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Bespin

the gas giant of Cloud City

Bespin was a gas giant in the Outer Rim Territories, mined for valuable Tibanna gas from the floating metropolis of Cloud City. Long unaffiliated, it was seized by the Empire during the Galactic Civil War.

By Billy

Bespin was a gas giant in the Anoat sector of the Outer Rim Territories, best known for the floating mining colony of Cloud City, which extracted the planet's valuable Tibanna gas from a narrow breathable layer high in the atmosphere. A prosperous and largely independent world, it was drawn into the Galactic Civil War when the Galactic Empire garrisoned the planet and seized Cloud City, before recovering its freedom after the Empire's defeat at Endor. (The Empire Strikes Back; Return of the Jedi)

A gas giant of cloud cities#

Bespin was a vast gaseous world some 118,000 kilometers in diameter, attended by two moons. It completed a full orbit of its star roughly every fourteen standard years and rotated once every twelve standard hours. Within its breathable atmospheric layer floated its settlements, the largest being Cloud City, alongside Chinook Station. The planet's wealth rested on the mining of Tibanna gas, its chief export, drawn from the gas giant's depths. From the upper reaches of Cloud City, sunsets were said to last as long as two hours. (The Empire Strikes Back; Star Wars: Complete Locations; Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know; Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia; Star Wars Battlefront II)

History#

During the Clone Wars, Bespin stayed neutral, but the war still found it. The Storm Basin refinery was chosen as the site of a prisoner exchange between the Republic and Umbaran partisans, and the Separatists sent forces to attack it. (Star Wars Zero Company)

Through the Galactic Civil War the planet remained officially unaffiliated, but its neutrality did not spare it. Darth Vader turned Cloud City into a trap for the rebels and threatened to leave a garrison there, and Lando Calrissian was soon warning the city that the Galactic Empire had taken control. (The Empire Strikes Back)

With the Empire's defeat at the Battle of Endor, the gas giant and its prosperous mining colony recovered their freedom, and the 1997 special edition shows Cloud City celebrating the news. (Return of the Jedi)

The planet's resistance to outside domination continued into a later age. After the Battle of Exegol in 35 ABY, Bespin rose in open rebellion against the First Order. (The Rise of Skywalker)

Frequently asked questions

What is Bespin?
Bespin was a gas giant in the Anoat sector of the Outer Rim Territories, best known for the floating mining colony of Cloud City. The planet's wealth rested on the mining of Tibanna gas, its chief export, drawn from a narrow breathable layer high in the atmosphere.
What is Cloud City on Bespin?
Cloud City was the largest of Bespin's settlements, a floating colony within the planet's breathable atmospheric layer that extracted Tibanna gas. From the upper reaches of Cloud City, sunsets were said to last as long as two hours, and the planet also held Chinook Station.
What happened to Bespin during the Galactic Civil War?
Although Bespin remained officially unaffiliated through the Galactic Civil War, its neutrality did not spare it. The Galactic Empire garrisoned the planet and seized control of Cloud City and its mining operation, but with the Empire's defeat at the Battle of Endor, the gas giant and its colony recovered their freedom.
How big is Bespin?
Bespin was a vast gaseous world some 118,000 kilometers in diameter, attended by two moons. It completed a full orbit of its star roughly every fourteen standard years and rotated once every twelve standard hours.
Was Bespin involved in the Clone Wars?
Bespin stayed neutral in the Clone Wars, but the war still reached it. In Star Wars Zero Company, a Republic prisoner exchange with Umbaran partisans at the planet's Storm Basin refinery is attacked by the Separatists.

Gallery

Bespin
Bespin
Bespin
Bespin

Images via Wookieepedia

Sources

  • VideoThe Empire Strikes Back, Lucasfilm, 1980
  • VideoReturn of the Jedi, Lucasfilm, 1983 (1997 Special Edition)
  • VideoThe Rise of Skywalker, Lucasfilm, 2019
  • BookStar Wars: Complete Locations, DK, 2016
  • BookStar Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Adam Bray, Cole Horton, Kerrie Dougherty and Michael Kogge, DK, 2015
  • BookStar Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia, DK, 2017
  • GameStar Wars Battlefront II, EA DICE, 2017
  • GameStar Wars Zero Company, Bit Reactor, 2026

Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.

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