The 10 Most Important Star Wars Planets
The Star Wars films, television shows, and games explore planets across the galaxy, but not all worlds are created equal. The Star Wars universe is comprehensive, but not comprehensive enough. There are numerous Star Wars planets that we barely know anything about.
To determine the most important Star Wars planets, we have to consider which ones are the most central to the story; which ones are the most fleshed out; and which ones contribute the most to making Star Wars the galaxy we know and love today. We also take into account the changing governmental structure in Star Wars and the constant state of flux in the galaxy that is never fully explored. Some planets are better for traveling to than others, so we have to consider which have the most tourism, too. As some Star Wars planets have substantially different geographical terrain, socio-economic setup, or even species, they require more explanation than others. Forget space, we are truly breaking the mold with this one.
Coruscant
As the center of politics and power, Coruscant, a planet fully covered by a single city, is the linchpin of the Galactic Republic. The city planet’s name symbolically means “imagine,” reinforcing the importance of imagination and culture. As in many cities across the world, Coruscant has its share of crime, but it is as white-collar as it gets. The planet’s most notorious criminals were a group of smugglers led by Han Solo and Chewbacca while they managed to evade the law.
Coruscant is the home to the Senate, the Jedi Temple, and the Galactic Courts, making it a hub for those with political, spiritual, and legal power. The capital thrives on industry, knowledge, and the gentle guidance of manipulating politicians. The Jedi Temple serves as a sanctuary that unites the light side of the force and pushes back against authoritarian and evil forces. The only other safe place comes in the form of Club Dee-fi, one of the planet’s exclusive cabaret bars. As the galactic government is centralized within, Coruscant plays a pivotal role. The broader universe expands with the original trilogy movies and the prequel movies about the rise of the Empire, but the capital miraculously manages to avoid the spotlight.
Core Worlds
As the center of Republic power, the Core Worlds comprise of most of the civilized, industrialized, and relatively safe planets. They are wealthy and enjoy a considerable degree of law and order – one that is tough but fair, as exemplified by Coruscant. The Core Worlds run contra to the wild and untamed Outer Rim serving as the opposite of what lies beyond the galactic horizon. Thanks to the Death Star featured in A New Hope, the residents of the Core Worlds have the fear of being vaporized in the crosshairs of intergalactic war.
The Core Worlds include Coruscant and other planets barely mentioned in the films, but they play an indispensable role. Many natives are unsatisfied with the Core World’s overpopulation, which has thus prompted migration to and exploration of the Outer Rim Territories. This is the birth of the expansion and colonization of the Star Wars galaxy.
Outer Rim Territories
The Outer Rim Territories mark the boundaries of well-explored space. Once the center of rebel activity, the Outer Rim has since very much become part of the galactic community. Like the Wild West, the titular territories become the home of rugged individuals willing to step outside the shadows without reaffirmation of the law. The Galactic Republic seemed to deem the lawbreakers harmful to the recovery and stability of the Outer Rim. Things would change when the Empire came to power, rounding up rebels and incessantly seeking those desperate to escape.
Many are still eager to explore the Outer Rim and the Unknown Regions, but technological innovation is stalling efforts to map, tame, and understand the greater galaxy. The events of the films mostly take place in the Outer Rim, but they begin at the Unknown Regions, both areas we explore in great detail in Star Wars Galaxy Project.
Most planets in the Outer Rim are as rugged, dangerous, and hostile as the stereotype implies. A planet like Jedha, for example, is dedicated to mining and is inhospitable at best. Not all planets outside of the core are far from civilization – Jakku is not that hard to reach from the Core Worlds – but the Outer Rim comprises of harsh frontier worlds. In the wake of the end of the Galactic Empire, most Outer Rim worlds were simply left unattainable, leading to Rebel outposts, criminal havens, and good people unaligned with any particular government.
