Mustafar
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Distance from Core | Unknown |
|---|---|
| Region | Outer Rim Territories |
| Oversector | Oversector Outer |
| Sector | Unknown |
| System | Mustafar system |
| Number of suns | 2 |
| Population | Unknown |
| Surface water | None |
| Affiliation | Confederacy of Independent Systems |
Mustafar is a volcanic planet in the Star Wars universe. It is portrayed in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, and was the last homeworld of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The planet is covered by hundreds of volcanic calderas, most of which are in a state of constant eruption. Like the real-world moon Io, which is similarly affected by the gas giant Jupiter, the volcanic activity is caused by gravitational stresses on the planet created by the two gas giants that affect its orbit. An automated energy and mineral collection facility on the planet is used by the Separatist Council as their last headquarters.
Contents |
Despite its hellish conditions, Mustafar has developed native lifeforms. A sentient race, known as Mustafarians, developed in the cooler hollows of the moon. They are divided into two subspecies: the tall, thin Northern Mustafarians (led by the enigmatic "Maverick Main") and the shorter, hardier Southern Mustafarians (a/k/a "The Mustafar Rats"). The Techno Union took an interest in the planet and the mineral-rich molten rivers covering its surface, and employed the Mustafarians to mine these minerals. The Mustafarians made use of native "lava fleas", as well as the Techno Union's technology that gave them further protection from the heat. The natives had little interest in outworld politics and were content to work on their homeworld.
As a moon controlled by the Techno Union, Mustafar was a member of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, but remained largely untouched by the Clone Wars. As the war progressed, Count Dooku and the Separatist Council saw fit to build a fortified stronghold on Mustafar to be used in the event that the war against the Galactic Republic did not go well. The Techno Union, the Commerce Guild and the Trade Federation funded the costly fortress, which was designed to be able to withstand any prolonged assault. Mustafar's terrain and environment made it difficult enough to reach the bunker, but it was designed so that even if enemies could pass the terrain, they would be unable to take the fortress. Tractor beam and ray shield technology protected the fortress from the lava rivers and the interior chambers were climate-controlled.
After the defeat of the CIS at the Coruscant, the Separatist leaders were moved to the Mustafar fortress at Darth Sidious' command. Soon afterward, Darth Vader assassinated the entire CIS leadership on orders from Darth Sidious. He was tracked there by Obi-Wan Kenobi, culminating in a climactic duel depicted in Revenge of the Sith.
In course of the fighting, Obi-Wan slices off Darth Vader's legs and non-mechanical arm. Vader falls near the shore of a river of lava; the heat of the lava sets him on fire, burning off most of his skin and hair. It is due to these wounds that he wears the black life-supporting suit with which he was later associated.
A Clone War refugee, Gizor Dellso, a Geonosian who hated the Empire, planned to start another Clone War. He reactivated a droid factory and he began creating a new droid army. He had acquired engineering drawings for a new, superior battle droid, but his plans to use these droids were foiled when Darth Vader's 501st Legion destroyed the factory and killed Gizor.
This is playable in Star Wars Battlefront II.
Mustafar has somehow become caught between the orbital pulls of two neighboring gas giants, Jestefad and Lefrani, causing great stress on Mustafar. Though it could easily fall into orbit around either planet, it maintains its own erratic orbit, staying close to Jestefad but still influenced by Lefrani, as all three bodies travel around the star system at roughly the same rate.[citation needed]
George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars universe, has on multiple occasions used ideas in his films that had been considered but not used in earlier projects, and Mustafar is no exception. Rough drafts of the script for Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi describe a similar world for the setting of the final battle between Luke Skywalker and Darth Vader. The novelization of Return of the Jedi had previously stated that the duel between Obi-Wan and Vader which led to Vader's terrible injuries happened on a volcano planet.
This idea may have been present in the PC Game Star Wars: Galactic Battlegrounds, in which the expansion pack (released before Revenge of the Sith) featured a volcanic world very similar to Mustafar called Sarapin. It was a key energy production facility for the Galactic Republic, much like the role Mustafar later served for the Confederacy.
Mustafar scenes are a combination of film of the real volcano Mount Etna, models, and computer generated effects. One such effect was a custom flowing jelly. Ultra-powerful lights from the bottom of the "lava" flow produced the glow of the molten metal.
- The name Mustafar derives from the Arabic word Mustafa, which translates as "the chosen one". However, also compare with Muspelheim, the mythical Norse realm of fire.
| Planets and moons of Star Wars | |
|---|---|
| Major planets | |
| Alderaan | Almas | Anoth | Bespin | Byss | Caamas | Chandrila | Corellia | Coruscant | Dagobah | Dantooine | Dellalt | Dxun | Geonosis | Hoth | Ithor | Kamino | Kashyyyk Korriban | Malachor V | Manaan | Mon Calamari | Mustafar | Myrkr | Naboo | Onderon | Ossus | Taris | Tatooine | Telos |
|
| Planet list | |
| A-B | C-D | E-G | H-J | K-L | M-N | O-Q | R-S | T-V | W-Z | Destroyed planets | |
| Moons | |
| Dxun | Endor | Nar Shaddaa | Yavin IV List of Star Wars moons |
|
| Other | |
| List of Star Wars sectors | List of Star Wars systems | Star Wars galaxy |