Hoover

Last Updated: 12/20/2023

Name: Hoover

Humanoid: No

Classification: Beast (Pachyderm)/Dwarf

Homeworld: Unknown

Coloration: Brown or Tan

Biology: Hoovers were a small, distinctly pachydermoid species that did possess full-on sentience, despite common misconceptions implying otherwise. The species possessed coarse, lumpy, hairless skin that was usually varying shades of brown, seemingly allowing them to blend into the environments of rocky, desert worlds, although this is still difficult to confirm given their current lack of identified homeworld. Hoover skin was often wrinkled, regardless of age, taking on the appearance of clothing that was a few sizes too large for the wearer. They had four, surprisingly strong legs, and were quadrupedal in nature, with their back set of limbs being somewhat larger and longer than their front ones. Each of their legs ended in solid black, two-pronged, ungulate-like hooves, which appeared to have inspired their namesake.

Hoover heads were fairly elephant-like, with elongated, prehensile trunks at least the length of their body that had powerful suction capabilities. Tucked under their snouts were small mouths that held little in the way of teeth, instead bearing what we assume is a circular set of fangs within the tip of their trunk, most likely similar to that of a leech. Hoover eyes were large, glassy, and pitch black, protruding from their head in a way very similar to another pachydermoid species, the Ortolans. Their ears were much smaller than seen on most elephantidae-esque species, being pointed outward from the sides of their heads. Hoovers also had a prominent crest extending from the top of their head, down their back in a series of rounded ridges, and growing smaller before ending at their miniature tail-like growth.

Hoovers possessed heightened senses, with their eyes granting them a degree of night vision, while their hearing and smell were also much more refined than most species. They were a slow moving species, often lying idle for most of the day, and were likely considered nocturnal in nature, although they didn’t move much at night either. When they did move, it would seem they were incredibly silent, and we have no idea if they were capable of even speaking Galactic Basic Standard, as the language they did use generally stuck to very simple, similar sounding noises, commonly containing the “ah” sound.

Despite their lackadaisical demeanor and seemingly miniscule motivation, Hoovers were actually incredibly intelligent, possessing enhanced memory and problem solving capabilities. They were also rather sly, sometimes even taking on unassuming personas to help them with feeding. While Hoovers were technically classified as a carnivorous species, it was actually more accurate to refer to them as hematophagous in nature. This meant that they subsisted almost entirely on a diet of fresh blood. Hoovers were able to quench their vampiric thirst by latching onto living beings with their trucks and slowly draining them of their blood. They did this in a manner that was difficult to detect, taking in only small amounts at a time from each instance of prey, generally only targeting sleeping individuals, and leaving behind little trace of their violations.

Lore: Hoovers were a mysterious species in-universe, with very few people knowing of their existence, and even fewer realizing that they were a complex, sapient race. No one knows where they came from, just that they began to appear throughout the galaxy at some time in the past. Because their methods of communication remain fairly mysterious (although they could seemingly, at the very least, understand Basic), individuals remained closed-off, intentionally or otherwise, and no one knew much about them on a personal level, meaning Hoovers rarely formed interpersonal relationships or had traditional friends. They were, however, often viewed as “pests” or owned as “pets,” their owners oblivious to their level of awareness as the Hoovers took advantage of these situations to feed on their unsuspecting hosts (and the surrounding community) as they slept.

On the surface, they were seen as well-mannered, with little energy and tranquil natures. Even the Republic appeared unaware of their true agency, and so they were seemingly never recognized as a sovereign people, nor ever represented on the Republic Senate. Still, some saw past their natural slowness and innocent facades, realizing that their intelligence and small sizes made them adept mechanics and technicians. In certain circles, having a Hoover technician on your crew could be seen as an incredibly beneficial asset, and they were good at what they did, usually requiring little in the way of care, pay, or benefits, and often living within the ships’ underbellies, ventilation ducts, or within other small compartments.

With the right preparations, you could prevent your blood from being siphoned while you slept within a cramped ship, and on occasions, Hoovers could even be promoted to roles such as pilots. Despite the shape of their bodies, they were capable in almost every station they were assigned to, able to use their wits to overcome obstacles, and their hooved appendages and trunk were surprisingly versatile. Hoovers went by single names, almost always beginning with the letter “A,” such as Attark or Abadoo, although this could be attributed to an incomplete understanding of their language and the possible adoption of common phrases or titles they spoke being associated with their names by non-Hoovers. The species had been discovered prior to the High Republic era, and were just as mysterious as ever. They also chose never to wear clothing, although the reason why remains unstated.

Legends/Canon: The Hoovers were intended to originate in Return of the Jedi back in 1983, with a puppet/prop being fully developed and everything, although like a number of other species meant for Jabba’s Palace, they were ultimately cut. Fortunately, they were made official within RotJ-adjacent media, and were eventually expanded much more throughout the EU, which is where the majority of their lore above comes from. Because of their exclusion from Episode VI, they didn’t make the immediate transition into Canon, although they have since been canonized, maintaining the same general outline of their previously established characterization and even receiving a bit of additional lore such as their ability to pilot ships!

Unexplored: Here’s a species that falls under the “intentionally unexplored” category, which makes this section a tad more difficult, or at the very least, more nuanced. Instead of just straight up asking “what is?” or “why did?” as usual regarding their lore, we have to approach some things more like “should this be revealed, and if so, ‘what is?’ or ‘why did?’” if that even makes any sense. So I suppose let’s go ahead and start by jumping into our first set of questions, again, framed with the mindset above: Firstly, should the Hoovers’ homeworld ever be revealed, and if so, what is it called, where is it located, and what is it like? If not, then when did the Hoovers first randomly start popping up across the galaxy and what did the public, and institutions like the Republic think of them at first, if they even acknowledged their existence? Regardless, how might the Hoovers have been distributed to the corners of the galaxy? Were they found and assisted (or enslaved) by outsiders, or is it possible they developed their own spacefaring technologies and methods, potentially even custom hyperdrive tech given their high natural intelligence and technical expertise?

Were the Hoovers ever involved in any major galactic events, and is there a possible reason as to why we always see them by themselves? Would it be interesting to reveal a Hoover community or colony somewhere, or is it better left up to the imagination why they’re generally loners? Since we’ve never actually seen it played out, what might be the specific details regarding how they extract blood, how their anatomy and biology function, and how they manage to conceal their nightly escapades? Are the Hoovers truly nocturnal, and can they subside their hunger by any other means, such as consuming plasma substitutes or other meats like carrion? Do the Hoovers have any other mysterious, creepy, or fascinating traits we have yet to see displayed? And was it possible for them to become Force Sensitive, or even Jedi or other Force wielding individuals?

What was the name of the Hoover language, could they pronounce Basic, and were the names they were referred to as their true names, or just assumptions made by those who could not speak their native tongue? Outside of viewing them as their owners or walking, talking blood bags, how else might Hoovers view non-Hoovers, and were they capable of forming deeper bonds or connection, religions or philosophies, loyalties or friendships, etc.? Did the Hoovers have any interest in monetary gain? And if not, what might their motivations for working as technicians be if not simply having a readily available supply of food? How many Hoovers were actually out among the galaxy? And was there ever a time in the galaxy’s future where the species became more well known, investigated more by xenobiologists, and potentially feared and shunned, or even hunted to near-extinction by the galactic populous, simply for following their innate nature and fulfilling their needs in the ways they saw most efficient?

Additional Notes: What a unique species with a unique real world origin story! I am so glad to see the species utilized in such a neat yet consistent way within The High Republic, and can’t wait to see what the future of this species entails. There’s so much you can do with this concept, from telling cute and wholesome tales to downright horror stories. So take this species and have a blast with it in your next work!

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