Duros Star Wars Guide - The Force Universe

About
Latest Posts

Boo is a content writer and a huge fanatic of Star Wars. He is a big fan of outer space and Star Wars made its way into his heart. He is up-to-date on the latest news in the Star Wars universe. He enjoys collecting Star Wars merchandise like shoes or figurines. When he's not writing, you can find him scrolling memes or laughing at hilarious videos.

Quick Facts

Common name: Travelers
Place of origin: Duro
Kind: Sentient Humanoids
Race: Neimoidian
Language: Durese
Skin-Color: Green and Blue
Average height: 1.7-2.2 meters
Average Lifespan: 70 Years

Duros Physical Appearance

There are some Star Wars species that look like the cliché aliens. With their big heads, large eyes, and long hands, these species share an uncanny resemblance to someone we would expect to come out of a UFO.

Being a typical alien-looking specie, Duros was often seen across the screens. This specie was a sentient humanoid with some apparent features similar to humans. However, Duros had big heads resembling an inverted pear or a lightbulb. They lacked hair on their skin, offering a smooth feel, but some Duros had tough skin due to the harsh lifestyle they opted.

Talking about their color, Duros mostly had green and blue skin; however, some grey and turquoise Duros also lived in the Galaxy. Similarly, they had red and orange eyes, with the latter tint being less common.

Duros were a little taller than humans, which allowed them to overpower ordinary humans easily. And this tall body, coupled with their sleek body structure, allowed them to be more agile. Anyhow, their clothes were more or less similar to normal humans, and some Duros would often wear flight suits.

Other peculiar physical features of Duros include bald heads, noseless faces, and long hands. And let me tell you, if you are a fan of American Dad, you might confuse Roger with a Duros.

Portrayal of Duros in The Star Wars Universe

Talking about their overall characterization in the Galaxy, Duros were calm, peace-loving, quick-witted, and adventurous people. They were revered for their technological prowess and adeptness with flying.

However, in the Star Wars series, they weren’t very talkative and didn’t like getting under others’ skin, something I wish every living soul should possess.

Because of their wit and adventurous nature, Duros were portrayed as both good and bad in the series. They were Force-sensitive people, and some Duros even rose to become powerful Jedis. They remained on the Jedi Council and helped the Jedi Order through its dark days during the era of the Great Sith War.

And let us not forget that not only male Duros were part of the Council, but some females served on the Jedi Council as well. However, not to mention, some Duros were also corrupted by the Dark side of the Force and remained a part of the Sith Order in the history of the Galaxy.

Duros were also associated with criminal cartels because of their excellent navigational skills and adaptability. And that’s why they were counted among some of the most adept bounty hunters the Galaxy had ever seen.

Being a peace-loving specie, Duros were also very active after the rise of the Empire. Some of them were a part of the Rebel Alliance and led the Alliance to many victories against the Empire due to their phenomenal flying skills. Moreover, Duros even remained a part of the Resistance after the fall of the New Republic.

Home and History of Duros

Whenever there is a talk about the Star Wars universe, it’s hard to overlook Duros; after all, they are one of the oldest species in the Galaxy. With their vast diaspora in the Galaxy, Duros were originally from Duro, a strategic planet located at the hyperspace route called “Corellian Trade Spine.”

Despite having such a vital location in the Galaxy, the planet of Duro didn’t possess a happy history. Before the emergence of the old Republic, Duros were slaves to one of the most miserable rules, the Infinite Empire.

Pre-Republic Era

The Infinite Empire, aka the Rakatan Empire, was always after developing and introducing deadly weapons and advanced means of transportation to spread its rule.

And Duro became a victim of the advanced, yet detrimental, Rakatan research center, Star Forge, to create the most state-of-the-art ships the Galaxy had ever seen.

However, the rule of the Infinite Empire proved to be a blessing in disguise. With Rakatan Empire coming to an end, the Duros took hold of the research center and the technology left by the Rakata and developed the “hyperspace cannon,” the precursor of the hyperspace drive.

And with the development of this “hyperspace cannon,” Duros were able to travel to the distant corners of the Galaxy, becoming one of the most common species of the universe.

Republic and Post-Republic Era

If you are wondering the planet of Duro became a peaceful and free planet after the end of the Rakatan Empire, well, that’s not the case.

Although with the development of the Corellian Trade Spine the Duros spread their influence across the Galaxy and even colonized various settlements, Duros saw different merciless rulers, including Mandalorians, Separatists, the Empire, and Vong, before being finally liberated by the New Republic.

During the Republic era, the Duros made the best use of the Rakatan technology. And it would not be wrong to say that Duros took it a step further.

After the advancements in space engines, Duros went after mining some of the Galaxy’s rare and most useful materials, such as Baradium and Cortosis. Not to mention, they also exponentially spread their food processing plants across Duro and most of their colonies.

But, as they say, “excess of everything is bad,” such inordinate advancements ultimately led to the deterioration of Duro’s environment, and with the invasion of Mandalorian and Separatists, the Duro’s surface became inhabitable. Consequently, the Duros had no option but to build and live in the city-ships orbiting Duro.

After the rise of Emperor Palpatine, the Empire also got interested in Duro’s trade and enslaved Duros. After all, who could say no to one-of-its-kind explosive, Baradium, and the anti-dote of lightsabers, Cortosis? But again, this invasion proved a stroke of luck for Duro, and the New Republic came in as the “liberator.”

This liberation operation also introduced the “mission clean sweep,” literally, and the New Republic removed a significant part of pollution. However, this “save Duros” drive didn’t stop there.

With the arrival, or should I say invasion, of Vong, the leftover pollution was also removed from the atmosphere; after all, the “Chosen Race” could not survive in such a shabby atmosphere. This subsequently brought Duro to its original condition once again.

Some Interesting Facts About Duros Every Star Wars Fan Should Know:

Voldemort of The Galaxy

When you look at their faces, you will realize that someone played the “got your nose” joke with Duros and forgot to give them their nose back. Moreover, if you look closely, you will notice that their face had a perfect base for a nose, and it was left there intentionally. Anyway, who am I to question George Lucas’ creativity?

But this lack of nose does not mean they could not smell. Duros had special organs right beneath their eyes to help them smell. And, after their bald heads, these weird olfactory organs made Duros pretty unique among other Star Wars species.

Ancestors of Neimoidians

If you ever confused a Neimoidian with a Duros, you aren’t the first one to do so. Neimoidians were actually the successors of Duros. And their close resemblance corresponds to the thousands of years of colonization and breeding that took place on the planet of Neimoidian.

However, despite sharing many close features with Duros, such as a noseless face and split red/orange eyes, Neimoidians were quite the opposite of the values Duros stood for. For the adventurous, madcap, and fighter Duros, Neimoidians were nervous, cunning, and timid.

Egg-laying Reptiles

It might be hard to imagine any developed and intelligent humanoid specie to be laying eggs. But Duros was an egg-laying Reptalian specie of the Star Wars universe. These eggs would be laid in large numbers, after which some would turn into larvae, consequently transforming into bipod Duros and completing the birth cycle.

Marco Polo of The Star Wars Universe

When it comes to flying, Duros were the inborn pilots. And this ability can be related to the fact that Duros were travelers and explorers of the Galaxy and were always eager to discover something new.

Furthermore, they were exceptional navigators and could easily remember different coordinates. Therefore, it was common among other species that Duros had a photographic memory.

Promoters of Durese Across The Galaxy

With the invention of the hyperspace cannon and the formation of the Corellian Trade Spine, Duros became widespread traders, and their local language, Durese, spread across the Galaxy. However, this language was not hard to catch on to.

Durese was quite similar to the Galactic Basic Standard language, which led it to become one of the most commonly used galactic languages, especially among traders and travelers. Furthermore, Durese also laid the foundation of the “chorus of staccato guttural croaks of infinite and subtle variety” language spoken on Neimoidia, called Pak Pak.

Some Famous Duros And Their Roles In The Series:

Duros had a pretty diverse role in the Star Wars universe. Although they were mostly portrayed as an anti-social, composed, and cynical specie of Star Wars, the following famous, or infamous, Duros really makes us question if that had always been the case.

Cad Bane, the most Infamous Bounty Hunter of The Galaxy

Star Wars: The Clone Wars introduced us to many new characters that talked a lot about Canon, and one such character was a Duros named Cad Bane.

Bane, one of the most intimidating villains of the Clone Wars, was the best bounty hunter in the Galaxy; after all, not many people had Dooku’s respect. Anyhow, the characterization of Cad Bane in Star Wars gave Duros the recognition they always deserved.

Bane was the disciple and an associate of Jango Fett. With the death of Jango at the hands of Mace Windu, Cad Bane became the most highly paid and infamous mercenary of the Galaxy.

He was a fearless bounty hunter who always caused trouble for the Republic and the Jedi Order. Although he was not a Force-wielder, he was skilled enough to take Anakin and Obi-Wan head-on on many occasions.

And let’s not overlook the fact that Cade Bane had also killed some Jedis, e.g., Jedi Master Bola Ropal, making him the fiercest Duros of the Clone Wars.

The best thing about Cad Bane was that his character portrayed some of the top-notch qualities of Duros, i.e., courageousness and intelligence, very precisely.

And these attributes even convinced the most powerful being of the Galaxy, Darth Sidious, to hire him for an impossible job, i.e., retrieving a Holocron from the Jedi temple, which he successfully completed.

Bane also shared a passion for adventure just like his compatriots. And this led him to take several jobs for some of the most dangerous cartels of the Galaxy such as the Hutts clan and Pykes syndicate. However, this reckless adventurous nature resulted in his demise at the hands of his mentor and friend’s son, Jango Fett.

L’ulo L’ampar, a Selfless Starfighter

L’ulo was another Duros from the planet of Duro who shared many attributes with his compatriot, Cad Bane. However, unlike Bane, L’ulo used these skills for good. L’ulo remained a member of the Rebel Alliance and Resistance and was a part of many important missions, such as the Battle of Endor and the Mission to Ovanis.

Like most of Duros, L’ulo was a phenomenal fighter pilot; after all, not everyone could handle the A-wing starfighter. During his time with Rebel Alliance, L’ulo remained a part of the Green Squadron and was a close friend of Shara Bey, another great pilot of the Alliance.

And for those who don’t know Bey, she was the mother of a rising star and an important member of the Resistance, Poe Dameron.

Unlike other Duros, L’ulo possessed a very friendly and social nature. He was not only a confidant of Bey but also remained close to the Damerons after Bey retired from the Alliance, and it would not be wrong to say that Poe’s childhood was greatly influenced by him.

The character of L’ulo also corroborated the fact that Duros were some of the best navigators of the Galaxy. After Poe ran away from home and was lost in the wilderness of the Galaxy, it was L’ulo who searched for Poe and found him after a whole year.

After the fall of the New Republic, L’ulo also served with Poe Dameron in the Resistance. However, in a rescue mission to save Poe, L’ulo fell victim to the Imperial fire and died in a blast. His sacrifice made us realize that not all Duros were the cold-hearted people of the Galaxy.

Shriv Suurgav, a Key Member of The Rebel Alliance and The Resistance

In my opinion, Shriv was among the very few Duros who, despite their brief appearance, played a significant role in Star Wars. Just like L’ulo, he was a member of the Rebel Alliance and the Resistance and was an exceptional starfighter.

Shriv was a typical Duros who didn’t like talking much and was not a big fan of Humans. He never liked social gatherings and always took pride in what he did. Still, despite his unfriendly traits, Shriv remained the leader of the Death Squadron.

And it was this squadron that saved Naboo from the wrath of Darth Sidious by impeding Operation Cinder, the revenge plotted by Darth Sidious against the Galaxy for his death and the fall of the Empire.

During the Cold War and even after the fall of the New Republic as a result of the Hosnian Cataclysm, Shriv played many decisive roles in the Resistance’s victory.

After the Starkiller Base crisis, Shriv not only built the Resistance navy by acquiring more starships but also searched for more allies to join the resistance movement that was already spreading thin. To put it short, Shriv’s character was a strong proponent of the fact that the role of Duros in bringing balance to the Galaxy can never be overlooked.

Wishan, an Eccentric Jedi

Although this Duros only made a few minor appearances in a children’s video game and some Star Wars novels, his character was anything but in line with Duros’ portrayal in the Star Wars universe.

Wishan was a Force-sensitive Duros and was among the very few Duros Jedis who reached the rank of Jedi Master. However, even for a Jedi Wishan was an eccentric being. And it would not be wrong to say that the life of this Jedi revolved around three things only: sculptures, incense, and of course, food.

This Force-wielding Duros was a blabbermouth and humorous being, having traits that were hard to find in a Duros. Not to mention, his overweight body would always question a Star Wars fan if he was even a Duros in the first place.

Although the introduction of Wishan in the Canons confirmed the fact that Duros were Force-sensitive beings, it also introduced Star Wars fans to the possibility that Duros could also possess a very idiosyncratic and unconventional personality.

Famous Duros Quotes

“I dislike this already” -Shriv Suurgav Inferno Squad
“They don’t call me Danger Leader for nothing.” -Shriv Suurgav Inferno Squad
“True, but we are not at war now. We are the farthest thing from it.” -Jedi Master Rana Kant
“Let’s become spears” -Jedi Knight Te’Ami
“There is no shame in this, Burry. Only an opportunity to learn.” -Jedi Knight Te’Ami
“Now, let’s head out together for a big dinner to celebrate. I’m already seven lumps of clay. Why not eight or nine” -Jedi Master Wishan
“Cad Bane at your service. I’ll take on any job… for the right price” -Bounty Hunter Cad Bane
“Consider this my final lesson. Look out for yourself. Anything else is weakness.” – Bounty Hunter Cad Bane

Major Appearances

Being the oldest specie of the Galaxy, Duros made their first appearance in the very first production of Star Wars, A New Hope. Some of their other significant appearances include:

The High Republic
Star Wars: Force Arena
Star Wars Battlefront
Star Wars: The Clone Wars
Star Wars: The Bad Batch
Star Wars Rebels
Star Wars Adventures
Rogue One
Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
The Mandalorian
The Book of Boba Fett

Frequently Asked Questions

Question: What was the most Revered Tradition that Existed Among Duros?

Answer: Although it might seem harsh to other species, Duros had a very clear tradition when it came to lending things. Under Duros’ lending tradition, a person should pay the loan within the stipulated time, and there should not be any delay for whatsoever reason.
Furthermore, the obligation to return the goods or loan was incumbent upon the goods/money itself, not on the person, i.e., the loan would transfer to the Duros owning the assets. Not to mention, the loan would transfer to the legal heirs of the borrower in case of their death.

Question: Why Duros Hated Neimoidian so much?

Answer: Well, it might be true that Duros were actually the predecessors of Neimoidians; they never had a soft corner for Neimoidians. Duros were the colonizers of the planet of Neimoidia, and centuries of breeding and evolution led to the formation of the specie we call Neimoidians.
However, these Neimoidians lacked many traits that were found in a Duros; instead, their “qualities” were mostly quite the opposite of what Duros possessed. So, for sharing their looks yet lacking their values and attributes, Duros hated Neimoidian’s guts.

Question: Where did Duros Live on Duro?

Answer: After the uncontrolled industrialization of Duro and the devastating attacks of the foreign invaders, the land of Duro became uninhabitable, and its ecosystem became pretty toxic.
This led Duros to construct or modify the shipping docks to develop enormous ships that could house hundreds of thousands of people. These ships, aka orbiting cities, were covered with domes to ensure no toxic substance would reach the population.
These city-ships were twenty in number, and most of the Duros lived in these cities. Still, the uninfected area of Duro was reserved for farming, which also housed a small number of Duros.

Question: Were Duros Force-sensitive Beings?

Answer: Yes, despite their mostly “not Force-sensitive” appearance in the Galaxy, the Star Wars Legends does talk about some of the famous Force-sensitive Duros, a few even making it to the Jedi Council.
Furthermore, in addition to being Jedis, some Duros were also a part of the Sith Order, Darth Caldoth being the most infamous Sith lord.

My Opinion on Duros

When it comes to Duros, unlike most cliché species, they exhibited an array of personalities in the Star Wars universe. Usually, Duros were considered selfish, anti-social, and self-centered beings in the Galaxy who had little to no regard for anyone except themselves.

But, with the likes of Jedi Master Wishan, Jedi Knight Te’Ami, and the Resistance fighter L’ulo L’ampar, Duros offered some of the most jovial and friendly beings in the Galaxy. Still, despite these exceptions, Duros never remained a loveable specie of the Star Wars universe.

Although they were great navigators, savvy engineers, and ambitious explorers, these “travelers” were the hideous creatures of the Galaxy. With a big round head, green skin, and a noseless face, this specie looked like some extra-terrestrials of the Star Wars universe.

Anyway, in my opinion, Duros was a lot better than most other species. They were a clever specie that was also Force-sensitive and added great depth to the Star Wars story.

Looking for interesting readings? Check out: