Endor
the forest moon of the Empire's fall
Endor was a forested moon in the Outer Rim Territories, home to the Ewoks and other native species. It became the site of the climactic Battle of Endor, where the Rebel Alliance destroyed the second Death Star and the Galactic Empire fell.
Endor was a forested moon in the Endor system of the Outer Rim Territories, covered in dense woodlands, tall mountains, and open savannas and home to the sentient Ewok, Dulok, and Yuzzum species. Remote and rarely visited, it became one of the most consequential worlds of the Galactic Civil War when the Galactic Empire established a shield generator there to protect the second Death Star under construction in orbit, drawing the Alliance to Restore the Republic into the decisive Battle of Endor. (Return of the Jedi; Ultimate Star Wars)
Geography and inhabitants#
Endor was an arboreal moon of dense woodlands broken by tall mountains and savannas. Its surface was home to several native species, chief among them the sentient Ewoks, alongside the Duloks and the Yuzzum, while smaller beings such as the Wistie also dwelled there. The moon's thick forests and isolation kept it largely untouched by the wider galaxy for much of its history. (Return of the Jedi; Ultimate Star Wars; Star Wars Battlefront II)
Imperial occupation#
The Empire established a complex on Endor to house a shield generator projecting a protective field around the second Death Star being assembled in orbit. To clear ground for the installation, Imperial troops razed an Ewok village, an act that left relations between the Empire and the native Ewoks badly strained. The Tarkin Initiative also established Research Station 9 on the moon during the occupation. (Return of the Jedi; Stories of Jedi and Sith, "Masters"; Star Wars Battlefront II)
The Battle of Endor#
The Alliance launched a strike against Endor to bring down the shield protecting the second Death Star, a campaign that became the Battle of Endor. The native Ewoks joined the fight alongside the rebel ground team, and with the shield generator destroyed the Alliance fleet was able to attack and destroy the battle station in orbit, an engagement that brought about the fall of the Emperor and the Galactic Empire's defeat. (Return of the Jedi)
Aftermath and the New Republic Era#
In the months following the battle, a field of detritus from the destroyed station settled into orbit around the moon, and some debris continued to rain down on the surface for as long as a decade afterward. Despite this, Endor's ecosystem proved resilient and recovered. At some point the Ewok Civil War brought strife to the moon, and the New Republic intervened by dispatching C-3PO and Captain Jaxxon T. Tumperakki on a diplomatic mission. Through the New Republic Era, Endor remained remote and rarely visited. (Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition; Star Wars Hyperspace Stories Annual: Jaxxon 2023; Star Wars: The Galactic Explorer's Guide)
Frequently asked questions
- What is Endor?
- Endor was a forested moon in the Endor system of the Outer Rim Territories, covered in dense woodlands, tall mountains, and open savannas. It was home to the sentient Ewok, Dulok, and Yuzzum species, with smaller beings such as the Wistie also dwelling there.
- Why did the Empire occupy Endor?
- The Empire established a complex on Endor to house a shield generator projecting a protective field around the second Death Star being assembled in orbit. The Tarkin Initiative also established Research Station 9 on the moon during the occupation.
- What was the Battle of Endor?
- The Alliance launched a strike against Endor to bring down the shield protecting the second Death Star. The native Ewoks joined the fight alongside the rebel ground team, and with the shield generator destroyed, the Alliance fleet destroyed the battle station in orbit, bringing about the fall of the Emperor and the Empire's defeat.
- Why did the Ewoks turn against the Empire?
- To clear ground for the shield generator installation, Imperial troops razed an Ewok village, an act that left relations between the Empire and the native Ewoks badly strained. The Ewoks later joined the rebel ground team during the Battle of Endor.
- What happened to Endor after the battle?
- In the months following the battle, a field of detritus from the destroyed station settled into orbit, and some debris continued to rain down on the surface for as long as a decade afterward. The moon's ecosystem proved resilient and recovered, and Endor remained remote and rarely visited through the New Republic Era.
Gallery
Images via Wookieepedia
Sources
- VideoReturn of the Jedi, Lucasfilm, 1983
- GameStar Wars Battlefront II, EA DICE, 2017
- BookStories of Jedi and Sith, "Masters", Short story anthology, Disney Lucasfilm Press
- BookStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker: Expanded Edition, Rae Carson, novel, 2020
- ComicStar Wars Hyperspace Stories Annual: Jaxxon 2023, Dark Horse, 2023
- BookUltimate Star Wars, DK, official reference, 2015
- BookStar Wars: The Galactic Explorer's Guide, Cole Horton, official reference
Spotted a factual error or a primary source we missed? Email a correction. Every flagged claim gets reviewed.
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