Twi'leks, occasionally referred to as Rylothians, and sometimes xenophobically called Tail-Heads or Twi's, were a species of tall near-human beings. The most distinguishing physical trait of the Twi'leks was a pair of lengthy appendages extending from their heads, known as lekku. Their homeworld was the planet Ryloth, located within the Outer Rim Territories. It was common practice for female Twi'leks to be sold as slaves off-world. Twi'leks were among the most prevalent species in the galaxy; their members could easily disappear into a crowd, unlike more conspicuous species such as the Togrutas. Certain armies exploited this characteristic by using Twi'leks as undercover agents.
Twi'leks were a species of tall humanoids with skin that came in a wide spectrum of colors. These colors included white, orange, yellow, green, pink, blue, purple, black, gray, and red. Their most notable feature was the presence of two prehensile appendages, referred to as lekku or head-tails, which grew from the top or back of their heads. While most Twi'leks possessed two lekku, some individuals had four. These highly sensitive lekku were capable of grasping and holding objects and responding to the slightest touch. Damage to a lekku could have serious consequences for a Twi'lek's health.
The species consisted of two sexes, male and female. Most males typically had ears with lobes similar to those of humans, while some males possessed cone-shaped hearing organs in the same location, a trait typically observed in females of the species. While Twi'leks naturally had blunt teeth, males often sharpened them to points.
Twi'leks were generally slender, although some individuals were known to be overweight. Under normal conditions, their body temperature tended to be higher than that of other humanoid species. This temperature would increase even further when they experienced fear.
Twi'leks and humans were able to reproduce, creating a hybrid offspring. Shortly after Kanan Jarrus's death, Hera Syndulla gave birth to their son. He appeared mostly human but inherited his mother's green pigment in his hair and ears. His birth occurred after the liberation of Lothal, an event in which Syndulla actively participated.
Twi'leks communicated through their own unique language called Twi'leki, a combination of spoken words and a sophisticated sign language using their lekku. The lekku could be manipulated to form gestures conveying meanings, such as greetings or farewells. For example, crossing both lekku tips twice signified "I love you." Twi'leks were capable of speaking Galactic Basic Standard, often with a distinct accent. While some individuals could lose this accent after prolonged absence from Ryloth, it could still reappear. For instance, Hera Syndulla would revert to a Twi'leki accent during arguments with her father and also used it intentionally when posing as a slave.
Mynock Cloud City and Mynock Coronet City were popular spicy dishes among Twi'leks, both made from mynocks. Another popular dish was fried mynock. Twi'leks were a part of the diet of gutkurrs, ferocious insect carnivores that used their sharp claws to capture their prey. The Kalikori, an heirloom passed down through families, was an essential part of Twi'lek culture and familial clans. Each generation would add to the Kalikori. The Kalikori held value only for the family it originated from and was worthless to outsiders who lacked connection to that lineage. On the Twi'lek homeworld of Ryloth, Twi'leks observed the Longest Night holiday, which occurred when all three of the planet's moons were at their lowest phase. During this holiday, many families remained indoors as the populated hemisphere of the planet was enveloped in darkness.
Ryloth, a planet of harsh extremes located in the Outer Rim Territories, was the original home of the Twi'leks. This planet was a member of the Galactic Republic, a democratic union that governed most of the galaxy. During the Clone Wars, Ryloth was under the control of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. A Twi'lek Resistance movement, led by Cham Syndulla, emerged to combat the Separatists, due to dissatisfaction with the Confederacy's oppressive rule. The Galactic Republic publicly supported and actively assisted this movement. The Twi'lek Resistance, working alongside the Grand Army of the Republic and the Jedi Order, successfully drove out Separatist forces commanded by Wat Tambor. Subsequently, Ryloth was annexed by the Republic.
Following the conclusion of the Clone Wars, the Republic transitioned into the Galactic Empire, and Ryloth was incorporated into the Empire. The planet became an Imperial protectorate, and the Twi'leks living on Ryloth were subjected to Imperial governance. Although Ryloth maintained nominal independence and was still represented by Senator Orn Free Taa in the Galactic Senate, the true authority rested with the Imperial Moff Delian Mors.
Approximately five years after the establishment of the Empire, Cham reorganized the Twi'lek Resistance into the Free Ryloth Movement with the goal of expelling the Empire from Ryloth. While the majority of the Free Ryloth resistance fighters were Twi'leks, the group included a number of non-Twi'leks such as Colonel Belkor Dray. The Free Ryloth resistance was comprised of hundreds of fighters, a network of informants and spies, and carried out raids that resulted in the deaths of numerous Imperial personnel. After Darth Vader killed one of Cham's lieutenants, Pok, and his comrades after the theft of an Imperial freighter from the Yaga Minor shipyards, Cham decided to escalate their actions against the Empire.
Emperor Palpatine plotted to ensnare the Free Ryloth rebels by arranging a visit to Ryloth with Darth Vader and leaking information about the trip to the rebels. Cham seized the opportunity to assassinate the two Sith Lords and destabilize the Empire. The two Sith Lords traveled to Ryloth aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Perilous. Cham's rebels attacked the Perilous using space mines, vulture droids, and rebels disguised as rescue crew. However, Vader and the Emperor managed to escape to Ryloth. Following an extended pursuit, the Free Ryloth rebels attempted to corner the two Sith Lords in a remote village. However, Imperial forces under Moff Delian arrived at the village and defeated the rebels. Cham and his surviving comrades fled to continue their struggle.
Hera Syndulla, Cham's daughter, became a prominent leader in the rebellion against the Empire and commanded her own rebel cell. She believed that Ryloth's liberation was intertwined with the broader rebellion. Hera disagreed with Cham's singular focus on Ryloth, which led to their separation. Three years before the Battle of Yavin, the Empire employed a Quasar Fire-class cruiser-carrier to bombard Ryloth. Despite their differences, Cham and Hera's rebel cells collaborated to steal the cruiser-carrier for the Phoenix Cell. This collaboration fostered connections between the Free Ryloth movement and the larger rebellion.
Two years before the Battle of Yavin, the Empire dispatched Grand Admiral Thrawn, a member of the Chiss species, to suppress the Ryloth insurgency. By studying Twi'lek art, culture, philosophy, and history, Thrawn developed effective tactics that resulted in the fall of Tann Province. The Free Ryloth movement suffered significant losses, and Cham was compelled to abandon his own home. Hera, Cham, and the other rebels subsequently participated in an unsuccessful attempt to retrieve the Syndulla Kalikori, a family heirloom, from Thrawn. Although they failed to recover the object, the rebels evaded an attempt by Captain Slavin to capture them and Cham. Inspired by the Free Ryloth Movement and Phoenix Squadron, many Twi'leks decided to join the Alliance to Restore the Republic and fight against the Empire in order to bring peace to their homeworld.
In 5 ABY, Ryloth was liberated when Imperial forces abandoned their bases on the planet. Following the rise of the First Order, many Twi'leks feared that Ryloth would inevitably be occupied, so they pledged their allegiance to Leia Organa's Resistance, even though the Ryloth government itself remained independent. However, the Ryloth Defense Authority emerged as an unofficial faction on Ryloth with the goal of protecting the planet and its inhabitants. Shortly after the Battle of Crait, Resistance forces sought refuge on Ryloth with the RDA until they were discovered.
Due to their reputation for grace and beauty, many female Twi'leks were forced into slavery by the galaxy's wealthy and influential. However, other Twi'leks attained positions of authority. Bib Fortuna served as the majordomo for crime lord Jabba the Hutt for decades, Aayla Secura and Finn Ertay were Jedi Knights in the Jedi Order, and Senator Orn Free Taa represented his homeworld of Ryloth in the Galactic Republic's Senate and later the Imperial Senate. Their frequent enslavement and widespread presence in the galaxy allowed Twi'leks to move discreetly through areas inaccessible to armies. Consequently, some found employment as undercover agents.
Cham Syndulla led the Twi'lek Resistance during the Clone Wars and later became the leader of the Free Ryloth movement. His daughter, Hera Syndulla, led the Spectres and was subsequently promoted to Phoenix Leader in the Phoenix Squadron, eventually reaching the rank of General.
Twi'leks made their first appearance in the 1983 film Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, directed by Richard Marquand. The name "Twi'lek" was not mentioned in any Star Wars film and was first used in The Star Wars Sourcebook, a 1987 Star Wars Legends publication by West End Games. The name was reintroduced into canon through the species' entry in the Databank.
The Twi'leks and their culture were explored in greater detail in "Innocents of Ryloth" and "Liberty on Ryloth," episodes from the first season of the Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. During an interview with the Aggressive Negotiations podcast, Henry Gilroy, a writer for Clone Wars, stated that the species was selected for the show due to several factors, including their recognizable appearance to viewers and the show's ability to reuse pre-existing human assets for their character models. Gilroy also mentioned that one of the goals of the Ryloth arc was to alter fans' perception of Twi'leks. Citing characters like Aayla Secura and Darth Talon, Gilroy and fellow Clone Wars writer Dave Filoni believed that the species had been overly sexualized in previous appearances. They discussed how to portray the Twi'leks in a different manner, which led to the creation of characters such as Cham Syndulla and, in Star Wars Rebels, his daughter, Hera.