Star Warshas released a brand new galaxy map that features some staggering new reveals - and major setup for the future. TheStar Warsgalaxyis a vast one; according to the old Expanded Universe, there were over 1 billion inhabited star systems. Every new movie or TV show introduces more, which means the galaxy is expanding at a staggering rate.
Lucasfilm has just restored the oldcartography page on theStar Warswebsite. Writing on his substack, Lucasfilm’sJason Frycelebrated the release of this new map - based on the stunning Star Wars Celebration 2021 poster designed by DK. It’s the beginning of a whole new mapping project for Lucasfilm, but already we can see some pretty massive reveals in the latest additions…
8Star Wars Just Totally Set Up Its Jedi Origin Movie
The Rakatan Homeworld Is Now On The Star Wars Galaxy Map
Andor season 1 name-dropped an alien race called the Rakata, conquerors from the oldStar WarsExpanded Universewho cut a bloody and brutal swathe across the galaxy some 25,000 years ago. The second season ofAndordoubled down on this, confirming the date of the Rakatan conquest and revealing it even affected Mon Mothma’s homeworld, Chandrila.
The homeworld of the Rakata, Rakata Prime, appears on thisStar Warsgalaxy map.It’s located in square G11, part of theUnknown Regions, and it’s intriguingly close to Ahch-To and Jedha - the site of the first Jedi Temple and a world that once served as the seat of Jedi power.
James Mangold is working on a “Dawn of the Jedi” project set 25,000 years before the Skywalker saga, revealing the origins of the Force and the first Jedi. This feels like pretty clear setup - especially given one ofAndor’s writing room, Beau Willimon, is also working on “Dawn of the Jedi” with Mangold.
7We’re Finally Learning More About The Unknown Regions
Grand Admiral Thrawn’s Secrets Revealed
Let’s stay in the Unknown Regions for a little longer, described in Chuck Wendig’sAftermath: Empire’s Endas an “unexplored infinity… closed off by a labyrinth of solar storms, rogue magnetospheres, black holes, gravity wells, and things far stranger.” An ancient chained supernova created too many gravitic anomalies in the Unknown Regions, and only Force-sensitives can discover stable hyperspace routes.
They’re a little more explored now, becausethe newStar Warsgalaxy map features several worlds in the Unknown Regions- many of which were introduced in Timothy Zahn’sThrawn: Ascendancytrilogy. Notable planets in the Unknown Regions include:
The Chiss Empire hasn’t been seen since the Dark Times, andI’m rather concerned at how close Exegol is to Csilla…
6We Finally Know Where The Last Jewel Of The Old Republic Is
Yes, I Remember At Attin
Star Wars: Skeleton CrewintroducedAt Attin, one of the lost Jewels of the Old Republic. Actually one of the Old Republic mints, the location of At Attin had been lost in the mists of time - but it was discovered after a bunch of kids accidentally left their world and wound up hunted by pirates.
At Attin can be found in galactic grid reference N6, and that feels like a pretty important location; it’s very close to Dathomir, the planetGrand Admiral Thrawnsettled on when he returned to the mainStar Warsgalaxy. It’s also near to the pirate base Starport Borgo, explaining why the pirates could assemble so much force to raid it.
5We Can See Why The Mandalorian’s Pirates Are So Dangerous
Spaceport Borgo’s Location Makes Sense
Speaking ofStarport Borgo, that is confirmed to be in the Outer Rim Territories, in M6. I love this location, because it explains why the pirates we’ve seen inThe Mandalorianseason 3 andSkeleton Creware so dangerous.Port Borgo is close to one of the most important hyperspace routes of all, the Hydian Way.
Hyperspace travel is dangerous, because you can be pulled out of hyperspace by gravitic anomalies and mass shadows. That’s why you find common hyperspace trading routes across the galaxy - stable routes where you can travel with ease. Planets found on these routes tend to be prosperous - and perfect targets for pirates.
4Star Wars Can’t Make Up Its Mind Where Din Djarin’s New Home Is
There’s Just One Problem With The Hydian Way
The Mandalorianseason 3 saw those same pirates launch an attack on Nevarro, much to the chagrin of Mayor Greef Karga. According to that show, Nevarro was prospering because it was situated close to the aforementioned Hydian Way, so the story made a kind of sense. To my surprise, though,Nevarro seems to be on the other side of the galaxy to Port Borgo.
Oddly enough, I actually quite like the placement of Nevarro. It’s now situated betweentwomajor hyperspace routes, the Hydian Way and the Corellian Run. It even makes sense for the pirates to want to establish a new base on the other side of the galaxy, one from which they could launch attacks on both trade routes.
3We Now Know Where Some Terrifying Force Creatures REALLY Came From
The Origin Of The Drengir Revealed
Lucasfilm recently wrapped up the fantasticStar Wars: The High Republictransmedia initiative, which featured monstrous creatures called the Drengir. A race of carnivorous plant-monsters, the Drengir shared a hive mind rooted in the dark side of the Force, and they were ancient allies of the Sith.
We now knowthe Drengir originate from the Wild Space planet Mulita, situated in Wild Space, in galactic grid reference H19. It’s only a small distance away from an ancient Amaxine Station (J19), from which they spread across the galaxy millennia ago.
2Mulita’s Location Has Some Chilling Implications For The Size Of The Sith Empire
The Sith Conquered More Of The Galaxy Than We Thought
Here’s where things get interesting, though;this has implications for the history of the ancient Sith. The first Sith were outcasts from the Jedi who became stranded on the planet Moraband (also known as Korriban), which can be found at grid reference R5. The Sith eventually found their way offworld, spreading across the galaxy.
The Amaxine Station’s location reveals just how widely the Sith traveled. These ancient Sith literally raged across the entire length and breadth of the galaxy, from R5 to J19, proving themselves a terrifying force to be reckoned with. I must admit, I’d always assumed the earliest Sith conquerors were more constrained than that - so I’m stunned at the implications.
They Searched The Entire Galaxy When Omega Was So Close
Finally, my colleague Molly Brizzell - who absolutely adoresStar Wars: The Bad Batch- spotted a heartbreaking detail. InThe Bad Batchseason 3, Clone Force 99 traveled the galaxy trying to locate Omega, one of their own who’d been kidnapped by the Empire. They searched the entire galaxy five times… whenshe was actually so very close to home.
Clone Force 99 had settled on the planet Pabu, in the Outer Rim Territories, galactic grid reference L3. She was actually being held prisoner on Wayland, another planet in the Outer Rim Territories, found at grid reference N7. TheStar Warsgalaxy map has just made their entire hunt for Omega so much more tragic.
