Benathy

Last Updated: 09/08/2025

Name: Benathy

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Beastite/Giant

Homeworld: Unknown

Coloration: Brown or Orange

Biology: The Benathy were large bipeds standing between 3 and 3.6 meters in height. They had muscular frames with a thick coat of shaggy brownish-orange fur. They also possessed massive forearms and large, four-fingered hands large enough to pick up the average humanoid species. Their nails also grew naturally sharp, although they normally kept them trimmed down. Their necks were obscured by large manes of fur that went all the way around, from the upper-back side of their head to under their chins.

Benathy had big, pointed ears extending up from the top of their heads. Beneath their pronounced brows were beady white or red eyes. They also had a large upper lip and a mouth full of sharp, pointed teeth indicative of a carnivore. Their most noticeable trait were the massive tusks that extended from the inside corner of their mouths. Benathy had immense strength and durability, however, their baseline intelligence was still rather low. They had the ability to pronounce Galactic Basic, but also had their own native tongue.

Lore: While we do not know the name of the Benathy’s homeworld, we do know that it was located in Wild Space. In fact, following their acquisition of space fairing technology, the Benathy actually spread their Empire out to the surrounding planets, all of which remain unnamed as well. Their sector of space became known as the “Benathy Expansion,” although the majority of their species still lived on their rocky homeworld. There they established a single world government known as the “Benathy Kingdom” sporting a massive military consisting of potentially billions of skilled Benathy warriors.

Despite this, the Benathy were not necessarily known as conquerors. The planets they colonized appeared to all be uninhabited, although they were more than ready to stand up and die to repel those who would threaten their territory. And although they were still fairly primitive, at least by galactic standards, they had traditions in place that prioritized civility and negotiations when dealing with outsiders. They also had access to fairly advanced technology, although it is unclear whether they themselves developed it or they simply acquired it from someone else in the past.

Over everything, the Benathy valued an individual’s size and strength. Even the most subtle differences between Benathy’s bodies could completely dictate their social standing. It was common for Benathy to wear identical or very similar clothing. And Benathy soldiers often donned varying pieces of armor, headwear, jewelry, or even items that displayed important trophies. Their military used a wide array of weaponry, from primitive spears to complex blaster cannons, to cobbled together walkers and tanks. Who got to use what is believed to have been determined by size, strength, and skill in combat.

Benathy were very proud and very rarely resorted to underhanded tactics. If at all possible, they preferred hand-to-hand combat where they could showcase their physical strength, and they often kept their thumbnails long and sharpened, which, when paired with their tusks, gave them more than enough natural weaponry for when brute force did not work. The Benathy were incredibly stubborn, but knew to accept defeat when they were positive they were outclassed. Benathy also bore great shame when losing any part of their body, whether an arm, tusk, or especially their legs, as with it they lost total mass and therefore respect.

The Benathy were ruled by a singular “King,” generally regarded as one of the largest and strongest Benathy alive. Whether the other colonies were ruled by their own Kings or whether they all answer to the one that ruled their homeworld is currently unknown. Their military also grew so large that the rest of the galaxy took notice, and while the Galactic Republic chose to leave the be, the Empire were not so forgiving. Darth Vader alongside with the full might of the Galactic Empire arrived on the Benathy homeworld and a massive battle ensued. Both sides suffered many casualties, but the Benathy were eventually beaten into submission.

The Benathy acknowledged the strength of the Empire and especially their “black knight,” however, they were not as thrilled about the different underhanded tricks and tactics that the Empire employed. They also did not appreciate the harsh treatment they received under the regime, and so a particular hatred began to brew as the Benathy collected Imperial technology and even Stormtrooper helmets as trophies, decorations, and other types of ornaments. The Empire were eventually driven offworld by a native Zillo Beast that even Vader could not defeat, and the Benathy lost any respect that had left for their tyrannical invaders.

They spent the following years expanding their empire and growing their forces in preparation for another invasion. However, the Empire never returned, instead replaced by the First Order who disapproved of the Benathy’s expansion. Kylo Ren himself arrived and a fight soon broke out, with Ren removing both of the King’s legs, the first time a King had been defeated since Darth Vader had last arrived. The First Order were able to gain the upper hand, but the Benathy’s god, the Zillo Beast, soon arrived.

They had worshiped the creature, which had arrived on the world long ago (presumably from Malastare), as it was the largest and strongest thing they had ever encountered. Surprisingly, Kylo Ren dove into the mouth of the creature and killed it from within. This earned him the respect and allegiance of all Benathy, who quickly allied themselves with the First Order and seemingly halted any further attempts at expanding. What happened to the Benathy after the death of Ben Skywalker/Kylo Ren and the collapse of the First Order is still currently unknown.

Continuity: The Benathy are exclusive to Star Wars Canon, and currently exist only within the “Age of Resistance – Kylo Ren” comic run.

Unexplored: There’s a lot about the Benathy’s past and history that still remains unexplored, as well as what happened to them post-First Order. What was the name of their homeworld as well as their other numerous colonies? And how big was their empire? Where did the Benathy get their technology from, why does it have such a unique aesthetic, and were they the ones to first develop it or is it derived from someone or somewhere else? When did they first encounter offworlders, was it with the Republic or a different group, and was the confrontation peaceful or bloody? Just how extensive was their military, prior to and after their encounters with the Empire and First Order, and how was their government structured in regards to their multiple colony worlds? Exploring these questions, as well as their past and future lore (and our usual list of generic worldbuilding concepts) can help make the Benathy stand out and become a more recognizable species among the galaxy of much more popular aliens.

Additional Notes: The Benathy are one of those species that I just haven’t been able to forget since first seeing them. Their appearance is nothing necessarily spectacular, but it’s just unique enough to be recognizable and cool. I would love to see a Benathy character in the future who is not a part of their normal society but still carries the beliefs and fervor evident here. Even just learning about what they were up to as early as the High Republic era or, in contrast, post-Cold War era, following the collapse of the First Order and death of Ren, would be more than enough to tide me over for a while. I would love help in spreading awareness for this species and trying to get them to appear in future Canon Star Wars media, no matter the medium!

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