The Kinda Confusing Difference Between Zabraks And Dathomirians In Star Wars Explained
"Star Wars" has some of the greatest creature and character designs in genre cinema. Every new character tells a story just with their look, every creature looks unique and fresh. This makes the world feel lived-in and vast. From the moment we first entered the Mos Eisley cantina, the world of the franchise opened up and nothing was the same again. Part of the magic was the technological restrictions, with everyday objects being used creatively to create all sorts of creatures. It's why, even with all of today's technology available, "Star Wars" designers restrict themselves when creating new characters.
One character that stands out because of their design is Darth Maul. The cranial horns on his head with crimson skin look like a demonic entity. Famously, the original design, which George Lucas asked to be "a vision from your worst nightmare," was so terrifying that Lucas changed it for "your second worst nightmare." Indeed, Maul is such an effective villain he doesn't have to talk (and rarely does in the movies), instead letting his design do the talking. It's easy to see why, even after being cut in half, George Lucas decided to bring Maul back many years later.
In the extended canon of the animated shows and books, the character of Maul and his background were expanded, particularly his homeworld of Dathomir, which has become vital to the franchise. That being said, the larger Zabrak species, which is prominent in games, and looks quite similar to Maul, has long confused fans. Are they just coincidentally similar? Why does Maul look devil-ish, when Jedi Master Eeth Koth look nothing like him? The novelization for "The Phantom Menace" coins the term Zabrak to describe Maul's species, but is that the same as a Dathomiri? Let's explore.
Two worlds, one family
The Zabrak is an alien species known for their face tattoos and the horns on their heads. Originally, Zabraks originated from the planet Iridonia (mentioned in "The Clone Wars"). Notably, they have different skin colors ranging from pale pink to orange — not exactly Maul lookalikes — but also the similar crimson and black. Zabraks have been around since the time of the Old Republic and typically loyal to the Republic, with several Zabraks even being part of the Jedi Order, like Master Eeth Koth.
The Zabrak spread throughout the galaxy and eventually settled on the planet Dathomir, where eventually the subspecies Dathomirian Zabrak was born. The Dathomirian Zabraks are notable since the females do not have cranial horns like the rest of the species and look quite different, usually pale. Since Dathomirian Zabraks are portrayed as evil, it makes sense that Zabraks we see here tend to have more Sith-like skin colors, like yellow and orange.
So, they are technically the same species, but Zabraks originating from Dathomir have a distinct look, particularly female ones.
Things are a bit more complicated after the release of "Ahsoka." The show expanded on the Dathomirian mythology by making them originate from a totally different galaxy. Now, we know Dathomirians actually originate from the planet Peridea, from which they traveled to the main galaxy with the help of Purrgil. Eventually, tales of Peridea became legend, and their knowledge was lost to most. Does this mean Dathomirians aren't actually Zabrak? Is it just a big coincidence they look similar? Are Dathomirians the true original subspecies? We don't know yet, and it is unlikely we'll find out unless a story specifically calls for it.
And so the Zabraks continue to fascinate and confuse "Star Wars" fans, while delivering memorable characters with badass designs.