Frigosian

Last Updated: 5/19/2024

Name: Frigosian

Humanoid: No

Classification: Diminutive/Beast/Alternative

Homeworld: Tansyl 5

Coloration: Yellow or Orange

Biology: Frigosians were a diminutive bipedal species standing between 1 and 1.2 meters in height, with features primarily obscured with a thick layer of fuzzy, yellow or orange fur. Despite their fluffy appearance, Frigosians had thin skeletons, though their heads were naturally large and rounded. The species had two arms and two legs, with small feet and hands we have yet to see in any capacity. They also had small faces located at the center of their faces, with close-set eyes and small mouths filled with incredibly sharp teeth, which were usually completely hidden beneath their fur. The rest of their anatomy is undetectable at a glance, and we are unsure whether or not they possessed true nostrils, aural cavities, or any other extrasensory organs or distinct biological traits.

The species were generally classified as nocturnal, with eyes so sensitive to most lights that they were required to wear protective goggles when not within the darkest of environments, though their sleep schedules could be adapted to other worlds. Additionally, when outside of the unique homeworld of Tansyl 5, Frigosians were required to wear rebreathers in order to survive, filtering the unnecessary gasses. The species was presumably carnivorous in nature, and were considered naturally aggressive and generally mean spirited. Seemingly incapable of pronouncing Galactic Basic, they instead communicated via a currently unnamed language consisting of chirping sounds similar to “Jibb” and “Jeeb.”

Lore: Frigosians hailed from a rather distinct and inhospitable world known as Tansyl 5, found nestled within the Inner Rim. The planet was seemingly primarily dark, or at the very least possessed an expansive subterranean environment and/or distinct day-night cycle, with an atmosphere consisting of gasses that would kill most other species without special breathing equipment. There’s also reason to believe the world was rather cold, though that’s based off of a few bits of circumstantial evidence and not anything directly stated within lore. It would seem the Frigosians of Tansyl 5 mostly kept to themselves, though at least a few members of the species did eventually leave their world to pursue careers elsewhere.

Frigosians had a reputation for being small, aggressive, and a little bit creepy, gross, or unsettling. This idea wasn’t totally unfounded, as members of the species could be rather coldhearted, not taking others’ well-being seriously or lacking empathy for others, though this wasn’t always malicious and could sometimes be attributed to simple curiosity. For whatever reason, members of the species seemed to have cybernetic appendages in place of hands, though it’s unclear if these were extensions of inefficient protuberances or intentional implants. These limbs could be interchangeable with various tools, often crude and dangerous, and the species seemed to have some sort of established understanding of cryotech.

Continuity: The Frigosians are a species exclusive to Star Wars Canon, being one of the first races introduced into the current continuity due to their inclusion within Episode VII: The Force Awakens and the promotional material surrounding the film.

Unexplored: Little is known about the Frigosians, though that definitely seems to be at least partially intentional. The obscured nature of their existence, both physically and otherwise, adds to the absurd (almost comical) nature of their design, which helps them to stand out among the numerous other species introduced at around the same time as they were. Still, for the sake of this section (and the overall worldbuilding of the Star Wars universe), we’re going to perform a deep dive into some of the possible interesting bits of Frigosian lore. First and foremost, when did the Frigosians develop sentience, what sort of creature might they have evolved from, what caused them to develop each of their distinct anatomical and biological traits, and when were they first discovered and/or introduced into the greater galaxy?

What does life look like on Tansyl 5? Is it a dark world with above ground cities, does it simply have a unique day-night cycle, or could the Frigosian civilizations be found below ground? At what stage in development/advancement was the species by the “modern” era of the galaxy? Is the species truly frigid, explaining the thick fur and knowledge of freezing or cryo-technologies seen among some Frigosians? How many members of the species had actually left Tansyl 5 to explore the stars compared to those remaining? Did they have any political affiliations, potentially members of the Galactic Republic, or were they an isolationist species? Were they ever affected by any major galactic events, conflicts, or wars? And why did they come across as cold or uncaring? Simply a product of their upbringing or philosophies, or possibly something left of their nature as potentially carnivorous predators?

Were there any well known Frigosians in the galaxy? Were they ever sought out or hired for their tools, skills, or demeanors? Why were their hands seemingly always metal or cybernetic or simply gone? Did it have something to do with their skeletal structure/biology, is it a traditional or religious act, or has it always been coincidental among depictions up until this point? What did the Frigosians think of the outside galaxy? What unique traditions, philosophies, religions, cultural practices, habits, etc. did they possess? What other secrets might the species be hiding regarding their physiology or collective existence? And are their any other unique worldbuilding traits such as their culture, society, politics, government, economy, exports, arts, advancements, languages, diets, abilities, history, etc. that can and should be explored in the future?

Additional Notes: The Frigosians remain one of my favorite new species to come from the batch introduced in The Force Awakens, breaking past the reputation of most of the film’s species being similarly fleshy and really standing out as a design most fans can appreciate! Their mysterious nature adds a lot of needed intrigue, and every subsequent appearance only adds to the need for an eventual explanation/exploration that I truly hopes lives up to the growing hype!

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