Out of all of the absurd elements of the Star Wars universe, from ships capable of traveling at lightspeed across vast distances to telepathic warriors wielding incredibly dangerous laser swords, nothing is more improbable than the planetary settings that we’ve seen throughout the series.
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Some of them make plenty of sense and bear similarities to our own planet, like Coruscant, a planet covered entirely by skyscrapers and temples and senate buildings. But most of them fly in the face of basic astronomy. How exactly is a planet covered entirely only in forest or ice and no other topographical feature? Can people really live on Tatooine and not burn to death by its twin suns?
But even if these places don’t hold up to scientific scrutiny, there’s no denying that part of the reason Star Wars is so memorable is because its settings were vividly, painstakingly brought to life by the filmmakers. Even the prequels managed to get this right. Is there anyone here who wasn’t blown away by the Gungan city underneath the waters of Naboo when it first appeared on screen?
Just like our own universe, Star Wars is expanding almost everyday, introducing so many new planets that someone already went and created a map for them. While the upcoming films and the TV show Star Wars Rebels are making their own contributions to the canon, probably the biggest additions in this department have come from Marvel’s various comics.
Since the issues aren’t bound to explore a single era, there’s been plenty of planet-hopping among the various titles, and while we’ve been getting fresh looks at old hangouts like Tatooine and Naboo, some new planets have also entered our orbit. Check out these new additions to the Star Wars canon in the following gallery.
Next: The Lava Planet
Sullust
We’ve heard plenty about this planet before, with its first appearance coming in Princess Leia #3. However, we don’t get a proper look at it, as the comic’s events on the planet take place underground.
Leia and her co-pilot Evaan visit the rocky, subterranean depths of the planet to visit a secret base of Alderaanian refugees. At first, they’re greeted with paranoia and skepticism by the group, who have gone a little bit insane after having their home destroyed and being forced into hiding in an isolated location. But the group eventually rallies to Leia’s side after an encounter with an Imperial contingent unites them against a common foe.
In following Star Wars conventions, this is definitely the Lava Planet due to its topographical features. It’s a little more barren and cavern-like than the hellish Mustafar in Revenge of the Sith. Plus, a new creature called a rockrender makes its debut, resembling giant…gophers? badgers?…who tunneled through the rocks and were attracted to dense minerals.
We’ll actually get to see more of this planet later this year, as it’s one of the maps included in Star Wars Battlefront. From the teaser images released so far, it appears to have a molten, desolate surface that resembles dried lava.
Next: The Smuggler's Moon
Nar Shaddaa
This one’s a bit of a cheat, since Nar Shaddaa is technically playable in the BioWare MMORPG The Old Republic. But the game isn’t actually canon (it’s not not canon either, at least until Disney decides if and how they want to incorporate it).
But that doesn’t take away from how the planet is depicted in Marvel’s main Star Wars comic. Its first appearance comes in issue #8, where Luke visits the planet seeking a smuggler who can take him to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. He runs afoul of trouble after a degenerate steals his lightsaber, and he eventually winds up in the clutches of Grakkus the Hutt, essentially a distant relative of Jabba on steroids.
Think of Nar Shaddaa, appropriately nicknamed “The Smuggler’s Moon,” as the dark reflection of Coruscant. It’s a grimy, dusty, shady town, with a sprawling collection of buildings stacked on top of and against each other. It’s probably my favorite depiction of a new planet so far.
Next: The Paradise Planet
Unnamed Planet in the Monsua Nebula
We don’t actually have an official name for this planet, which shows up in Star Wars #5. All we know is that Han and Chewbacca discovered it after crash-landing there in the Millennium Falcon at an unspecified time in the past, so the two began using it as a hideout whenever they needed to lay low. Han even has a stash of Corellian wine tucked away, which he tries to use to seduce Leia (who doesn’t take to the idea well).
What makes it such a good hiding spot is also what makes it visually appealing on a comics page. The upper atmosphere of the planet consists of bright pink electrical storms that threaten to destroy any ship that tries to descend through them. The storms obscure the lush, tropical paradise on the surface, making it the perfect place to go into hiding or take a vacation and not have to worry about being disturbed.
This is one of the more creative environments we’ve seen in the Star Wars universe so far. Instead of another one-note copycat planet, Marvel’s writers mixed it up and imagined something truly unique that also makes sense in terms of story.
It’s also notable that Sana Solo, Han’s wife, is aware of this place and has probably been here before, as she knew to track Han to this place.
Next: A Hostile Home for Kanan Jarrus
Kaller
Considering this planet’s importance to one of the main leads of Star Wars Rebels, Kanan Jarrus, it’s possible we may see it pop up in the show sometime. Kaller is central to the events of Kanan: The Last Padawan, as it’s where Kanan, then known as Caleb Dume, and his master Depa Billaba are stationed when Order 66 is carried out. While Billaba does not survive, Kanan is forced to go on the run and outrun his clone pursuers.
Kaller is one of the more diverse planets in the Star Wars universe. It’s first depicted as a mixture of rocky and forest terrain, albeit with a giant castle situated on the outskirts of the forest. Kanan even visits an industrial-looking city on the planet that reminds one of the Coruscant’s shadowy underworld.
We’re also shown the native Kallerian species, tall humanoids with large flaps on their face that make them resemble a cobra. Kanan befriends one of these Kallerians, named Janus Kasmir, and ends up forming a bond with the character, even though they butt heads several times throughout the series.
Next: The Other Paradise Planet
Lahn
Another planet that appears in Kanan: The Last Padawan, although not until issue #4. It’s also a planet that appears to be a tropical paradise, although this one is mostly covered by bright blue water and island chains.
Kanan and his new friend Kasmir flee here to set up a smuggling job while on the run. Kanan later meets a Devaronian named General Kleeve, who he had previously encountered on Kaller as a Separatist general. It’s a crucial moment for Kanan, as he realizes that even though he thought the Separatists were his enemy, they lost just as much as he did when the civil war was over.
There’s not too much else that stands out about Lahn, although it is quite beautiful to look at. Hopefully, this planet might also be explored in Star Wars Rebels or in other media in the future of the expanded universe.
Next: The Coruscant Lookalike
Esperion
We see very little of this planet, first introduced in Princess Leia #4. In that issue, Leia send an envoy to the planet to gather up more Alderaanian refugees, but when they arrive, they learn that the group is breeding with the locals. This raises some tension among Leia’s newfound Alderaanian allies, who believe that their people should be mating only with each other to preserve their endangered heritage.
Esperion appears to be some sort of eccentric, bizarre-looking city that caters to the flamboyantly rich. There are plenty of interesting buildings and costumes scattered throughout, and the cartoonish look is heightened by the general style of the Princess Leia comic line, which emphasizes a fantasy-like, storybook feel to its panels.
Still, we don’t get much more than a few glimpses of the planet, and quite frankly, there wasn’t too much that indicated it was worth revisiting.
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