Exogorth

Space slugs attained their adult size at a length of ten meters and reproduced via a process of splitting into two distinct, smaller entities. Should a space slug be unable to undergo this division, its growth would persist unabated, potentially reaching enormous lengths of up to 900 meters. Slugs of this magnitude were known for engulfing entire starships and sustaining complete ecosystems within their digestive tracts.

These creatures preferred habitats within asteroid fields, where they would bore into an asteroid until entirely concealed. From this vantage point, they sustained themselves by consuming stellar energy emissions, mineral-rich deposits from the asteroid, drifting space debris, and (allegedly) other silicon-based organisms, such as mynocks. For the most part inactive, these opportunistic feeders would patiently await sources of nourishment; when not at rest with their wide-open mouths disguised as a crater or tunnel (with the intention of ensnaring unsuspecting prey), the space slugs possessed the capability to periodically launch themselves from the asteroid's surface at passing vessels. However, this was not their favored method of attack, as such actions could prove physically taxing, leaving them overextended and depleted for a period.

Space slugs were capable of living for extraordinarily long durations. Sy-O, the being that dwelled within the Hoth asteroid belt, was estimated to be over a billion years old by the time of the Galactic Civil War; this was, surprisingly, considered a young age for its kind.

The flesh and blood of an exogorth were [red](/article/color] in hue, while its saliva exhibited a green coloration. Exogorths possessed mouths containing 45 teeth.

Exogorths were generally regarded as patient and relatively non-violent, taking pride in their capacity to transform their bodies into stable ecosystems, accommodating a multitude of species that coexisted peacefully. Exogorths that supported diverse and varied ecosystems within their bodies were held in high esteem. Conversely, those lacking a variety of life forms in their internal ecosystems, or those that only sustained non-sentient, "lower" life forms (as was the case with Sy-O and its mynocks), were viewed unfavorably. The failure to host any life of higher sentience (or of greater galactic significance) was considered a deficiency, projecting a negative self-image.

The species had been documented and recognized for over a billion years; Sy-O, despite being billions of years in age himself, was regarded as a young member of the species.

Following an attack on a rebel base during the Galactic Civil War, a conflict involving the Alliance to Restore the Republic and the Galactic Empire, Commander Tylux of the Imperial Navy gave the order for his Imperial-class Star Destroyer, the Bellicose, to pursue a fleeing rebel spy in order to avoid disappointing the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Ultimately, the Bellicose lost its entire wing of TIE fighters during a failed chase of the rebel's UT-60D U-wing starfighter/support craft, yet Tylux persisted in the pursuit into an asteroid field. After the rebel's protocol droid Exo identified an Exogorth ahead of them within one of the asteroids, the rebel piloted his U-wing into the creature in an attempt to escape. To the dismay of one of his Imperial officers, Tylux commanded his Star Destroyer to follow the U-wing into the beast; the Bellicose crashed into the Exogorth's mouth and proceeded through it, prompting the rebel to fire upon the creature in an effort to break free. After bursting through the Exogorth's hide following the U-wing, Tylux believed he had the rebel cornered, only to discover that mynocks from inside the creature were inflicting damage on the hull of the Bellicose, leading one of his officers to erroneously speculate that the rebel had lured them into the exogorth as a trap. With the remnants of the exogorth drifting nearby, the crew of the destroyer were compelled to abandon the starship upon the arrival of rebel reinforcements.

Following the Battle of Hoth, the Millennium Falcon, unable to engage its lightspeed capabilities due to a damaged hyperdrive, evaded pursuing TIE fighters by concealing itself within what the crew presumed to be the crater of a large asteroid, simply known as the "Big One." In reality, the tunnel was the open gullet of the colossal space slug, Sy-O. Inside, they attempted to repair the Falcon's hyperdrive. While seated in the cockpit, Leia Organa was alarmed by a mynock flying outside, prompting her to venture out with Han Solo and Chewbacca to investigate. When shots were discharged, Sy-O lurched in a manner that led the group to believe that the "cave" was collapsing, or that an earthquake was occurring. However, Solo, silently realizing their true location, ordered everyone back into the ship and piloted the Falcon directly out, between Sy-O's closing teeth. They escaped unharmed, just before the space slug completely shut its mouth. Sy-O attempted to lunge, and snapped its jaws at the Falcon (hoping to keep the crew inside and expand his gut ecosystem); the freighter was too fast for him, so Sy-O receded back into the crater. After the Falcon's departure, one of the pursuing TIE fighters was attacked by Sy-O, forcing the pilot to eject into space. The accompanying members of the TIE squadron focused their attack on the slug, chipping its tooth and eventually forcing it to retreat once more into its hiding place.

While being pursued in the Y'Toub System by the bounty hunters Zuckuss and 4-LOM aboard their starship Mist Hunter, fellow hunter Beilert Valance flew the Corona-class armed frigate that he had stolen with another hunter, Dengar, into an asteroid field populated by a number of exogorths. As the exogorths emerged from their asteroids, the Corona managed to evade the Mist Hunter.

The exogorth made its debut appearance in the 1980 original trilogy film Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back. Concept artwork for the creature was created by Ralph McQuarrie. The exogorth received identification in the 2015 reference book Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know.

To generate the squelching sounds of the Millennium Falcon crew's footsteps as they traversed the interior of the exogorth in The Empire Strikes Back, the production team utilized massive slabs of beef fat and dozens of raw eggs, which were walked upon.