The Coruscani ogre was a large semi-sentient humanoid beast that lived in Coruscant sublevels, sewers, and dumps.
While most of these ogres demonstrated similar features such as sparse patches of hair, leathery skin, and large misshapen angular heads with wide mouths containing jagged teeth, it was interesting to note that no two of these beasts looked alike. Millennia of exposure to sewage, pollution, reactor radiation, poor diets, and destroyed ecosystems on Coruscant most likely contributed to the ogres' deformed, motley, mutated appearances. It is believed that these creatures were primates and closely related to Humans. However, like the Corridor ghoul, the true origins of this creature are unknown.
An operation needed to lobotomize an ogre and implant them with cybernetics was less expensive when compared to purchasing a new droid.
Ogres were observed using basic tools and weapons such as clubs, but so far it is unknown if an ogre could be taught to communicate. They also had been observed using rags and cloth to warm and cover their body, though this behavior was extremely rare. Ogres were omnivorous scavengers and hunters, but preferred to avoid Human contact. However, an ogre was dangerous to sentient creatures if threatened, startled, scared, angry, or hungry.
A Coruscani ogre (left) fighting a Divto
None knew how many Coruscani ogres managed to come to Coruscant nor knew how many roamed the Undercity of the planet. Regardless of their origin, they were classed as being another of the world's many unpleasant secrets. Planetary officials were content to not know much about these brutish dwellers that populated the areas beneath the gleaming spires of the upper city. During the era that was to see the rise of the Galactic Empire, the Coruscant Wildlife Management Department had the unstated responsibility for the ogres and were given a generous budget to ensure that they were kept confined in regions where they could have no contact with people. However, incompetent and corrupt bureaucrats from other government departments secretly exported a number of the ogres offworld, with the CWMD unable to deal with the matter as they had little oversight. Ultimately, none truly cared if a few ogres became someone else's problem and the issue remained quiet.
In the final years of the Galactic Republic, the head of the CWMD named Melen Toobo decided to domesticate the brutish ogres in order to harness their massive bulk for productive purposes. To accomplish this, he used a program of lobotomizing the beasts to curtail their violent nature whereupon their brains were given cybernetic implants. Ultimately, his purpose was to turn these now docile creatures into a small workforce or organic droids whilst reducing the money needed to contain them. Coruscani ogres were also smuggled out of Coruscant by slavers and hunters. Infamous Chevin slaver Phylus Mon kept a guard of Coruscani ogres as a part of his personal security entourage.
After the establishment of the New Order, the records of the CWMD went through a thorough audit. This led to the revelation of the program and the department's questionable dealings. Imperial scientists of the new regime began to evaluate the Coruscani ogres as a potential tool for military applications. Whilst the domesticated beasts were violent, this was not deemed a hindrance to the Empire as they did not require a docile slave labor force as this was a role for non-Human workers. The ogres were better seen as a form of soldier by military planners. Initial attempts at improving the original program failed though this simply led the Empire in finding a different use for the "friendlies". Groups of these lobotomized ogres were instead brought together and flown into remote locations with the intention of the creatures creating havoc. Unofficially, these ogres were released into populated backwater worlds in order to terrorize the inhabitants. Afterwards, the Galactic Empire offered their protection by sending stormtroopers to deal with the beasts that had killed some people or did some damage. This gave the illusion of the Empire restoring the peace to a frightened populace.
More clever leaders that faced such a tactic knew that this was simply a form of a protection racket being operated by the Imperials. However, more trusting planets saw the Empire as saviors and welcomed their garrisons as well as saw beneficial value in the protection of the Imperial Military. Coruscani ogres used in such a fashion proved to be an effective weapon of terror and tool for reinforcement where the "friendlies" succeeded admirably in this role. The secrecy of the program and lack of knowledge about the ogres meant that they remained one of the Galactic Empire's hidden secret weapons which they used to win over the local populace of resistant worlds to their rule.
Thus, the species spread to other worlds where they survived and prospered while those remaining on Coruscant perished, for the most part, during the Yuuzhan Vong terraforming of the planet.