The Zabrak are a popular race in Star Wars due in no small part to the species’ most famous member, Darth Maul. Their horned heads and tattooed faces cultivate an image of a fierce and intimidating race, and in truth they are a fiercely independent and tough species. Yet for all their harshness they carry with them a great sense of pride and self-determination, not unlike humans. Today we will take a closer look at the Zabrak and what sets them apart from the other numerous species in the Star Wars universe.

 

The Zabrak were also known as Iridonians, a distinction that arose when referring to those who came from their home planet of Iridonia. The main feature that set them apart from other races was the pattern of horns that grew on their head during puberty in a variety of patterns. The appearance of a young Zabrak’s horns indicates they are nearing the age where they will participate in their rite of passage. Upon completion of their rite the Zabrak will adorn their face with tattoos, sometimes representing their family lineage, place of birth, or even just their own personalities. It is unusual for a Zabrak to not have facial tattoos, but it was not unheard of. Their are many different subspecies of Zabrak with a varying range of skin tones and, curiously enough, hair growing ability. Some are able to grow thick heads of hair, while others are unable to grow any hair at all. One interesting feature that all Zabraks possess is a second heart that, along with their resistance to physical pain, makes them difficult to mortally injure or kill.

 

The Zabrak are a strong, proud, and confident species. Many sometimes see them as being single minded and stubborn, which was not wholly incorrect. Their single mindedness came from the fact that they believed no task was impossible once they set out to accomplish it, and they pride themselves on proving skeptics wrong. While they can sometimes develop a sense of superiority towards others they do not see this as a negative aspect, believing that competition and confrontation helped add to the species overall value to the galaxy.

 

Zabraks form their home planet of Iridonia are much more war-like than Zabrak that hailed from their colony worlds. They developed a highly physical style of martial arts that young Zabraks were required to learn, and it is not uncommon for Zabrak from Iridonia to be some of the best warriors and weaponsmiths in the galaxy. Zabrak from colony worlds share the same drive for excellence, but they are encouraged to apply that drive to a wider variety of fields than battle. It is this drive and determination that allows Zabraks to succeed in a wide variety of fields.

 

The Zabrak were among the first spacefaring species in the galaxy, and like humans, they established a wide array of colonies upon leaving their home planet.  The fact that they were able to be one of the early spacefaring species caused them to play a major role in early galactic affairs. They contributed members to all professions across the galaxy, including the Jedi Order. At some point the Sith made contact with the leaders on Iridonia in order to employ their greatest mercenaries. This influence remained with the people of Iridonia for many years, which is why we see members of the Zabrak species on both sides of war in The Old Republic.

 

In many ways the Zabrak represent some of the most stubborn, and admirable, traits of humans. They are unable to accept that things cannot be done, and are willing to sacrifice most everything to complete the task they set their minds to. They strive for perfection in all things, unwilling to accept anything but the absolute best from themselves and others. Just like with humans these traits can be seen in both a positive and negative light, but it is impossible to deny the accomplishments that have been made possible by such an attitude towards life in the galaxy. Luckily for everyone players of both the Republic and Sith have the chance to experience this species for themselves.

Tags: lore, species, Zabrak