Andorian

Shras, an Andorian Male (2268)

"My people are a violent race..."
– Shras, 2268 ("Journey to Babel")

The Andorians were a warp-capable humanoid species from the moon Andoria, capital of the Andorian Empire, in the Alpha Quadrant. In 2161, their homeworld became a founding member of the United Federation of Planets.

## History

The Andorians originated from the icy moon of Andoria. Early in their history, the Aenar diverged from them as a subspecies, having retreated to the Northern Wastes, thenceforth considered a myth until the early 22nd century. (ENT: "The Aenar")

The Andorians employed ice-cutters to navigate their homeworld; the first to circumnavigate the moon was called Kumari, a name that was carried on to future Andorian vessels. (ENT: "United")

## Physiology

Andorians were blue-skinned, with white or silver hair. The Aenar had white skin and, unlike blue-skinned Andorians, were blind and telepathic. Andorians and Aenar were genetically compatible, able to produce hybrid offspring together. (ENT: "These Are the Voyages...")

Andorians had a higher metabolic rate than humans, which could theoretically permit a Human opponent to best an Andorian in hand-to-hand combat by simply exhausting them. This also made them especially vulnerable to phase-pulse infection; even minor phase-pistol injuries could prove fatal. (ENT: "United") However, they demonstrated resistance to a wide range of environmental conditions. In a climate where the temperature was near the boiling point of water, an Andorian could still thrive, despite losing ten percent of their body weight in two days. (ENT: "The Aenar")

Since Andorian physiology made intravenous injection impossible, physicians administered medication through intramuscular injection instead. (TOS: "Whom Gods Destroy")

Andorians could require a tonsillectomy. (DIS: "Choose Your Pain")

### Antennae

The antenna was a biological feature of the Andorian species and their Aenar subspecies. Both had a set of two antennae, capable of movement, on the top of their head. The 22nd century Andorian Shran once demonstrated that antennae were moved by voluntary muscles that could be controlled separately from one another. (ENT: "United")

### Blood

Andorians were true blue-bloods: Talas' blood displayed non-viscous, translucent qualities, and was as dark blue as Shran's abrasions. Andorian tongues and gums alternated from dark blue to pink. (ENT: "United")

Andorians had increased perfusion in colder environments. On breathing the freezing air of Andoria, Shran remarked how it "really gets the blood running!" (ENT: "The Aenar")

## Society

Andorians were a militaristic race, exemplified in small part by weaponry without stun settings. They considered it an honor to serve in their Imperial Guard, and military rank greatly influenced social reputation. Deploring dishonesty – and never fighting without reason – Andorians were nonetheless capable of duplicity. The Andorians were suspicious and volatile. They considered themselves deeply emotional, passionate, even violent; not known for their charity or sympathy, they placed a high value on family. (ENT: "The Andorian Incident", "Cease Fire", "Babel One", "United"; TOS: "Journey to Babel"; TAS: "Yesteryear")

## Culture & Tradition

A crucial part of Andorian tradition was the Ushaan, a code of honor demanding a duel to the death, with combatants pitted against one another using an ushaan-tor ice miner's tool. A vast body of regulations – up to twelve thousand amendments – bound this code. Such a fight could be called off if one combatant disabled the other enough to prevent its continuance. Though Ushaan could be called by someone to avenge a personal loss, there existed a right of substitution wherein each combatant could offer up a replacement, and married combatants could postpone duels indefinitely if they had no children to continue their clans. (ENT: "United")
Members of the Andorian Imperial Guard who died far from home could count on their companions to transport a part of them, for example some of their blood, back to the Andorian ices. As a special honor, the blood of a dead person could be taken to the Wall of Heroes on Andoria. (ENT: "United")

Females enjoyed an equal position in Andorian society, and as soldiers, were as capable as males. Also, they could initiate an intimate relationship by assaulting a male. Andorian weddings required groups of four people, except under certain circumstances. (ENT: "Cease Fire", "Proving Ground", "Babel One"; TNG: "Data's Day")
Andorians were well known for their determination and endurance in physical combat. On Andoria, they were taught how to fight with an ushaan-tor when they were children. (VOY: "One Small Step"; ENT: "United")

Andorians made prodigious artists; Ezri Dax's mother, Yanas Tigan, bought hand-painted Andorian tiles for her solarium in 2375, and the Andorian Academy was widely considered the best art school in the Federation. (DS9: "Prodigal Daughter")

Like most species, Andorian society also harbored the idea of Heaven, a dream of a place from which creation sprang. According to Sybok, the word for it in the Andorian language was "unpronounceable." (Star Trek V: The Final Frontier)