Enu

Last Updated: 2/14/2024

Name: Enu

Humanoid: Yes

Classification: Near-Human/Dwarf

Homeworld: Deylerax

Coloration: Tan or Peach

Biology: The Enu were an incredibly near-Human species, being bipedal with two arms and two legs. They often stood around 1.3 feet tall, although it seems they could grow upwards of 1.6 meters on occasion. Enu were known for being rather slender, with pronounced facial features. We know they had pale skin, could grow white facial hair, and sported eyes with white sclera and black pupils. They were also probably most well known for their enlarged ears, which was at least double the size of the average Human’s. They also may have had slightly more elongated heads than most near-Human species, and seemed to have a high baseline intelligence. Finally, like most similar species, the Enu had the capacity to clearly speak Galactic Basic Standard.

Lore: Little remains known about the Enu as a people. It has been revealed that they hailed from the Mid Rim world of Deylerax, which was nestled within the Talcene Sector, a plot of space known for being involved in almost every major galactic conflict, although it’s unclear whether or not Deylerax specifically was pulled into the events as Talcene was rather large. The Enu had been introduced into the known galaxy sometime prior to the height of the Galactic Civil War, and were Human-passing enough to be allowed within the Galactic Empire to some capacity. It was also said that Deylerax was plagued by a Stone Mite infestation shortly before the collapse of the Republic, although they were eradicated before they could cause much damage to the world. Enu seemed to usually don unique head coverings and flowing robes, seemingly indicative of their culture or traditions.

Continuity: The Enu are relegated to a few EU appearances and do not currently exist within Canon.

Unexplored: I can definitely think of some questions given the info here, or lack thereof, so the following have answers that I think could really help distinguish the Enu from among the sea of other, much more prominent near-Human species! First off, when were the Enu first discovered, by whom, and were they possibly descendants of a long-distant offshoot of baseline Humans, or are they simply the product of convergent evolution? Were there any internal biological traits that further set the Enu apart from Humans? Did their large ears grant them a keen sense of hearing? Did the Enu have widely ranging heights, or were Enu taller than 1.3 meters considered relatively rare or even a mutation? And did the Enu truly have tall heads hidden under their hats, possibly housing advanced brains or some other organs?

Moving away from their anatomy, did the Enu ever have any major allegiances, and given the location of their homeworld, were they once a part of the Galactic Republic and represented on the Senate? What exactly was their homeworld like, what sort of environments did it boast, and was it advanced, with large, built up cities, or were the Enu on the simpler, religious side, possibly living minimalist, even nomadic lifestyles? Were they closely allied with the Galactic Empire, or were those among their ranks outliers among their kind? Given the location of Deylerax, is it also possible they were pulled into various other conflicts throughout history, and how might that have affected their development or population size? Getting the answers to some or most of these questions, as well as exploring some of our other general worldbuilding traits, like their politics, economy, religions, philosophies, architecture, traditions, habits, languages, diets, etc., will go a long way in fully establishing the Enu as a distinct species!

Additional Notes: So, the photos below come from “Star Wars (1977) #77,” where an unnamed character matching the Enu’s appearance to a T is featured, though the species would not be formally named or introduced until 1993, almost 16 years later. This could mean the similarities are completely coincidental, the Enu were based off of this design, or they could have retconned this guy to be an Enu, which wouldn’t be the first time a similar thing has happened in the EU run (see the Zygerrians for an example). Still, I can’t find where this has ever been confirmed, but it does appear to be a point of contention over on Wookieepedia, where the guy has swapped between being labeled an Enu and a Human. I’m going to stick to the idea that he is, indeed, retroactively, the first Enu seen in the franchise, because the similarities are just too much to ignore (other Humans don’t have ears like that in the issue). So consider it a small stretch on my part, but not one that’s baseless or even originated with me.

Reference Images: