The Ensos were a species of near-Humans from the planet Ensolica. They were acclimated to the arctic conditions of their homeworld, a planet of ice sheets and frozen tundra with only a strip of temperate land along the equator. These adaptations made Ensos completely at home in sub-zero temperatures. Nevertheless, that cold resistance was matched by a vulnerability to high temperatures. In desert climates, such as that of the planet Tatooine, Ensos were forced to wear awkward, full-body coolth suits to avoid near-instant heatstroke.

Enso cities were carved into the ice of Ensolica. To maximize the productive capacity of a forbidding landscape and feed their population, the species mastered hydroponics technology. Their breakthroughs in the field attracted the attention of such corporations as Alderaan Biotics and Tusus Comestibles, who wooed Enso technicians and specialists to work for them across the galaxy.

Biology and appearance[]

The Ensos were a sentient near-Human species^[2] with bodies that appeared similar to those of baseline Humans. For instance, members of the species had a humanoid body layout, featuring two arms, two legs, and a head. The face appeared Human as well, with at least some Ensos sporting blue eyes, blond hair, and pale skin. Ensos had two sexes, male and female.^[1]

Where Ensos differed from Humans was in their widely different range of temperature tolerance. Biological adaptations allowed Ensos to withstand frigid temperatures that would force baseline Humans to wear protective gear.^[1] Ensos had a naturally low body temperature,^[3] which made them most comfortable in sub-zero conditions.^[2] However, that adaptation also made Ensos vulnerable to extremes of heat that a Human could have endured; Ensos visiting hot worlds had to wear protective suits to keep their body temperature down lest they suffer heatstroke after only brief exposure.^[1]

Society and culture[]

Located in the Core Worlds,^[4] the arctic planet of Ensolica had a harsh climate that greatly affected Enso culture and society. Due to the predominance of ice and tundra on their homeworld, the Ensos lived in cities dug out from the ice sheets. Their planet offered little arable land, so the species relied on their expertise in hydroponics technology to grow crops. The near-Humans had access to starships as well.^[1]

History[]

The Ensos developed their biological resistance to cold as part of their adaptation to life on their homeworld, Ensolica. That planet was frigid and imposing, its tracts of tundra and ice giving way to coniferous forests only in the relatively temperate equatorial regions. The Ensos took to chiseling their cities out of the ice and mastered the science of hydroponics to keep themselves fed.^[1] After Ensolica became part of the galactic community, the Ensos were considered to be citizens of the Core Worlds.^[4] Ensolica was located in Galactic Republic space during the Clone Wars.^[4] Years later, in 137 ABY, their homeworld fell within territory considered part of Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire.^[4]

Ensos in the galaxy[]

Due to the Ensos' expertise in the field, corporations such as Alderaan Biotics and Tusus Comestibles often hired the cream of Ensolica's hydroponics industry to work for them. Such positions frequently required Enso experts to leave their homeworld and travel throughout the galaxy.^[1]

One such professional was Captain Teyora Rekab, who led an Enso hydroponics crew. The group made their living selling hydroponic equipment and seeds, performing maintenance work on such devices, and acting as consultants. Rekab and her team frequently visited the desert world Tatooine, where they sold equipment and lent expertise to the local moisture farmers.^[1] Rekab walked with another suited individual through the city of Mos Espa on Tatooine^[5] in 32 BBY^[6] on the day the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo met the young Human slave Anakin Skywalker.^[5]

When Ensos traveled to hot planets such as Tatooine, they had to rely upon coolth suits to protect them from the scorching temperatures;^[1] a typical unit of this type used the chemical coolth to control the wearer's temperature.^[7] These full-body suits were clunky and unattractive, and many Ensos opted to simply rent them if absolutely necessary. Only the more expensive rental models offered humidity adjustment, dust filtering, and control over the suit's preset temperature. Many Ensos chose to wear polarized sun-goggles in tandem with such protective gear, since coolth suits offered little protection from glaring suns common on hot worlds.^[1]

Behind the scenes[]

Among the many characters created for Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (1999) is a woman in a space suit and thick goggles who appears as a background character in the Mos Espa scenes of the film. The woman's name and species went undefined until StarWars.com's Hyperspace contest "What's The Story?" allowed Star Wars fans to submit biographies for the character.^[1] Nathan O'Keefe,^[8] writing as "Valin Kenobi," supplied the winning entry, which established the character's name and species.^[1]

In its entry for Captain Teyora Rekab, the 2008 reference book The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia gives her species' name as "Ensos."^[2] As this conflicts with the Databank entry,^[3] and the other entry in the encyclopedia,^[1] this is assumed to be an error; the Databank only uses Ensos as the plural of Enso.^[1]

Appearances[]

• Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (First appearance)

Sources[]

• The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
• Rekab, Captain Teyora in the Databank (content now obsolete; backup link) (First identified as Enso)

Notes and references[]