Asogians were sentient beings with paddle-like feet and sizable eyes, native to the world of Brodo Asogi. Senator Grebleips, along with a team of three aides, represented the Asogians in the Galactic Senate during the final years of the Galactic Republic. Following the Clone Wars and the Republic's transformation into the Galactic Empire, Grebleips faced accusations of treason, and the Asogian homeworld was brought under the control of the new autocratic regime. Over two decades afterward, amidst the Galactic Civil War between the Empire and the Alliance to Restore the Republic, an Asogian infochant by the name of Braxas conducted business on Solay, a planet situated in the Outer Rim.
Featuring paddle-shaped feet, Asogians were sentient creatures, generally short and stocky, possessing long arms capable of reaching the ground while walking. Their hands were characterized by four elongated fingers. A pair of prominent eyes dominated their heads, which were positioned on a flexible, extended neck. Some Asogians exhibited brown, completely hairless skin, whereas others displayed yellow skin with sparse black hair on their heads. Eye colors could be either blue or red.
Similar to various other species, such as the reptilian Anx from Gravlex Med and the furry Togorians hailing from Togoria, Asogians commonly engaged in their daily lives unclothed. They utilized grub-sticks as utensils for eating, and some members of their species consumed meat.
The design and form of the PK-series worker droid were inspired by the Asogian's physical traits.
The Asogian people originated from Brodo Asogi, a planet situated within the Perinn sector of the Outer Rim Territories. At some stage, they became members of the Galactic Republic, the democratic alliance that governed the majority of the galaxy.
By the year 33 BBY, the Asogians had representation in the Republic's Galactic Senate through Senator Grebleips and his three aides. Prior to the outbreak of the Clone Wars in 22 BBY, marked by the onslaught, Grebleips famously declared his intention to provide funding for an extra-galactic exploration project. As the war concluded, Palpatine, the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, transformed the existing government into the First Galactic Empire, declaring himself as Emperor. Grebleips, the Asogian senator, alongside sixty-two other delegates, faced charges of conspiracy and treason for allegedly aiding in the revolt of the Jedi Order against Palpatine. The Asogian's home planet, like numerous others, was seized by the Galactic Empire.
During the Galactic Civil War, a conflict between the Empire and the Alliance to Restore the Republic, an Asogian with a disability named Braxas worked as an infochant on Solay, a planet within the Dominus sector of the Outer Rim Territories. When the Galactic Empire took control of Solay, Braxas decided to leave the planet. He then hired Luke Skywalker, a young hero of the Alliance and a skilled pilot, to provide transportation off-world.
The Asogians made their initial appearance in Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, the opening film of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, as a cameo featuring the renowned aliens from Steven Spielberg's 1982 movie E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. These creatures were incorporated into the film to fulfill a promise: after Steven Spielberg included a cameo of Yoda and Star Wars merchandise in E.T., George Lucas pledged to include an E.T. cameo in his next Star Wars movie, which was The Phantom Menace. While primarily an easter egg, and E.T. is not generally considered part of Star Wars canon, certain Star Wars references in E.T. can be re-examined in light of the E.T. references in Star Wars.
E.T.: The Book of the Green Planet, a sequel to the film, identifies "Children of the Green Planet" as the translated designation for E.T.'s species. It also mentions various names that other alien species have assigned to E.T.'s homeworld, including Brodo Asogi, all of which translate to "Green Planet." Although a species sharing the same name and appearance is considered part of Star Wars canon, and the homeworld's name is mentioned in Cloak of Deception, the species' name remains unspecified.
During a trick-or-treating scene with children, E.T. notices a child wearing a Yoda mask and begins to follow them, repeating "Home… home…". (Composer John Williams included a snippet of his "Yoda Theme" from The Empire Strikes Back to accompany this scene.) This could be interpreted as E.T. recognizing a familiar species from his native galaxy.
HoloNet News Vol. 531 50 also mentions that Senator Grebleips from Brodo Asogi provided funding for an expedition to another galaxy. This serves as another reference to E.T., as E.T. journeys to Earth from another galaxy in the movie.
The Senator's name, 'Grebleips', is simply 'Spielberg' spelled in reverse.
Pat Welsh, who provided the voice for E.T. in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, also voiced Leia Organa when she was disguised as the bounty hunter Boushh in Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi.
In his novella SkyeWalkers: A Clone Wars Story, author Abel G. Peña mentioned "a pair of Asogian grub-sticks," specifically referencing the chopsticks used by Braxas in Star Wars (1977) 89. Through this, Peña both named the species and confirmed Braxas as a member of it.
E.T. also made a cameo in "Hate Leads to Lollipops," a light-hearted comic story by David McCaig, appearing among the patrons of the Mon Calamari Fish Market. The panel also featured characters from other science-fiction films, including Derek from Teenagers from Outer Space, the Mutant from This Island Earth, and Mac from Mac and Me.