 | This article describes a work or element of fiction in a primarily in-universe style. (April 2016) |
| Bespin | |
|---|---|
| Star Wars location | |
| First appearance | The Empire Strikes Back (1980) |
| Created by | George Lucas |
| Genre | Science fiction |
| In-universe information | |
| Type | Gas giant |
| Locations | Cloud City (in the Life Zone) |
Bespin is a fictional planet, a gas giant in Star Wars films and books (in the Bespin System of the Ison Corridor of the Ivax Nebula of the Anoat Sector of Greater Javin of the Outer Rim). The planet was first seen in the 1980 feature film The Empire Strikes Back. Since its introduction, Bespin has gained more specific characteristics in the Star Wars expanded universe.
In The Empire Strikes Back, Bespin's floating city Cloud City hovers suspended by an anti-gravity pod.
Description edit
The planet is a gas giant that is about 73,000 miles (117,000 km) in diameter. Like most gas giants, it has a solid core that consists of metal followed by layers of metallic gases. Many of the layers of gas are poisonous, and the pressure and temperature are far above what a human could tolerate. But from approximately 93 to 112 mi (150 to 180 km) down from outer space, there is a habitable layer known as the Bespin Life Zone. This layer has an oxygen atmosphere with the temperature and pressure that makes it ideal for human life. It is in this layer that Cloud City is located.[1]
Bespin is a major source of tibanna gas, a fictional material which is refined for production and transport in Cloud City and used in hyperdrive coolant for starships, as well as in the production of firearms. It is home to several million individuals, including humans and Ugnaughts.[2]
Han Solo's starship, the Millennium Falcon, barely made it there when travelling from another star system. Lando Calrissian, the previous owner of the Millennium Falcon, administered Cloud City and provided "well-paying" jobs for the Ugnaughts until the Galactic Empire occupied the system.
During the Galactic Civil War, Darth Vader captured Cloud City (as seen in The Empire Strikes Back) after blackmailing Calrissian into turning over Han Solo and Princess Leia to him. But after the Battle of Endor the planet and Cloud City was liberated from the empire by the New Republic.
Cloud City is a playable level setting in numerous video games, including Star Wars: Battlefront,[3] Star Wars: Uprising, Star Wars Jedi Knight: Mysteries of the Sith, and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed.
See also edit
References edit
- ^ Christensen, Bill (23 July 2008). "Cloud Cities On Venus?". Space.com. Imaginova Corp. Archived from the original on 23 November 2008. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- ^ "Bespin". Starwars.com. Lucasfilm. Archived from the original on 4 December 2003. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
- ^ Dornbush, Jonathon (26 January 2016). "Death Star, Bespin coming to Star Wars Battlefront via season pass". Entertainment Weekly. Meredith Corporation. Retrieved 21 January 2019.
Bibliography edit
- Lucas, George; and Leigh Brackett, Lawrence Kasdan, Laurent Bouzereau. Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays, 1997. ISBN 0-345-40981-7
- Anderson, Kevin J. Star Wars: Jedi Search (Book 1 of the Jedi Academy Trilogy), 1994. ISBN 0-553-29798-8
- Wallace, Daniel; and Scott Kolins. The Essential Guide to Planets and Moons (Star Wars), 1st edition, 1998. ISBN 0-345-42068-3
External links edit
- Bespin in the StarWars.com Databank
- Cloud City in the StarWars.com Databank
- Bespin on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki
Category:Star Wars planets Category:Fictional giant planets Category:Fictional elements introduced in 1980