Ensel

Last Updated: 1/25/2024

Name: Ensel

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Alternative

Homeworld: Enselon

Coloration: Pink, Purple, Blue, and/or Yellow

Biology: The Ensel were a vaguely humanoid alien species found within the Star Wars universe. They were bipedal, with two arms and two legs, standing approximately the same height as the average Human, albeit with a slightly hunched posture. Ensel were a fleshy species with colorful pigmentation that could range from yellow to pink to blue. They had large, three-toed feet with digitigrade legs, as well as long arms ending in elongated three-fingered hands. They also had gangly torsos that were segmented into three distinct portions, and may have even had some sort of tail or tail-like growth.

Ensel had stretched necks, angular heads, and long faces, with a rounded, fleshy ridge surrounding the top of their skull. Their head was covered in fleshy lobes and spikes, as well as numerous long, disheveled strands that appeared to be hairs. They had pointed chins as well as thin mouths with semi-pronounced lips. They lacked a traditional nose, the area between their upper lip and eyes being long and flat. Their small, beady eyes were tucked into their heads, under pronounced brows. Additionally, they had three points running across the top of their head, with two shorter ones flanking the tallest one extending from the top of their head. Ensel had the capacity to be Force Sensitive, and could presumably pronounce Galactic Basic.

Lore: Nothing is currently known about the Ensel, aside from the fact that they originated from a planet known as Enselon, and they had been discovered sometime prior to the start of the Clone Wars.

Continuity: The Ensel are fascinating when it comes to their behind-the-scenes origins. They seem to have originated from a piece of Jedi concept art created by Dermot Power for Attack of the Clones, which inspired a physical alien head bust displayed alongside many others for Goerge Lucas to potentially choose as a design for Dexter Jettster (although, obviously, it wasn’t selected), which was then recycled like a handful of the other busts (including those that would become Coleman Trebor, Wat Tambor, Pabo Jill, and Chon Actrion) and turned into a full body maquette, before being scrapped, the original piece of art making its way into “The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia” as the EU Jedi Master Alta Ranga (and finally being dubbed the Ensel).

I made quite the extensive thread about this on Twitter/X some time back, although this is sort of a summary of this thread (check out the images below for additional references). Supposedly their OG design was actually taken from an obscure alien model used among the Boonta Eve Classic crowds within Episode I: The Phantom Menace, although I have yet to precisely identify what this little fun fact might be referring to. Additionally, an individual appears among a crowd within the Canon one-shot comic “War of the Bounty Hunters Alpha” who matches the Ensel’s previous design almost to a tee, too much, in my opinion, to be a coincidence, which would, in turn, mean the species IS technically Canon, although only appears and not in name or any substantial lore. This idea hasn’t been made widely known, however, and so could be contested, although I will defend it fiercely (see the image of this guy below, as well).

Unexplored: Given how sparse even a morsel of Ensel lore was, we have essentially no basis to even pose unique questions that would help us better understand them. Instead, we can only ask queries like “could Alta Ranga still exist within Canon?” or “were these supposed crowd fillers in Episode I actually our first onscreen Ensel?” or “was the yellow individual in the crowd of WotBH Alpha truly intended to be an Ensel, making them Canon?” Getting some concrete answers to these questions, as well as exploring their various generic worldbuilding traits such as their origins, evolution, history, homeworld, discovery, expansion, civilizations, society, politics, government, allegiances, arts, exports, economies, architecture, advancements, religions, philosophies, traditions, cultural practices, habits, languages, diets, and/or unique anatomical or biological traits, will help us much better understand and this characterize and include the Ensel within our own future projects.

Additional Notes: I have a very personal connection to the spread of awareness for this species and its design evolution, and think it’s a massive shame that it never made its way into a live action film, nor really got featured in anything outside of its official EU debut. There were so many times and places where Alta Ranga could have shined, and yet he was just cast by the wayside, never to be utilized. I was ecstatic when I drew the connection between the Ensel and that random crowd goer, and really, REALLY hope their appearance was intentional (I still don’t see how it could be anything but). However, that’s still sort of the bare minimum, and this species deserves to see the spotlight after all these years, so I will keep vying for a major Ensel appearance every chance I get. Sorry in advance to all of the fans and official Star Wars creators if it grows annoying!

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