The Talz species, possessing sentience, originated from the planets Alzoc III and Orto Plutonia. They remained unknown to the wider galaxy until the Clone Wars era. Their unveiling triggered a short-lived conflict between a Talz settlement and the Pantoran Assembly. This was because Chi Cho, the Chairman of Pantora, mistakenly perceived them as a threatening force. Following Cho's demise, Pantoran Senator Riyo Chuchi engaged in negotiations with Thi-Sen, the Chieftain of the Talz village, successfully ending the hostilities. Subsequently, the Talz received official recognition as a free and equal people, permitted to reside peacefully on their homeworld.
The Talz were characterized as large, bipedal beings. Their bodies were covered by a dense, shaggy coat of white fur. Their five-fingered hands terminated in sharp talons. Distinctively, they possessed four black eyes – smaller ones for daylight vision, and larger ones for nocturnal sight. A small proboscis served for both feeding and communication. This thick fur provided essential protection against the frigid environment of their ice and snow-covered habitats.
The Talz represented a relatively unsophisticated civilization, employing few tools and leading a simple existence within a challenging environment. They organized themselves into tribal structures, each governed by a chieftain. The native narglatches served as both mounts and sources of defense. Their unique language was known as Talzzi, although they lacked the capacity to speak Galactic Basic Standard.
The Talz originated from the icy planet Alzoc III and Orto Plutonia, located within the Pantora system. During the Clone Wars, both the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems attempted to establish bases on Orto Plutonia, but were defeated by the indigenous population. Following the assault on the Republic outpost, Jedi Generals Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker arrived accompanied by a unit of clone troopers, including Skywalker's Clone Captain, Rex. They were joined by the droids C-3PO and R2-D2, as well as representatives from Pantora, which was located in the same system. These representatives included Chairman Chi Cho, Senator Riyo Chuchi. Cho, under the impression that the attackers of the Republic base were an aggressive force, initiated war against the Talz, specifically Thi-Sen and his Talz tribe. This conflict resulted in significant losses on both sides, including the two Pantoran guards who attempted to shield the chairman, and most of the clone cold assault troopers, excluding Rex himself and a handful of other clones. The two Pantoran guards were also killed, and Cho sustained serious injuries. He commanded Chuchi to annihilate the Talz, but she refused, as his actions were deemed inappropriate by the Pantoran Assembly. Upon hearing this, Cho expressed disbelief and, with his final words, declared that he had died for his people before succumbing to his injuries. Chuchi then approached Thi-sen, utilizing C-3PO as an interpreter. Chuchi conveyed that while dying for one's people was a noble sacrifice, living for them was even greater. She pledged to live for her people, and Thi-sen reciprocated. The two groups departed as equals, and the Talz were acknowledged as the independent and free people of Orto Plutonia.
During the Imperial Era, the Talz remained a primitive species. They used few tools, and were only brought into space by enslavers. Despite this, the Talz mounted an insurgency against the Galactic Empire on Orto Plutonia.
At the time of the Clone Wars, the Talz lacked the technological advancement necessary for space travel. A minimum of three Talz were held as slaves in the slave market on Zygerria. By the time of the Galactic Civil War, the species remained primitive, and Talz were transported into space by slavers. During the war, some Talz were present on worlds such as Tatooine, Espirion, and Son-tuul. At least one Talz, named Muftak, was located at Chalmun's Spaceport Cantina when Obi-Wan Kenobi rescued Luke Skywalker from Cornelius Evazan and Ponda Baba by severing the latter's arm.
Towards the end of the Galactic Civil War, some members of the Imperial forces considered Talz meat to be a delicacy.
The Talz species was initially seen in the Mos Eisley Cantina within Star Wars Episode IV A New Hope. Their culture was further developed in the TV series Star Wars: The Clone Wars, specifically in the fifteenth episode of Season One entitled Trespass. George Lucas sought to create a classic Western narrative where seemingly less advanced native people fought back against a more powerful military to protect their homeland. In designing the Talz's clothing and environment, the creators drew inspiration from Inuit, indigenous North American and prehistoric cultures.