Falleen

• Appeared in:
  
  I
  II
  III
  IV
  V
  VI
  CW

• Homeworld:
  Falleen

• Size:
  1.7 meters

• 

From the Expanded Universe

The Falleen are exotic, reptilian humanoids with scaled skin, cold blood, and pigmentation that alters according to mood. The sleek symmetry of Falleen features makes them among the most beautiful of all humanoid species. Enhancing that physical appeal are natural pheromones that make them practically irresistible to the opposite sex. They have harnessed the ability to control their skin color and have learned to use it as a covert weapon, reverting from their normal shades of gray-green to red or orange, for example, in order to exude an essence of confidence or mastery. Falleen have exceptional lung capcity, allowing them to stay submerged for prolonged periods. The Falleen are long-lived, with life spans averaging 250 standard years.

Falleen are by nature a secretive species. They tend to be patient and pensive, and shun public displays of emotion. They possess an air of superiority for their discipline, and disdain the more openly passionate species of the galaxy for their lack of control. This bias has prevented the Falleen from spreading throughout the galaxy. Cultural arrogance fosters the belief that their homeworld of Falleen is the bastion of galactic civilization, and to travel elsewhere is folly.

Falleen society is feudal, with noble houses ruling over lower classes. The upper echelons of Falleen monarchies are rife with political intrigue, but these rarely spill over into disputes or open warfare. Young Falleen nobles often spend a portion of their adolescence exploring the rest of the galaxy on a character-building "pilgrimage" meant to further cement the notion of Falleen superiority.

A decade before the Battle of Endor, the Falleen homeworld was the site of a biological warfare laboratory established by Darth Vader as a personal project. A terrible accident occurred, unleashing a mutant tissue-destroying bacterium into the surrounding area. To spare the rest of the populace the effects of the lethal pathogen, Vader ordered an orbital bombardment to contain the contamination. A city of 200,000 Falleen was utterly destroyed by Imperial cannons.

This tragedy produced two notable outcomes. It gave Prince Xizor, the powerful Falleen leader of the Black Sun criminal empire, reason to hold a vendetta against Vader. It also furthered the isolationist spirit of the Falleen people so much so that even after the collapse of the Empire, they were not interested in joining the galactic government.