Baneans are a rarity among the humanoid species of the universe in that they seem to share ancestors with avian life, reflected in their crowns of plumage that grow from the sides of their heads, and their serrated molars, meant for grinding harder food like nuts and seeds. The Banean people are famous in their region of the far reaches of the Delta Quadrant for fantastically precise sensor equipment, and having subspace telescopes that have mapped wide swaths of the space near and surrounding their home.

The Odyssey interacted with the Baneans during a period where they were at war with their reptilian neighbors, the Numiri. The war stemmed from centuries-old rivalries fanned for generations, and during the Odyssey’s time there they were able to start the process of opening a dialogue between the two warring peoples. Because of this the Baneans shared their complete star charts with the Odyssey crew, giving them much-needed information on the space ahead of them for a few years, at least.

One Banean has also opted to join the Odyssey’s trip toward the Alpha Quadrant.