Triffian

Last Updated: 1/31/2024

Name: Triffian

Humanoid: No

Classification: Beast (Simian)/Alternative/Dwarf

Homeworld: Triffis

Coloration: Blue, Brown, Yellow, & Tan

Biology: The Triffians were a diminutive, monkey-like species, standing somewhat shorter than the average Human or humanoid species, approximately 1.2 meters in height. They had rounded squat bodies and short, thin limbs. Their legs possessed visible joints on their hips, forward-facing knees, reversed knees, and bulging ankles. They had large feet, with three long toes ending in yellowish claws and connected via webbing. They had elongated tails. And they had short but muscular arms with long, three-fingered hands. Triffian bodies were covered in a thin layer of tan or light blue fur, with longer, shaggier brown or dark blue hair on their arms, heels, back, and tail.

They possessed a fan-like mane of hair that spread out from all sides of their head, the fur from their chin a bright blue, and the brown or dark blue hair extending from their cheeks fanning out and ending in a curled, upward-facing point that was blue at the very tip on each side. This hair covered complex sensory appendages known as “thermoregulator flaps.” They also had a small pointed, blue cowlick on the very top of their heads. Triffians had white faces, with bright blue widow’s peaks and noses. They also had yellow patches around their eyes and on both sides of their pointed, almost beak-like lips. Triffians had large, white teeth, upturned, flat noses, and beady eyes with blue, yellow, or green sclera surrounded by wrinkled eyelids. 

Triffian thermoregulator flaps helped Triffians regulate their body temperature, which seemingly stored large amounts of heat in their rounded torsos. Should these flaps be damaged, Triffians could quickly and life-threateningly overheat. Triffians also had the ability to retract these flaps to an extent, and their ornate appearance may have been used for mating rituals. Male and female Triffians were virtually indistinguishable. They were also known for being surprisingly strong, agile, and flexible, despite their rotund and disproportionate size. Triffians could easily pronounce Galactic Basic and Hutteese, although they also spoke an unknown native language that has yet to be officially heard or described.

Lore: Triffians were considered an ancient species, developing sentience in the early days of the Old Republic era. They were originally a race of artists, sculptors, and philosophers, lacking in advanced technologies or other amenities that many species at the time placed value in. The Triffians actually progressed very slowly, even after tens of thousands of years had passed, and they were quickly surpassed by all of the species who had become a part of the growing Galactic Republic. The Triffians were visited at some point by the Hutt Empire, although surprisingly, they were neither enslaved nor subjugated, only adopting their language of Hutteese on certain areas of Triffis. 

Triffis itself was still a rather mysterious world, boasting some sort of rich resource, as well as at least a little bit of a tourism industry by the time of the Clone Wars. This indicates that they were discovered and introduced to the Republic and the rest of the outside galaxy prior to this era. At some point following their discovery, the Triffians were officially made a member of the Galactic Republic and given a seat on the Senate, as well as becoming strong allies with the prominent planet of Naboo. Still, they rarely caved to galactic norms, refusing to adorn clothing, even in public settings, and not pursuing advanced technologies such as weaponry or space-faring vessels. They also had at least one mega-celebrity in their history that was revered by the entire species, the intergalactic podracing champion, Ebe. E. Endocott.

Legends/Canon: The Triffians were first created for Star Wars: Episode I: “The Phantom Menace,” with all of their extended media listed above being explored within the confines of Star Wars Legends. Due to their inclusion in the film, the Triffians are Canon, however, they have yet to be canonically explored in-depth.

Unexplored: There is a lot left unexplored in regards to the Triffian’s history and lore, especially within Star Wars Canon specifically as they are completely loreless. Below are some questions to ask that, should they be answered, would help significantly in fleshing out the Triffians and making them more memorable. These are framed in a manner that takes into account their Legends lore, so should this lore be adapted pretty much verbatim into Canon, then the answers will make a lot more sense. These questions include: When did the Triffians first develop sentience and what sort of animal did they evolve from? What was Triffis like? When were they first discovered, who first discovered them, and when were they first integrated into the greater galaxy?

What sort of art did the Triffians produce, and why did they take such an interest in it? Were the Triffians originally a pacifistic species, or did they have a history of violent events, whether among themselves or with other planets? What were their perspectives on the outside galaxy and their customs and traditions? And how did they galaxy view their apparent “lack of progress” as well as their disdain for clothing? What sort of government, society, and economy did the Triffians have, and what sort of valuable exports did they boast? What happened to the Triffians during the Clone Wars and following the Republic’s collapse? And how many Triffians were located on Triffis as opposed to those out and about in the greater galaxy? Exploring concepts like these will surely give the Triffians some solid, memorable lore.

Additional Notes: When researching for this entry, I came to realize just how unique the Triffians’ design really is and just how much I actually like it. It’s a shame they haven’t been used in anything recently as they are such a fun and recognizable looking species. They deserve a chance to earn their place within Canon and have more fans know their name, so hopefully we will see them in another upcoming live action project, or at the very least within The High Republic media event. At the very least, until that day comes, fan authors or artists can use this species in their own works, and given the general creativity within the Star Wars fandom, I know they can do amazing things with this species!

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