Shozer

Last Updated: 11/21/2023

Name: Shozer

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Alternative

Homeworld: Unclear

Coloration: Pink, Tan, Brown, and/or Orange

Biology: Shozers were a frog-like sentient species that, while sharing traits with many amphibious species, have not technically been confirmed to be so as of yet. Being bipedal, Shozers generally stood around 1.6 to 1.7 meters on average, slightly shorter than the average Human. They had two legs and two arms, with three-fingers on each hand (two wide forefingers and a thumb). Their heads have largely been obscured as of the writing of this article (as have most of their bodies), however, we do know at least what their nose and eyes look like. The species had a head shaped somewhat like that of a frog or turtle, with large black eyes, small nostril slits, and pale pink or tan skin that grows darker brown in the center of their foreheads, the dark patch seemingly leading up to the top of their head.

Lore: The Shozer seemed to be a mysterious species, speaking little and covering almost their entire body in protective clothing, including their hands, feet, and lower jaw. They also seemed to wear specialized helmets of an unknown purpose which were quite large and rounded, and had a hollow cylinder that wrapped around the back of their head, ending with a forward-facing opening on each side, potentially assisting with hearing or some other bodily function. Shozers were commonly found among insurgent groups such as the Rebel Alliance and the Resistance, potentially hinting at a history of oppression under the First Order, Empire, or some other faction(s) entirely. Shozer names often included double letters, such as Krel Noviip and Goss Toowers.

Legends/Canon: The Shozers were one of the first species to be created for the current official Star Wars Canon, being used fairly consistently throughout marketing for The Force Awakens, as well as appearing in the early Canon mobile game, Star Wars: Uprising, although their appearances have slowed down substantially over recent years, appearing once so far in The High Republic.

Unexplored: As you can see above, we know next to nothing about the Shozers, although there are some interesting questions we can pose based off of what we’ve seen so far. So first off, are the Shozers amphibious, and what about their homeworld caused them to evolve the way they did? Is it possible their full-body coverings were intended to keep in moisture, or if not, what exactly was their purpose, especially with the helmets? On that matter, what did the rest of their bodies look like, and could they survive with any more of their skin exposed? Were there cultural reasons as to why they were “mysterious,” both in how they carried themselves and how they dressed, and why did they seem to have such a strong opposition to tyrannical orders such as the Empire and First Order?

Alongside some of these more specific questions, of course, we (or whoever expand upon the Shozers, officially or otherwise) also need to tackle some general worldbuilding stuff including many of the following species traits such as their overall history, origins, and evolution, including what type of animal they evolved from and when exactly they first developed sentience? Additionally, when were the Shozers first discovered, and by whom? Were they members of the Republic and represented on the Senate, or were they possibly discovered by some other party, potentially one that enslaved and/or oppressed them? What sort of civilizations sprung up on their still unknown homeworld, how did they live, was it underwater or on land, and what did their architecture look like? Given the general technical aptitude we’ve seen displayed by members of the species so far, how advanced was the species as of the “modern age” of the universe? And what sort of governmental structure or political systems, both local or potentially global, might the Shozers have had?

Were the Shozers ever evolved in any major intergalactic events or possibly wars, and, of course, what was their collective relationship with major groups or factions such as the Republic, CIS, Nihil, Empire, Rebel Alliance, Jedi, First Order, etc.? Were they affected by offworlders for any unique produce or export found on their home planet, and how could their planetary economy be described? Did the Shozers possess any sort of unique philosophies, religions, cultural practices, or habits that might set them apart from other similar species in the galaxy? And were there any other distinct traits that we’re missing that are key elements of the species existence, and thus, should be common knowledge when referencing or discussing them? Aside from these lore-based ideas, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to see a little more of their appearance, as we still have very little to go off of. There should be a way to reveal more while still maintaining their air of physical mystery.

Additional Notes: I like the Shozers, although I think, given their mostly obscured appearance, they’re a lot more forgettable than many of the other early ST species. Their inclusion in initial The Force Awakens marketing did give them a slight boost in popularity, and I came across some fun discussion board posts theorizing about the character of Goss Toowers and attempting to spot him from among the film’s trailer, but once he was revealed to be nothing more than an obscure background character who just happened to receive an action figure, the species’ prominence died down considerably and we haven’t seen much discussion regarding them since. Hopefully the future holds more for the Shozers, and there’s still time to see one in The High Republic before the final phase comes to an end! (Also shoutout to Luke D. Fisher for working on both the concept art and costume for this one, I’m sure he’s proud of how it turned out!)

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