rest of their swarm was next to impossible. Their names always included multiples of the letter “z,” as we’ve seen with Cyclorrians like “Wizzich Mozzer’’ and “Vazzet Dipterz.” This is potentially due to the insectoid manner in which they spoke.

Legends/Canon: The Cyclorrians are exclusive to Star Wars Canon.

Unexplored: The groundwork has been laid for the Cyclorrians, but it still needs some fleshing out. Answering some of the following questions would be incredibly beneficial to their lore: When did the Cyclorrians develop sentience, and when were they discovered by the greater galaxy? Approximately how many distinct Swarms are there, and are they growing rapidly or on the decline? What do the caverns of Cyclor look like (if light was ever shed upon them)? Did any Cyclorrians live on the surface of the world, and how many lived in the space stations and shipyards above the planet’s surface?

Was the biggest driving force behind their economy the shipyards and their association with Incom, or did Cyclor also have some other sort of export/mining industry? Were Cyclorrians willing to work in the shipyards of their own free will, or were there times where they may have been enslaved? And on that note, how much agency or intelligence did an individual Cyclorrian possess? We know they were skilled mechanics, but did they ever receive any schooling or have a much higher intelligence than other species believed? Why did they wear clothes, as many Insectoid species do not, and did they only practice this offworld or even within the caverns of Cyclor?

How many casualties were there as a result of the First and Second Battles of Cyclor? Did their suffering at this time lead to a fractured relationship with the Republic, or at least a diminished association with them and/or Incom? In fact, were they ever formal members of the Republic, and did they have Senators representing them on the Senate? What happened to the species during the Clone Wars and Galactic Civil War, and were they as valuable of targets as they were when the Nihil first arrived? Why did so many ally themselves with the Resistance? Had the planet been invaded by the First Order, or did they just have a past of war and enslavement throughout other eras? Exploring all of these many questions, as well as other general worldbuilding traits that still haven’t been fleshed out as of yet, will prove incredibly beneficial for the fandom’s awareness of these Insectoids!

Additional Notes: This is a fun little species, although there’s not a whole lot to differentiate them from others like the Geonosians. I do like their current inclusion in the High Republic, and the fact that Warwick Davis portrayed one onscreen makes them 100x more memorable by default! The idea of the little Insectoid mech suits/mobile platforms is fun, if not reminiscent of Ugnaught and their Uggernaughts. Overall, as far as some of the newer Canon background species go, I have an incredibly positive outlook on the Cyclorrians, and only hope to see more of them appear in media in the near future!

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