The Warmest Planets In The 'Star Wars' Galaxy

Star Wars

May 5

It’s May, and the stirrings of Spring are finally in the air! As the warm breezes blow, perhaps our imaginations are pulled to our favorite far-away galaxy - the Star Wars Galaxy! Although climate change has made planet Earth warmer in the past decades, we still don’t hold a candle to the warmer planets in the Star Wars Galaxy. In honor of our warmer weather, let’s take a look at some of the warmer planets of Star Wars.

5. Jakku

"They say if you want to get away from it all, head for the Unknown Regions. They say if you want to lose yourself along the way, just stop at Jakku. When the Empire fell apart, Jakku was the rallying point for the retreating Imperial Navy. But the Rebel Alliance was in hot pursuit. So many ships emerged from hyperspace that they say the searing engine wash blew away every stick of Jakku's plant life. And all that was left was sand."

―Rey

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We are first introduced to Jakku in the cinematic Star Wars Universe in the first prequel, Episode VII: The Force Awakens, where our heroine Rey is a scavenger on the dry, desert planet. As the site of one of the last battles the Rebels fought against the Empire, the landscape is littered with the hulking bodies of old abandoned ships. It is the exhaust of these ships that, according to the quote from Rey above, has turned Jakku from a verdant planet to the desert that we know. It is the home planet of the Teedo and Uthuthma, and also hosts Abednedo, Crolute, Human, Hutt, Kyuzo, Melitto, Nu-Cosian, and Dybrinthe.

Of course, one of Jakku’s major imports is water, but, despite its hostile environment, it is able to supply the galaxy with the resources the scavengers can get from the leftover ships: Bezorite, junk metal, Kesium gas, Magnite, Osmiridium, Salvaged tech, and silicon. Jakku is a place that slides under most people’s radar, considering its population is under 25,000 and its major settlement is the Niima Outpost. As Luke Skywalker says to Rey in Episode VIII: The Last Jedi:

"Where are you from?"
"Nowhere."
"No one's from nowhere."
"Jakku."
"Alright, that is pretty much nowhere."

―Luke Skywalker and Rey

4. Mandalore

"That planet has been ravaged, plundered, and poisoned."

―Bo-Katan Kryze

Not featured in the Star Wars movies, Mandalore has become a fan favorite through The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and, of course, The Mandalorian. Once a planet with a varied landscape with deserts, jungles, seas, and mountains, over time, due to war, it became a desert. Its native species are the Alamites, which turned to living in the wastelands when the more dominant humans came and organized themselves into the Mandalorian culture.

During the Night of a Thousand Tears, when the Empire bombed the planet relentlessly, the reaction of the bombs on the Mandalorian sand turned the terrain into glass, and whoever survived fled the planet. Hidden under a swirling storm cover, it was believed that the entire atmosphere had been poisoned until Din Djarin went to Mandalore to find the Living Waters in the Mines of Mandalore. He found out that the air is breathable, and Bo-Katan joined him there, finding evidence of the Mythosaur, another native animal that has a significant past with the Mandalorians. There is no doubt that we will see more of this planet a year from now when The Mandalorian and Grogu hit theaters in May 2026.

3. Dagobah

"Strong this planet is with the Force."
"It is one of the purest places in the galaxy."

―Yoda and the spirit of Qui-Gon Jinn

First seen in Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, and again in Episode VI: Return of the Jedi, Dagobah made such a cinematic impression that it was also put into episodes of The Clone Wars. Described above by Yoda as being one of the purest places in the galaxy, it makes sense that this is where Yoda chooses to live out his exile. On the surface, it does seem to be a dubious choice: Dagobah is a swampy, hot, humid, boggy jungle. Unlike other planets on this list, there is much vegetation and wildlife on Dagobah. Some of these include: bogwings, dragonsnakes, butcherbugs, sleens, vine snakes, and swamp slugs. In what was originally non-Canon, but upgraded, are the Tash, who harvest the many herbs that can grow on the planet.

Amongst other plants that grow on Dagobah are the lahdia plant, the yoghurt plant, gnarltree, and yarum seed. So, as long as you are adventurous and have a strong stomach, there is plenty to eat on Dagobah! As Yoda is the only inhabitant until Luke Skywalker finds him, there is plenty to go around. But be careful! As this planet is very strong with the Force, there is a living Cave of Evil that spreads the Dark Side of the Force.

2. Tatooine

“Well, if there's a bright center to the universe, you're on the planet that it's farthest from."

―Luke Skywalker, to C-3PO

The first planet we see in the Star Wars Galaxy, Tatooine, is a vast desert. It orbits not one, but two suns, making for beautiful sunsets, but not so much for livable environments. Inhabited by humans, Jawas, Tusken Raiders, and Hutts and their entourages, it is a fairly small population, as everyone and everything has to live in a relatively small area in the north. They have made their own civilization where the Jawas scavenge old technology and droids and sell to the humans, who run trading outposts and farm for … moisture. (Well, they have to get water from somewhere!)

The Hutts set up their crime syndicate here because, being in the Outer Rim Territories, Tatooine is under the radar of the Republic, and, later on, the Empire. Everyone stays out of the way of the Tusken Raiders, also known as the Sand People, who, despite their fierce nature, have a symbiotic relationship with the huge and furry Banthas. You also need to be careful not to fall into the Sarlacc pit! Even though the entire planet is a desert, there are different parts to the terrain, such as Beggars’ Canyon, the Dune Seas, Jundland Wastes, and outpost towns of Mos Eisley, Freetown, and Tosche Station, where you can get power converters.

1. Mustafar

"Mustafar is a lava planet, terrible place, full of awful mines. There's a custom there to jump lava flows and…well, you'll see."

―L3-37

This is a small, fiery planet which, like Tatooine, is located in the Outer Rim Territories. It is crossed by lava flows and rivers. Lava fleas help mine the rich resources that lie within the volcanoes and lava. Even its atmosphere is toxic: due to high levels of ash in the air, it is recommended that people wear face masks while on the planet. Mustafar was first seen in Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and its flaming geography plays a crucial role in the Anakin Skywalker character arc: if it weren’t for Obi-Wan Kenobi cutting Anakin down and leaving him to catch fire due to the erupting terrain, we would not know Darth Vader as the massive hulking figure in the black suit.

Despite Anakin’s painful defeat here, as Darth Vader, he would come back and build a castle on Mustafar that he would come to in order to meditate. As this is where Vader’s hatred for the Jedi was cemented, he also created an interrogation and execution center for Jedi on Mustafar. This is where Kanan Jarrus was taken in Star Wars Rebels, as he had told Hera Syndulla, "I've only heard that name once. From Kanan. He said Mustafar is where Jedi go to die." Crime syndicates such as the Black Sun also set up shop there, as Mustafar’s far location and uninviting landscape caused most people to bypass the planet, unless they needed to refuel their ships.

So, as we enjoy our nice, warm weather here on Earth, we can contemplate how it would be if we were on these warmer planets in the Star Wars Galaxy!

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