Sharalian

Last Updated: 1/31/2024

Name: Sharalian

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Avian/Dwarf

Homeworld: Unclear

Coloration: Tan and Brown

Biology: The Sharalians were a diminutive species bearing many owl-like traits, despite being a wingless, flightless species. Standing approximately .7 meters on average, albeit with a slightly hunched posture, Sharalians appeared to have plump bodies, although, like owls, it is very possible they had much spindlier frames covered in a thicker layer of rounded down. Said down consisted of fine feathers that almost took on a fur-like appearance, covering almost the entirety of the Sharalians’ bodies and being various shades of tan or brown. The only portions of their bodies that seemingly exposed their pale flesh were their hands, feet, faces, and the interior of their ears.

The species sported five-toed feet and long, three-fingered hands, each ending in sharp, hooked, dark-colored talons. Sharalian heads were rounded and bulbous, while their faces remained flat. They had circular, piercing eyes with dark sclera and pupils, surrounded by a distinctive black ring. They had no visible nose or nostrils, while their pointed ears extended up and out from the top sides of their head. Their beak-like mouths were misleading in shape, the downward facing triangular structure not being the upper jaw, but instead the lower, opening slightly at the top and exposing a miniscule upper jaw. They were also sometimes shown with breathing apparatuses equipped, although how, when, or why this assisted their breathing remains to be revealed. The species was shown to be incredibly expressive, their heart-shaped faces capable of contorting to suit their emotional needs.

Lore: Technically, there is no established lore surrounding the Sharalians, although they were intended to have been discovered and established within the known galaxy by sometime prior to the height of the Clone Wars, as well as being seemingly counted among members of the Galactic Republic.

Continuity: The first thing I have to get out of the way is to state clearly and plainly that the Sharalians presently do not exist. So… how or why can I write this article then? Well, it turns out they were supposed to appear in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, specifically within Season 3 Episode 4 “Sphere of Influence,” but were cut sometime shortly before the episode was completed, leaving us only with a piece of production art revealed in the Season 3 Blu-ray commentary. Ultimately, their appearance here was actually based off of an alien featured within a popular piece of Ralph McQuarrie concept art dating back to at least 1977 (which also apparently partially inspired the modern Gozzo design, although the Sharalians were a much truer adaptation)! So until they do something else with the species, they’re sort of trapped in this limbo of being conceptualized (twice) yet never implemented…

Unexplored: For now, given their suspended existence, I’m not going to go into depth with anything in this section. Until we get confirmation that the Sharalians 100% exist, it’s not worth the effort to dive into in-depth lore. If and when it ever happens, I will come back and construct some questions based off of what is initially established so that we can even better characterize and utilize the collective species as well as individual members!

Additional Notes: I learned about the existence of the Sharalians’ established named and the intent to feature them within The Clone Wars only a day prior to the initial writing and publishing of this article, and my Twitter/X post about this discovery was actually what prompted a Wookieepedia editor to finally create a page for the species on the English version of the site (the Dutch Wook already had one thanks to efforts from Tim Veekhoven)! I instantly fell in love with this design, as well as the inspirations they took from, and it’s a true shame they never actually made it into anything official or Canon as so many other elements from McQuarrie’s works did. We can only hope this changes someday, maybe even within The High Republic before it reaches its vastly approaching “conclusion.” But until then, I want to try to spread additional awareness about this species stuck within such a fascinating state of non-existence!

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