The Ensos were a species of near-Humans originating from the planet known as Ensolica. Their bodies were adapted to the frigid arctic conditions of their homeworld, a world dominated by ice sheets and frozen tundra, with only a small band of temperate climate along the equator. These adaptations allowed Ensos to thrive in extremely cold environments. However, this resistance to cold was balanced by a sensitivity to high temperatures. In [desert](/article/desert/legends] environments, such as those found on the planet Tatooine, Ensos had to wear cumbersome, full-body coolth suits to prevent rapid heatstroke.
Enso cities were constructed by carving into Ensolica's icy landscape. To maximize the limited productivity of their harsh environment and sustain their population, they became experts in hydroponics technology. Their advancements in this field attracted the attention of corporations like Alderaan Biotics and Tusus Comestibles, who actively recruited Enso technicians and specialists to work for them across the galaxy.
The Ensos were a sentient near-Human species whose physical appearance closely resembled that of standard Humans. For example, members of this species possessed a humanoid body structure, complete with two arms, two legs, and a head. Their facial features also appeared Human-like, with some Ensos displaying blue eyes, blond hair, and fair skin. The Ensos exhibited the typical biological sexes, male and female.
The primary distinction between Ensos and Humans lay in their significantly different temperature tolerance ranges. Biological adaptations enabled Ensos to endure freezing temperatures that would necessitate protective clothing for standard Humans. Ensos naturally maintained a low body temperature, making them most comfortable in sub-zero conditions. However, this adaptation also rendered them susceptible to extreme heat levels that a Human could withstand; Ensos visiting hot worlds needed to wear protective suits to maintain a cool body temperature and avoid heatstroke after only a short period of exposure.
Located within the Core Worlds, the arctic planet Ensolica presented a severe climate that profoundly shaped Enso culture and society. Due to the dominance of ice and tundra across their [homeworld](/article/homeworld-legends], the Ensos established their cities by excavating them from the ice sheets. With limited fertile land on their planet, the species depended on their expertise in hydroponics technology to grow crops. These near-Humans also had access to starships.
The Ensos developed their inherent resistance to cold as a result of adapting to life on their home planet, Ensolica. This world was intensely cold and unforgiving, with vast stretches of tundra and ice giving way to coniferous forests only in the relatively mild equatorial zones. The Ensos began carving their cities out of the ice and mastered the science of hydroponics to ensure their food supply. After Ensolica joined the galactic community, the Ensos were recognized as citizens of the Core Worlds. During the Clone Wars, Ensolica was situated within Galactic Republic space. Years later, in 137 ABY, their homeworld fell under the control of Darth Krayt's Galactic Empire.
Due to their advanced knowledge in the field, corporations like Alderaan Biotics and Tusus Comestibles frequently recruited the most talented individuals from Ensolica's hydroponics sector to work for them. These positions often required Enso specialists to leave their home planet and travel throughout the galaxy.
One such professional was Captain Teyora Rekab, who headed an Enso hydroponics team. The group earned their living by selling hydroponic equipment and seeds, providing maintenance services for these devices, and offering consulting services. Rekab and her team regularly visited the desert planet Tatooine, where they sold equipment and shared their expertise with the local moisture farmers. In 32 BBY, Rekab, along with another suited individual, walked through the city of Mos Espa on Tatooine on the same day that the Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Queen Padmé Amidala of Naboo encountered the young Human slave Anakin Skywalker.
When Ensos traveled to hot planets like Tatooine, they relied on coolth suits to shield them from the intense heat; a typical suit of this kind employed the chemical coolth to regulate the wearer's body temperature. These full-body suits were bulky and unattractive, leading many Ensos to simply rent them when absolutely necessary. Only the more expensive rental models offered humidity control, dust filtration, and adjustable temperature settings. Many Ensos also chose to wear polarized sun-goggles along with these protective suits, as coolth suits provided limited protection from the intense suns common on hot planets.
Among the numerous characters created for Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace (1999) is a woman wearing a spacesuit and thick goggles, who appears as a background character in the Mos Espa scenes of the film. The character's name and species remained undefined until StarWars.com's Hyperspace contest, "What's The Story?," allowed Star Wars fans to submit character biographies. Nathan O'Keefe, writing under the name "Valin Kenobi," submitted the winning entry, which established the character's name and species.
In its entry for Captain Teyora Rekab, the 2008 reference book The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia identifies her species as "Ensos." However, this contradicts the Databank entry and another entry within the same encyclopedia, suggesting it is an error; the Databank uses Ensos only as the plural form of Enso.