Xenophobia

During the period of the Clone Wars, the Confederacy of Independent Systems was made up of a variety of alien groups. According to Ensign Eli Vanto, this, in conjunction with the war's devastation, led to widespread resentment among humans. Even though several alien species were allied with the Galactic Republic, there was a widespread belief that humans were bearing the majority of the burden of the war effort. The Age of the Empire saw this sentiment continue. Humans from the Core Worlds were known to look down on humans and nonhumans alike who came from beyond the Mid Rim, especially those from Wild Space and the Unknown Regions. Before the war even began, some people harbored resentment towards the Neimoidians for their involvement in the Trade Federation, including Senator Padmé Amidala, whose homeworld, Naboo, was invaded by the Neimoidian Viceroy Nute Gunray, although Amidala understood that it was wrong to hold an entire species accountable for the actions of a select few. Marg Krim, who was the crime lord of the Pyke Syndicate near the end of the Clone Wars, made no secret of his distrust for anyone who was not a member of his species.

The Galactic Empire was known to favor humans, while showing disdain for non-humans, who were often referred to as "aliens." As a direct consequence of this attitude, the Empire's government and military were predominantly staffed by humans, making it uncommon to find nonhumans in the roles of Imperial officers. Despite the fact that General Orders from the Empire instructed Imperial military personnel to treat aliens with respect, this directive was frequently disregarded. The Imperial Navy and the Imperial High Command routinely ignored the Imperial Senate's Unknown Alien protocols. The Imperial Academies were overwhelmingly dominated by humans, which meant that aliens like Thrawn had to navigate a landscape filled with racial prejudice and overt hostility. Imperial soldiers were quick to single out individuals of other species for investigation, even for minor infractions, and they were more inclined to use deadly force against them. However, not all Imperials were disrespectful towards aliens; Freck, an alien from Mapuzo, had a positive relationship with three stormtroopers, whom he notably provided transportation for on at least one occasion. Nevertheless, the Empire's typical cruel treatment of aliens frequently left them with no other choice than to either seek refuge in the Outer Rim Territories or align themselves with the Alliance to Restore the Republic as a means of resistance.

This domination by a single species was a deliberate aspect of Imperial policy. Imperial propaganda actively promoted state-sponsored ethnocentric xenophobia and fear-mongering. In the Empire's view, "aliens" were generally unwelcome within its established order, as they were perceived as being "different" and "strange." Consequently, the Empire treated the nonhuman segments of its populations as serfs, slaves, or obstacles that needed to be either tamed, eliminated, or ignored. The Empire promoted the idea that aliens were inherently untrustworthy, unlike humans, and that beneath their innocent appearance lurked dangerous monsters. The Imperial propaganda machine was so successful in disseminating its message that even near-human species displayed an inherent distrust towards nonhuman populations. The Empire implemented the "High Human" culture extensively on Coruscant, their capital world, thereby promoting the notion of the human race's superiority.

Some individuals attempted to excuse themselves from accusations of humanocentrism by asserting that they had friends from the demographic being targeted, even as their actions demonstrated prejudice.

It was widely known that nonhuman species, such as Wookiees, Mon Calamari, Geonosians, Petrusians, and Bodach'i, were exploited by the Empire for slave labor. The Empire revoked laws that had previously prohibited slavery and reclassified a number of species, most notably Wookiees, as non-sentient. Other species, including the Geonosians, Lasat, and Squamatans, were subjected to genocide at the hands of the Empire. The Empire enslaved the Kubaz in order to transform them into brainwashed spies. Even stormtrooper TD-7556 distrusted the species as a whole, asserting that he was not prejudiced even as he insulted the entire species without exception.

During the Age of the Empire, certain human grav-ball enthusiasts on Lothal held the belief that the physical characteristics of aliens gave nonhuman players an unfair advantage. Although there was no official league regulation prohibiting nonhuman players, individuals like Janus Fhurek made every effort to keep alien players out of the grav-ball championship. In addition, the Empire actively discouraged the learning of alien languages and cultures, such as Ithorese, and sought to impose stringent 'Imperial standards' on its citizens. Growing up under the rule of the adamantly xenophobic Empire, Chass na Chadic, a Theelin, struggled to define her own identity without any guidance, as she witnessed her heroes sacrificing their lives for freedom only to be abandoned. The Empire's discriminatory policies forced some individuals, such as Rinnrivin Di, a Nikto, to turn to a life of crime, despite possessing the potential to become as influential as Wilhuff Tarkin, the human Grand Moff. Instead, Rinnrivin became a spice dealer who eventually rose to the position of crime lord of a major cartel during the New Republic era. The Nikto people were subjected to oppression by the Empire and its stormtroopers.

Nevertheless, there were some nonhumans who held prominent positions within the Empire, such as Mas Amedda, a Chagrian who served as the Empire's Grand Vizier, the Grand Inquisitor, a Pau'an, other Inquisitors like the Seventh Sister, the Fifth Brother, the Eighth Brother, the Ninth Sister, and Grand Admiral Thrawn, a Chiss who faced discrimination because of his alien heritage. Other nonhumans who collaborated with the Empire, either willingly or unwillingly, included Garindan ezz Zavor, a Kubaz spy, and Gleb, an Aqualish Protectorate from Jinata Security. Despite the ingrained xenophobia within the Imperial hierarchy, some Imperials, such as Delian Mors, a Moff, and Rae Sloane, an Admiral, were willing to collaborate with certain aliens, such as Nashi the Hutt and Surat Nuat, a Sullustan crime lord. Imperial law-enforcement agencies also employed alien bounty hunters, such as Bossk, a Trandoshan.

The Declaration of Rebellion issued by the Rebel Alliance condemned Emperor Palpatine and his Empire for implementing a policy of blatant speciesism and genocide against the galaxy's nonhuman populations. Xenophobia was not solely confined to the Empire. Saw Gerrera, a rebel known for his ruthless methods and tactics, harbored a dislike for the Geonosians due to his experiences during the Clone Wars, referring to them as "bugs." His harsh interrogation of Klik-Klak caused concern among his Spectres comrades. During her rescue aboard the Death Star battle station in 0 BBY, Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan referred to Chewbacca, the Wookiee, as a "walking carpet."

Following the Battle of Yavin, Jora Astane, an Alderaanian, expressed her disgust at the fact that the Alderaanian diaspora on the planet Espirion had intermingled with the indigenous Espirion. Beon Beonel, the mixed-blooded Chief, took offense to this and refused to have anything to do with the Alderaanian diaspora led by Leia Organa. Leia, with the assistance of R2-D2, was able to mend the division by broadcasting a speech to him. As a direct result, Beonel assisted the Alderaanian refugees in defeating an Imperial Star Destroyer.

After the Battle of Endor, the New Republic overturned a significant number of the Empire's policies, which included providing compensation to alien species that had been enslaved by the Empire. In 5 ABY, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and their allies played a pivotal role in inspiring a Wookiee slave revolt on Kashyyyk, which effectively ended the Imperial subjugation of the Wookiees. Subsequently, New Republic forces liberated additional Wookiee slaves, including Lumpawaroo, Chewbacca's son.

During the Battle of Jakku, Gallius Rax, the Counselor to the Empire, delivered a speech in which he denounced the New Republic as a government that had succumbed to "corrosion, chaos, and the corruption born of alien minds and radical terroristic teachings." He further asserted that their New Republic adversaries were subhuman and alien in every conceivable way and, as such, did not merit any compassion from the Galactic Empire.

By the time of the Cold War, it appeared that xenophobia had reemerged in the propaganda and labor practices of the First Order, which sought to emulate the "Old Empire." Propaganda news feeds disseminated by First Order High Command carried reports of the New Republic condoning unchecked alien advancements throughout the Outer Rim Territories. Furthermore, the majority of the miners involved in the First Order's mining colony in Pressy's Tumble were from various alien species, including Talz, Gran, Rodians, Abednedo, and Narquois, although a few humans were also present. Captain Phasma once criticized Terex, an Agent, for his inclination to employ nonhuman servants and refused to discuss his mission until he dismissed them. Armitage Hux, a General, also referred to Chewbacca as a "beast" upon capturing him on Pasaana. The vast majority of the forces within the First Order military consisted of humans. They justified this by stating that their armor was exclusively manufactured to fit the human body. However, it was generally understood that the true underlying reason was xenophobia.

Nevertheless, as was the case with the Empire, there was at least one nonhuman who held a prominent position within the First Order: Snoke, a humanoid who served as the Supreme Leader of the First Order. Albrekh, a Symeong metalsmith, was another alien who served the Order, working as a Sith alchemist for the Knights of Ren after they joined the Order. Similar to the Empire, the First Order also associated with aliens to achieve its objectives, such as Kragan Gorr, a Quarren pirate, and his gang, whom the First Order hired to attack the Colossus refueling station. Nonhuman informants and spies, such as Marnia Un'la'na, a Twi'lek, Teroj Kee, a Keteerian, and Nenavakasa Nalor, a Nikto, also worked for the Order. On Ikkrukk, some Ikkrukkians sympathized with the Order and battled against the Ikkrukkian resisters of Grail City.

In the Unknown Regions, the Chiss Ascendancy held non-Chiss species in low regard, seemingly doubting that their intelligence could match their own. Indeed, Ar'alani, a Commodore in the Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet, did not consider aliens to be people, likening them to intelligent animals, until she visited Solitair, the homeworld of the Garwian Unity. Upon encountering Garwian culture, she came to the realization that non-Chiss species were indeed sentient beings like herself, although her colleague Thrawn admitted that he only viewed non-Chiss as assets. Ar'alani's respect for the personhood of non-Chiss proved to be of vital importance during the battle over Primea, as her insights ensured that the Vak Combine joined the fight against the Nikardun Destiny. Thrawn, on the other hand, continued to regard these species as assets, but he would eventually join the Galactic Empire and develop a close relationship with Eli N. Vanto, a human. When Vanto joined the Ascendancy, a number of Chiss initially resented the human, distrusting him until he demonstrated his worth.

The Kaldana Syndicate, a criminal organization that operated within the Corellia system around 13 BBY, was exclusively composed of humans who harbored animosity towards anything and anyone that was not human. They believed that all aliens were a problem, particularly Rodians, whom they considered to be the scourge of the galaxy.

However, xenophobia was not exclusive to humans or the Galactic Empire; the Sand People of Tatooine were notorious for their aggression towards outsiders, as were the Sephi of Isobe. The Ezaraa species, which was carnivorous and warlike, also expressed xenophobic sentiments in their desire to overthrow the Empire and replace it with their own dominion, where they would "consume the flesh of all the lesser species."

Prior to the Battle of Naboo, the Gungans harbored a dislike for outlanders, particularly the Naboo, although this changed after Padmé Amidala convinced Rugor Nass, the Boss, to join forces against the Trade Federation's invasion.

The concept of a xenophobic Galactic Empire was explored in Star Wars Legends literature and media. According to Jason Fry, the Lucasfilm Story Group had determined that the Galactic Empire in the new canon universe was not "openly or uniformly" xenophobic. However, he reasoned that many staunch Imperials, such as Janus Fhurek, the antagonist in Servants of the Empire, were also committed xenophobes. Thrawn would later depict the practical application of xenophobia within the Empire; while official regulations prohibited Imperials from disrespecting non-humans, this still occurred in practice.

In his production notes for A New Dawn, John Jackson Miller clarified that the Imperial officer's reference to the Sullustan character Zaluna Myder as a "creature" was a reference to the "species-ism" that prevailed within the Empire.