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Yavin
Yavin

The gas giant Planet Yavin and its fourth

Moon, as seen in Star Wars (1977)
Universe Star Wars
Planet type Gas giant
Notable Massassi Outpost Rebel Base
locations
Moon(s) at least 23 (including Yavin 4
and Yavin 8)
Notable Masassi warriors (ancient)
races
Notable Members of the Rebel Alliance
people
Created by George Lucas
Genre Science fiction
First Star Wars (1977)
appearance
Last Rogue One (2016)

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appearance

Yavin (also known as Yavin  Prime) is a fictional planet in the Star  Wars
universe. It first appeared in the 1977 film Star Wars and is depicted as a large
red gas giant with an extensive satellite system of moons. The hidden military
base of the Rebel Alliance is located on its fourth moon, Yavin IV.

The climactic space battle at the end of the film, in which the Rebel Alliance
destroys the Death Star, takes place in orbit around the planet Yavin. In Star
Wars fandom and the Star Wars expanded universe, this event is especially
significant as it is used to mark an epoch in the fictional Star Wars universe.
Events in Star Wars stories are typically dated in terms of years BBY (Before
the Battle of Yavin) or ABY (After the Battle of Yavin).[1][2]

Contents
Depiction
Film
Filming locations
Expanded universe
See also
References
External links

Depiction
In early drafts of the Star Wars story, author George Lucas began inventing
names of characters and planets and assigning roles and characteristics. In The
Star Wars (1973), Yavin is described as a jungle planet inhabited by eight-foot-
tall Wookiees.[3] (This concept was eventually altered, although the setting of a
Wookiee home planet re-emerged later as the planet Kashyyyk, as seen in the
2005 film Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith).

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In Lucas's 1975 second

draft, The  Adventures
of  the  Starkiller
Episode  I:  The  Star
Wars, the story's
heroes land on Yavin in
escape pods and are
attacked by insect
creatures. They find the
Rebel Massassi Outpost A Rebel sentry watches over the Rebel Base.
and meet characters
such as Bail Antilles
and General Dodonna, and the Rebel commander is the Grand Moff Tarkin. It
is here that Luke Skywalker ends his quest by being reunited with his aged
father.[4] In later revisions of the story, Tarkin becomes an Imperial officer and
Luke's father is removed from the action — he later re-emerges in The Empire
Strikes Back (1981) as the hidden identity of the main antagonist, Darth Vader.
In the fourth draft (1976), Lucas added a scene in which Luke is also reunited
on Yavin with his childhood friend, Biggs Darklighter, a scene which was
actually shot but subsequently deleted from the final cut of Star  Wars. The
scene was re-inserted in the 1997 Star  Wars  Trilogy  Special  Edition.[5] The
closing scene of a victorious award ceremony appears in early drafts, but it is
originally set on a gaseous cloud planet called Ophuchi.[6]

Film
The planet Yavin made its first appearance in the original film Star Wars (later
retitled Star  Wars  Episode  IV:  A  New  Hope), released in 1977. The planet is
shown in space during the approach of the Millennium Falcon spaceship as a
large red gas giant planet; orbiting this planet, Yavin 4, the fourth moon,
appears on screen as a green/blue-colored Earth-like world. Scenes showing
the Rebel Base are all set on this Moon, which is covered in dense, mist-
covered jungles.[7] The Rebel Alliance has established its base hidden in a
complex of ancient temple ruins, known as the Massassi ruins. Tall observation

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towers stand above the treetops to monitor entries and exits from the base.
Once discovered by the Galactic Empire, the Yavin Base is threatened by the
Death Star, the Empire's giant space station which has the capability of
destroying entire planets. The Rebellion launches an attack on the Death Star
with X-wing and Y-wing starfighters; with seconds remaining before the Yavin
moon is to be destroyed, Luke Skywalker launches proton torpedoes and
successfully destroys the Death Star. The film concludes with a triumphant
award ceremony on Yavin in which the heroes are decorated for their
bravery.[8][9]

This battle has become known as the Battle of Yavin, and its date is used as a
place-marker for events in the expanded Star Wars universe. Events before the
Battle of Yavin are marked by BBY ("Before the Battle of Yavin"), and events
that occur after are marked by ABY ("After the Battle of Yavin").

After the events of Episode IV: A New Hope, the Rebellion abandons the moon

to seek sanctuary elsewhere. However, Yavin base features once again in the
2016 standalone film, Rogue One. Set a short time before Episode IV, Rogue
One follows the story of a young outlaw called Jyn Erso who becomes involved
with the Rebels. Erso is brought to the base on Yavin 4 and several scenes in
the base depict characters who originally appeared in earlier Star Wars films,
including Senator Mon Mothma, Bail Organa and General Dodonna. Erso
argues with the Rebel leadership on Yavin 4 about a planned attack on an
Imperial base to steal the schematics of the Death Star. Defying their decision
against the operation, Erso joins a task force to steal the Death Star plans, thus
setting in motion the events that lead up to Episode IV.

Filming locations
As with other fictional Star Wars settings, several real-world filming locations
have been used to create the Yavin Moon location. For the original 1977 film,
Guatemala was chosen for second unit filming to create establishing shots for
the Yavin base, and in March 1977, a crew led by Richard Edlund travelled to
Guatemala. The exterior panoramic shots featuring the scenery of Yavin 4 were
filmed overlooking the ancient Mayan pyramid complex of Tikal amid a dense

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rainforest. The Rebel

outlook post was built
from trash cans glued
together and mounted
on a pole; the special
effects artist Lorne
Peterson was
persuaded to climb into
the precarious
structure to pose in
Rebel uniform for the
The Tikal pyramids in Guatemala
shot.[10][11]

The Rebel hangar scenes were shot inside a pair of disused WWII airship sheds
at RAF Cardington in England. Shed 1 served as the Rebel hangar in Episode
IV.[12] The exterior of the hangar entrance was shot at Cardington through a
matte painting of a temple structure.[11] When film crews returned to
Cardington in 2015 to shoot Rogue One, they used Shed 2.[13]

Expanded universe

The Massassi Temple ruins seen in Episode IV

have featured in several Expanded Universe
works

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With the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney Company, most of
the licensed Star Wars novels and comics produced since the originating 1977
film Star Wars were rebranded as Star Wars Legends and declared non-canon
to the franchise in April 2014.[14][15][16]

The giant temples on the Yavin 4 moon are said to have been built ages ago by
the Massassi to worship Naga Sadow, a Sith Lord who had enslaved and
mutated the Massassi using Sith Alchemy. In the comic book series Tales of the
Jedi, it is stated that Yavin 4 was where Naga Sadow hid from the Republic in
5,000 BBY and was discovered several hundred years later by the fallen Jedi
Freedon Nadd. According to the comic series, the Massassi warriors who built
the ruins used by the Rebels were brought to the planet by the Sith Order in its
early years.[17]

In the 1994 Jedi  Academy  Trilogy books, Kevin J. Anderson suggested that
Jedi Knight Exar Kun had the temples built. Enveloped in the dark side, Kun
elevated himself to the stature of a god. He enslaved the Massassi and forced
them to construct an intricate complex of massive temples that were used for
arcane Sith ceremonies and rites as focus for the dark side.[17] In the same
series, Yavin 4 was the base of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker's Jedi Praxeum,
where he personally trained the next generation of Jedi Knights. Once
Skywalker had trained enough Jedi, this duty was taken up by the married Jedi
Masters, Battlemaster Kam Solusar and his wife Chief Librarian Tionne
Solusar, as well as another former apprentice of Skywalker's, Streen. The
Praxeum was destroyed by the Yuuzhan Vong, during their invasion of the
moon in 26 ABY. The Praxeum was eventually relocated to the ancient Jedi
homeworld, Ossus. The original Praxeum was the main setting of the Young
Jedi Knights series, based on Skywalker's teenage niece and nephew, Jaina and
Jacen Solo.[17]

In the young reader novel The Lost City of the Jedi, it is discovered, as the title

suggests, that the ancient Jedi built a lost city on Yavin 4.

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In the animated micro-series Star  Wars:  Clone  Wars, Yavin 4 was the site
where Anakin Skywalker had a fierce battle with Asajj Ventress, a follower of
Count Dooku. Anakin defeated Asajj, sending her falling down a dark abyss.[18]

In Star Wars video games, Yavin 4 appears in the downloadable content for

the video game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Yavin 4 has also been
added in the latest expansion (December 2014) of the MMORPG Star  Wars:
The  Old  Republic. Titled "Shadow of Revan", the expansion establishes a
connection with the previous game.

According to the Keeper of the Holocron, Leland Chee, Yavin 4 (Yavin Four in
dialogue) is the correct spelling, not Yavin IV (which may be suggested by the
analogy with a real world Jovian system).

Yavin 4 has also been established as the birthplace of Resistance X Wing pilot
Poe Dameron.

The Super Star Destroyer Knight  Hammer was destroyed here when it was
diverted towards the planet's core after a collision with a Rebel vessel.[17]

See also
List of Star Wars planets and moons

References
Rinzler, J. W. (2008). The Making of Star Wars: The Definitive Story
Behind the Original Film (https://books.google.com/books?id=AKqMW5Ch
gScC&lpg=PP1&dq=isbn%3A9780091924997&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f
=false). Ebury Press. ISBN 9780091924997. Retrieved 20 April 2017.
Bouzereau, Laurent (1998). Star Wars: the Annotated Screenplays (http
s://books.google.com/books?id=36hFPgAACAAJ) (1st UK ed.). London:
Titan Books. ISBN 9781852869236. Retrieved 21 April 2017.
Wallace, Daniel; Kolins, Scott; McKinney, Brandon (1998). Star Wars : the
Essential Guide to Planets and Moons (1st ed.). New York: Ballantine
Pub. Group. ISBN 9780345420688.
1. Daniel Wallace; Kevin J. Anderson (2005). Star Wars: The New Essential

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Chronology. LucasBooks.
2. "Jedi Timeline". Star Wars Jedi Battles (https://books.google.com/books?i
d=MthZAgAAQBAJ&lpg=PT3&dq=yavin%20ABY&pg=PT3#v=onepage&q
&f=false). Dorling Kindersley Limited. 2014. pp. 4–5.
ISBN 9781409357629. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
3. Rinzler 2008, pp. 351-400.
4. Rinzler 2008, p. 404.
5. Bouzereau 1998, pp. 89-90.
6. Bouzereau 1998, p. 120.
7. Beecroft, Simon; Dougherty, Kerry; Luceno, James; Lund, Kristin (2005).
"Planet Profiles: Yavin 4". Star Wars complete locations (https://www.amaz
on.com/gp/reader/0756614198/qid=1217979960/ref=sib_books_pg?ie=UT
F8&keywords=Bespin&p=S00I&checkSum=cL%252FZ9zpa3fp4754LB9W
7Vyq9%252B1OxyQiKfs3hTPcA2Hs%253D%2013). London: Dorling
Kindersley. ISBN 9781405310833. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
8. "Yavin 4" (https://web.archive.org/web/20170204222630/http://www.starwa
rs.com/databank/yavin-4). Star Wars Databank. Lucasfilm. Archived from
the original (http://www.starwars.com/databank/yavin-4) on 4 February
2017. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
9. Hughes, Howard (2014). "12. The Force Will be with you, always". Outer
Limits: The Filmgoers' Guide to the Great Science-fiction Films (https://bo
oks.google.com/books?id=2_h9AwAAQBAJ&lpg=PA121&pg=PA121#v=o
nepage&q&f=false). I.B.Tauris. pp. 119–121. ISBN 9781780761664.
Retrieved 25 April 2017.
10. Claire Boobbyer and Peter Pollard, Guatemala Handbook (Footprint
Travel Guides, 2002), 323 (https://books.google.com/books?id=V9H7HrAt
6QAC&pg=PA323&dq=Yavin+4+Tikal,+Guatemala&ei=oH2YSMH-DYryiw
HR3fjGBw&sig=ACfU3U0YEtiZzeNsu_vwCOSiFJE6xpO9Ww).
11. de Lange, Sander (19 September 2014). "Galactic Backpacking, Part 3:
Visiting Real-World Yavin 4 | StarWars.com" (http://www.starwars.com/ne
ws/galactic-backpacking-part-3-visiting-real-world-yavin-4). StarWars.com.
Lucasfilm. Retrieved 24 April 2017.
12. "Cardington Sheds to make a Star Wars comeback" (http://www.bedfordsh
ire-news.co.uk/cardington-sheds-make-star-wars-comeback/story-274707
68-detail/story.html). Bedfordshire on Sunday. 23 July 2015. Retrieved
22 December 2016.

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13. Lewis, Rebecca (20 December 2016). "11 things you may not have known
about Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" (http://metro.co.uk/2016/12/20/11-th
ings-you-may-not-have-known-about-rogue-one-a-star-wars-story-633433
7/). Metro. Retrieved 22 December 2016.
14. "Disney and Random House announce relaunch of Star Wars Adult Fiction
line" (http://starwars.com/news/disney-publishing-worldwide-and-random-
house-announce-relaunch-of-star-wars-adult-fiction-line.html).
StarWars.com. April 25, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
15. McMilian, Graeme (April 25, 2014). "Lucasfilm Unveils New Plans for Star
Wars Expanded Universe" (http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/l
ucasfilm-unveils-new-plans-star-698973). The Hollywood Reporter.
Retrieved May 26, 2016.
16. "The Legendary Star Wars Expanded Universe Turns a New Page" (http://
starwars.com/news/the-legendary-star-wars-expanded-universe-turns-a-n
ew-page.html). StarWars.com. April 25, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
17. Wallace, Kolins & McKinney 1998, pp. 194-195.
18. Robb, Brian J. (2012). "13. Revenge of the Rebel". A Brief Guide to Star
Wars (https://books.google.com/books?id=5l-eBAAAQBAJ&lpg=PT124&p
g=PT124#v=onepage&q&f=false). Hachette. p. 124.
ISBN 9781780335834. Retrieved 24 April 2017.

External links
Yavin Prime (http://www.wikia.com/wiki/c:starwars:Yavin_Prime) on
Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki
Yavin 4 (http://www.wikia.com/wiki/c:starwars:Yavin_4) on Wookieepedia,
a Star Wars wiki
Yavin 13 (http://www.wikia.com/wiki/c:starwars:Yavin_13) on
Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki

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