Chiss
The Chiss were a sentient species of near-human descent, characterized by their distinctive [blue](/article/color] skin, crimson eyes, and dark blue hair. Their origins trace back to the planet of Csilla. The Chiss were particularly known for the structure and character of their families, as Chiss families heavily influenced Chiss society.
The Chiss Ascendancy was situated within the Unknown Regions, maintaining minimal interaction with the broader galaxy. Until the rise of Grand Admiral Thrawn within the Galactic Empire, their existence was largely considered legendary, even within the Unknown Regions themselves.
Biology and appearance
Chiss were imposing near-humans, indicating a strong resemblance in shape, features, and overall build to humans. However, they possessed unique traits such as [blue](/article/color] skin, shimmering blue-black hair, radiant red eyes, and sharply defined facial features. These first two traits led to their occasional misidentification as Pantorans, blue-skinned humanoids hailing from [Pantora](/article/pantora], although Pantorans lacked the characteristic red eyes. Beyond coloration, Chiss eyes exhibited superior capabilities compared to humans, extending their visible spectrum into the infrared range. Furthermore, they possessed heightened hearing and quicker reflexes.
Force-sensitivity, which the Chiss referred to as the Sight, was exceptionally rare and manifested in limited forms, namely precognition, known as Third Sight, and telepathy, referred to as Second Sight. Force-sensitive Chiss were almost exclusively female. Their abilities waned with age, eventually disappearing altogether. The secrets surrounding Second and Third Sights were among the most closely guarded within the Chiss Ascendancy, to the point where many Chiss remained unaware of their full potential or even their existence. Although familiar with the complexities of Third Sight, Imperial Grand Admiral Mitth'raw'nuruodo was aware of Second Sight's existence but ignorant of its capabilities. Girls who demonstrated the Sight were trained as navigators for the Chiss fleet navigating the dangerous hyperspace routes of the Unknown Regions. They were called ozyly-esehembo, which translates to "sky-walker" in the Cheunh language.
Society and culture
The Aristocra constituted the ruling class within the Chiss Ascendancy. The Chiss Syndicure served as the supreme legislative and executive authority of the Ascendancy. The Chiss military was composed of both the Chiss Defense Force and the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet.
Across the Unknown Regions, the Chiss were celebrated for their military strength and their perceived ethical military doctrine. Even among species lacking direct contact with the Chiss Ascendancy, tales of the Chiss as honorable, blue-skinned warriors were common. This held true even for species seemingly incapable of space travel for decades. During a destructive civil war on her homeworld, a leader known as the Magys escaped with 200 refugees to the Rapacc system, where they established a settlement. The Magys' refugees cautioned the native Paccosh about invaders intending to eradicate the Paccosh people, urging them to dispatch refugees to safeguard their culture. She shared stories of the Chiss as noble warriors renowned for neutralizing enemies without causing destruction, prompting the Paccosh to send a refugee ship to the Dioya system on the edge of Chiss territory, hoping for Chiss assistance. Uingali foar Marocsaa later tested Senior Captain Thrawn's identity by challenging him to disable a Paccosh freighter without destroying it.
Cheunh was the primary Chiss language, although they utilized trade languages such as Sy Bisti, Meese Caulf, Taarja, and Minnisiat in their limited interactions with outsiders. Written communication was conducted using the Cheunh script. The derogatory term "blueskin" was sometimes used to refer to the Chiss.
Most Chiss names were polysyllabic and consisted of three parts, such as Mitth'raw'nuruodo. The first part identified an individual's family, the second was the given name, and the third denoted other social aspects. In addition to the full form of their names, the Chiss also used shortened versions—for example, "Mitth'raw'nuruodo" could be shortened to "Thrawn." These short forms were known as core names, and core names were typically used in all but the most formal settings for the sake of efficiency. In the unusual case of an outsider among the Chiss, the human Eli Vanto received the standard three-part name "Eli'van'to," which his shipmates shortened to the core name "Ivant."
Chiss were omnivorous and consumed foods like cheese, yubal, and plant-based products.
History
The Chiss originated from Csilla, a planet situated in the so-called Unknown Regions of the galaxy. The Chiss and other inhabitants of the Unknown Regions referred to them as "The Chaos," highlighting the perilous nature of navigation within the region. Millennia ago, the Chiss had contact with the wider galaxy, becoming politically and militarily involved in the ancient wars between the Galactic Republic and the Sith Empire, but they ultimately severed ties with both entities and retreated back into the Unknown Regions, closing their borders. During the Republic Era and Imperial Era, they were governed by a regime known as the Chiss Ascendancy. According to Generalirius Nakirre of the Kilji Illumine, the Kilji way of order and enlightenment could enable the Chiss and the Ascendancy to serve the Grysks' interests—indirectly benefiting the Kiljis. Some Chiss resided on the Outer Rim Territories planet of Serenno.
Despite their reclusive nature, one Chiss, Mitth'raw'nuruodo, became an officer in the Galactic Empire. Achieving the rank of Grand Admiral, he took part in the Imperial Military's efforts to suppress the early rebellion in the years leading up to the Battle of Yavin. Shortly after the Battle of Yavin, former Senator Johhar Kessen hired several female Chiss mercenaries. During the Galactic Civil War, a female Chiss spy infiltrated the Empire, disguising herself as a human Imperial officer using fake skin.
Behind the scenes
The Chiss species made their initial appearance, though unnamed, in Heir to the Empire, a 1991 Star Wars Legends novel penned by Timothy Zahn as the inaugural installment of The Thrawn Trilogy. The species' designation was later revealed in Vision of the Future, a 1998 Legends novel, also by Zahn, serving as the second entry in Star Wars: The Hand of Thrawn Duology. The Chiss entered canon when they were featured in Secret Alliances, the sixth campaign within Star Wars: Commander, a mobile game published by Disney Interactive, launched on August 21, 2014.
Although ultimately portrayed as a human, an initial design for Agent Kallus, an antagonist in the canon animated television series Star Wars Rebels, depicted him as a Chiss. Eventually, the Chiss appeared in the series, embodied by Grand Admiral Thrawn. During the development of the Star Wars: The High Republic multimedia project, illustration manager Jeffrey Thomas expressed a desire for Marchion Ro to be a Chiss, inspired by his admiration for Thrawn. However, this idea was not realized, and Ro's species was ultimately canonized as Evereni in the 2022 comic The High Republic: Eye of the Storm 1.