Tython: An in-depth look at the Jedi’s home world

An introduction to Tython

Tython was a terrestrial planet that was naturally steeped in the Force and its influences could be found nearly everywhere, including the heavens above and beyond. An example of this could be seen in a phenomenon referred to as “Force storms,” which had a supernatural-like effect as it raged and tore into the skies above. Another area of Tython that was strongly affected by the Force was the Rift.

This massive, jagged canyon was where the Jedi came to hone their survival skills. It was an ideal place for such a task as it contained many pitfalls such as the quicksand pits, along with volcanic and seismic activity. However, the most dangerous area of the Rift was a great smoking chasm called the Abyss of Ruh.

The Abyss of Ruh — much like the cave Rey found on Ahch-To — held a direct link to the dark side of the Force. The Abyss also had pit-spawned beasts that were unique to it. These aberrations were taken and used in experiments by the Tythan scientists.

Another area strong in the dark side was the Chasm, a gorge that was so deep that no one had ever found its bottom. The Chasm was more than just treacherous, it was also believed to be mind-altering. That is, it caused a powerful, corruptible effect on the minds of anyone who ventured too deep or made the mistake of being near it for a prolonged period. One known victim to this dark side conduit was the Jedi, Daegen Lok, who was banished to Tython’s dark moon, Bogan, to help him regain balance with the Force.

Next, in places of interest, there was the area known as the Silent Desert. It got this name from an unknown element within the sand that canceled out all sounds. Only the caverns underneath this desert remained insulated from this strange effect. The Jedi used the Silent Desert to hone both their mental and sensory uses of the Force.

Another place of great significance on Tython was the Meridonal ice caps, located within the planet’s icy regions. Here an ancient Jedi Temple known as the Martyrium of Frozen Tears was built. It was here that the intergalactic archaeologist/tomb raider, Doctor Aphra, led Darth Vader and his Galactic Empire forces to serve as a decoy from discovering the Rebel Alliance’s hidden base on Hoth.

The temple featured giant statues of ancient Jedi, and most important of all, a confessional made of pure kyberite — the mineral that lightsabers were made of— which sat at the heart of a Tythan mountain. This confessional had the unique effect of causing those who knelt within it to relive their “sins”. Darth Vader was nearly overwhelmed by the confessional’s powerful hallucinatory attacks after Doctor Aphra tricked him into entering it.