Kaleesh

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"The Kaleesh are not known for their mercy."

―Grievous^[7]

The Kaleesh, also known as the Kaleeshi, were a reptilian sentient species from the Wild Space world of Kalee. A primal yet spiritual people, the Kaleesh were formidable warriors, and they were not likely to display empathy, kindness, or vulnerability. All Kaleesh nearly always concealed their facial features behind traditional war masks, which were typically crafted from the skulls and bones of one of the three fiercest and most fearsome animal species on their home planet—predatory beasts, mumuu, erkush, and karabbac. Despite their technological inferiority, they engaged in many conflicts, notably against their galactic neighbors, the inhabitants of the planet Huk. The most notorious member of the species, General Grievous, fought as the Supreme Martial Commander of the Separatist Droid Armies during the Clone Wars.

Biology and appearance[]

Kaleesh Unmasked — Grievous' face before being cybernetically enhanced

The Kaleesh,^[3] also known as the Kaleeshi,^[8] were a species of red-skinned^[1] humanoid^[3] reptilians^[2] from the planet Kalee^[6] in Wild Space,^[9] with two^[1] beady^[10] yellow eyes with slit pupils,^[1] large tusks on their lower jaws^[4] and bony protrusions on their chin, and a mouth^[11] with teeth,^[12] two of which were fangs visible when closed.^[5] Although all of their facial features were reminiscent of bats, such as their elongated ears and flat^[3] or snub^[11] noses,^[3] they usually wore masks.^[3] Members had two long, thin arms with four-fingered hands,^[5] including an opposable thumb,^[11] sprouting sharp, black, or white claws,^[12]^[13]^[8] and two legs,^[5] back bent,^[14] with four toes.^[5]

They were digitigrades,^[5] walking on their toes rather than their entire feet,^[15] and they possessed a brain,^[16] a heart, lungs,^[17] liver,^[11] and nerve endings.^[18] Their internal organs were extremely flammable.^[1]^[19] As if the Kaleesh were prepared to strike, their scales quivered menacingly and they could recognize whether someone was being cold-blooded.^[8] Kaleesh possessed a visual perception of color in their eyesight^[20] and could also smell an individual's origin and the stench of death.^[7]

Society and culture[]

Though primitive,^[21] the Kaleesh were a fierce^[22] and proud^[23] culture of warriors^[24] who were known for their lack of mercy.^[7] Dumas Mar'Ti was a Kaleesh who believed in a pantheon of beings she called her gods. According to her, her sins were a matter between her and the gods.^[8] The warlords of Kalee were worshipped by a young Grievous, who would watch the warlords return home with plunders taken in war.^[25]

On their native homeworld of Kalee,^[26] warriors of the Kaleesh hunted mumuu,^[24] erkush,^[27] and karabbac. Instead of only hunting for meat alone,^[22] they generally killed to demonstrate their bravery^[26] and make clothes out of hides and masks.^[22] Such fearsome masks^[24] were frequently^[28] carved from the skulls, bones,^[24] and teeth^[29] of one of the fiercest^[24] and most lethal^[30] predatory beasts.^[24] With that mask in hand, a Kaleesh's features were normally^[15] and traditionally^[24] hidden behind the mask, with only their slitted yellow eyes^[15] staring through the masks.^[31]

When going into battle, they smeared^[11] karabbac-blood warpaint lines above their eyes.^[24] Their skull masks made it difficult to read their expressions as they are rarely seen without them.^[32]^[22] Apparently, if it were discovered that someone wore a similar mask just for effect, the Kaleesh would not tolerate it.^[23] In addition to their warrior cultures,^[33] Kaleesh also dressed in^[5] traditional martial cloaks and a half-hood^[33] with headwear^[34] over them,^[5] which added to their intimidating appearance.^[33] They further used weaponry such as swords, shields, spears,^[5] and a slugthrower,^[35] the Czerka Arms Outland rifles.^[21]

History[]

At one point,^[36] Kaleesh warriors^[37] and warlords took roggwarts as trophies^[36] from their battles with the Bitthævrian^[37] on their homeworld Guiteica.^[36]

GrievousStatue-SW100Objects — A statue of a Kaleesh holding the severed head of a Skrilling.

The overextended Old Republic overlooked crimes on numerous peripheral worlds, and one such world, Kalee, unintentionally faced injustice at their hands. The world of Kalee became one when the low-tech reptilian Kaleesh species were conquered by a greedy insectoid species, the Yam'rii,^[21] from the desolate planet Huk^[38] in the same system as their planet.^[24] The Yam'rii had ruthlessly invaded many worlds in their sector, stripping them of their resources and selling their populations into slavery. When the Yam'rii focused their attention on Kaleesh's homeworld, the results were horrifying. The struggle between the Kaleesh and their technologically superior foes was devastating, resulting in a never-ending war.^[21]

One Kaleesh named Qymaen jai Sheelal,^[39] later known as Grievous,^[34] was born, matured,^[21] and learned brutal tactics, determined strategy,^[25] battle tactics, and warfare during the Kalee's war against the Yam'rii of Huk,^[40] and became a fearsome warrior^[41] and warlord.^[42] Throughout the years fighting alongside the strongest Kaleesh warriors,^[21] the Izvoshra,^[34] Grievous had gathered them^[35]to serve as his bodyguards. Then, with increased ferocity and determination,^[21] Grievous led his people in a ruthless^[24] all-war against the Yam'rii^[35] while on offensive. In time, the Kaleesh forces successfully repel the Yam'rii from their world.^[21] Grievous launched a series of devastating campaigns on the planet, Huk.^[38] However, the Yam'rii pulled off an unexpected move and appealed to the Republic for assistance.^[21] The Republic^[40] and the Jedi intervened,^[24] siding with the Yam'rii^[40] against the invaders, and the Kaleesh were censured, embargoes and fines were enforced, and hundreds of thousands of them died of starvation.^[21]

Grievous's hatred for the Republic and the Jedi only increased,^[21] developing a personal vendetta against them,^[40] and it may have been the hatred he felt that drove Grievous to join^[21] the InterGalactic Banking Clan.^[34] Grievous was phenomenally successful, and the IGBC considered him one of their most important resources; yet, Count Dooku and Darth Sidious, who had big intentions for him, had already taken notice of his deeds.^[21] After being seriously injured^[43] in a sabotaged^[24] shuttle crash, which almost killed him^[43] and destroyed most^[15] of what remained^[5] of his original body,^[15] he was transformed into a cyborg^[24] and served as the Commander of the Separatist Droid Army, bringing him face-to-face with the despised Jedi and seizing their lightsabers as trophies throughout the years until his death on Utapau.^[1]

During the First Order-Resistance War,^[44] one Kaleesh was present at the Vargo Spaceport on the planet Varkana, wandering around when the First Order stormtroopers searched the city for resistance spy Norath Kev.^[13]

Kaleesh in the galaxy[]

"I met a Kaleesh on my travels who bragged of a revered warrior. He supposedly had cybernetic implants for enhanced combat!"

―An artist learns of Grievous^[15]

During the High Republic Era, one such Kaleesh was Dumas Mar'Ti, who served as a captain and was a member of the Byne Guild.^[8]

One of the species' most well-known members was General Grievous, who was also regarded as its most infamous.^[15] His mostly cybernetic body eliminated most resemblance to other Kaleesh.^[45] As the Supreme Commander of the Separatist Droid Army, he fought in the Clone Wars^[46] until he was killed by Jedi General Obi-Wan Kenobi during the Battle of Utapau.^[1] Though not Kaleesh himself,^[28] the Delphidian pirate Sidon Ithano wore a Kaleesh mask^[47] stolen from the Kaleesh,^[17] adopting one of their masks^[28] painted^[47] in a chosen red color^[48] to hide his Delphidian heritage.^[28]