In the fictional Star Wars universe, the majority of planets and moons are inhabitable. No matter how cold or hot they are, there tends to be enough oxygen to allow life. Even better is the fact that certain species only need minimal air to survive, hence they’ve been able to turn environmentally hostile territories into their homes. Because of this, there are always numerous grounds for confrontations, wars, and even economic activities.
Among these numerous planets and moons, some have contributed more to Star Wars stories than the rest. This is because they were the settings of game-changing events, were associated with fan-favorite characters, or were simply more advanced. This particular list only focuses on those that have appeared in both live-action and animated scripted projects rather than games and books.
10 Mon Cala
Mon Cala might be extinct now, but its role in some of the mega events in the franchise cannot be understated. Known for having the best shipbuilding industry, the planet manufactured some of the coolest Star Wars star ships. And given how useful starships are to this universe, the oceanic planet was constantly targeted by the Separatists, especially in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. Regarding its inhabitants, it was home to the Mon Calamari and the Quarren species, though the latter were portrayed as lazy and rebellious, making them obstacles to Mon Cala’s progress.
Mon Cala’s importance was best seen during the Galactic Civil War as its thriving engineering industry allowed it to influence the conflict’s trajectory. The planet allied itself with the Alliance to Restore the Republic and aided it by supplying advanced ships that matched those used by the Imperial. Consequently, the war became more balanced. The Mon Calamari residents also aided Leia Organa’s Resistance, therefore positioning itself as a strong force in the rebellion.
9 Ahch-To
Ahch-To is a prominent location because it was where Luke Skywalker retreated to a self-imposed exile after failing the Jedi order and not doing enough to prevent Kylo Ren from joining the dark side. It was during his time here that he was able to deal with depression and forge a path that would allow him to redeem himself.
Most importantly, Ahch-To was where the Jedi Order was formed, and given how influential the nontheistic religious order became, the planet should forever be held in high regard. Additionally, the ancient Jedi texts, which offered guidance to those studying the Jedi ways, were located in Ahch-To, making it sacred ground to anyone that wished to align themselves with a proper cause.
8 Coral Moon of Rugosa
In a franchise where numerous territories were claimed by different groups, the Coral Moon of Rugosa was distinctive because it was neutral territory. As such, it was the perfect meeting point for parties that wanted to discuss specific terms. The meeting between Yoda and the Toydarian leader, King Katuunko is especially noteworthy as it was crucial in determining whether the Toydarians would form an alliance with the Galactic Republic of the Separatists.
The beauty of the Coral Moon of Rugosa was also something to behold. In one of Yoda’s best Star Wars quotes, he famously raved about it, saying, “”Beautiful, this moon, is. Amazing, the universe, is.” Covered in coral forests, the moon had once, but they all dried up, leaving behind plenty of lush vegetation that had been located under the seabed.
7 Tatooine
Tatooine is a desert region with water scarcity because it orbits two suns, but it is valuable in many ways. The planet’s relevance lay in the fact that it was the childhood home of two of the most popular Star Wars characters — Luke and Anakin Skywalker. It was the first planet to ever be seen in live-action, having first appeared in A New Hope (1977). Most importantly, Tatooine’s location in the far Outer Rim Territories made it a haven for criminals, as they would conduct their activities there without much scrutiny.
The inventiveness seen in Tatooine was also very impressive. In order to overcome water shortages, the planet’s inhabitants had moisture farms from which they draw droplets from the atmosphere and collect enough to sustain them. Besides that, the arc revolving around Boba Fett and Djin Djarin’s efforts to restore peace lent more legitimacy to the planet, making it a desirable place once everything was in order.
6 Scarif
Scarif was introduced in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story as an oceanic paradise that was used as the second location for the construction of the Death Star. It was generally used by the Empire to house classified projects because it was too far for the Senate to monitor it. Consequently, it became a preferable retirement spot for officers.
Initially, Scarif was the most secure planet since it even had a planetary defector shield to keep intruders out. Regrettably, despite its awesomeness, the planet never lasted long. The Alliance to Restore the Republic would eventually learn about the Galactic Empire’s plans to build a superweapon, a development that led to the Battle for Scarif. In the aftermath, the shield and Citadel Tower had been destroyed while the ocean’s water had been boiled.
5 Ilum
Ilum holds a special spot in Star Wars lore because Han Solo’s death happened in its trench known as the Starkiller Base. It also contained the Kyber Crystals, which the Jedi youngsters were required to obtain as a rite of passage. The planet would ultimately be colonized by the Galactic Empire under the command of Darth Sidiou and its during their rule that the trench collapsed because of over-mining of over-mining.
As far as the living conditions are concerned, Ilum wasn’t ideal because it was freezing and covered in snow. However, it remained a significant planet because neither the lightsabers nor the Death Star would have worked without the Kyber Crystals that it possessed. Sadly, the planet was completely destroyed in The Force Awakens.
4 Mandalore
Thanks to The Mandalorian, Mandalore has become more popular. For centuries, it was deemed a cursed planet, and as a consequence, its initial warrior-clan inhabitants became immigrants in several sections of the galaxy. Others became bounty hunters and explorers, who were generally feared because of their unique combat skills. After a long time away, they were able to reclaim their homeland from Imperial forces.
The most memorable Mandalore storyline unfolded in Clone Wars where Maul toppled Duchess Satine Kryze, establishing himself as the planet’s supreme authority. While unfortunate, this new development helped establish Maul as a force to be reckoned with and further strengthened his reputation as a feared villain. At the moment, Mandalore is a planet that continues to develop even further and among the things to expect from The Mandalorian Season 4 is the introduction of some of its inhabitants that had only been mentioned in the books.
3 Jedha
Created specifically by the screenwriters of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, the desert moon known as Jedha had major religious significance in George Lucas’ fictional universe because it served as a worshipping place for believers of the Force. According to director Gareth Edwards’ interview with Collider, Jedha is to Star Wars what Mecca is to Muslims and Jerusalem is to Christians. Its name is inspired by Jedda (the gateway to Mecca).
Given that most planets and moons in the vast franchise are defined by scientific concepts, it was refreshing to include a planet that catered to subscribers of religion rather than thus those leaning towards Physics and Geography. Like Ilum, it also contained Kyber Crystals, making it valuable to both the Galactic Empire and Jedi warriors seeking to create lightsabers.
2 Coruscant
Coruscant, aka, The Imperial Center, trumps other planets when it came to general civilization and development. It was shown to have better education, technology, and architectural designs hence it served as the galaxy’s capital. In addition to that, it was believed to be humanity’s first-ever home of humanity and had a large population that summed up to the trillions and was generally more civilized.
Compared to other planets and moons, it was the closest thing to America. In Episode II: Attack of the Clones, it was even shown to have a Vegas-type location known Uscru Entertainment District and a Washington-type area named 500 Republica, where the diplomats and politicians often gathered for meetings. Because of its importance, Coruscant appeared in all live-action installments of the franchise.
1 Naboo
Located deep inside the Mid-Rim’s Chommell sector was Naboo, a planet that first appeared in The Phantom Menace and served as the home to the Naboo humans and the amphibious Gungan species. It was also Dark Lord Palpatine’s rumored birthplace, hence the reason it was held in such high regard.
Without Naboo, Palptatine wouldn’t have been able to amass enough wealth and power to enable him to become the head of the Galactic Empire. Another notable thing about Naboo was its adherence to arts, making it somewhat of a fictional version of Hollywood. Every citizen was encouraged to be a musician, artist, or stage performer, resulting in a society that had a thriving entertainment industry.
