Tatooine, Alderaan, Hoth, Bespin, and Yavin are names of Star Wars planets that all fans are quite familiar with nowadays. With Star Wars Rebels and several new movies on their way, we’ll soon get acquainted with new planets we might have never heard of before. Or perhaps the names of these planets will sound familiar after all.

The Dark Horse Comics adaptation of The Star Wars brings to life the rough draft from 1974 by George Lucas, and the series enables us to get a better look at planets that appeared in the early imaginings of The Star Wars, such as Aquilae and Ophuchi. With the recent release of The Making of Return of the Jedi the circle of the classic “making of” books by Jonathan Rinzler is complete. This trilogy offers a great amount of information about the different drafts that were written for the films.

Let’s have a look at the names of the planets and moons that were used in the drafts of the movies. Maybe we will see some of them resurface sooner or later…

A New Hope

Aquilae (Colonies, N-12) is a planet that has only found its way into the present-day continuity in the form of a throwaway line in Marvel’s Star Wars #7, “New Planets, New Perils.” In that issue, published in 1977, pirate Crimson Jack steals the reward that Han Solo and Chewbacca received for the rescue of Princess Leia. Han fears that without the money to pay back Jabba the Hutt, the bounty on their heads would make them targets to every bounty hunter from Aduba-3 to Aquilae.

Aquilae was one of the first planets mentioned in the early drafts of A New Hope. It was a blue-green planet, home to the spaceport city Gordon and governed by a monarch. In the rough draft, Jedi-Bendu master Kane Starkiller and his son Annikin travel to Aquilae, where they are met by General Luke Skywalker. When a space fortress threatens the world, the Rebels try to stop the attack, but Aquilae is conquered by General Darth Vader and Governor Crispin Hoedaack. The king is killed in the attack and Princess Leia is prevented from taking her rightful place as Queen by a corrupt senator, who surrenders Aquilae to the Empire. After the first draft the planet is renamed to Townowi (maybe this name influenced the name Towani?). Aquilae was later used in the draft for Episode I as the home planet of Neva Kee, but that was eventually changed into Xagobah.

In the recent comic series The Star Wars, Aquilae is portrayed as a desert planet (including a twin sunset), with architecture that is more reminiscent of that in Theed City on Naboo.

Ophuchi is a planet that hasn’t been included in any canonical source at the moment when this article was written. In the Journal of the Whills, drafted in 1973, this was the home world of Jedi-Bendu Mace Windy. In the story synopsis of 1973 it got changed into a “friendly planet,” a function which it retains in the rough draft, where it is ruled by the uncle of Princess Leia. The Rebels flee to Ophuchi after rescuing the princess from Alderaan and are rewarded with a ceremony that was held on Yavin 4 in the final version of A New Hope.

Yavin (Outer Rim, P-6) is first mentioned in the story synopsis of 1973, where it is a forbidden jungle planet, inhabited by furry aliens. After the Rebel ship is damaged during a pursuit by Imperial troops, the Rebels are forced to leave their vessel and travel to Yavin with “jet-sticks.” The princess is captured by one of the furry creatures (a Wookiee, indeed) and sold to the Empire. In the rough draft of 1974, the Wookees (without the ‘i’) have become captives of alien trappers as well, some of which are freed by Annikin in his attempt to rescue the princess. Prince Chewbacca later aids the rebels in attacking an Imperial outpost. In the final version of A New Hope, Yavin has been refurbished as the red planet that houses the rebel headquarters on its jungle moon Yavin 4. The forest battle seems to have moved to Episode VI, to Endor, where the Wookees have been replaced by Ewoks (note the similarity of the names).

Alderaan (Core Worlds, M-10), has gone through the most changes. After the Rebels had their encounter with Wookiees on Yavin, the captured princess is taken to the city-planet Alderaan, capital of the Empire in the 1973 story synopsis. General Luke Skywalker is able to lead a troop of Rebels into the prison complex and free the princess. In the 1974 rough draft, Alderaan is described as a gaseous planet, where a “magnificent domed and gleaming city is perched, mushroom-like, on a tall spire,” much like Cloud City would appear in Episode V. It was home to the Imperial dungeons in the 1975 second draft and the third draft it houses a Kiber Crystal chamber. The fourth draft of A New Hope provides Alderaan as the home world of Princess Leia, which is destroyed by the Death Star in a demonstration of power.

Utapau (Outer Rim, N-19) is where Jedi-Bendu master Kane Starkiller is hiding with his sons Annikin and Deak in the 1974 rough draft. The planet is located in the Kessil System and the Fourth Moon (where Kane and his sons are hiding) has a dull, colorless landscape. In the 1975 second draft, Deak and Clieg Starkiller are on their way to Utapau to their brother Luke, who is studying fossils in the Dune Sea. Jawas scavenge the wastelands in giant sandcrawlers. In the third draft Utapau has more or less the exact role that Tatooine has in the final version of A New Hope. After reverting to Tatooine, the name Utapau remained unused (aside from an early draft name for Naboo) until the release of Episode III, where it was used for the sinkhole planet where Obi-Wan Kenobi eventually kills General Grievous. Kessil was reused for Kessel, the spice-mine prison world that was the terminus of the Kessel Run.

Ogana Major was home to a rebel base that was attacked by Darth Vader in the second draft. Luke Starkiller books passage to this world with Han Solo, who tricks his captain Oxus into evacuating the ship. Together with Chewbacca and science officer Montross Holdaack, they leave for Ogana Major, only to find it utterly destroyed by the Death Star. The third draft in 1975 renamed the world Organa Major. The role of Ogana Major was replaced by Alderaan in the final version of A New Hope and the name Organa was used as last name for Princess Leia.

Granicus was a name once used for Alderaan, which came with a description that was later recycled for Bespin. Ondos was a world that was only mentioned in a roll-up in the second draft, that stated that the sons of Starkiller would go on a perilous search for the Princess of Ondos.

The Empire Strikes Back
Though the several drafts and summaries for the storyline for The Empire Strikes Back contained less planets than for A New Hope, they do feature several differences and interesting locations that could be visited in the future.

The name Hoth (Outer Rim, K-18) was already mentioned by Leigh Brackett in her draft (1978), but it wasn’t known back then as an ice planet, it was in fact a gas planet. So before Lucas made Hoth the ice world in the second draft (1978) it originally was the planet that eventually became Bespin.

Bespin (Outer Rim, K-18) itself was labeled as a gaseous world by Lucas in the second draft, but before that happened, the gas planet had also been named Ketbrae or Kettlebrae. It does seem that the gas giant found its etymological background in the planet once known as Besspin Kaalida (also known as Bestpenkoleta, Bestpenkoluta or Besspin-Kaaleita). That planet was conceived by Brackett as jewel-like when seen from outer space. It was described as a garden world with two stars that would have been a location where the Rebels would have regrouped at the end of the movie.

Ton Muund (or Ton-mummd) was also named by Brackett in her draft. It was supposed to be either the Imperial City planet (later developed for Return of the Jedi as Had Abbadon) or a grass-world to appear at the end of the movie. Ttaz was an idea that was never implemented in one of the drafts. It was a rocky desert world that possibly evolved into Geonosis. In Brackett’s draft, you can also notice the Granida Cluster, the location of the then unnamed ice planet.

Dagobah (Outer Rim, M-19) was a name that was settled pretty early. Lucas mentioned the name in his second draft, though Yoda would have resided on the Seventh Moon in the Dagobah System instead of on Dagobah itself.

Return of the Jedi
The drafts of the final movie of the original trilogy also share a few unfamiliar planetary names. Had Abbadon (Deep Core, L-10) was the Imperial Throne World (which eventually would become Coruscant) and it was only omitted from the drafts in Lawrence Kasdan’s second draft in 1981. It was on Had Abbadon that the Emperor had his throne room, surrounded by lava. It was also the planet where two Death Stars were being constructed by the Empire. The name Had Abbadon wasn’t completely forgotten since the ‘Power of the Jedi Sourcebook’ from Wizards of the Coast mentioned the name and therefor included the name into Star Wars canon. Surrounding Had Abbadon was the Green Moon. This turned into Endor, but that only happened in the revised second draft by Kasdan and Lucas in 1981. Before that Endor was also known as Jus-Endor (in Kasdan’s second draft in 1981) and as Tarasand (in Lucas’ rough draft in 1981).

Sicemon (sometimes Siseman) in the Sice System (did this name influence the name Sise Fromm from Droids?) was another grass-planet or perhaps the location of Jabba’s Palace in one of the earliest outlines. It was supposed to have been a planet where the Rebels regrouped and that was populated by flying reptiles. Similar looking concept art was used later for the planet Alderaan in the beautiful book The Illustrated Star Wars Universe, and recently for the planet Lothal in Star Wars Rebels.

Dac (Outer Rim, U-6) was never mentioned in the drafts, but it was conceived as a the home planet of the Mon Calamari and Admiral Gial Ackbar. It was mentioned in Bantha Tracks #17 (August 1982), the official Star Wars fanclub newsletter.

Prequels

When Coruscant (Core Worlds, L-9) featured in the Special Edition of Return of the Jedi George Lucas decided to keep the name that had been established by Timothy Zahn in the novel Heir to the Empire. Coruscant would play a crucial role in the prequels as would Naboo (Mid Rim, O-17). This “grass-planet” wasn’t first known as Naboo, but as Utapau, a name dating back to the original drafts of A New Hope.

Some planets were mentioned in the drafts as the home planets for several Podracers. Neva Kee was originally supposed to hail from Aquilae, Dud Cullindaros from Chuba (a name given to amphibians on Tatooine), Mars Guo from Ophuchi and Boles Roor from Ord Padrove. Aquilae and Ophuchi are two planets whose origins go back a long way.

When the Internet was alive with daily rumors regarding Attack of the Clones, Geonosis was sometimes mentioned as Geonasis. Two locations that first had a slightly different name in Revenge of the Sith were Polis Massa (Outer Rim, K-20) and Mustafar (Outer Rim, L-19). They were once known as Polis Mazta (or Mazta) and Mustafa.

We will end our list with a different spelling that hails from the much celebrated Star Wars Holiday Special. In one of the scripts the planet of the Wookiees known as Kashyyyk (Mid Rim, K-9) got written as Kazook.

George Lucas never throws away an idea or a good name and if he has provided his notes for the upcoming movie(s) with any of these concept names, we might see Ophuchi or Sicemon in a Star Wars movie or television series after all.

Sources
Bouzereau, Laurent. Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays. USA: Del Rey, 1997.
Chaykin, Howard and Thomas, Roy. Star Wars 7: New Planets, New Perils! USA: Marvel Comics, 1977.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Star Wars. USA: Dark Horse, 2013.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Art of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. USA: Del Rey, 2005.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Making of Return of the Jedi. USA: Del Rey, 2013.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film. USA: Del Rey, 2007.

Rinzler, Jonathan. The Making of The Empire Strikes Back. USA: Del Rey, 2010.

Star Wars: Episode I Insider’s Guide. USA: LucasArts, 1999.

Additional research performed by Sander De Lange.

Tim Veekhoven (Sompeetalay) does research for and takes care of the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider under the supervision of Leland Chee. He’s president and co-founder of TeeKay-421, the Belgian Star Wars Fanclub, he’s an administrator for Yodapedia, and has written the backstories for Swilla Corey, Tzizvvt, Wam Lufba, and Maxiron Agolerga.

Kevin Beentjes (Wild Whiphid) is a molecular biologist working at the Dutch natural history museum. He’s currently involved in the creation of the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider, is an editor for TeeKay-421, an administrator for Yodapedia, and is fascinated with the myriad of alien life forms, in that galaxy far, far away.

“I believe this tree is talking to us.” — C-3PO

Sentient life comes in many different forms, shapes, and classifications. Although rarer than animals, plant life has also developed sentience across the Star Wars galaxy. Roughly one-and-a-half percent of known sentient life has a botanical origin. And like animals, plants exhibit a range of sentience, from very crude to highly intelligent. At the bottom of the classification system is the plant analog of what anthropologists such as Mammon Hoole would consider a “non-sentient.” While most plants will not respond to external stimuli like animals would (don’t argue about that with a Reeksa survivor), those attuned to a plant’s Force presence will confirm that quite a few of them do have a mind of their own. Jedi describe the life force from plants as an internal hum, each “vibrating according to its own particular emotion, some low and oscillating, others pulsing high and bright to match the explosions of flowers that spring from their stems”.

The Reeksa vines on Iego are ferocious hunters.

The most basal of species that are considered to have some form of intelligence are these plant species that are incapable of communicating with the outside world not specifically familiar to their presence. And although they may be aware of their surroundings beyond the most basic perceptions of light, gravity, temperature and chemicals, few beings would ever consider them more than weeds or decorations. Species like the Malpaso tree, Pulsifarian moss colonies and Onderonian bamboo can be included in this group. Plants can exhibit Force sensitivity equal to that of animal species. One of the more Force-sensitive plant species in the galaxy is the Murakami orchid. It is said to bond to individuals and speak to them telepathically, and needs close proximity after bonding to stay alive. During the Cold War that followed the Great Galactic War, Sith Lord Darth Scabrous used a Murakami orchid that had bonded to Jedi AgriCorps worker Hestizo Trace to create a virus that would grant him eternal life. The effect, however, was a completely self-aware virus that turned all infected beings into undead monstrosities.

Some semi-sentient plants on the surface of the Mid Rim world Ithor also possess telepathic capabilities, such as the Bafforrs. These glowing, pale blue trees with black leaves have limited intelligence on their own, but close proximity to other specimens increases their intellect, possibly through a network of interconnected roots links the trees together. The collective conscience of seven trees is considered to be fully sentient, with whole forest surpassing the intelligence of most known beings. Their combined intelligence and telepathic communication are probably the origin of the entity known as Mother Jungle in Ithorian religion, who has been known to call Ithorians down to the surface. Other Ithorian semi-sentient plant life, such as the Vesuvague can even be trained to act in response to simple instructions. These carnivorous trees with red bark are able to interpret spoken languages by sensing vibrations in the air, a technique they also employ to catch living prey.

Ithorians take good care of their sentient flora.

The Panopticon willow, a tree that could live well over 800 years in age, can interpret its surroundings by using optical sensors resembling eyes. Each of the buds on its branches is tipped with a small, golden eye, that is able to focus onto a particular target. By moving its branches, the willow is also able to shift its view. Jedi are able to communicate with the Panopticon willow, allowing them to “see through its eyes” by touching its bark.

Further up on the evolutionary ladder (from an animal point of view), plants start developing a more sophisticated way of perceiving the outside world, and ways to alter it, as well as a higher form of individual intelligence. Individual intelligence is not necessarily a “higher form” of sentience than the clustered intelligence of groups of individuals, the latter are often able to grow into super-brains, where individual plants function much like the interconnected neurons in an animal brain. A super-brain sentience not unlike the Ithorian forests evolved in the Cygnus B system. The algae-beds there are considered extremely intelligent, but unable to move around and thus have little contact with the galaxy.

When species are not able to move around, their interaction with other species in the galaxy are often quite limited. The predatory plants on the desert world of Endregaad known as “oasis mothers” are mostly immobile trees that live on the rare pools of water. Their juvenile form (the “oasis child”) is mobile, and able to hunt living animals to feed to its parent. The harsh environment and lack of contact to other sentients made the oasis mothers very unethical, caring only for their own well-being. The Pliith are also immobile, but have found their way into galactic society. They require large amounts of nutrition and remain rooted in fertilizer,  depending on others for locomotion, often by being wheeled around. Pliith are considered fully sentient, and even head businesses around the galaxy. Other fully sentient plant species can only move very slowly, such as the treelike Yarin or the plump Zongorlu.

An Orgon on the hunt.

Various species have adapted vines, roots, or similar body parts to function as manipulators and for locomotion, such as the Daltarri from the eponymous Mid Rim world. Two of their tentacles serve as arms, while other tentacle-like vines are used for moving around. The Ergesh of the Expansion Region planet Ergeshui resemble mounds of plant material with a variety of appendages. Some of these appendages served as manipulators, but others form optic and auditory sensors. An average Ergesh could reach a lifespan of 200 standard years and grow up to half a metric ton in weight. They have an asexual means of reproducing, planting a seed that spawns offspring. As a result, the Ergesh have no concept of gender. They are, however, quite involved in the galactic community, welcoming visitors to their world and eager to learn from others. When moving around the galaxy, the Ergesh use living ships called Starjumpers, which are powered by their own life energies. The Orgons of Gorsh also use their tentacles for food absorption. By secreting powerful acids they essentially digest their prey outside their body, absorbing the nutrients through their appendages.

The Fftssfft, better known by their Ewok-given name “Dandelion Warriors”, have evolved into being with leg-like appendages to move around. These semi-sentient beings are also very protective of their homelands on Endor, defending it in a territorial way, much like animals would. The Kindalo that live in the underworld of Aleen physically resemble dead trees, with phosphorescent patterns over their entire bodies. They are also able to move around on two leg-like trunks and stand an imposing 3.1 meters tall. The bio-luminescent patterns are a feature seen in many other plants on Aleen, and the Kindalo use this light to illuminate the caverns they live in. The air on the surface of the planet is poisonous to all life living in the underground caverns, and as such, the Kindalo guard the passages between the two ecosystems and are capable of inducing earthquakes to seal any breaches. A logical result is that there have been very few interactions between the Kindalo and the galactic community, giving them an almost mythological status.

Their plant physiology doesn’t stop a Revwien from enjoying a drink.

One of the more well-known botanical sentients are the Revwien. Standing on strong leaves that act as legs, they resemble a fruit. These natives of the Outer Rim World of Revyia are often seen preaching their way of life, the Tyia. The Tyia is a Force tradition that focuses on peace, spiritual unity and respecting life. Revwien can use their leaves to sense vibrations (an analog of hearing) and smell. Like most plants, they perform photosynthesis, the process of carbon fixation by absorbing sunlight. Their impact on the galaxy at large is mainly based on their technological advances in plant sciences and cultivation, using plants for various purposes such as healing.

The Neti are a rare sight in the galaxy, but are among one of the species that are most attuned to the Force. Famous Jedi like Ood Bnar, Garnoo, Uro Koo and T’ra Saa were all Neti, as was Sith librarian Dail’Liss. They are thought to have evolved on Myrkr, but for reasons unknown moved their society to Ryyk in the Mid Rim. When Ryyk was destroyed when its star went supernova, their species became all but extinct. A few members survived and were able to spawn offspring, keeping their species part of the galaxy. Neti reproduce only once every few centuries, by producing seeds that can remain dormant for long periods. Neti are known for their ability to switch between their two adult stages. In the tree-like state, which can reach heights of up to five meters, a Neti can remain inactive for centuries, merely pondering their surroundings. The other state is a more humanoid-shaped form, in which they are fully mobile.

Neti Jedi Master T’ra Saa defending the Hidden Temple.

Zelosians are often classified as near-humans, although that term is biologically incorrect. Zelosians are a plant species that have evolved on Zelos II, and have a build that closely resembles the human appearance. How this has come to be is subject of much speculation, and it might be a form of highly developed mimicry on the part of the Zelosians. Many Zelosian biologist, though, theorize that their species has been genetically engineered by outsiders, as the odds of naturally evolving into a near-human form are extremely low. There is, however, no proof of such genetic engineering. Since their skin coloration is practically the same as that of the ubiquitous baseline humans, Zelosians are almost impossible to tell apart from umans, and they have opted to keep their plant origins a closely guarded secret.

Although not technically a plant species, but a fungus, a form of mimicry is observed in the Wirutid. These sentient, ambulatory fungi have evolved into a human-like form, and to the unsuspecting observer they can be virtually indistinguishable from any near-human species. Not much is known about the Wirutid, except that they are highly intelligent. They use their mimicry to ensure their own safety and secure shelter, and are known to trap prey by impersonating a human life form. The Wirutid home world remains an unknown, but they have been encountered in some of the more disreputable districts of Coruscant.

The “near-human” Zelosians held many superstitions about the night.

The Zelosians are sometimes seen as the pinnacle of plant evolution, but that is a very humanocentric way of looking at non-mammalian intelligent life. While they may have an advantage over others, in a sense of mobility and adaptability to the human-based societies that dominate the galaxy, a humanoid shape is not a sign of superiority. Sentience comes in many shapes and forms. Natives of Dom-Bradden, the Affytechans truly resemble a plant in the traditional form, each individual being unique, with different growth patterns of leaves, petals, tassels and tendrils. The Zeffliffl, on the other hand, look much like ordinary seaweed, but neither of this species is any less intelligent than the average mammalian sentient. Next time you might want to think twice before pulling out those weeds in your garden, plants may have feelings too!

Selected reading:

–        Alien Encounters (Paul Sudlow, 1998)

–        Galaxy Guide 12 (Bill Smith, 1995)

–        Red Harvest (Joe Schreiber, 2010)

–        The Essential Guide to Alien Species (Ann Margaret Lews, 2001)

–        The Sand Tender: The Hammerhead’s Tale (Dave Wolverton, 1995)

Kevin Beentjes (Wild Whiphid) is a molecular biologist working at the Dutch natural history museum. He’s currently involved in the creation of the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider, is an editor for TeeKay-421, an administrator for Yodapedia, and fascinated with the myriad of alien life forms, in that galaxy far, far away.

Ever since the first movie came out in 1977, fans have always been dreaming about living in that galaxy far far away. While that may be difficult in some cases, there are still a lot of places existing in the real world where the movies have been filmed and that can be visited. In this blog series we explore these locations by country with an extra focus on the country’s backgrounds and what else is worth your time before or after visiting the locations.

In this first part we start with the small town of Finse in Norway that was the site of the Battle of Hoth and where Luke met the Force spectre of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

General information

The Kingdom of Norway (Norge or Noreg in Norwegian) is a Nordic country occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Norway is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Europe with a population of about 4.8 million spread around a total area of 385,252 square kilometers (148,747 sq mi).

The majority of the country shares a border to the east with Sweden; its northernmost region is bordered by Finland to the south and Russia to the east; and Denmark lies south of its southern tip across the Skagerrak Strait. The capital city of Norway is Oslo. Also belonging to Norway are hundreds of small islands near the coast and the bigger islands of Spitsbergen and Jan Mayen Island in the Arctic Ocean.

Norway is well known for its amazing and varied scenery. The fjords in the west of the country have been a major tourist attraction for years. Fjords are long narrow inlets flanked on either side by tall mountains where the sea penetrates far inland. Besides the beautiful nature, which is ideal for hiking trips, Norway has become quite a popular winter sport destination. Various places like Finse, Trysil, Hafjell and Hemsedal are ideal places for skiing and snowboarding.

Quick facts

Capital: Oslo

Official languages: Norwegian, but most speak English

Government: Parliamentary democracy under constitutional monarchy

Currency: Norwegian krone (NOK) subdivided in 100 ore

Time zone CET (UTC+1) in summer CEST (UTC+2)

Roads: Drive on the right / some toll roads

Climate: South/Middle: Oceanic
North: Polar
Coastal area: Lot of rainfall in the spring time, less in the summer months.

Best time to visit the shooting locations: December to April/May, when there is snow.

How to get there & other useful links

Norway: Scandinavian Airlines flies regularly from Europe to Norway and has many domestic flights as well. Oslo Gardermoen Airport is the main connection hub for larger airlines.

Finse: Traveling to Finse is only possible by train from Oslo or Bergen on the Oslo-Bergen track. It takes four to five hours and during this you will experience the amazing scenery of Norway.

Domestic destinations: Many of the major cities like Bergen and Trondheim also have an airport.

Norway Travel Office: http://www.visitnorway.com/us

Fjord Norway: http://www.fjordnorway.com/en
Scandinavian Airlines: http://www.flysas.com/
Finse: www.finse.no

Hotel website: http://www.finse1222.no/en

Finse

Finse is a small village consisting of little more than a railway station, a nearby hotel and a few surrounding buildings. The railway station is located on the highland plateau named Hardangervidda / Hardanger Jokulen Glacier at 1222 meter above sea level.

Despite it being a small village, Finse offers possibilities for cross-skiing, sail skiing (due to its location on the edge of a frozen lake) and expedition training in the winter. There is one small drag-lift which allows for downhill skiing on one slope back into town. Hiking is another great activity that can be done in both the winter and the summer.

Filming at the back of the hotel.

In March 1979, Finse was the location for the exterior scenes of the ice planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. The cast and crew slept in the Finse 1222 Hotel, which still shows its connection to the movie with a guestbook and a wall with behind-the-scenes pictures. Also on display in the lobby is a prop of a Rebel trooper hat used by one of the many local extras.

Outside the hotel are the first two locations you will visit. Due to snowstorms, director Irvin Kershner and the crew shot the scenes with Luke escaping from the wampa (the wampa cave was an interior shot in England) and reaching out to the spirit of Ben Kenobi from the back door of the hotel.

A bit further to the left (when facing the back of the hotel) is the location where Han cut up the tauntaun to keep Luke warm.

Be sure to bring food and drinks along with you on the hike and to dress warm.

To visit the other locations it is advised to hire a guide who can bring you to the locations and who can tell all about the scenes filmed there with interesting background information. You can book a guide trough the website of the hotel. Please note that the route you take depends on the weather and conditions on the glacier. The best time to visit would be March or April so you have clear skies and plenty of snow.

When going on the hike it is best to pack warm clothing, thermal underwear and good hiking shoes. Also advisable is to prepare yourself by brining lots of food and warm drinks with you. To counter the effects of snow blindness you also should pack tinted sunglasses. Snowshoes and hiking sticks can be provided by the guide.

Original production map showing the main shooting locations.

Location #1 – Lake – GPS location 60°35’16.57″N, 7°28’25.98″O

This is the place where Luke attacks an AT-AT by hanging underneath it and dropping a thermal detonator inside. During filming Colin Skeaping, stuntman standing in for Mark Hamill, was hanging on a cable from a helicopter. Also shot here are troopers rushing forward and snowspeeder backgrounds. Close by is Norman’s Folley where the production team had a tent with food and drinks set up. This is generally the place for a longer break during the hike.

Location #2 – Crevasses & Shooting Area – GPS location 60°34’53.99″N, 7°28’19.94″O

This is the probot landing site and when you turn around some you see the background for the Imperial Walkers on the Northern Ridge scene.

Location #3 – Plateau Area Shooting Location – GPS location 60°34’6.52″N, 7°28’30.03″O

Quite a few scenes were filmed upon the glacier, the most important of them being the main Hoth battlefield. As with most of the mountains and surrounding area that you see, it was also used a reference for matte paintings.

The Hoth battlefield.

Location #4 – Red Cross Hut – GPS location 60°34’12.73″N, 7°29’10.15″O

This is not really a shooting location, but you can see a hut here that the Red Cross uses. This wooden hut can be seen in some of the behind the scenes photos of the Snow Tracks on their way to the glacier. This is another spot used to rest during hikes.

Red Cross Hutt and surrounding environment.

Location #5 – Blue Ice – 60°34’39.76″N, 7°30’5.46″O

One of the matte paintings of the Echo Base entrance was superimposed with live action of the turret and a trooper that was filmed here.

Location #6 – Near Blue Ice

The rock from which Han Solo destroys the probot is around here. Where exactly is not really known, as the rock is completely covered in snow and due to the process of natural erosion it has lost some of the way to be recognized. However, for most of the locations it is still possible to line up your shots to what you see in the movies. And even if you miss some shots to line up, which can be difficult, you still get a great feeling and sense of being on Hoth.

Hardangerfjord.

What else to do in Norway?

Norway is first and foremost famous for the fjords. Fjords are formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. The best-visited fjords are Hardangerfjord, Sognefjord and Geirangerfjord (which is part of the Storfjord).

Hardangerfjord is almost 900 meter deep and with a length of 179 km (111 miles) the second largest fjord of Norway and third largest in the world. If offers a spectacular view and beautiful nature. This fjord is best visited from the nearby city of Bergen.

Sogneford is 1300 meter deep and with a length of 200 meters, it’s the longest and deepest fjord in Norway. The surrounding area offers skiing possibilities in the summer. Also worth mentioning is the possibility to take a cruise from here to the Nigard Glacier.

Geirangerfjord is one of the most impressive fjords of Norway due to its completely vertical fjord walls and waterfalls. A bit further up north is Trondheim, the third city of Norway.

Other places worth to visit are: the North Cape, which is the most northern part of Europe and is reachable by regular busses from the nearby town of Honningsvåg. This is also a stop for cruise ships. A small airport connects trough Tromsø to Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim. Most tourists also visit the town of Spitsbergen in combination with a trip to the North Cape.

The 3 major cities of Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim are cultural and nice shopping cities to go to.

Join us next time for a trip to Italy to meet Padmé’s family and enjoy a lake retreat!

The author would like to thank Stefan Pfister for his contributions to this article. And to Kim and Cris Knight for their panorama pictures of Finse.

Picture of the Hardangerfjord courtesy of Fjord Norway.

Sander de Lange (Exar Xan) from the Netherlands does research for the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider under the supervision of Leland Chee. He is an editor for TeeKay-421, the Belgian Star Wars Fanclub, he’s an administrator for the Star Wars Sourcebooks page on Facebook and has written the backstory for Niai Fieso through “What’s the Story?”. Recently he finished his Tourism Management study and he cannot wait to work in the tourism industry.

Luke Skywalker would have you believe Tatooine is the farthest planet from the bright center of the universe, but the Star Wars galaxy is a packed place. Plenty of teenagers on other planets probably say the same thing. There are several Outer Rim locales tarnished with an unappealing sheen, Core planets filled with luxuries and promise, and everything in between. A handful of locations are featured as Star Tours attraction destinations at Disney parks, and though the virtual experience is better than nothing, we’re itching to get our feet on the ground in the galaxy far, far away and explore. These planets are at the top of our list:

 Coruscant

It’s a city and a planet; how could you not want to visit Coruscant? From Dex’s Diner to the Jedi Temple, the planet offers endless sights and activities. It’s recognized as the center of power and culture in the galaxy and home to billions of citizens that live in layer upon layers of buildings.

Areas to avoid: The undercity

 Tatooine

The desert planet may be covered in uncomfortable granules of sand (we know, Anakin, we know), but Tatooine offers sweeping vistas and beautiful dunes. You could tour sites such as the remains of the Lars homestead, go on a krayt dragon-viewing safari, and attend the Boonta Eve Classic.

Areas to avoid: Jabba’s Palace, sarlacc pits, Tusken Raider camps — wait, why are we considering visiting this planet?

Felucia

Felucia is made for the inner naturalist within all of us. The planet is covered in colorful plants and translucent life-forms and visiting it would be the equivalent of going to the Galapagos Islands. You’d need to be careful to tread lightly and leave no trace.

Areas to avoid: Anywhere with carnivorous plants

Hoth

Don’t be turned off by the bitter chill of Hoth. This is an ideal planet for an adventurous vacation. Put on the warmest clothes you own or just all of your clothes at once, pack food in, and make camp in the remains of Echo Base. From there, it’s all about snowshoeing and looking for pet tauntauns.

Areas to avoid: Wampa caves, the insides of tauntauns

Naboo

Nothing says romance like visiting Naboo’s Lake Country where Anakin and Padmé were married — just don’t think about all the heartache that followed their wedding. Relax in the elegant capital city of Theed and see the Festival of Light or explore the planet’s hills and plains.

Areas to avoid: Theed Generator Complex

Serenno

Count Dooku’s home planet is nothing to sneeze at. Those looking for a place to hideaway from it all for a while might put Serenno at the top of the list. The mountains and cliff-side homes offer seclusion and privacy in a lovely setting. Plan a long stay, pack some books, and disconnect from the HoloNet.

Areas to avoid: Anywhere Count Dooku has been spotted

Learn more about these planets in the Databank!

Where in the vast Star Wars universe would you like to go? Tell us in the comments!

Amy Ratcliffe is a writer obsessed with all things Star Wars, Disney, and coffee. You can follow her on Twitter at @amy_geek and keep up with all things geeky at her <blog.

It’s that special time of year! You know, to start planning your Star Wars vacations.

Let’s face it, we know everything this planet has to offer…foreign islands, historical landmarks, and calzones. The real surprises lie in that distant galaxy bound together by the Force. So pack your Jedi tunics (or Hoth winter coats) and take StarWars.com’s quiz to find out which Star Wars planet you should visit!

It’s summer — and while you’re giving thought to where you’d like to take a trip in the real world, take a moment and think about where you’d most like to visit in the Star Wars galaxy. Would you hop in the Falcon and trek to Takodana? Or would you rent a cloud car and pop in on Lando in Bespin? Whether you’re a fan of dusty sand dunes or lush greenery, there’s a destination for everyone. Let us know why you picked your location in the comments below!

StarWars.com. All Star Wars, all the time.

In a galaxy far, far away, the battles between the forces of light and darkness have taken the heroes of Star Wars to a wide range of inhabited worlds. While some places, such as Tatooine and Coruscant, are visited more frequently than others, each film showcases new planets with unique ecosystems. When the biospheres of these worlds are examined in the context of the time they appear during the ongoing plot of the films, many instances of symbolic imagery and moments of foreshadowing are uncovered.

Naboo

The rolling hills and tranquil waterfalls of Naboo provided beautiful scenery, but they also represented the peaceful nature of the time before the Trade Federation’s invasion, the Clone Wars, and the rise of the Galactic Empire. When first introduced in The Phantom Menace, Naboo was blockaded by the Trade Federation and Darth Sidious was beginning his subtle manipulations for his ascent to power. A brief glimpse of Naboo is shown prior to the landing of troops by the Trade Federation, but soon the planet’s natural wonders were seen being ravaged by battles and the machines of war. The arrival of conflict heralded the broader struggles to come, when the fighting would spread into the far reaches of the galaxy.

Coruscant

The metropolitan sprawl of Coruscant was picturesque when viewed from the skies in Attack of the Clones, but the lower levels were filled with crime, poverty, and grueling conditions. This dichotomy was a summation of the Republic’s woes, as the outward presentation of stability was being undercut by the evils of Darth Sidious. The Jedi Council, in its chambers on the surface, was suspicious of the influence of a Sith Lord, yet they did not realize how deep the corruption ran.

Kamino

One of Chancellor Palpatine’s meticulously crafted plans involved the secret creation of a clone army, which brought Obi-Wan Kenobi to the seas of Kamino. The dark clouds, torrential rain, and turbulent waters foreshadowed the turmoil of the Clone Wars that were about to begin, as the very clones who would fight on the Republic’s behalf were created and trained on Kamino’s surface installations. During his fight with Jango Fett, Obi-Wan almost tumbled into the ferocious sea, yet again signifying the impending fall of the Republic that would be brought about by the Clone Wars.

Mustafar

Once the Republic’s fate had been sealed, Obi-Wan and Darth Vader faced off in an epic duel on the volcanic surface of Mustafar. The deadly lava fields, thick clouds of ash, and blackened soil were indicators of the imposing evil of the emerging Galactic Empire in Revenge of the Sith. Although he had already been given the name Darth Vader, Anakin received his true baptism as a Sith Lord in the fires of Mustafar. As the flames charred his body, they were creating the severe health conditions that would require Darth Vader to don his infamous life-support armor, which later served as a symbol of the Empire’s ruthless nature.

Tatooine

The decrepit streets of Mos Eisley and the sterile rocks of the Jundland Wastes fit in perfectly with the barren nature of the deserts of Tatooine in A New Hope. The two things that most people on the planet had in common were unhappiness and a desire to leave. These torrid surroundings, introduced at a time when the Rebellion was growing, reflected the general misery and discontent that the Empire had engendered during its rule. The discomfort displayed by many citizens at the arrival of stormtroopers was another sign of unfavorable views toward Imperials.

Hoth

Despite the destruction of the Death Star, the Rebel Alliance was found to be on the run and hiding on the snow-covered sphere of Hoth at the beginning of The Empire Strikes Back. The icy wasteland, with its frigid temperatures and vicious wampas, represented the precarious and deadly situation the Rebellion faced as the Empire dedicated its forces to tracking the location of the freedom fighters. The powerful superweapon had been eradicated, but the Rebels still faced an uphill battle against their foes. In a more literal sense, the very existence of the Rebel Alliance was on thin ice, as its potential extermination on Hoth could have spelled the end of their cause.

Dagobah

At first glance, the swampy waters of Dagobah seemed like an inhospitable place to reside. However, when considering the fact that this was Yoda’s home and the location where Luke Skywalker received the majority of his training, the importance of the surroundings can be found. Filled with primitive lifeforms and primordial waters, Dagobah was thick with the energy from which Jedi draw their strength. While no advanced civilizations stayed there, the simple creatures embodied the initiation of Luke’s formal training and the start of the light’s return to prestige.

Endor

In a similar fashion, the intelligent Ewoks and bright skies on the forest moon of Endor signified the completion of Luke’s education as a Jedi and the triumph over the darkness in Return of the Jedi. The complex forms of life paralleled the strength gained by the light as the Emperor perished and Darth Vader was revitalized as Anakin Skywalker. The imagery of the second Death Star’s glowing, sun-like explosion appearing in the clear, blue sky also supported the concept that the light side of the Force was victorious.

Jakku

As with the conditions on Tatooine, the lifeless deserts and unkept junkyards of Jakku reflected the notion that the remnants of the Galactic Civil War remained and foreshadowed the endurance of the Empire’s influence in The Force Awakens. The New Republic’s inefficiency in cleaning up old battlefields mirrored its inability to recognize that Imperial sympathizers were still a considerable threat to peace, especially in the form of the First Order. By not taking direct action to quell the efforts of those who idolized the fallen Empire, the New Republic gave the First Order the opportunity to expand its ranks, bolster its fleet, and construct the incredible weapon known as Starkiller Base.

Starkiller Base

Unlike the Death Stars, Starkiller Base was constructed throughout an actual planet. As the structure drained a star to fuel its devastating power, the skies dimmed over the snowy forests on the surface. While this darkness intimated the terrible purpose of Starkiller Base, the presence of shadowy, living forests symbolized that a thriving ecosystem had been turned into an implement of death. The transition from a victory over the Empire in the sunny woodlands of Endor to the materialization of the First Order in the shrouded treelines of Starkiller Base represented that conflict had once again returned.

The worlds visited in the Star Wars films were as diverse as the various species that populated them. Upon closer inspection, the biospheres of each planet often reflected the themes and political situations present when they appeared. From the peaceful nature of pre-war Naboo to the weaponized Starkiller Base, the worlds of Star Wars tended to indicate the progression of the galaxy’s social and political environments while acting as harbingers of what was to come. As we approach the releases of Episodes VIII and IX, it will be interesting to see if this trend continues.

Jay Stobie is a science fiction writer who admits he has a perfectly normal obsession with Star Wars, Star Trek, and the various starships that inhabit those two universes. He can be found on Twitter at @CaptStobie.

Tatooine, Alderaan, Hoth, Bespin, and Yavin are names of Star Wars planets that all fans are quite familiar with nowadays. With Star Wars Rebels and several new movies on their way, we’ll soon get acquainted with new planets we might have never heard of before. Or perhaps the names of these planets will sound familiar after all.

The Dark Horse Comics adaptation of The Star Wars brings to life the rough draft from 1974 by George Lucas, and the series enables us to get a better look at planets that appeared in the early imaginings of The Star Wars, such as Aquilae and Ophuchi. With the recent release of The Making of Return of the Jedi the circle of the classic “making of” books by Jonathan Rinzler is complete. This trilogy offers a great amount of information about the different drafts that were written for the films.

Let’s have a look at the names of the planets and moons that were used in the drafts of the movies. Maybe we will see some of them resurface sooner or later…

A New Hope

Aquilae (Colonies, N-12) is a planet that has only found its way into the present-day continuity in the form of a throwaway line in Marvel’s Star Wars #7, “New Planets, New Perils.” In that issue, published in 1977, pirate Crimson Jack steals the reward that Han Solo and Chewbacca received for the rescue of Princess Leia. Han fears that without the money to pay back Jabba the Hutt, the bounty on their heads would make them targets to every bounty hunter from Aduba-3 to Aquilae.

Aquilae was one of the first planets mentioned in the early drafts of A New Hope. It was a blue-green planet, home to the spaceport city Gordon and governed by a monarch. In the rough draft, Jedi-Bendu master Kane Starkiller and his son Annikin travel to Aquilae, where they are met by General Luke Skywalker. When a space fortress threatens the world, the Rebels try to stop the attack, but Aquilae is conquered by General Darth Vader and Governor Crispin Hoedaack. The king is killed in the attack and Princess Leia is prevented from taking her rightful place as Queen by a corrupt senator, who surrenders Aquilae to the Empire. After the first draft the planet is renamed to Townowi (maybe this name influenced the name Towani?). Aquilae was later used in the draft for Episode I as the home planet of Neva Kee, but that was eventually changed into Xagobah.

In the recent comic series The Star Wars, Aquilae is portrayed as a desert planet (including a twin sunset), with architecture that is more reminiscent of that in Theed City on Naboo.

Ophuchi is a planet that hasn’t been included in any canonical source at the moment when this article was written. In the Journal of the Whills, drafted in 1973, this was the home world of Jedi-Bendu Mace Windy. In the story synopsis of 1973 it got changed into a “friendly planet,” a function which it retains in the rough draft, where it is ruled by the uncle of Princess Leia. The Rebels flee to Ophuchi after rescuing the princess from Alderaan and are rewarded with a ceremony that was held on Yavin 4 in the final version of A New Hope.

Yavin (Outer Rim, P-6) is first mentioned in the story synopsis of 1973, where it is a forbidden jungle planet, inhabited by furry aliens. After the Rebel ship is damaged during a pursuit by Imperial troops, the Rebels are forced to leave their vessel and travel to Yavin with “jet-sticks.” The princess is captured by one of the furry creatures (a Wookiee, indeed) and sold to the Empire. In the rough draft of 1974, the Wookees (without the ‘i’) have become captives of alien trappers as well, some of which are freed by Annikin in his attempt to rescue the princess. Prince Chewbacca later aids the rebels in attacking an Imperial outpost. In the final version of A New Hope, Yavin has been refurbished as the red planet that houses the rebel headquarters on its jungle moon Yavin 4. The forest battle seems to have moved to Episode VI, to Endor, where the Wookees have been replaced by Ewoks (note the similarity of the names).

Alderaan (Core Worlds, M-10), has gone through the most changes. After the Rebels had their encounter with Wookiees on Yavin, the captured princess is taken to the city-planet Alderaan, capital of the Empire in the 1973 story synopsis. General Luke Skywalker is able to lead a troop of Rebels into the prison complex and free the princess. In the 1974 rough draft, Alderaan is described as a gaseous planet, where a “magnificent domed and gleaming city is perched, mushroom-like, on a tall spire,” much like Cloud City would appear in Episode V. It was home to the Imperial dungeons in the 1975 second draft and the third draft it houses a Kiber Crystal chamber. The fourth draft of A New Hope provides Alderaan as the home world of Princess Leia, which is destroyed by the Death Star in a demonstration of power.

Utapau (Outer Rim, N-19) is where Jedi-Bendu master Kane Starkiller is hiding with his sons Annikin and Deak in the 1974 rough draft. The planet is located in the Kessil System and the Fourth Moon (where Kane and his sons are hiding) has a dull, colorless landscape. In the 1975 second draft, Deak and Clieg Starkiller are on their way to Utapau to their brother Luke, who is studying fossils in the Dune Sea. Jawas scavenge the wastelands in giant sandcrawlers. In the third draft Utapau has more or less the exact role that Tatooine has in the final version of A New Hope. After reverting to Tatooine, the name Utapau remained unused (aside from an early draft name for Naboo) until the release of Episode III, where it was used for the sinkhole planet where Obi-Wan Kenobi eventually kills General Grievous. Kessil was reused for Kessel, the spice-mine prison world that was the terminus of the Kessel Run.

Ogana Major was home to a rebel base that was attacked by Darth Vader in the second draft. Luke Starkiller books passage to this world with Han Solo, who tricks his captain Oxus into evacuating the ship. Together with Chewbacca and science officer Montross Holdaack, they leave for Ogana Major, only to find it utterly destroyed by the Death Star. The third draft in 1975 renamed the world Organa Major. The role of Ogana Major was replaced by Alderaan in the final version of A New Hope and the name Organa was used as last name for Princess Leia.

Granicus was a name once used for Alderaan, which came with a description that was later recycled for Bespin. Ondos was a world that was only mentioned in a roll-up in the second draft, that stated that the sons of Starkiller would go on a perilous search for the Princess of Ondos.

The Empire Strikes Back
Though the several drafts and summaries for the storyline for The Empire Strikes Back contained less planets than for A New Hope, they do feature several differences and interesting locations that could be visited in the future.

The name Hoth (Outer Rim, K-18) was already mentioned by Leigh Brackett in her draft (1978), but it wasn’t known back then as an ice planet, it was in fact a gas planet. So before Lucas made Hoth the ice world in the second draft (1978) it originally was the planet that eventually became Bespin.

Bespin (Outer Rim, K-18) itself was labeled as a gaseous world by Lucas in the second draft, but before that happened, the gas planet had also been named Ketbrae or Kettlebrae. It does seem that the gas giant found its etymological background in the planet once known as Besspin Kaalida (also known as Bestpenkoleta, Bestpenkoluta or Besspin-Kaaleita). That planet was conceived by Brackett as jewel-like when seen from outer space. It was described as a garden world with two stars that would have been a location where the Rebels would have regrouped at the end of the movie.

Ton Muund (or Ton-mummd) was also named by Brackett in her draft. It was supposed to be either the Imperial City planet (later developed for Return of the Jedi as Had Abbadon) or a grass-world to appear at the end of the movie. Ttaz was an idea that was never implemented in one of the drafts. It was a rocky desert world that possibly evolved into Geonosis. In Brackett’s draft, you can also notice the Granida Cluster, the location of the then unnamed ice planet.

Dagobah (Outer Rim, M-19) was a name that was settled pretty early. Lucas mentioned the name in his second draft, though Yoda would have resided on the Seventh Moon in the Dagobah System instead of on Dagobah itself.

Return of the Jedi
The drafts of the final movie of the original trilogy also share a few unfamiliar planetary names. Had Abbadon (Deep Core, L-10) was the Imperial Throne World (which eventually would become Coruscant) and it was only omitted from the drafts in Lawrence Kasdan’s second draft in 1981. It was on Had Abbadon that the Emperor had his throne room, surrounded by lava. It was also the planet where two Death Stars were being constructed by the Empire. The name Had Abbadon wasn’t completely forgotten since the ‘Power of the Jedi Sourcebook’ from Wizards of the Coast mentioned the name and therefor included the name into Star Wars canon. Surrounding Had Abbadon was the Green Moon. This turned into Endor, but that only happened in the revised second draft by Kasdan and Lucas in 1981. Before that Endor was also known as Jus-Endor (in Kasdan’s second draft in 1981) and as Tarasand (in Lucas’ rough draft in 1981).

Sicemon (sometimes Siseman) in the Sice System (did this name influence the name Sise Fromm from Droids?) was another grass-planet or perhaps the location of Jabba’s Palace in one of the earliest outlines. It was supposed to have been a planet where the Rebels regrouped and that was populated by flying reptiles. Similar looking concept art was used later for the planet Alderaan in the beautiful book The Illustrated Star Wars Universe, and recently for the planet Lothal in Star Wars Rebels.

Dac (Outer Rim, U-6) was never mentioned in the drafts, but it was conceived as a the home planet of the Mon Calamari and Admiral Gial Ackbar. It was mentioned in Bantha Tracks #17 (August 1982), the official Star Wars fanclub newsletter.

Prequels

When Coruscant (Core Worlds, L-9) featured in the Special Edition of Return of the Jedi George Lucas decided to keep the name that had been established by Timothy Zahn in the novel Heir to the Empire. Coruscant would play a crucial role in the prequels as would Naboo (Mid Rim, O-17). This “grass-planet” wasn’t first known as Naboo, but as Utapau, a name dating back to the original drafts of A New Hope.

Some planets were mentioned in the drafts as the home planets for several Podracers. Neva Kee was originally supposed to hail from Aquilae, Dud Cullindaros from Chuba (a name given to amphibians on Tatooine), Mars Guo from Ophuchi and Boles Roor from Ord Padrove. Aquilae and Ophuchi are two planets whose origins go back a long way.

When the Internet was alive with daily rumors regarding Attack of the Clones, Geonosis was sometimes mentioned as Geonasis. Two locations that first had a slightly different name in Revenge of the Sith were Polis Massa (Outer Rim, K-20) and Mustafar (Outer Rim, L-19). They were once known as Polis Mazta (or Mazta) and Mustafa.

We will end our list with a different spelling that hails from the much celebrated Star Wars Holiday Special. In one of the scripts the planet of the Wookiees known as Kashyyyk (Mid Rim, K-9) got written as Kazook.

George Lucas never throws away an idea or a good name and if he has provided his notes for the upcoming movie(s) with any of these concept names, we might see Ophuchi or Sicemon in a Star Wars movie or television series after all.

Sources
Bouzereau, Laurent. Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays. USA: Del Rey, 1997.
Chaykin, Howard and Thomas, Roy. Star Wars 7: New Planets, New Perils! USA: Marvel Comics, 1977.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Star Wars. USA: Dark Horse, 2013.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Art of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. USA: Del Rey, 2005.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Making of Return of the Jedi. USA: Del Rey, 2013.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film. USA: Del Rey, 2007.

Rinzler, Jonathan. The Making of The Empire Strikes Back. USA: Del Rey, 2010.

Star Wars: Episode I Insider’s Guide. USA: LucasArts, 1999.

Additional research performed by Sander De Lange.

Tim Veekhoven (Sompeetalay) does research for and takes care of the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider under the supervision of Leland Chee. He’s president and co-founder of TeeKay-421, the Belgian Star Wars Fanclub, he’s an administrator for Yodapedia, and has written the backstories for Swilla Corey, Tzizvvt, Wam Lufba, and Maxiron Agolerga.

Kevin Beentjes (Wild Whiphid) is a molecular biologist working at the Dutch natural history museum. He’s currently involved in the creation of the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider, is an editor for TeeKay-421, an administrator for Yodapedia, and is fascinated with the myriad of alien life forms, in that galaxy far, far away.

“I believe this tree is talking to us.” — C-3PO

Sentient life comes in many different forms, shapes, and classifications. Although rarer than animals, plant life has also developed sentience across the Star Wars galaxy. Roughly one-and-a-half percent of known sentient life has a botanical origin. And like animals, plants exhibit a range of sentience, from very crude to highly intelligent. At the bottom of the classification system is the plant analog of what anthropologists such as Mammon Hoole would consider a “non-sentient.” While most plants will not respond to external stimuli like animals would (don’t argue about that with a Reeksa survivor), those attuned to a plant’s Force presence will confirm that quite a few of them do have a mind of their own. Jedi describe the life force from plants as an internal hum, each “vibrating according to its own particular emotion, some low and oscillating, others pulsing high and bright to match the explosions of flowers that spring from their stems”.

The Reeksa vines on Iego are ferocious hunters.

The most basal of species that are considered to have some form of intelligence are these plant species that are incapable of communicating with the outside world not specifically familiar to their presence. And although they may be aware of their surroundings beyond the most basic perceptions of light, gravity, temperature and chemicals, few beings would ever consider them more than weeds or decorations. Species like the Malpaso tree, Pulsifarian moss colonies and Onderonian bamboo can be included in this group. Plants can exhibit Force sensitivity equal to that of animal species. One of the more Force-sensitive plant species in the galaxy is the Murakami orchid. It is said to bond to individuals and speak to them telepathically, and needs close proximity after bonding to stay alive. During the Cold War that followed the Great Galactic War, Sith Lord Darth Scabrous used a Murakami orchid that had bonded to Jedi AgriCorps worker Hestizo Trace to create a virus that would grant him eternal life. The effect, however, was a completely self-aware virus that turned all infected beings into undead monstrosities.

Some semi-sentient plants on the surface of the Mid Rim world Ithor also possess telepathic capabilities, such as the Bafforrs. These glowing, pale blue trees with black leaves have limited intelligence on their own, but close proximity to other specimens increases their intellect, possibly through a network of interconnected roots links the trees together. The collective conscience of seven trees is considered to be fully sentient, with whole forest surpassing the intelligence of most known beings. Their combined intelligence and telepathic communication are probably the origin of the entity known as Mother Jungle in Ithorian religion, who has been known to call Ithorians down to the surface. Other Ithorian semi-sentient plant life, such as the Vesuvague can even be trained to act in response to simple instructions. These carnivorous trees with red bark are able to interpret spoken languages by sensing vibrations in the air, a technique they also employ to catch living prey.

Ithorians take good care of their sentient flora.

The Panopticon willow, a tree that could live well over 800 years in age, can interpret its surroundings by using optical sensors resembling eyes. Each of the buds on its branches is tipped with a small, golden eye, that is able to focus onto a particular target. By moving its branches, the willow is also able to shift its view. Jedi are able to communicate with the Panopticon willow, allowing them to “see through its eyes” by touching its bark.

Further up on the evolutionary ladder (from an animal point of view), plants start developing a more sophisticated way of perceiving the outside world, and ways to alter it, as well as a higher form of individual intelligence. Individual intelligence is not necessarily a “higher form” of sentience than the clustered intelligence of groups of individuals, the latter are often able to grow into super-brains, where individual plants function much like the interconnected neurons in an animal brain. A super-brain sentience not unlike the Ithorian forests evolved in the Cygnus B system. The algae-beds there are considered extremely intelligent, but unable to move around and thus have little contact with the galaxy.

When species are not able to move around, their interaction with other species in the galaxy are often quite limited. The predatory plants on the desert world of Endregaad known as “oasis mothers” are mostly immobile trees that live on the rare pools of water. Their juvenile form (the “oasis child”) is mobile, and able to hunt living animals to feed to its parent. The harsh environment and lack of contact to other sentients made the oasis mothers very unethical, caring only for their own well-being. The Pliith are also immobile, but have found their way into galactic society. They require large amounts of nutrition and remain rooted in fertilizer,  depending on others for locomotion, often by being wheeled around. Pliith are considered fully sentient, and even head businesses around the galaxy. Other fully sentient plant species can only move very slowly, such as the treelike Yarin or the plump Zongorlu.

An Orgon on the hunt.

Various species have adapted vines, roots, or similar body parts to function as manipulators and for locomotion, such as the Daltarri from the eponymous Mid Rim world. Two of their tentacles serve as arms, while other tentacle-like vines are used for moving around. The Ergesh of the Expansion Region planet Ergeshui resemble mounds of plant material with a variety of appendages. Some of these appendages served as manipulators, but others form optic and auditory sensors. An average Ergesh could reach a lifespan of 200 standard years and grow up to half a metric ton in weight. They have an asexual means of reproducing, planting a seed that spawns offspring. As a result, the Ergesh have no concept of gender. They are, however, quite involved in the galactic community, welcoming visitors to their world and eager to learn from others. When moving around the galaxy, the Ergesh use living ships called Starjumpers, which are powered by their own life energies. The Orgons of Gorsh also use their tentacles for food absorption. By secreting powerful acids they essentially digest their prey outside their body, absorbing the nutrients through their appendages.

The Fftssfft, better known by their Ewok-given name “Dandelion Warriors”, have evolved into being with leg-like appendages to move around. These semi-sentient beings are also very protective of their homelands on Endor, defending it in a territorial way, much like animals would. The Kindalo that live in the underworld of Aleen physically resemble dead trees, with phosphorescent patterns over their entire bodies. They are also able to move around on two leg-like trunks and stand an imposing 3.1 meters tall. The bio-luminescent patterns are a feature seen in many other plants on Aleen, and the Kindalo use this light to illuminate the caverns they live in. The air on the surface of the planet is poisonous to all life living in the underground caverns, and as such, the Kindalo guard the passages between the two ecosystems and are capable of inducing earthquakes to seal any breaches. A logical result is that there have been very few interactions between the Kindalo and the galactic community, giving them an almost mythological status.

Their plant physiology doesn’t stop a Revwien from enjoying a drink.

One of the more well-known botanical sentients are the Revwien. Standing on strong leaves that act as legs, they resemble a fruit. These natives of the Outer Rim World of Revyia are often seen preaching their way of life, the Tyia. The Tyia is a Force tradition that focuses on peace, spiritual unity and respecting life. Revwien can use their leaves to sense vibrations (an analog of hearing) and smell. Like most plants, they perform photosynthesis, the process of carbon fixation by absorbing sunlight. Their impact on the galaxy at large is mainly based on their technological advances in plant sciences and cultivation, using plants for various purposes such as healing.

The Neti are a rare sight in the galaxy, but are among one of the species that are most attuned to the Force. Famous Jedi like Ood Bnar, Garnoo, Uro Koo and T’ra Saa were all Neti, as was Sith librarian Dail’Liss. They are thought to have evolved on Myrkr, but for reasons unknown moved their society to Ryyk in the Mid Rim. When Ryyk was destroyed when its star went supernova, their species became all but extinct. A few members survived and were able to spawn offspring, keeping their species part of the galaxy. Neti reproduce only once every few centuries, by producing seeds that can remain dormant for long periods. Neti are known for their ability to switch between their two adult stages. In the tree-like state, which can reach heights of up to five meters, a Neti can remain inactive for centuries, merely pondering their surroundings. The other state is a more humanoid-shaped form, in which they are fully mobile.

Neti Jedi Master T’ra Saa defending the Hidden Temple.

Zelosians are often classified as near-humans, although that term is biologically incorrect. Zelosians are a plant species that have evolved on Zelos II, and have a build that closely resembles the human appearance. How this has come to be is subject of much speculation, and it might be a form of highly developed mimicry on the part of the Zelosians. Many Zelosian biologist, though, theorize that their species has been genetically engineered by outsiders, as the odds of naturally evolving into a near-human form are extremely low. There is, however, no proof of such genetic engineering. Since their skin coloration is practically the same as that of the ubiquitous baseline humans, Zelosians are almost impossible to tell apart from umans, and they have opted to keep their plant origins a closely guarded secret.

Although not technically a plant species, but a fungus, a form of mimicry is observed in the Wirutid. These sentient, ambulatory fungi have evolved into a human-like form, and to the unsuspecting observer they can be virtually indistinguishable from any near-human species. Not much is known about the Wirutid, except that they are highly intelligent. They use their mimicry to ensure their own safety and secure shelter, and are known to trap prey by impersonating a human life form. The Wirutid home world remains an unknown, but they have been encountered in some of the more disreputable districts of Coruscant.

The “near-human” Zelosians held many superstitions about the night.

The Zelosians are sometimes seen as the pinnacle of plant evolution, but that is a very humanocentric way of looking at non-mammalian intelligent life. While they may have an advantage over others, in a sense of mobility and adaptability to the human-based societies that dominate the galaxy, a humanoid shape is not a sign of superiority. Sentience comes in many shapes and forms. Natives of Dom-Bradden, the Affytechans truly resemble a plant in the traditional form, each individual being unique, with different growth patterns of leaves, petals, tassels and tendrils. The Zeffliffl, on the other hand, look much like ordinary seaweed, but neither of this species is any less intelligent than the average mammalian sentient. Next time you might want to think twice before pulling out those weeds in your garden, plants may have feelings too!

Selected reading:

–        Alien Encounters (Paul Sudlow, 1998)

–        Galaxy Guide 12 (Bill Smith, 1995)

–        Red Harvest (Joe Schreiber, 2010)

–        The Essential Guide to Alien Species (Ann Margaret Lews, 2001)

–        The Sand Tender: The Hammerhead’s Tale (Dave Wolverton, 1995)

Kevin Beentjes (Wild Whiphid) is a molecular biologist working at the Dutch natural history museum. He’s currently involved in the creation of the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider, is an editor for TeeKay-421, an administrator for Yodapedia, and fascinated with the myriad of alien life forms, in that galaxy far, far away.

Ever since the first movie came out in 1977, fans have always been dreaming about living in that galaxy far far away. While that may be difficult in some cases, there are still a lot of places existing in the real world where the movies have been filmed and that can be visited. In this blog series we explore these locations by country with an extra focus on the country’s backgrounds and what else is worth your time before or after visiting the locations.

In this first part we start with the small town of Finse in Norway that was the site of the Battle of Hoth and where Luke met the Force spectre of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

General information

The Kingdom of Norway (Norge or Noreg in Norwegian) is a Nordic country occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Norway is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Europe with a population of about 4.8 million spread around a total area of 385,252 square kilometers (148,747 sq mi).

The majority of the country shares a border to the east with Sweden; its northernmost region is bordered by Finland to the south and Russia to the east; and Denmark lies south of its southern tip across the Skagerrak Strait. The capital city of Norway is Oslo. Also belonging to Norway are hundreds of small islands near the coast and the bigger islands of Spitsbergen and Jan Mayen Island in the Arctic Ocean.

Norway is well known for its amazing and varied scenery. The fjords in the west of the country have been a major tourist attraction for years. Fjords are long narrow inlets flanked on either side by tall mountains where the sea penetrates far inland. Besides the beautiful nature, which is ideal for hiking trips, Norway has become quite a popular winter sport destination. Various places like Finse, Trysil, Hafjell and Hemsedal are ideal places for skiing and snowboarding.

Quick facts

Capital: Oslo

Official languages: Norwegian, but most speak English

Government: Parliamentary democracy under constitutional monarchy

Currency: Norwegian krone (NOK) subdivided in 100 ore

Time zone CET (UTC+1) in summer CEST (UTC+2)

Roads: Drive on the right / some toll roads

Climate: South/Middle: Oceanic
North: Polar
Coastal area: Lot of rainfall in the spring time, less in the summer months.

Best time to visit the shooting locations: December to April/May, when there is snow.

How to get there & other useful links

Norway: Scandinavian Airlines flies regularly from Europe to Norway and has many domestic flights as well. Oslo Gardermoen Airport is the main connection hub for larger airlines.

Finse: Traveling to Finse is only possible by train from Oslo or Bergen on the Oslo-Bergen track. It takes four to five hours and during this you will experience the amazing scenery of Norway.

Domestic destinations: Many of the major cities like Bergen and Trondheim also have an airport.

Norway Travel Office: http://www.visitnorway.com/us

Fjord Norway: http://www.fjordnorway.com/en
Scandinavian Airlines: http://www.flysas.com/
Finse: www.finse.no

Hotel website: http://www.finse1222.no/en

Finse

Finse is a small village consisting of little more than a railway station, a nearby hotel and a few surrounding buildings. The railway station is located on the highland plateau named Hardangervidda / Hardanger Jokulen Glacier at 1222 meter above sea level.

Despite it being a small village, Finse offers possibilities for cross-skiing, sail skiing (due to its location on the edge of a frozen lake) and expedition training in the winter. There is one small drag-lift which allows for downhill skiing on one slope back into town. Hiking is another great activity that can be done in both the winter and the summer.

Filming at the back of the hotel.

In March 1979, Finse was the location for the exterior scenes of the ice planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. The cast and crew slept in the Finse 1222 Hotel, which still shows its connection to the movie with a guestbook and a wall with behind-the-scenes pictures. Also on display in the lobby is a prop of a Rebel trooper hat used by one of the many local extras.

Outside the hotel are the first two locations you will visit. Due to snowstorms, director Irvin Kershner and the crew shot the scenes with Luke escaping from the wampa (the wampa cave was an interior shot in England) and reaching out to the spirit of Ben Kenobi from the back door of the hotel.

A bit further to the left (when facing the back of the hotel) is the location where Han cut up the tauntaun to keep Luke warm.

Be sure to bring food and drinks along with you on the hike and to dress warm.

To visit the other locations it is advised to hire a guide who can bring you to the locations and who can tell all about the scenes filmed there with interesting background information. You can book a guide trough the website of the hotel. Please note that the route you take depends on the weather and conditions on the glacier. The best time to visit would be March or April so you have clear skies and plenty of snow.

When going on the hike it is best to pack warm clothing, thermal underwear and good hiking shoes. Also advisable is to prepare yourself by brining lots of food and warm drinks with you. To counter the effects of snow blindness you also should pack tinted sunglasses. Snowshoes and hiking sticks can be provided by the guide.

Original production map showing the main shooting locations.

Location #1 – Lake – GPS location 60°35’16.57″N, 7°28’25.98″O

This is the place where Luke attacks an AT-AT by hanging underneath it and dropping a thermal detonator inside. During filming Colin Skeaping, stuntman standing in for Mark Hamill, was hanging on a cable from a helicopter. Also shot here are troopers rushing forward and snowspeeder backgrounds. Close by is Norman’s Folley where the production team had a tent with food and drinks set up. This is generally the place for a longer break during the hike.

Location #2 – Crevasses & Shooting Area – GPS location 60°34’53.99″N, 7°28’19.94″O

This is the probot landing site and when you turn around some you see the background for the Imperial Walkers on the Northern Ridge scene.

Location #3 – Plateau Area Shooting Location – GPS location 60°34’6.52″N, 7°28’30.03″O

Quite a few scenes were filmed upon the glacier, the most important of them being the main Hoth battlefield. As with most of the mountains and surrounding area that you see, it was also used a reference for matte paintings.

The Hoth battlefield.

Location #4 – Red Cross Hut – GPS location 60°34’12.73″N, 7°29’10.15″O

This is not really a shooting location, but you can see a hut here that the Red Cross uses. This wooden hut can be seen in some of the behind the scenes photos of the Snow Tracks on their way to the glacier. This is another spot used to rest during hikes.

Red Cross Hutt and surrounding environment.

Location #5 – Blue Ice – 60°34’39.76″N, 7°30’5.46″O

One of the matte paintings of the Echo Base entrance was superimposed with live action of the turret and a trooper that was filmed here.

Location #6 – Near Blue Ice

The rock from which Han Solo destroys the probot is around here. Where exactly is not really known, as the rock is completely covered in snow and due to the process of natural erosion it has lost some of the way to be recognized. However, for most of the locations it is still possible to line up your shots to what you see in the movies. And even if you miss some shots to line up, which can be difficult, you still get a great feeling and sense of being on Hoth.

Hardangerfjord.

What else to do in Norway?

Norway is first and foremost famous for the fjords. Fjords are formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. The best-visited fjords are Hardangerfjord, Sognefjord and Geirangerfjord (which is part of the Storfjord).

Hardangerfjord is almost 900 meter deep and with a length of 179 km (111 miles) the second largest fjord of Norway and third largest in the world. If offers a spectacular view and beautiful nature. This fjord is best visited from the nearby city of Bergen.

Sogneford is 1300 meter deep and with a length of 200 meters, it’s the longest and deepest fjord in Norway. The surrounding area offers skiing possibilities in the summer. Also worth mentioning is the possibility to take a cruise from here to the Nigard Glacier.

Geirangerfjord is one of the most impressive fjords of Norway due to its completely vertical fjord walls and waterfalls. A bit further up north is Trondheim, the third city of Norway.

Other places worth to visit are: the North Cape, which is the most northern part of Europe and is reachable by regular busses from the nearby town of Honningsvåg. This is also a stop for cruise ships. A small airport connects trough Tromsø to Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim. Most tourists also visit the town of Spitsbergen in combination with a trip to the North Cape.

The 3 major cities of Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim are cultural and nice shopping cities to go to.

Join us next time for a trip to Italy to meet Padmé’s family and enjoy a lake retreat!

The author would like to thank Stefan Pfister for his contributions to this article. And to Kim and Cris Knight for their panorama pictures of Finse.

Picture of the Hardangerfjord courtesy of Fjord Norway.

Sander de Lange (Exar Xan) from the Netherlands does research for the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider under the supervision of Leland Chee. He is an editor for TeeKay-421, the Belgian Star Wars Fanclub, he’s an administrator for the Star Wars Sourcebooks page on Facebook and has written the backstory for Niai Fieso through “What’s the Story?”. Recently he finished his Tourism Management study and he cannot wait to work in the tourism industry.

Luke Skywalker would have you believe Tatooine is the farthest planet from the bright center of the universe, but the Star Wars galaxy is a packed place. Plenty of teenagers on other planets probably say the same thing. There are several Outer Rim locales tarnished with an unappealing sheen, Core planets filled with luxuries and promise, and everything in between. A handful of locations are featured as Star Tours attraction destinations at Disney parks, and though the virtual experience is better than nothing, we’re itching to get our feet on the ground in the galaxy far, far away and explore. These planets are at the top of our list:

 Coruscant

It’s a city and a planet; how could you not want to visit Coruscant? From Dex’s Diner to the Jedi Temple, the planet offers endless sights and activities. It’s recognized as the center of power and culture in the galaxy and home to billions of citizens that live in layer upon layers of buildings.

Areas to avoid: The undercity

 Tatooine

The desert planet may be covered in uncomfortable granules of sand (we know, Anakin, we know), but Tatooine offers sweeping vistas and beautiful dunes. You could tour sites such as the remains of the Lars homestead, go on a krayt dragon-viewing safari, and attend the Boonta Eve Classic.

Areas to avoid: Jabba’s Palace, sarlacc pits, Tusken Raider camps — wait, why are we considering visiting this planet?

Felucia

Felucia is made for the inner naturalist within all of us. The planet is covered in colorful plants and translucent life-forms and visiting it would be the equivalent of going to the Galapagos Islands. You’d need to be careful to tread lightly and leave no trace.

Areas to avoid: Anywhere with carnivorous plants

Hoth

Don’t be turned off by the bitter chill of Hoth. This is an ideal planet for an adventurous vacation. Put on the warmest clothes you own or just all of your clothes at once, pack food in, and make camp in the remains of Echo Base. From there, it’s all about snowshoeing and looking for pet tauntauns.

Areas to avoid: Wampa caves, the insides of tauntauns

Naboo

Nothing says romance like visiting Naboo’s Lake Country where Anakin and Padmé were married — just don’t think about all the heartache that followed their wedding. Relax in the elegant capital city of Theed and see the Festival of Light or explore the planet’s hills and plains.

Areas to avoid: Theed Generator Complex

Serenno

Count Dooku’s home planet is nothing to sneeze at. Those looking for a place to hideaway from it all for a while might put Serenno at the top of the list. The mountains and cliff-side homes offer seclusion and privacy in a lovely setting. Plan a long stay, pack some books, and disconnect from the HoloNet.

Areas to avoid: Anywhere Count Dooku has been spotted

Learn more about these planets in the Databank!

Where in the vast Star Wars universe would you like to go? Tell us in the comments!

Amy Ratcliffe is a writer obsessed with all things Star Wars, Disney, and coffee. You can follow her on Twitter at @amy_geek and keep up with all things geeky at her <blog.

It’s that special time of year! You know, to start planning your Star Wars vacations.

Let’s face it, we know everything this planet has to offer…foreign islands, historical landmarks, and calzones. The real surprises lie in that distant galaxy bound together by the Force. So pack your Jedi tunics (or Hoth winter coats) and take StarWars.com’s quiz to find out which Star Wars planet you should visit!

Are you an expert on the locations of the Star Wars galaxy? Can you correctly distinguish an Endor tree from one on Kashyyyk? Then we have the quiz for you! Type the name of the Star Wars planet displayed in the image (spelling counts!) and let us know how you did in the comments below!

StarWars.com. All Star Wars, all the time. 

Tatooine, Alderaan, Hoth, Bespin, and Yavin are names of Star Wars planets that all fans are quite familiar with nowadays. With Star Wars Rebels and several new movies on their way, we’ll soon get acquainted with new planets we might have never heard of before. Or perhaps the names of these planets will sound familiar after all.

The Dark Horse Comics adaptation of The Star Wars brings to life the rough draft from 1974 by George Lucas, and the series enables us to get a better look at planets that appeared in the early imaginings of The Star Wars, such as Aquilae and Ophuchi. With the recent release of The Making of Return of the Jedi the circle of the classic “making of” books by Jonathan Rinzler is complete. This trilogy offers a great amount of information about the different drafts that were written for the films.

Let’s have a look at the names of the planets and moons that were used in the drafts of the movies. Maybe we will see some of them resurface sooner or later…

A New Hope

Aquilae (Colonies, N-12) is a planet that has only found its way into the present-day continuity in the form of a throwaway line in Marvel’s Star Wars #7, “New Planets, New Perils.” In that issue, published in 1977, pirate Crimson Jack steals the reward that Han Solo and Chewbacca received for the rescue of Princess Leia. Han fears that without the money to pay back Jabba the Hutt, the bounty on their heads would make them targets to every bounty hunter from Aduba-3 to Aquilae.

Aquilae was one of the first planets mentioned in the early drafts of A New Hope. It was a blue-green planet, home to the spaceport city Gordon and governed by a monarch. In the rough draft, Jedi-Bendu master Kane Starkiller and his son Annikin travel to Aquilae, where they are met by General Luke Skywalker. When a space fortress threatens the world, the Rebels try to stop the attack, but Aquilae is conquered by General Darth Vader and Governor Crispin Hoedaack. The king is killed in the attack and Princess Leia is prevented from taking her rightful place as Queen by a corrupt senator, who surrenders Aquilae to the Empire. After the first draft the planet is renamed to Townowi (maybe this name influenced the name Towani?). Aquilae was later used in the draft for Episode I as the home planet of Neva Kee, but that was eventually changed into Xagobah.

In the recent comic series The Star Wars, Aquilae is portrayed as a desert planet (including a twin sunset), with architecture that is more reminiscent of that in Theed City on Naboo.

Ophuchi is a planet that hasn’t been included in any canonical source at the moment when this article was written. In the Journal of the Whills, drafted in 1973, this was the home world of Jedi-Bendu Mace Windy. In the story synopsis of 1973 it got changed into a “friendly planet,” a function which it retains in the rough draft, where it is ruled by the uncle of Princess Leia. The Rebels flee to Ophuchi after rescuing the princess from Alderaan and are rewarded with a ceremony that was held on Yavin 4 in the final version of A New Hope.

Yavin (Outer Rim, P-6) is first mentioned in the story synopsis of 1973, where it is a forbidden jungle planet, inhabited by furry aliens. After the Rebel ship is damaged during a pursuit by Imperial troops, the Rebels are forced to leave their vessel and travel to Yavin with “jet-sticks.” The princess is captured by one of the furry creatures (a Wookiee, indeed) and sold to the Empire. In the rough draft of 1974, the Wookees (without the ‘i’) have become captives of alien trappers as well, some of which are freed by Annikin in his attempt to rescue the princess. Prince Chewbacca later aids the rebels in attacking an Imperial outpost. In the final version of A New Hope, Yavin has been refurbished as the red planet that houses the rebel headquarters on its jungle moon Yavin 4. The forest battle seems to have moved to Episode VI, to Endor, where the Wookees have been replaced by Ewoks (note the similarity of the names).

Alderaan (Core Worlds, M-10), has gone through the most changes. After the Rebels had their encounter with Wookiees on Yavin, the captured princess is taken to the city-planet Alderaan, capital of the Empire in the 1973 story synopsis. General Luke Skywalker is able to lead a troop of Rebels into the prison complex and free the princess. In the 1974 rough draft, Alderaan is described as a gaseous planet, where a “magnificent domed and gleaming city is perched, mushroom-like, on a tall spire,” much like Cloud City would appear in Episode V. It was home to the Imperial dungeons in the 1975 second draft and the third draft it houses a Kiber Crystal chamber. The fourth draft of A New Hope provides Alderaan as the home world of Princess Leia, which is destroyed by the Death Star in a demonstration of power.

Utapau (Outer Rim, N-19) is where Jedi-Bendu master Kane Starkiller is hiding with his sons Annikin and Deak in the 1974 rough draft. The planet is located in the Kessil System and the Fourth Moon (where Kane and his sons are hiding) has a dull, colorless landscape. In the 1975 second draft, Deak and Clieg Starkiller are on their way to Utapau to their brother Luke, who is studying fossils in the Dune Sea. Jawas scavenge the wastelands in giant sandcrawlers. In the third draft Utapau has more or less the exact role that Tatooine has in the final version of A New Hope. After reverting to Tatooine, the name Utapau remained unused (aside from an early draft name for Naboo) until the release of Episode III, where it was used for the sinkhole planet where Obi-Wan Kenobi eventually kills General Grievous. Kessil was reused for Kessel, the spice-mine prison world that was the terminus of the Kessel Run.

Ogana Major was home to a rebel base that was attacked by Darth Vader in the second draft. Luke Starkiller books passage to this world with Han Solo, who tricks his captain Oxus into evacuating the ship. Together with Chewbacca and science officer Montross Holdaack, they leave for Ogana Major, only to find it utterly destroyed by the Death Star. The third draft in 1975 renamed the world Organa Major. The role of Ogana Major was replaced by Alderaan in the final version of A New Hope and the name Organa was used as last name for Princess Leia.

Granicus was a name once used for Alderaan, which came with a description that was later recycled for Bespin. Ondos was a world that was only mentioned in a roll-up in the second draft, that stated that the sons of Starkiller would go on a perilous search for the Princess of Ondos.

The Empire Strikes Back
Though the several drafts and summaries for the storyline for The Empire Strikes Back contained less planets than for A New Hope, they do feature several differences and interesting locations that could be visited in the future.

The name Hoth (Outer Rim, K-18) was already mentioned by Leigh Brackett in her draft (1978), but it wasn’t known back then as an ice planet, it was in fact a gas planet. So before Lucas made Hoth the ice world in the second draft (1978) it originally was the planet that eventually became Bespin.

Bespin (Outer Rim, K-18) itself was labeled as a gaseous world by Lucas in the second draft, but before that happened, the gas planet had also been named Ketbrae or Kettlebrae. It does seem that the gas giant found its etymological background in the planet once known as Besspin Kaalida (also known as Bestpenkoleta, Bestpenkoluta or Besspin-Kaaleita). That planet was conceived by Brackett as jewel-like when seen from outer space. It was described as a garden world with two stars that would have been a location where the Rebels would have regrouped at the end of the movie.

Ton Muund (or Ton-mummd) was also named by Brackett in her draft. It was supposed to be either the Imperial City planet (later developed for Return of the Jedi as Had Abbadon) or a grass-world to appear at the end of the movie. Ttaz was an idea that was never implemented in one of the drafts. It was a rocky desert world that possibly evolved into Geonosis. In Brackett’s draft, you can also notice the Granida Cluster, the location of the then unnamed ice planet.

Dagobah (Outer Rim, M-19) was a name that was settled pretty early. Lucas mentioned the name in his second draft, though Yoda would have resided on the Seventh Moon in the Dagobah System instead of on Dagobah itself.

Return of the Jedi
The drafts of the final movie of the original trilogy also share a few unfamiliar planetary names. Had Abbadon (Deep Core, L-10) was the Imperial Throne World (which eventually would become Coruscant) and it was only omitted from the drafts in Lawrence Kasdan’s second draft in 1981. It was on Had Abbadon that the Emperor had his throne room, surrounded by lava. It was also the planet where two Death Stars were being constructed by the Empire. The name Had Abbadon wasn’t completely forgotten since the ‘Power of the Jedi Sourcebook’ from Wizards of the Coast mentioned the name and therefor included the name into Star Wars canon. Surrounding Had Abbadon was the Green Moon. This turned into Endor, but that only happened in the revised second draft by Kasdan and Lucas in 1981. Before that Endor was also known as Jus-Endor (in Kasdan’s second draft in 1981) and as Tarasand (in Lucas’ rough draft in 1981).

Sicemon (sometimes Siseman) in the Sice System (did this name influence the name Sise Fromm from Droids?) was another grass-planet or perhaps the location of Jabba’s Palace in one of the earliest outlines. It was supposed to have been a planet where the Rebels regrouped and that was populated by flying reptiles. Similar looking concept art was used later for the planet Alderaan in the beautiful book The Illustrated Star Wars Universe, and recently for the planet Lothal in Star Wars Rebels.

Dac (Outer Rim, U-6) was never mentioned in the drafts, but it was conceived as a the home planet of the Mon Calamari and Admiral Gial Ackbar. It was mentioned in Bantha Tracks #17 (August 1982), the official Star Wars fanclub newsletter.

Prequels

When Coruscant (Core Worlds, L-9) featured in the Special Edition of Return of the Jedi George Lucas decided to keep the name that had been established by Timothy Zahn in the novel Heir to the Empire. Coruscant would play a crucial role in the prequels as would Naboo (Mid Rim, O-17). This “grass-planet” wasn’t first known as Naboo, but as Utapau, a name dating back to the original drafts of A New Hope.

Some planets were mentioned in the drafts as the home planets for several Podracers. Neva Kee was originally supposed to hail from Aquilae, Dud Cullindaros from Chuba (a name given to amphibians on Tatooine), Mars Guo from Ophuchi and Boles Roor from Ord Padrove. Aquilae and Ophuchi are two planets whose origins go back a long way.

When the Internet was alive with daily rumors regarding Attack of the Clones, Geonosis was sometimes mentioned as Geonasis. Two locations that first had a slightly different name in Revenge of the Sith were Polis Massa (Outer Rim, K-20) and Mustafar (Outer Rim, L-19). They were once known as Polis Mazta (or Mazta) and Mustafa.

We will end our list with a different spelling that hails from the much celebrated Star Wars Holiday Special. In one of the scripts the planet of the Wookiees known as Kashyyyk (Mid Rim, K-9) got written as Kazook.

George Lucas never throws away an idea or a good name and if he has provided his notes for the upcoming movie(s) with any of these concept names, we might see Ophuchi or Sicemon in a Star Wars movie or television series after all.

Sources
Bouzereau, Laurent. Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays. USA: Del Rey, 1997.
Chaykin, Howard and Thomas, Roy. Star Wars 7: New Planets, New Perils! USA: Marvel Comics, 1977.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Star Wars. USA: Dark Horse, 2013.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Art of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. USA: Del Rey, 2005.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Making of Return of the Jedi. USA: Del Rey, 2013.
Rinzler, Jonathan. The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story Behind the Original Film. USA: Del Rey, 2007.

Rinzler, Jonathan. The Making of The Empire Strikes Back. USA: Del Rey, 2010.

Star Wars: Episode I Insider’s Guide. USA: LucasArts, 1999.

Additional research performed by Sander De Lange.

Tim Veekhoven (Sompeetalay) does research for and takes care of the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider under the supervision of Leland Chee. He’s president and co-founder of TeeKay-421, the Belgian Star Wars Fanclub, he’s an administrator for Yodapedia, and has written the backstories for Swilla Corey, Tzizvvt, Wam Lufba, and Maxiron Agolerga.

Kevin Beentjes (Wild Whiphid) is a molecular biologist working at the Dutch natural history museum. He’s currently involved in the creation of the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider, is an editor for TeeKay-421, an administrator for Yodapedia, and is fascinated with the myriad of alien life forms, in that galaxy far, far away.

“I believe this tree is talking to us.” — C-3PO

Sentient life comes in many different forms, shapes, and classifications. Although rarer than animals, plant life has also developed sentience across the Star Wars galaxy. Roughly one-and-a-half percent of known sentient life has a botanical origin. And like animals, plants exhibit a range of sentience, from very crude to highly intelligent. At the bottom of the classification system is the plant analog of what anthropologists such as Mammon Hoole would consider a “non-sentient.” While most plants will not respond to external stimuli like animals would (don’t argue about that with a Reeksa survivor), those attuned to a plant’s Force presence will confirm that quite a few of them do have a mind of their own. Jedi describe the life force from plants as an internal hum, each “vibrating according to its own particular emotion, some low and oscillating, others pulsing high and bright to match the explosions of flowers that spring from their stems”.

The Reeksa vines on Iego are ferocious hunters.

The most basal of species that are considered to have some form of intelligence are these plant species that are incapable of communicating with the outside world not specifically familiar to their presence. And although they may be aware of their surroundings beyond the most basic perceptions of light, gravity, temperature and chemicals, few beings would ever consider them more than weeds or decorations. Species like the Malpaso tree, Pulsifarian moss colonies and Onderonian bamboo can be included in this group. Plants can exhibit Force sensitivity equal to that of animal species. One of the more Force-sensitive plant species in the galaxy is the Murakami orchid. It is said to bond to individuals and speak to them telepathically, and needs close proximity after bonding to stay alive. During the Cold War that followed the Great Galactic War, Sith Lord Darth Scabrous used a Murakami orchid that had bonded to Jedi AgriCorps worker Hestizo Trace to create a virus that would grant him eternal life. The effect, however, was a completely self-aware virus that turned all infected beings into undead monstrosities.

Some semi-sentient plants on the surface of the Mid Rim world Ithor also possess telepathic capabilities, such as the Bafforrs. These glowing, pale blue trees with black leaves have limited intelligence on their own, but close proximity to other specimens increases their intellect, possibly through a network of interconnected roots links the trees together. The collective conscience of seven trees is considered to be fully sentient, with whole forest surpassing the intelligence of most known beings. Their combined intelligence and telepathic communication are probably the origin of the entity known as Mother Jungle in Ithorian religion, who has been known to call Ithorians down to the surface. Other Ithorian semi-sentient plant life, such as the Vesuvague can even be trained to act in response to simple instructions. These carnivorous trees with red bark are able to interpret spoken languages by sensing vibrations in the air, a technique they also employ to catch living prey.

Ithorians take good care of their sentient flora.

The Panopticon willow, a tree that could live well over 800 years in age, can interpret its surroundings by using optical sensors resembling eyes. Each of the buds on its branches is tipped with a small, golden eye, that is able to focus onto a particular target. By moving its branches, the willow is also able to shift its view. Jedi are able to communicate with the Panopticon willow, allowing them to “see through its eyes” by touching its bark.

Further up on the evolutionary ladder (from an animal point of view), plants start developing a more sophisticated way of perceiving the outside world, and ways to alter it, as well as a higher form of individual intelligence. Individual intelligence is not necessarily a “higher form” of sentience than the clustered intelligence of groups of individuals, the latter are often able to grow into super-brains, where individual plants function much like the interconnected neurons in an animal brain. A super-brain sentience not unlike the Ithorian forests evolved in the Cygnus B system. The algae-beds there are considered extremely intelligent, but unable to move around and thus have little contact with the galaxy.

When species are not able to move around, their interaction with other species in the galaxy are often quite limited. The predatory plants on the desert world of Endregaad known as “oasis mothers” are mostly immobile trees that live on the rare pools of water. Their juvenile form (the “oasis child”) is mobile, and able to hunt living animals to feed to its parent. The harsh environment and lack of contact to other sentients made the oasis mothers very unethical, caring only for their own well-being. The Pliith are also immobile, but have found their way into galactic society. They require large amounts of nutrition and remain rooted in fertilizer,  depending on others for locomotion, often by being wheeled around. Pliith are considered fully sentient, and even head businesses around the galaxy. Other fully sentient plant species can only move very slowly, such as the treelike Yarin or the plump Zongorlu.

An Orgon on the hunt.

Various species have adapted vines, roots, or similar body parts to function as manipulators and for locomotion, such as the Daltarri from the eponymous Mid Rim world. Two of their tentacles serve as arms, while other tentacle-like vines are used for moving around. The Ergesh of the Expansion Region planet Ergeshui resemble mounds of plant material with a variety of appendages. Some of these appendages served as manipulators, but others form optic and auditory sensors. An average Ergesh could reach a lifespan of 200 standard years and grow up to half a metric ton in weight. They have an asexual means of reproducing, planting a seed that spawns offspring. As a result, the Ergesh have no concept of gender. They are, however, quite involved in the galactic community, welcoming visitors to their world and eager to learn from others. When moving around the galaxy, the Ergesh use living ships called Starjumpers, which are powered by their own life energies. The Orgons of Gorsh also use their tentacles for food absorption. By secreting powerful acids they essentially digest their prey outside their body, absorbing the nutrients through their appendages.

The Fftssfft, better known by their Ewok-given name “Dandelion Warriors”, have evolved into being with leg-like appendages to move around. These semi-sentient beings are also very protective of their homelands on Endor, defending it in a territorial way, much like animals would. The Kindalo that live in the underworld of Aleen physically resemble dead trees, with phosphorescent patterns over their entire bodies. They are also able to move around on two leg-like trunks and stand an imposing 3.1 meters tall. The bio-luminescent patterns are a feature seen in many other plants on Aleen, and the Kindalo use this light to illuminate the caverns they live in. The air on the surface of the planet is poisonous to all life living in the underground caverns, and as such, the Kindalo guard the passages between the two ecosystems and are capable of inducing earthquakes to seal any breaches. A logical result is that there have been very few interactions between the Kindalo and the galactic community, giving them an almost mythological status.

Their plant physiology doesn’t stop a Revwien from enjoying a drink.

One of the more well-known botanical sentients are the Revwien. Standing on strong leaves that act as legs, they resemble a fruit. These natives of the Outer Rim World of Revyia are often seen preaching their way of life, the Tyia. The Tyia is a Force tradition that focuses on peace, spiritual unity and respecting life. Revwien can use their leaves to sense vibrations (an analog of hearing) and smell. Like most plants, they perform photosynthesis, the process of carbon fixation by absorbing sunlight. Their impact on the galaxy at large is mainly based on their technological advances in plant sciences and cultivation, using plants for various purposes such as healing.

The Neti are a rare sight in the galaxy, but are among one of the species that are most attuned to the Force. Famous Jedi like Ood Bnar, Garnoo, Uro Koo and T’ra Saa were all Neti, as was Sith librarian Dail’Liss. They are thought to have evolved on Myrkr, but for reasons unknown moved their society to Ryyk in the Mid Rim. When Ryyk was destroyed when its star went supernova, their species became all but extinct. A few members survived and were able to spawn offspring, keeping their species part of the galaxy. Neti reproduce only once every few centuries, by producing seeds that can remain dormant for long periods. Neti are known for their ability to switch between their two adult stages. In the tree-like state, which can reach heights of up to five meters, a Neti can remain inactive for centuries, merely pondering their surroundings. The other state is a more humanoid-shaped form, in which they are fully mobile.

Neti Jedi Master T’ra Saa defending the Hidden Temple.

Zelosians are often classified as near-humans, although that term is biologically incorrect. Zelosians are a plant species that have evolved on Zelos II, and have a build that closely resembles the human appearance. How this has come to be is subject of much speculation, and it might be a form of highly developed mimicry on the part of the Zelosians. Many Zelosian biologist, though, theorize that their species has been genetically engineered by outsiders, as the odds of naturally evolving into a near-human form are extremely low. There is, however, no proof of such genetic engineering. Since their skin coloration is practically the same as that of the ubiquitous baseline humans, Zelosians are almost impossible to tell apart from umans, and they have opted to keep their plant origins a closely guarded secret.

Although not technically a plant species, but a fungus, a form of mimicry is observed in the Wirutid. These sentient, ambulatory fungi have evolved into a human-like form, and to the unsuspecting observer they can be virtually indistinguishable from any near-human species. Not much is known about the Wirutid, except that they are highly intelligent. They use their mimicry to ensure their own safety and secure shelter, and are known to trap prey by impersonating a human life form. The Wirutid home world remains an unknown, but they have been encountered in some of the more disreputable districts of Coruscant.

The “near-human” Zelosians held many superstitions about the night.

The Zelosians are sometimes seen as the pinnacle of plant evolution, but that is a very humanocentric way of looking at non-mammalian intelligent life. While they may have an advantage over others, in a sense of mobility and adaptability to the human-based societies that dominate the galaxy, a humanoid shape is not a sign of superiority. Sentience comes in many shapes and forms. Natives of Dom-Bradden, the Affytechans truly resemble a plant in the traditional form, each individual being unique, with different growth patterns of leaves, petals, tassels and tendrils. The Zeffliffl, on the other hand, look much like ordinary seaweed, but neither of this species is any less intelligent than the average mammalian sentient. Next time you might want to think twice before pulling out those weeds in your garden, plants may have feelings too!

Selected reading:

–        Alien Encounters (Paul Sudlow, 1998)

–        Galaxy Guide 12 (Bill Smith, 1995)

–        Red Harvest (Joe Schreiber, 2010)

–        The Essential Guide to Alien Species (Ann Margaret Lews, 2001)

–        The Sand Tender: The Hammerhead’s Tale (Dave Wolverton, 1995)

Kevin Beentjes (Wild Whiphid) is a molecular biologist working at the Dutch natural history museum. He’s currently involved in the creation of the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider, is an editor for TeeKay-421, an administrator for Yodapedia, and fascinated with the myriad of alien life forms, in that galaxy far, far away.

Ever since the first movie came out in 1977, fans have always been dreaming about living in that galaxy far far away. While that may be difficult in some cases, there are still a lot of places existing in the real world where the movies have been filmed and that can be visited. In this blog series we explore these locations by country with an extra focus on the country’s backgrounds and what else is worth your time before or after visiting the locations.

In this first part we start with the small town of Finse in Norway that was the site of the Battle of Hoth and where Luke met the Force spectre of Obi-Wan Kenobi.

General information

The Kingdom of Norway (Norge or Noreg in Norwegian) is a Nordic country occupying the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. Norway is one of the most sparsely populated countries in Europe with a population of about 4.8 million spread around a total area of 385,252 square kilometers (148,747 sq mi).

The majority of the country shares a border to the east with Sweden; its northernmost region is bordered by Finland to the south and Russia to the east; and Denmark lies south of its southern tip across the Skagerrak Strait. The capital city of Norway is Oslo. Also belonging to Norway are hundreds of small islands near the coast and the bigger islands of Spitsbergen and Jan Mayen Island in the Arctic Ocean.

Norway is well known for its amazing and varied scenery. The fjords in the west of the country have been a major tourist attraction for years. Fjords are long narrow inlets flanked on either side by tall mountains where the sea penetrates far inland. Besides the beautiful nature, which is ideal for hiking trips, Norway has become quite a popular winter sport destination. Various places like Finse, Trysil, Hafjell and Hemsedal are ideal places for skiing and snowboarding.

Quick facts

Capital: Oslo

Official languages: Norwegian, but most speak English

Government: Parliamentary democracy under constitutional monarchy

Currency: Norwegian krone (NOK) subdivided in 100 ore

Time zone CET (UTC+1) in summer CEST (UTC+2)

Roads: Drive on the right / some toll roads

Climate: South/Middle: Oceanic
North: Polar
Coastal area: Lot of rainfall in the spring time, less in the summer months.

Best time to visit the shooting locations: December to April/May, when there is snow.

How to get there & other useful links

Norway: Scandinavian Airlines flies regularly from Europe to Norway and has many domestic flights as well. Oslo Gardermoen Airport is the main connection hub for larger airlines.

Finse: Traveling to Finse is only possible by train from Oslo or Bergen on the Oslo-Bergen track. It takes four to five hours and during this you will experience the amazing scenery of Norway.

Domestic destinations: Many of the major cities like Bergen and Trondheim also have an airport.

Norway Travel Office: http://www.visitnorway.com/us

Fjord Norway: http://www.fjordnorway.com/en
Scandinavian Airlines: http://www.flysas.com/
Finse: www.finse.no

Hotel website: http://www.finse1222.no/en

Finse

Finse is a small village consisting of little more than a railway station, a nearby hotel and a few surrounding buildings. The railway station is located on the highland plateau named Hardangervidda / Hardanger Jokulen Glacier at 1222 meter above sea level.

Despite it being a small village, Finse offers possibilities for cross-skiing, sail skiing (due to its location on the edge of a frozen lake) and expedition training in the winter. There is one small drag-lift which allows for downhill skiing on one slope back into town. Hiking is another great activity that can be done in both the winter and the summer.

Filming at the back of the hotel.

In March 1979, Finse was the location for the exterior scenes of the ice planet Hoth in The Empire Strikes Back. The cast and crew slept in the Finse 1222 Hotel, which still shows its connection to the movie with a guestbook and a wall with behind-the-scenes pictures. Also on display in the lobby is a prop of a Rebel trooper hat used by one of the many local extras.

Outside the hotel are the first two locations you will visit. Due to snowstorms, director Irvin Kershner and the crew shot the scenes with Luke escaping from the wampa (the wampa cave was an interior shot in England) and reaching out to the spirit of Ben Kenobi from the back door of the hotel.

A bit further to the left (when facing the back of the hotel) is the location where Han cut up the tauntaun to keep Luke warm.

Be sure to bring food and drinks along with you on the hike and to dress warm.

To visit the other locations it is advised to hire a guide who can bring you to the locations and who can tell all about the scenes filmed there with interesting background information. You can book a guide trough the website of the hotel. Please note that the route you take depends on the weather and conditions on the glacier. The best time to visit would be March or April so you have clear skies and plenty of snow.

When going on the hike it is best to pack warm clothing, thermal underwear and good hiking shoes. Also advisable is to prepare yourself by brining lots of food and warm drinks with you. To counter the effects of snow blindness you also should pack tinted sunglasses. Snowshoes and hiking sticks can be provided by the guide.

Original production map showing the main shooting locations.

Location #1 – Lake – GPS location 60°35’16.57″N, 7°28’25.98″O

This is the place where Luke attacks an AT-AT by hanging underneath it and dropping a thermal detonator inside. During filming Colin Skeaping, stuntman standing in for Mark Hamill, was hanging on a cable from a helicopter. Also shot here are troopers rushing forward and snowspeeder backgrounds. Close by is Norman’s Folley where the production team had a tent with food and drinks set up. This is generally the place for a longer break during the hike.

Location #2 – Crevasses & Shooting Area – GPS location 60°34’53.99″N, 7°28’19.94″O

This is the probot landing site and when you turn around some you see the background for the Imperial Walkers on the Northern Ridge scene.

Location #3 – Plateau Area Shooting Location – GPS location 60°34’6.52″N, 7°28’30.03″O

Quite a few scenes were filmed upon the glacier, the most important of them being the main Hoth battlefield. As with most of the mountains and surrounding area that you see, it was also used a reference for matte paintings.

The Hoth battlefield.

Location #4 – Red Cross Hut – GPS location 60°34’12.73″N, 7°29’10.15″O

This is not really a shooting location, but you can see a hut here that the Red Cross uses. This wooden hut can be seen in some of the behind the scenes photos of the Snow Tracks on their way to the glacier. This is another spot used to rest during hikes.

Red Cross Hutt and surrounding environment.

Location #5 – Blue Ice – 60°34’39.76″N, 7°30’5.46″O

One of the matte paintings of the Echo Base entrance was superimposed with live action of the turret and a trooper that was filmed here.

Location #6 – Near Blue Ice

The rock from which Han Solo destroys the probot is around here. Where exactly is not really known, as the rock is completely covered in snow and due to the process of natural erosion it has lost some of the way to be recognized. However, for most of the locations it is still possible to line up your shots to what you see in the movies. And even if you miss some shots to line up, which can be difficult, you still get a great feeling and sense of being on Hoth.

Hardangerfjord.

What else to do in Norway?

Norway is first and foremost famous for the fjords. Fjords are formed when a glacier cuts a U-shaped valley by abrasion of the surrounding bedrock. The best-visited fjords are Hardangerfjord, Sognefjord and Geirangerfjord (which is part of the Storfjord).

Hardangerfjord is almost 900 meter deep and with a length of 179 km (111 miles) the second largest fjord of Norway and third largest in the world. If offers a spectacular view and beautiful nature. This fjord is best visited from the nearby city of Bergen.

Sogneford is 1300 meter deep and with a length of 200 meters, it’s the longest and deepest fjord in Norway. The surrounding area offers skiing possibilities in the summer. Also worth mentioning is the possibility to take a cruise from here to the Nigard Glacier.

Geirangerfjord is one of the most impressive fjords of Norway due to its completely vertical fjord walls and waterfalls. A bit further up north is Trondheim, the third city of Norway.

Other places worth to visit are: the North Cape, which is the most northern part of Europe and is reachable by regular busses from the nearby town of Honningsvåg. This is also a stop for cruise ships. A small airport connects trough Tromsø to Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim. Most tourists also visit the town of Spitsbergen in combination with a trip to the North Cape.

The 3 major cities of Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim are cultural and nice shopping cities to go to.

Join us next time for a trip to Italy to meet Padmé’s family and enjoy a lake retreat!

The author would like to thank Stefan Pfister for his contributions to this article. And to Kim and Cris Knight for their panorama pictures of Finse.

Picture of the Hardangerfjord courtesy of Fjord Norway.

Sander de Lange (Exar Xan) from the Netherlands does research for the Rogues Gallery feature in Star Wars Insider under the supervision of Leland Chee. He is an editor for TeeKay-421, the Belgian Star Wars Fanclub, he’s an administrator for the Star Wars Sourcebooks page on Facebook and has written the backstory for Niai Fieso through “What’s the Story?”. Recently he finished his Tourism Management study and he cannot wait to work in the tourism industry.

Luke Skywalker would have you believe Tatooine is the farthest planet from the bright center of the universe, but the Star Wars galaxy is a packed place. Plenty of teenagers on other planets probably say the same thing. There are several Outer Rim locales tarnished with an unappealing sheen, Core planets filled with luxuries and promise, and everything in between. A handful of locations are featured as Star Tours attraction destinations at Disney parks, and though the virtual experience is better than nothing, we’re itching to get our feet on the ground in the galaxy far, far away and explore. These planets are at the top of our list:

 Coruscant

It’s a city and a planet; how could you not want to visit Coruscant? From Dex’s Diner to the Jedi Temple, the planet offers endless sights and activities. It’s recognized as the center of power and culture in the galaxy and home to billions of citizens that live in layer upon layers of buildings.

Areas to avoid: The undercity

 Tatooine

The desert planet may be covered in uncomfortable granules of sand (we know, Anakin, we know), but Tatooine offers sweeping vistas and beautiful dunes. You could tour sites such as the remains of the Lars homestead, go on a krayt dragon-viewing safari, and attend the Boonta Eve Classic.

Areas to avoid: Jabba’s Palace, sarlacc pits, Tusken Raider camps — wait, why are we considering visiting this planet?

Felucia

Felucia is made for the inner naturalist within all of us. The planet is covered in colorful plants and translucent life-forms and visiting it would be the equivalent of going to the Galapagos Islands. You’d need to be careful to tread lightly and leave no trace.

Areas to avoid: Anywhere with carnivorous plants

Hoth

Don’t be turned off by the bitter chill of Hoth. This is an ideal planet for an adventurous vacation. Put on the warmest clothes you own or just all of your clothes at once, pack food in, and make camp in the remains of Echo Base. From there, it’s all about snowshoeing and looking for pet tauntauns.

Areas to avoid: Wampa caves, the insides of tauntauns

Naboo

Nothing says romance like visiting Naboo’s Lake Country where Anakin and Padmé were married — just don’t think about all the heartache that followed their wedding. Relax in the elegant capital city of Theed and see the Festival of Light or explore the planet’s hills and plains.

Areas to avoid: Theed Generator Complex

Serenno

Count Dooku’s home planet is nothing to sneeze at. Those looking for a place to hideaway from it all for a while might put Serenno at the top of the list. The mountains and cliff-side homes offer seclusion and privacy in a lovely setting. Plan a long stay, pack some books, and disconnect from the HoloNet.

Areas to avoid: Anywhere Count Dooku has been spotted

Learn more about these planets in the Databank!

Where in the vast Star Wars universe would you like to go? Tell us in the comments!

Amy Ratcliffe is a writer obsessed with all things Star Wars, Disney, and coffee. You can follow her on Twitter at @amy_geek and keep up with all things geeky at her <blog.

It’s that special time of year! You know, to start planning your Star Wars vacations.

Let’s face it, we know everything this planet has to offer…foreign islands, historical landmarks, and calzones. The real surprises lie in that distant galaxy bound together by the Force. So pack your Jedi tunics (or Hoth winter coats) and take StarWars.com’s quiz to find out which Star Wars planet you should visit!

Are you an expert on the locations of the Star Wars galaxy? Can you correctly distinguish an Endor tree from one on Kashyyyk? Then we have the quiz for you! Type the name of the Star Wars planet displayed in the image (spelling counts!) and let us know how you did in the comments below!

StarWars.com. All Star Wars, all the time. 

It’s summer — and while you’re giving thought to where you’d like to take a trip in the real world, take a moment and think about where you’d most like to visit in the Star Wars galaxy. Would you hop in the Falcon and trek to Takodana? Or would you rent a cloud car and pop in on Lando in Bespin? Whether you’re a fan of dusty sand dunes or lush greenery, there’s a destination for everyone. Let us know why you picked your location in the comments below!

StarWars.com. All Star Wars, all the time.