Summary
AStar Warsplanet by the name of Nar Shaddaa was name-dropped inThe Acolyteepisode 1, begging the question of where the anti-Coruscant fits into both canon and Legends. Since the franchise’s inception in 1977, hundreds ofexcitingStar Warsplanetshave been introduced. Across the 11 Skywalker Saga movies, the handful of TV shows, and the endless slate of books, comics, graphic novels, and video games, theStar Warsgalaxy mapis constantly added to thanks to new planets and their inhabitants.
When taking into account thechronological order ofStar Wars, there are some planets in the galaxy that were more important to the ancient parts of the timeline, as opposed to the Skywalker Saga. Some of these locations have been introduced as planets that are rich in the Force, from the likes of Planet X inStar Wars’High Republic eratoThe Mandalorian’s Tython, first introduced in the Old Republic.One planet that has spanned both old Legends and newStar Warscanon is called Nar Shaddaa, a criminal haven that bears a striking resemblance to Coruscant.
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Nar Shaddaa Is The “Smuggler’s Moon”
The planet is a criminal haven that rivals Coruscant
In the world ofStar Wars, Nar Shaddaa is known as the “Smuggler’s Moon.” The reason for this stems from the inhabitants and clientele that often frequent Nar Shaddaa, with the planet being a common place of respite for the criminals of the galaxy. Like Coruscant, Nar Shaddaa is an ecumenopolis, meaning the entire planet’s surface is covered in an ever-expanding cityscape. Unlike the planet that houses the Jedi Temple, however, Nar Shaddaa is much more lawless.
The planet’s undercity is primarily inhabited by bounty hunters, smugglers, and other criminal-inclined people of theStar Warsgalaxy. The planet being inhabited primarily by outlaws means that Nar Shaddaa is often considered one of the more dangerous locations in the galaxy. This somewhat extends to anEaster egg fromThe Acolyteepisode 1, with Osha’s colleague Fillik describing his visit there as a"wild night"with the piloting crew.
Nar Shaddaa’s Legends Origin Explained
The era of the Old Republic provided Nar Shaddaa’s origins in Legends
While Nar Shaddaa has been firmly solidified inStar Warscanon by various projects, its origins were established in Legends. One such Legends story wasStar Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II - The Sith Lords. In this game, the planet was one of the primary locations for players to explore and offered a lot of insight into the planet’s history. When combined with other Legends material, the origins of Nar Shaddaa become much clearer.
The planet then fell into lawlessness, earning its name as the Smuggler’s Moon, and becoming a hub of illegal activity rather than legitimate trade.
In 15,000 BBY, Nar Shaddaa fell under the control of the Hutts. After annexing the planet, the Hutts began replacing the original terrain with huge spaceports, buildings, and docking bays.After around 500 years, the planet became completely urbanized and solidified itself as a central hub for tradingalongside Coruscant. However, the trade lanes were shifted 10,000 years later, causing Nar Shaddaa to become obsolete and subsequently abandoned by the Republic. The planet then fell into lawlessness, earning its name as the Smuggler’s Moon, and becoming a hub of illegal activity rather than legitimate trade.
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Nar Shaddaa Is Officially Controlled By The Hutts In Star Wars Canon
The Hutts ruling Nar Shaddaa is consistent between Legends and Star Wars canon
In Legends, Nar Shaddaa was confirmed as a Hutt-controlled planet. This made sense, as it is one of the moons that orbit the Hutt homeworld of Nal Hutta. Interestingly, this fact was kept consistent when the planet was introduced inStar Warscanon. Several projects have reiterated that the Hutts control Nar Shaddaa, helping to explain its reputation as a haven for outlaws, bounty hunters, and other criminals. One comic book run, specifically Marvel’sStar Wars(2015) #9, confirmed that a Hutt named Grakkus was in control of the planet between the events ofA New HopeandThe Empire Strikes Back.
As alluded to, a reference to Nar Shaddaa is found inThe Acolyteepisode 1. This reference is one of the few times the planet has been mentioned in aStar WarsTV showand lends legitimacy to the Hutt being in control of the planet. The reference to the Mek Nek’s wild night out on Nar Shaddaa helps to support the planet’s lawlessness.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
Nar Shaddaa’s First Order Connections Explained
The villainous soldiers of the Star Wars sequels frequented Nar Shaddaa
Aside from Nar Shaddaa’s links to the Old Republic, High Republic, and Imperial eras of theStar Warstimeline, the planet also has connections to the sequel era. In the time of the sequels, the First Order ruled over the galaxy after the destruction ofStar Wars’New RepublicinThe Force Awakens. In the novelization ofStar Wars: The Last Jedi, written by Jason Fry, the links between the First Order and Nar Shaddaa are outlined.
This book mentions thatNar Shaddaa is one of the locations used for First Order officers who are granted shore leave. This means that, when First Order officers are allowed paid time out of the navy, they tended to frequent Nar Shaddaa. The reason for this likely stemmed from the First Order’s villainous activities. Before the time of the New Republic’s destruction, Nar Shaddaa was likely one of the only places in the galaxy that the First Order could visit freely without risk of being arrested by Republic officers.
Given that this practice was established before the New Republic’s destruction, it stands to reason that it continued afterward.The Last Jediis set when the First Order has dominance in the galaxy, meaning it is logical to assume First Order officers could take leave wherever they pleased. However, if certain connections and allowances were already created between the First Order and the Hutts for Nar Shaddaa, this arrangement would make sense to continue. Through this, Nar Shaddaa continued the outlawed status it held in bothStar WarsLegends and early canon regarding the franchise timeline.
Nar Shaddaa could appear in the upcoming video game, Star Wars: Outlaws, centered around the franchise’s underworld.
