Page 126 - Star Wars Insider (Special Edition 2020)

Vader comic, issue #4 provided illumination
on that front: the Empire sterilized the entire
planet and killed the Geonosians except
for a single queen. The move ensured the
Geonosians wouldn’t discuss the behemoth
being built in their space.

MATERIAL NEEDS

Scrolling through a datapad to look at
the supply list for the Death Star would
probably take a while. The incredible
volume of even basic materials such as
metals required exploiting planets around
the galaxy. The Empire swooped into
places such as Lothal to ravage natural
resources. The galaxy paid a heavy price
for the Death Star.
As tricky as it might have been to
gather everyday materials, it was even

more difficult to find the key component
for powering the Death Star’s superlaser:
kyber crystals. The Force-attuned crystals
are best known for powering lightsabers,
but they’ve played a role in making
superweapons for time immemorial.
Legends say ancient Sith used the
large kyber crystals for that purpose.
The unfinished Clone Wars arc “Crystal

Crisis on Utapau” made mention of this,
and one was shown in the Star Wars

Rebels Season Two finale, “Twilight of
the Apprentice.” The Sith temple in the
episode had an intact version of one of
those superweapons.
Palpatine and the Empire scoured the
galaxy for kyber crystals, tapping into
every promising origin point. “Crystal
Crisis” illustrated Palpatine’s desperation

to get the materials. They did find an easy
to obtain store on Ilum. The Jedi Order
traveled to the planet for a ritual wherein
younglings searched for the crystals to
make their lightsabers. But only a year
after the Empire started, they’d drained
the resources of Ilum. In the young adult
novel Ahsoka by E.K. Johnston, it is
revealed that the Empire’s invasion was
so complete the destruction was visible
from space.
The rebels hampered the Empire’s Darth Vader, the Emperor’s lethal enforcer.
efforts to attain kyber crystals when they
could. They didn’t know precisely what
the Empire intended for the crystals, but overlooked. With the technical all but took his wrath and laid it bare
they suspected it involved weaponry. The readout of the battle station in in Vader’s direction.
Ghost team stopped an Imperial convoy their hands at the base on Yavin 4, The rebels’ hard-won knowledge
moving crystals in the Star Wars Rebels the rebels examined the plans about the thermal exhaust port almost
Season One episode “Breaking Ranks.” thoroughly and spotted a flaw in wasn’t enough to win the day. The rebel

the Death Star’s design: the thermal attack on the Death Star over Yavin 4
A FAILED EXPERIMENT exhaust port. saw many casualties, and the small
What’s surprising is that something
target made the mission extremely
this detrimental wasn’t addressed. difficult to complete. Thankfully

All the hard work and careful engineering All we know is that the Emperor’s Luke Skywalker, aided by the Force,
was successful; the weapon functioned disappointment in the error was was able to find his target as the

as it was intended. Tarkin executed a palpable in the Star Wars and Darth Empire prepared the final coundown

successful test upon Alderaan. However, Vader comics, which were set after to obliterate the Rebel Alliance, once
one small piece of the station was the events of A New Hope—Palpatine and for all.

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