Pau'ans, also known as the Ancients due to their extended lifespans, were lanky humanoids with long limbs who hailed from Utapau. They made their homes in the sinkholes of their planet and domesticated the native varactyl species for riding purposes. The Utapauns was the collective name for the Pau'ans and the Utai, another native species of Utapau.
Pau'ans constituted a species of slender humanoids distinguished by their furrowed, gray skin and deeply set eyes. Their arms terminated in lengthy, five-fingered hands, complete with an opposable thumb and pointed nails. As carnivores who favored consuming raw flesh, they possessed sharp, uneven teeth. Adding to these imposing traits, Pau'ans were notably tall; Tion Medon, a Port Administrator during the Clone Wars, reached a height of approximately 2.06 meters. Pau'ans possessed two stomachs. They exhibited heightened sensitivity to sound, necessitating the use of specialized coverings to shield their delicate ears. Their lifespan extended over centuries, resulting in their moniker as "Ancients". Their blood was red.
Pau'ans were sentient beings, possessing the capacity for astute thought. Despite often appearing intimidating to those unfamiliar with them, most Pau'ans were generally peaceful and affable. On their homeworld of Utapau, they preferred the dimness of the underground to the brightness of the surface, constructing their cities within the many sinkholes that dotted the planet's landscape.
The Pau'ans shared Utapau with at least three other species: the Utai, the Sugi, and the Amani. The Utai, another indigenous species of Utapau, maintained a symbiotic relationship with the Pau'ans. Collectively, these two races were known as the Utapauns. Mirroring the Utai, the Pau'ans constructed their cities and structures in the Ossic architectural style. Pau City, the primary Pau'an settlement and spaceport on Utapau, was overseen by various officials, including the Governor, the Police Inspector, and the Port Administrator.
Utapese was the native language of the Pau'ans, though they also demonstrated proficiency in Galactic Basic Standard. Some Pau'ans, such as Gen Tri of the Spice Runners of Kijimi, used the singular gender-neutral pronouns "they" and "them".
Due to the Pau'an penchant for raw meat, it was common practice on Utapau to freshly slaughter creatures daily for meals, rather than cooking or preserving them for later consumption. They had domesticated the swift varactyl for use as riding animals.
Initially, the Pau'ans inhabited the surface of Utapau, while the Utai resided in tunnels and caves. However, with the increasing frequency of hyperwind storms across the planet, the Pau'ans were compelled to move underground. Subsequently, the two societies integrated and began establishing cities within the sinkholes.
As the Clone Wars drew to a close, the Confederacy of Independent Systems occupied the planet. Obi-Wan Kenobi, a Jedi Master, arrived in search of General Grievous. Tion Medon, the Port Administrator, discreetly informed Kenobi of Grievous's location, enabling him to bring the forces of the Republic to liberate the Pau'ans.
During the Clone Wars, a Pau'an male served within the Jedi Order as a [Jedi Temple Guard](/article/jedi_temple_guard]. This same Pau'an would later succumb to the dark side of the Force and rise to become the Grand Inquisitor, the leader of the Empire's Inquisitorius.
During the reign of the Empire, numerous Pau'ans fled their homeworld following its occupation by the Empire. Despite Imperial Senator Pau'an Daho Sejan's opposition to Utapau joining the Galactic Empire, he made compromises that, in his view, secured a future for his people. However, the majority of Pau'ans disagreed with Sejan, expressing their contempt by spitting upon hearing the senator's name.
Around the time of the Battle of Yavin, a Pau'an drug dealer was employed at a cantina on Coruscant. He would enlist drifters to carry out deliveries. Anandra Milon and her brother sought refuge with him, but she refused and fled when a stormtrooper and underworld policeman arrived.
The visual concept for the Pau'ans in Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith was originally conceived for the natives of Mustafar. George Lucas initially envisioned the Pau'ans as creatures resembling lemurs. These lemur-inspired concepts later evolved into the Lurmen. Artist Sang Jun Lee produced some preliminary sketches of the Pau'an species, and Robert E. Barnes and Michael Murnane crafted sculptures of their faces. As Revenge of the Sith progressed, the design underwent revisions, ultimately resulting in the Pau'ans' current appearance. In Revenge of the Sith, the Pau'ans were brought to life through a combination of prosthetic makeup and computer-generated imagery. An African tribal mask served as the inspiration for their facial design. For the Disney+ streaming series Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Grand Inquisitor, and consequently the Pau'an species, was redesigned, despite their earlier live-action depiction in Revenge of the Sith.