The Wheel, also known as space station BDT-0978, was a space station located in the Besh Gorgon system of the galaxy's Mid Rim.
The Wheel, formally known as space station BDT-0978, was an enormous orbital structure located in the Besh Gorgon system of the galaxy's Mid Rim. At least during the High Republic Era, the station hung above . As its name implied, the station's main fuselage—referred to as the Middle Ring—resembled a massive rotating ring that had the diameter of a small moon, glittering with the lights from a thousand portholes. Two long spokes intersected at a bulbous hub, from which sprang a vertical axis that supported two smaller rings, one of which was known as the Upper Ring, which was added sometime by 26 BBY.
The space station was divided in levels hosting many casinos, cantinas (like the Cosmo Lounge), sporting arenas (such as Ashton Stadium on the third level), and shopping malls.
The Wheel existed as early as the High Republic Era. At that time, Jedi Grand Master Yoda met with members of the Jedi High Council, Jedi Masters Pra-Tre Veter and Ela Sutan, in a corridor of the Wheel while it orbited . Yoda had been staying on Turrak at the time and had come to the Wheel to speak with the Jedi Masters, who argued about whether or not Yoda should return to Coruscant until Yoda showed them an instrument called a Taratti. After being gone for a few days, Yoda returned to Turrak.
By 26 BBY, an Upper Ring had been added to the Wheel. At the time, there was an uneasy truce between the Republic and the station's Baron Administrator, Jaspara. Therefore, the Jedi Order had promised to stay away from the Wheel. Despite that, the Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan Anakin Skywalker did board the station incognito in 26 BBY, in an effort to locate Grynask Sanberge, leader of the Nova Crime Syndicate.
By 10 BBY, Ephant Mon successfully conducted an arms deal with the Pyke Syndicate representative on the station.
After being rejected by the Grand Hutt Council and the Bounty Hunters' Guild for a possible alliance against the Galactic Empire, the Alliance to Restore the Republic considered allying itself with the Mining Guild, and had an investigation on a Mining Guild operation on the Wheel.
The Wheel first appeared in the 1978 Marvel Star Wars comic Star Wars (1977) 18, part of the Star Wars Legends continuity. It made appearances in other Legends works such as Star Wars: Republic and Star Wars: Legacy. A version of the Wheel later appeared in Bob Roth and Bill Motz's non-canon 2016–2017 animated series LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures. Within the show the space station serves as the home of the Freemakers, a scavenging family who run a starship repair business called Freemaker Salvage and Repair. This version of the Wheel has three sections: the posh Upper Ring, the middling Middle Ring, and the seedy Lower Ring. The Wheel is located in the Abrion system and acts as a plot setting for several of the series' episodes.
- LEGO Star Wars: All-Stars — "Dealing with Lando/Han and Chewie Strike Back"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "A Hero Discovered"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "The Mines of Graballa"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Zander's Joyride"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "The Lost Treasure of Cloud City"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Peril on Kashyyyk"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Crossing Paths"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Race on Tatooine"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "The Test"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Showdown on Hoth"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Duel of Destiny"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Return of the Kyber Saber"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "The Embersteel Blade"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Return to the Wheel"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Return of the Return of the Jedi"
- LEGO Star Wars: All-Stars — "From Trenches to Wrenches: The Roger Story"
- LEGO Star Wars: All-Stars — "It Gets Ugly"
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens Beginner Game
- Star Wars: The Rebel Files
- Star Wars: Droidography
- Star Wars: Smuggler's Guide
- Star Wars Galaxy Map