Kyuzo

The Kyuzo, a slender, two-legged humanoid sentient species, came from the Outer Rim planet of Phatrong, a world with significant gravity. Adapting to these conditions led to the development of dense muscle fibers, far more advanced than those of most bipedal species, along with rapid reflexes. This made them formidable adversaries on planets with standard gravity, despite their seemingly thin arms and legs which concealed their considerable physical power. Kyuzo exhibited green skin tones, ranging from light olive to deep blue-green, and had wrinkled faces featuring sharp, yellowish eyes. The Kyuzo population displayed two main phenotypes; some possessed compound eyes, while others had eyes with black, slit-shaped pupils similar to those of humans. The specific genetic reasons for this variation were not widely understood by non-Kyuzo scientists, but the two groups were genetically compatible, with offspring inheriting one trait or the other. Kyuzo varied greatly in height and build, with some towering over most humans and others being noticeably smaller. For instance, the famous bounty hunter Embo was a lean 1.99 meters in height, whereas Constable Zuvio was a stocky 1.6 meters tall. Furthermore, some had only four digits on each hand, while others had five. Some Kyuzo also demonstrated Force-sensitivity. Kyuzo had significantly longer lifespans than humans and other species of similar longevity; Sav Malagán, for instance, was born around 397 BBY and was still living in 231 BBY, 166 years later.

The unusual composition of their homeworld's atmosphere meant that Kyuzo often wore corrective lenses and highly pressurized filter masks, or facial bandages, to protect their sensitive respiratory systems and help them adapt to uncomfortable environments like standard galactic habitable conditions. Exposure to such conditions not only caused vision and breathing difficulties, but also led to illness within a short time, impaired concentration, and slowed them down considerably, although the symptoms were not fatal.

The Kyuzo, a species celebrated for its strong sense of honor and justice, considered oaths and contracts to be inviolable. Consequently, many sought them out as mercenaries, law enforcement officers, and bounty hunters. As a highly political species, Kyuzo developed societies that encompassed large geographical areas, with most identifying as members of a specific country or region. While most major islands and continents functioned as independent political entities, they did form a loose confederation.

Kyuzo warriors traditionally wore wide-brimmed war helmets, also known as Kyuzo hats, which could serve as shields or thrown projectiles. These helmets originated as headgear designed by the inhabitants of the Kwaidan Peaks to protect travelers from heavy rains during the monsoon season in southern Phatrong. However, not all Kyuzo were warriors; they were found in various professions, with many leading simple lives as farmers and merchants. Despite their honorable nature, Kyuzo had an appreciation for rogues, and their myths and stories often featured outcast heroes who challenged the established social order. Kyuzo preferred their own language, characterized by quickly spoken short words and phrases. While Kyuzo could easily learn to understand Galactic Basic Standard, the most common language in the galaxy, and most acquired this skill early in life, they found it challenging to speak and grammatically confusing. As a result, they favored their native tongue and relied on electronic translators or interpreter droids to facilitate communication with outsiders.

Phatrong, their homeworld, was home to many social and political organizations, but a particularly notable cultural aspect was the existence of clovocs, which were fighting orders that maintained law and order within specific areas. Operating independently from the Kyuzo political structure, they were hired by governments to maintain peace or combat enemies. These hundreds of clovocs varied significantly in size, skill, technique, tradition, and organization, each specializing in a particular type of mission, such as mercenary work, local policing, or serving as a standing army. During times of peace, clovocs held grand tournaments featuring their best fighters to showcase their abilities and attract potential clients. Although these stylized battles were generally non-lethal, accidents did happen, and some Kyuzo warriors fled Phatrong after unintentionally killing an opponent in a tournament to avoid the wrath of a powerful clovoc. Some clovocs encouraged their members, or even entire branches, to work as mercenaries offworld, while others forbade this practice. Given that many Kyuzo who traveled offworld were members of a clovoc, these warrior orders became one of the most recognized aspects of Kyuzo culture throughout the galaxy.

The Kyuzo possessed a distinguished martial history. Some clovocs traced their origins back to the earliest days of Phatrong's recorded history, or perhaps even further if their founding myths were to be believed. Kyuzo society began with the development of early city-states, and the loose confederation governing Phatrong elected representatives, known as senators, to both the Senate of the Galactic Republic and the Imperial Senate of the Galactic Empire. At one point, the Ekaqume clovoc suppressed a rebellion on Phatrong's Kambey Plains in a single day. Following the dissolution of the Imperial Senate, the local Imperial governor's office replaced the confederation, directly overseeing Phatrong and maintaining control through its own forces, only engaging with the clovocs when absolutely necessary. Their reputation made the Empire wary of Phatrong, and as long as taxes were paid promptly, it generally exerted minimal direct influence over the world. Nevertheless, Kyuzo rebel sympathizers on Phatrong worked tirelessly to recruit like-minded individuals, hoping to strengthen the Alliance to Restore the Republic and establish a significant resistance force on their home planet.

The Kyuzo species did not have a major presence in the galaxy, although some traveled widely for business, trade, and exploration, often serving a clovoc or seeking to escape others. Embo, a male Kyuzo from their homeworld, achieved considerable success as a bounty hunter during the Clone Wars, at one point ranking second only to the notorious Duros Cad Bane. During the High Republic Era, the Force-sensitive Kyuzo Jedi Sav Malagán fought alongside Maz Kanata's pirate crew during the Battle of Jedha and later defended a Jedi Temple on Takodana.

Some Kyuzo established the farming village of Jowloon on Jaresh, a forested planet in the Corva sector of the Outer Rim Territories. They were led by Nyessa, an elderly Kyuzo matriarch, who resided there with her cousin [Grimshaw](/article/grimshaw]. During the Galactic Civil War, the villagers were subjected to extortion by the Galactic Empire until, aided by the Alliance to Restore the Republic, they managed to expel the Empire from their settlement. During the Iron Blockade, which was imposed by the Galactic Empire to prevent the population of the Anoat sector from learning about the Empire's devastating defeat at the hands of the Alliance to Restore the Republic in the Battle of Endor, a Kyuzo criminal named Khalu was a member of the South Sector Sinners. Thirty years after the Battle of Endor, a Kyuzo constable named Zuvio, along with his deputies, his cousins Drego and Streehn, enforced the law in Niima Outpost, a frontier trading post situated on the largely lawless Western Reaches world of Jakku.

The Kyuzo species made its debut in "Bounty Hunters," the seventeenth episode of the canon animated series Star Wars: The Clone Wars' second season. The species' designation was derived from a character's name in The Seven Samurai (七人の侍), a film by the late Akira Kurosawa, to whom "Bounty Hunters" was dedicated in remembrance. The species may have been inspired by alternative designs for Neimoidian warriors created by Sang Jun Lee for Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, one of which featured a breathing mask and closely resembled Embo.