Aqualish

This article is about the alien species. You may be looking for their language.

"The Aqualish people are not fond of questions."

―An explorer, possibly Gammit Chond^[12]

Aqualish were a species of sentient humanoids from the planet Ando, who were identifiable by round black eyes and fur. Some members of this race possessed four eyes, while others only one pair.

Biology and appearance

"Negola dewaghi wool dugger?"
"He doesn't like you."

―Ponda Baba speaks Aqualish, before being translated to Galactic Basic Standard by Cornelius Evazan, to Luke Skywalker — 20?cb=20250116042720

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Aqualish generally had bald heads and fur around their cheeks and two large chelicerae. They appeared to have different skin colors from each other. Aqualish also tended to have either two^[1] or four eyes,^[9] and different kinds of hands. The criminal Ponda Baba had hairy hands with five digits,^[1] while some Aqualish who were a part of the Galactic Republic Senate sported hairless hands with three digits.^[9] The species spoke Aqualish. Aqualish had red-colored blood.^[1]

History

The lives of Aqualish revolved around water, but they did not need it to thrive and could settle far from it.^[13] Some Aqualish, like the arms manufacturer Amda Wabo, came from the planet Ando. They could be found among the galactic community by the time of the Galactic Republic, where a number of them were members of the Republic Senate.^[9]

However, some Aqualish did not agree with the direction of the Republic, and several Aqualish politicians aligned themselves with the Sith Lord Count Dooku.^[14] The Ando Commission was composed of three Aqualish and represented Ando within the Separatist Senate.^[15] Multiple other Aqualish went to work for Dooku's anti-Republic faction, the Confederacy of Independent Systems. During an armed conflict between the Confederacy and the Republic, referred to as the Clone Wars, an Aqualish named Pune Zignat worked alongside the Neimoidian General Lok Durd. Both were captured by Republic forces on the planet Maridun. After the Clone Wars, the Republic was dissolved and transformed into the Galactic Empire. Two of the Aqualish who had aligned themselves with the Confederacy were murdered by the Sith Lord Darth Vader on the planet Mustafar.^[14]

During the Galactic Civil War, some Aqualish turned to piracy and bounty hunting, while others decided to join the Rebellion in order to restore the Republic and regain their seat in the Senate.^[5]

Aqualish in the galaxy

"Ask Mr. Wabo where the shipment is being held."
"He said Bay 17."

―Sabine Wren incorrectly translates Wabo's response to Minister Tua^[11]

As well as being senators for the Galactic Republic^[9] and members of the Confederacy,^[15] some Aqualish have found careers as both criminals and arms dealers. Utonk Hid was an Aqualish gunman who was a guest at Tiggs Leo's tavern on the planet Coruscant.^[16] Ponda Baba was an Aqualish criminal who, along with his friend Doctor Cornelius Evazan, had the death sentence on twelve star systems. Baba lost his arm to Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi during a cantina brawl.^[1]

Amda Wabo was an Aqualish arms dealer who worked out of the planet Garel. During the reign of the Galactic Empire, Wabo attempted to sell T-7 ion disruptor rifles to the Empire through Minister Maketh Tua. Their efforts were disrupted by a group of rebels from the planet Lothal, and some of the weapons ended up in the hands of the crime boss Cikatro Vizago.^[11] At least one Aqualish was a member of crime lord Jabba the Hutt's court on the planet Tatooine.^[17]

A collective of Aqualish on Tatooine were members of the crime families in control of the workers district^[18] that Boba Fett allied with^[19] and was then betrayed by. Their leader was assassinated by Fennec Shand in the coup of the Pyke Syndicate^[20] in 9 ABY.^[21]

A group of Aqualish used the former Mandalorian covert of the Tribe on Nevarro, particularly the Armorer's workshop, as a hideout^[22] around 9 ABY,^[23] where they were intercepted and killed by the Marshal of Nevarro Carasynthia Dune, prior to the second skirmish on Nevarro.^[22]

Behind the scenes

The Aqualish species first appeared through the character of Ponda Baba in the first Star Wars film, Episode IV A New Hope in 1977.^[1] An Aqualish appeared in Jabba the Hutt - Galactic Gangster, an episode of Star Wars Galaxy of Adventures,^[24] which are a series of shorts that are not supposed to be taken as literal canon events.^[25] Within the short, the Aqualish, who had been taken captive by bounty hunter Boba Fett, is brought before Jabba the Hutt. The crime lord proceeded to drop the captive into his rancor pit, allowing Pateesa to eat the Aqualish.^[24]