Ru

Last Updated: 11/20/2023

Name: Ru

Humanoid: No

Classification: Rodent/Teacup

Homeworld: Phorose

Coloration: Brown or Gray

Biology: The Ru were a small rodent species who may not give off the impression of being sentient at first glance. The Ru stood anywhere from .35 – .45 meters in height, and were very furry, although we don’t know if the species was more on the rotund side or were thin under their layers of hair. Their fur was varying dull shades of gray or brown, but we have yet to see them as any other colors. When looking at the average Ru, most of the features on their pear-shaped bodies were obscured by their hair, with only the following features still partly visible: small, fluffy tails, skinny, hairless arms, three-fingered hands, large black eyes, protruding pink nose, small, lipless mouth, and fleshy, floppy, flat ears.

Their feet could not be seen and they apparently waddled penguin-style when standing upright. When on all fours, however, they were quick scurriers, although they were still a generally weak species with very little musculature. The Ru had greater natural intelligence than other creatures of a similar standing, although in relation to other sentient species, they were still considered far below the average galactic intelligence and comprehension levels. The Ru did not have the ability to pronounce Galactic Basic, and instead spoke their own unique, currently unidentified language which consisted mostly of squeaks and squeals.

Lore: The Ru served as a point of contention among galactic xenobiologists, with some treating them like nothing more than standard rodents, while others fully granting them “sentient” classification. The latter viewpoint is supported by the fact that they display a higher level of awareness, they’ve developed small civilization pockets on their homeworld of Phorose, they had the capacity to build small stone structures, and had formed a species-wide religion to which they all belonged to. Even then, Phorose’s primary inhabitants, the Phorosians, either did not know the Ru existed or just did not acknowledge their sentience.

While we don’t know when the Ru themselves were discovered, nor if they were specifically considered “members” of the Galactic Republic, but Phorose was invaded by the Separatists during the Clone Wars and the Republic was deployed to render aid and evacuate the locals. The Phorosians were transported offworld first, but a group of Ru were then discovered by the Republic taking refuge in a temple. While attempting to evacuate the small group of refugees, they were all killed except for two. The future of the species is unclear as we do not know if any other Ru survived the Battle of Phorose. Furthermore, it is not confirmed that the two survivors were male and female, so they more or may not have been able to perpetuate their species in the end.

Legends/Canon: While the Ru did appear in an early tie-in comic with The Clone Wars animated series, it was distributed was pre-Disney, and so they are still currently relegated to Star Wars Legends.

Unexplored: Of course, the following section only applies in the lore provided above is translated almost identically into Star Wars Canon. But the first place to start would definitely be their discovery. Did the Galactic Republic know they existed, and if so were they classified as sentient by Republic researchers? Were the Phorosians aware of the Ru and/or that they should be considered as equals and not as pests? What sort of relationships did or would they have had?

What sort of religious beliefs did the Ru possess, and what were their general perspectives on life and the war? How truly advanced were they, and what was the extent of their intelligence, awareness, and capabilities? Finally, did the species survive in the post-Clone Wars eras, or following the Battle of Phorose, did they ultimately face extinction? If they did survive, were they returned to Phorose or did they remain in the care of the Republic, and if so, what would have happened to them when the Empire rose to power? 

Additional Notes: The Ru are potentially one of the cutest sentient species to be featured in Star Wars, although the comic’s art style definitely lends to that idea. I’m curious what they would have looked like either in the Clone Wars animation style, or more specifically in live action, as I feel like they would have a much more… unsettling appearance. Still, their lone appearance was actually somewhat crucial in the development of Barriss Offee’s perspective on the Republic and Jedi Order, so I hope the story itself is eventually referenced or adapted into Canon.

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