Hello All,

I had a question regarding Twi'leks. According to their write up in the books, and other sources like wookipedia, Lekku are Prehensile. I double checked the definition of prehensile online "adapted for seizing or grasping especially by wrapping around."

I've never seen any use of lekku beyond decoration in the shows or movies, and was wondering if anybody else could think of any examples. It makes them a whole lot more useful if they can be used to pick up or hold stuff. I realize they couldn't do fine manipulation or pull a trigger, but being able to hold onto a pole, wrap around a wrist, or slide a card off a sabbac table could be extremely handy.

Thanks

In this case, i think prehensile is used more for the fact that they have independent control over each one. They are used as a communication tool, having a separate language consisting of lekku movements.

Wookieepedia is notorious for odd and questionable bits being recorded as gospel.

That said, it's not a huge stretch, and "prehensile" doesn't have to mean useful. My cat technically has a prehensile tail, but I think the closest thing to "grasping" she's ever done was the night she got it stuck on a fly trap.

WEGs version had lekku able to move and wiggle in a way that twi'leks could actually use them to communicate in a kind of sign language. That would be technically "prehensile" without implying that that were swinging around by them....

Actually, prehensile technically does mean useful. The specific definition of it is "grasping." A cats tail cannot grasp, therefore it is not prehensile. All the examples given in a couple different dictionaries show some strength and dexterity, such as monkeys hanging from trees.

If it was just wookipedia I'd blow it off, as it's full of random stuff people have put in, but the FFG books also call out prehensile, and theoretically this has all been vetted by Lucasfilm.

I guess I'm only pushing the point because I've always thought lekku were kind of dumb. They just hang there like big targets or handles for a brawler to grasp. If they could actually grasp or do something useful it makes a lot more sense.

I've not seen any depiction in the films or any of the animated series of lekku grasping anything, I'm not sure if any of the books have but I've read a few with Twi'leks in them and they never mention anything about grasping things. If anyone can point to any instance of this happening anywhere in canon or other EU then please post it but until then I'm more of the opinion that the original person that called them "prehensile" and all those who just continued it's use were/are ignorant of what the term actually means. As far as I'm concerned they are as useful as a cat or dog's tail no more.

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prehensile

If you're desperate for a solution just logically deduce something that works and makes better use of new material, like Beezer:

In proto-twi'lek creatures the lekku contained more muscle, and they used them to grasp and steady themselves while climbing Ryloths craggy mountains. As they evolved into more nomadic pursuit predators (like humans) crossing the deserts following resources and prey, the muscles atrophied in favor of larger fat reserves, better for storing nutrients and water, and blood vessels expanded to help cooling.

Modern Twi'leks no longer have the ability to grasp anything in their leku heavier than a datapad stylus, and even then rather clumsily, but some are trained in a kind of sign language that utilize their lekku. The temperature regulation and fat storage remains however, and modern Twi'leks are still more resilient in hot dry climates than many other species.

How does that work for you?

4 hours ago, Split Light said:

wookipedia

AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!

13 hours ago, Ghostofman said:

If you're desperate for a solution just logically deduce something that works and makes better use of new material, like Beezer:

In proto-twi'lek creatures the lekku contained more muscle, and they used them to grasp and steady themselves while climbing Ryloths craggy mountains. As they evolved into more nomadic pursuit predators (like humans) crossing the deserts following resources and prey, the muscles atrophied in favor of larger fat reserves, better for storing nutrients and water, and blood vessels expanded to help cooling.

Modern Twi'leks no longer have the ability to grasp anything in their leku heavier than a datapad stylus, and even then rather clumsily, but some are trained in a kind of sign language that utilize their lekku. The temperature regulation and fat storage remains however, and modern Twi'leks are still more resilient in hot dry climates than many other species.

How does that work for you?

That's pretty good, I'll go with that one. My wife actually suggested something similar to me last night, so apparently great minds think alike.

20 hours ago, Split Light said:

It makes them a whole lot more useful if they can be used to pick up or hold stuff. I realize they couldn't do fine manipulation or pull a trigger, but being able to hold onto a pole [...]

Yes, but only if they're dancing on it.