User:LelalMekha/sandbox4

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A group of sentients from various species (and a droid)

A group of sentients from various species (and a droid)

"Moi moi, I love you!"
"You almost got us killed. Are you brainless?"
"I spake!"
"The ability to speak does not make you intelligent."
―Jar Jar Binks and Qui-Gon Jinn[src]

Sentience was a quality of self-awareness and intelligent thinking that some beings, whether organic or mechanical, possessed. Those beings that lacked it were classified as non-sentient. Although advanced droids matched the criteria of sentience, they were not usually afforded the same rights and protections as organic sentients.

Definition

Sentience was a quality of self-awareness, abstract thinking, and higher reasoning possessed by some beings,[1] both organic and mechanical. Sentient beings possessed a personality, feeling emotionally as well as thinking intelligently.[2] Example of sentient organics included humans,[3] Ewoks,[4] Patitites,[5] Gungans,[6] and Geonosians.[7]

By contrast, beings that were primal in nature, could not think or reason, and survived via their natural instincts were classified as "non-sentient."[1] Non-sentient organics of the animal kingdom were variously referred to as "creatures"[8][9] or "beasts."[10][11]

There also existed organics that appeared to have emerging sentience,[12] like the Zillo Beast[13] the Kowakian monkey-lizards,[14] or the Mairan, were classified as "semi-sentient."[1]

Sentient rights

"Sentients, please prepare for takeoff!"
―Pilot droid RX-24 addresses his passengers[src]

Sentient beings were normally afforded rights and protections, but enforcement of them depended on the ruling authority.[1] For example, under the laws of the Galactic Republic, sentients could not be used as slaves. However, slavery thrived on certain remote planets such as Tatooine, where the Republic had no influence,[15] and was considered a profitable trade among the Zygerrians.[16]

Depending on the nature of their work, droids possessed various degrees of artificial intelligence.[17] Most were self-aware, and advanced models even possessed emotions.[18] Nevertheless, even when matching the definition of sentience, droids were typically viewed as mere property in most parts of the galaxy.[1] Many owners performed memory wipes to suppress their droids' "personality quirks,"[2] and used restraining bolts to limit their functions and enforce their obedience.[19] Those practices raised questions of droid rights, a cause taken by some mechanicals and organics alike.[1]

History

Jar Jar Binks

Jar Jar Binks

Unique sentient species of the galaxy numbered in the millions.[1] With his sentience, Darth Sidious manipulated unwitting senators of the Galactic Senate such as Jar Jar Binks to grant him supreme authority,[20] although by the will of the Force, Sidious was deposed by the son of the Chosen One,[21] who was conceived by the midi-chlorians—organisms that formed a symbiotic relationship with organic beings and communicated to them the Force's will;[15] the foundation of life and what connects and maintains the symbiotic relationship between the Living Force—the energy of all life—and the Cosmic Force, which bound all things in the galaxy.[22]

Behind the scenes

In Star Wars canon, sentience encompasses[2] both sentience and sapience in the real-world.[23][24]

Appearances

As sentient species appear in almost every Star Wars work, this list only includes specific mentions in text or dialogue.

Sources

Notes and references

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 The Star Wars Book
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Solo: A Star Wars Story: Tales from Vandor
  3. ↑ Master & Apprentice
  4. ↑ StarWars.com Encyclopedia Ewoks in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
  5. ↑ StarWars.com Encyclopedia Patitites in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
  6. ↑ StarWars.com Encyclopedia Naboo in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
  7. ↑ StarWars.com Encyclopedia Geonosis in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
  8. ↑ StarWars.com Encyclopedia rancor in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
  9. ↑ StarWars.com Encyclopedia Tauntaun in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
  10. ↑ StarWars.com Encyclopedia ruping in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
  11. ↑ StarWars.com Encyclopedia nexu in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
  12. ↑ StarWars.com Encyclopedia Zillo Beast in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
  13. ↑ Star Wars Helmet Collection: Jek Porkins Databank A-Z: Zabrak–Zillo Beast
  14. ↑ Star Wars Helmet Collection: Imperial Gunner Databank A-Z: Cosians–Dagobah
  15. ↑ 15.0 15.1 Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace
  16. ↑ StarWars.com Encyclopedia Zygerrians in the Encyclopedia (original site is defunct)
  17. ↑ Ultimate Star Wars
  18. ↑ What is a Wookiee?
  19. ↑ StarWars-DatabankII Restraining Bolt in the Databank (backup link)
  20. ↑ Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
  21. ↑ Star Wars: Complete Locations
  22. ↑ TCW mini logo Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "Destiny"
  23. ↑ Premium-Era-real Sentience, published by Merriam-Webster on www.merriam-webster.com (backup link archived on December 18, 2025)
  24. ↑ Premium-Era-real Sapience, published by Merriam-Webster on www.merriam-webster.com (backup link archived on December 18, 2025)

External links