Lasat

Lasats, a humanoid and sentient species, were recognized for their remarkable stature, power, and nimbleness. Their robust digitigrade legs provided them with the ability to run at higher speeds, achieve greater jump heights and distances, and move with more stealth compared to humans.

Their climbing abilities were enhanced by their large finger pads and prehensile toes. Furthermore, their sizable eyes and ears gave them superior visual and auditory perception compared to humans and other humanoids. They possessed the physical strength required to manually open a deactivated blast door. A Lasat with a height of two meters was considered shorter than average.

The patterns of fur on a Lasat's body varied among individuals and could change as they aged. No two Lasats shared the same striping pattern. Some humans found the strong scent emitted by Lasats to be intensely unpleasant.

Within their society, individuals skilled in combat were held in high regard, often serving as members of the Lasan High Honor Guard, an elite group of exceptionally trained and intelligent warriors dedicated to safeguarding their home planet of Lasan. The use of Bo-rifles was a deeply rooted tradition within Lasat culture, exclusively employed by the Honor Guard of Lasan. The Lasat warrior tradition was known as Boosahn Keeraw. It was customary for a Lasat who was defeated in battle by a superior opponent to surrender their weapon to the victor.

Facial hair held significant symbolic value in Lasat society, representing status and prestige. Lasats with green eyes and prominent purple stripes were considered aesthetically appealing by their peers. Young Lasats were frequently observed climbing tree branches. The Lasats communicated using Lasat, a language characterized by r sounds that were challenging for most other species to replicate.

On Lasan, the passage of time was measured by counting the number of dust seasons that they had lived through on their homeworld. The Lasat people believed in the Ashla, which they considered to be the "spirit of the galaxy" and a manifestation of the Force. By wielding a Bo-rifle, a Lasat could tap into the Force, gaining insights into past and future events. The spiritual leaders of the Lasat on Lasan were known as the Revered Masters, who often carried Ashla Staffs—staffs possessing a unique connection to the Ashla.

The Lasat species originated on the planet Lira San, located beyond a collapsed star cluster in Wild Space. At some point in history, a group of Lasats established a colony on the Outer Rim planet of Lasan. Over the course of years, their original homeworld faded into legend. During the Clone Wars, a widespread conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, at least one Lasat, Jaro Tapal, served as a member of the Jedi Order and was involved in the war. However, the Lasat species as a whole did not participate in the conflict.

As the Clone Wars concluded, the Republic was transformed into the Galactic Empire. During the Empire's reign, Lasan was devastated through the destruction of the High Honor Guard and the royal family, as well as the killing of almost all Lasats residing there. The Wookiees attempted to prevent this massacre, but they suffered heavy casualties in the process. Consequently, Lasats became a rare sight in the galaxy, with no survivors remaining on their homeworld. The Empire made extensive use of T-7 ion disruptor rifles in their conquest of Lasan. This led to Lasat survivors developing a strong aversion and mistrust towards such weapons. Many of those who survived the fall of Lasan were later enslaved or killed by the Empire.

In the aftermath, Lasat culture declined, and only a few individuals retained the ability to fluently speak their native tongue. The bo-rifle, akin to the lightsaber of the Jedi Order, became another symbol of a fading era.

Fifteen years after the rise of the Empire, three of the few remaining Lasats in the galaxy embarked on a quest to locate the mythical Lira San, aided by the rebellion. They succeeded by utilizing ancient Lasat technology within a Bo-rifle to protect the Ghost from the dangers of the collapsed star cluster blocking their path. With the help of Ezra Bridger and Kanan Jarrus, they were guided through the Force to their true homeworld. The Lasats in the galaxy reestablished contact with their original homeworld, and Lira San became a haven for other survivors of the Lasan genocide.

During the High Republic Era, Barkov was a Lasat member of the Path of the Open Hand cult, serving as one of the Children. The Lasat named Isamer was a leader of the criminal organization known as the Directorate. He orchestrated the kidnapping of two royals from planets Eiram and E'ronoh.

During the Clone Wars in the final years of the Galactic Republic, the Lasat Jedi Master Jaro Tapal held the rank of Jedi General in the Grand Army of the Republic and commanded the 13th Battalion of clone troopers.

Following the destruction of Lasan, only a small number of Lasats remained in the known galaxy, and many of those who survived were enslaved by the Empire. They were compelled to become a colonial species, migrating and adapting to dominate numerous worlds. A notable Lasat was Garazeb "Zeb" Orrelios, who held the rank of Captain in the Lasan High Honor Guard. The Empire's destruction of his homeworld motivated him to join a rebel cell based on the planet Lothal and to fight against the Empire's oppressive rule. His grandmother was also among the few Lasats who survived the genocide. Other known survivors of the genocide included Orrelios's fellow Lasan High Honor Guard member Gron and the Lasat mystic Chava. Additional survivors included the pirates Grox and Zandarreo, the latter of whom was enslaved by Grakkus Jahibakti Tingi as gladiators.

Due to their rarity and the similarities in their size and strength, Lasats were often mistaken for Wookiees by some. While some Lasats felt grateful to the Wookiees for their assistance in fighting the Empire during the fall of Lasan, they resented these comparisons, believing that they did not give their own species the recognition it deserved.

A Lasat named Grox led a pirate crew aboard a cruiser during the Galactic Civil War. This crew regularly sold scavenged goods to the Tech Masters, who paid them handsomely for their services.

The physical appearance of the Lasat species draws inspiration from early concept art created by Ralph McQuarrie for the character who would eventually become known as Chewbacca.

Although the first canon appearance of the species occurred in Star Wars Rebels, they had previously appeared (also based on McQuarrie's concept art) in Tatooine Manhunt, a Star Wars Roleplaying Game adventure that is now classified as part of Star Wars Legends.

During a period in the development of Solo: A Star Wars Story, the character of Dryden Vos was originally intended to be a Lasat.