Matching 50 Star Wars characters with each of the 50 states
By Kara Hedash
9. Galen Erso – Vermont
Vermont is one of the smallest states in terms of population. It is also renowned as one of the safest states within the entire country. Many settlers have flocked to the “Green Mountain State” to live quiet, reserved lives. It is a location where Galen Erso would have found much comfort.
Galen Erso was a distinguished scientist from the agricultural planet Grange. He was an expert in crystallography, specifically, the study of kyber crystals. Galen was forced by Orson Krennic to present his studies as a way to weaponize the Imperial’s newest project, the Death Star. With the help of Saw Gerrera, Galen fled with his family to the remote Lah’mu. Galen and his wife became a simple farmer on the green planet while they raised their young daughter, Jyn.
Krennic tracked Galen down many years later and forced the scientist into finishing his work on the Death Star. After his wife is killed, Galen went through with the orders as the head of the kyber crystal research team. While working on the Death Star, he implemented a fatal flaw in the superweapon in the hope that the secret would get to the right people. That flaw eventually got to his daughter and the rest of the Rebellion.