Gareth Edwards reveals how Jedha in Rogue One became a holy mecca for Force users
By Elaine Tveit
In an interview with Collider, Rogue One director Gareth Edwards revealed how the planet Jedha in his movie became a mecca for Force users.
The planet Jedha in Rogue One is at the crossroads of many destinies. Not only is it the place where the main heroes of Rogue One come together and form the team that will steal the Death Star plans. It is also a holy mecca in the Star Wars universe because of its vast resource of kyber crystals.
Kyber crystals power Jedi’s and Sith’s lightsabers. This function makes the crystals objects of special significance in Force lore. Thus, believers in and users of the Force alike view Jedha as a holy place where spiritual guidance may be found. That’s why people like Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus continue to live on Jedha and guard the old Jedi Temple, even though the Empire has taken over Jedha City. And they aren’t wrong about the planet’s spiritual potential. As shown in Rogue One, Jedha is a place where fates intertwine and new purposes are revealed.
According to Rogue One director Gareth Edwards, there is a reason why Jedha’s concentration of kyber crystals is so high. It was all a result of a meteorite striking the planet’s surface.
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Read Edwards’s quote about Jedha’s kyber crystals below, courtesy of his interview with Collider:
"If you look at the establishing shot of Jedha from above, the layout of it is this giant, circular rock formation around where Jedha is—the idea was that there was a meteor impact that hit Jedha and it came at such a force that it was what created the Kyber Crystals at the center of that crater of impact. So Jedha is like this very unique place in the galaxy in that it’s got a very high density of Kyber Crystals, which is what the Jedi need for lightsabers. So it became this holy city as a result of that meteor impact."
The origin story of Jedha’s kyber crystals fits perfectly with the concept of an all-powerful Force controlling all destinies. What some might deem a freak act of nature actually changed the galaxy forever. Who knows what great Jedi’s and Sith’s lightsabers were powered by kyber crystals from Jedha. More importantly, however, because of its resources, Jedha became the point of unification for a team of rebels who would go on to save the galaxy.
Next: Review - Rogue One: A Star Wars Story on Blu Ray
Rogue One: A Star Wars Story is out on Digital HD today. Look for it on Blu Ray and DVD on April 4.