Twi'leks

 are a fictional alien race featured in the Star Wars franchise. They are characterized by their twin head tails known as Lekku. They were first seen in the 1983 film Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, where they were represented by the characters Bib Fortuna (a male) and Oola (a female) in the beginning of the film. Twi'leks were shown in greater number in the prequel trilogy with several members of the race playing key roles in both the Galactic Senate and the Jedi Order. In addition to the films, the Twi'leks have also appeared in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated projects as well as numerous novels, comic books and video games.

Description
Twi'leks are a sentient near-human alien race native to the planet Ryloth. Their native language is called Twi'leki. Twi'leks are distinguished from other alien races by their twin head tails, which begin at the top of their cranium and extend down past their back. Known as lekku, these head tails are important organs governing cognitive function and communication. Nerve endings that run through the tails are connected directly to the brain and the organs subtle movements are used in combination with the spoken word to form the Twi'leki language. In fact, the word Twi'lek is a shortened variation of the phrase twin lekku. There are at least two distinctive sub-breeds of Twi'lek, both of which are considered extremely rare. The Rutian Twi'leks are known for their blue skin while the Lethan Twi'leks, the more rare of the two have skin tones that are red or a dark crimson hue. The average Twi'lek has skin color that ranges across the entire color spectrum including shades of green, orange, yellow and white.

Known Twi'leks
One of the most infamous members of the Twi'lek race is Bib Fortuna, formerly the enslaved majordomo to Tatooine gangster Jabba the Hutt. Another slave in service to Jabba was Oola, a green-skinned Twi'lek who worked as a dancing girl until she fell out of favor, at which point Jabba fed her to his pet rancor.

During the days of the Old Republic, a Rutian Twi'lek named Orn Free Taa served as the representative to Ryloth in the Galactic Senate under Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum and later, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Orn Free Taa was known to have Twi'lek aides, one of which was a Rutian named Pampy, and another who was a Lethan.

The Dug known as Sebulba owned two Rutian Twi'lek slaves, Ann and Tann Gella. They serviced Sebulba's needs and desires while he prepared for the Boonta Eve Podrace on Tatooine in 32 BBY.

Twins are not uncommon amongst Twi'leks, particularly the Rutian breed. Several years after the Battle of Endor, twins Aleema and Numa Rar were discovered to possess Force-sensitivity and were taken to the Jedi Praxeum on Yavin IV. They participated in the war between the New Republic and the Yuuzhan Vong. Some 130-years after the Battle of Yavin, two other sisters, Astraal and Shado Vao were orphaned at birth and taken in by the Imperial Mission.

It is not uncommon for Twi'leks to develop Force-sensitive capabilities. In 4,000 BBY, a yellow-hued Twi'lek named Tott Doneeta was trained in the ways of the Jedi by Master Arca Jeth. Tott played a key role in liberating the planet Onderon, along with his fellow Jedi Ulic and Kay Qel-Droma. Thousands of years later, a blue-skinned Rutian named Aayla Secura served as a Jedi Knight during the Clone Wars until her tragic demise in 19 BBY when her own clone commando squad turned on her. Some Force-sensitive Twi'leks have been known to embrace the Dark Side of the Force and become Sith Lords, such as Darth Ruyn and Darth Talon, who rose to power 130 years after the Galactic Civil War.

Other Lethan Twi'leks of note include Kelad'den, warrior of the Anti-Republic Liberation Front following the New Sith Wars, Zhar Lestin, a Lethan Jedi Master and member of the Dantooine Enclave Council during the Mandalorian Wars and the Jedi Civil War, and Shakka, a slave owned by the Anx trader Graxol Kelvynn in 32 BBY.

Notes & Trivia

 * Some Twi'leks have quadruple lekku such as Senator Orn Free Taa.


 * Another alien race, the Togruta, possess head tails similar to that of the Twi'leks.