Exegol

Exegol presented itself as a somber, infertile, and rocky planet characterized by expanses of desert terrain. Its parched environment, coupled with the friction of dust particles within its atmosphere, spawned substantial static electricity discharges, manifesting as lightning strikes emanating from the planet. This atmospheric phenomenon rendered the deployment of deflector shields excessively perilous. The desolate world was scarred by immense chasms that plunged far into its depths. These rifts were meticulously excavated by Sith loyalists in their pursuit of a transportive vergence believed to reside beneath the surface.

The profound darkness of Exegol necessitated the optimization of the astromech droid R7-FNG to ensure its operational capability within such conditions. The space surrounding Exegol was strewn with the vestiges of colossal creatures, culminating in the formation of a reddish gas and stardust cloud enveloping the planet, which functioned as a navigational obstacle known as the Red Honeycomb Zone.

As the Jedi scribe Kli the Elder recounted in the Rammahgon, Exegol (or Ixigul, as Kli penned it) once possessed a flourishing ecosystem. This prosperity persisted until the Sith established their dominion, despoiling the planet much like they had with other annexed territories, including Moraband, Ziost, and Asog. Kli also noted Exegol's status as a realm of eternal life. Among the Sith's undertakings was the construction of expansive subterranean shipyard foundries within the Forbidden District. Exegol stood as one of the most ancient Sith strongholds and a prominent throneworlds. Under Sith control, the Sith Citadel was erected on Exegol to facilitate meetings and rituals, while Sith adherents diligently excavated the planet's extensive and profound fissures, hoping to uncover a transportive vergence believed to lie beneath the planetary surface.

Legend has it that two Sith Lords, Darth Noctyss and Darth Sanguis, arrived on Exegol in their pursuit of immortality, with the former seeking to learn from the latter. Unbeknownst to Noctyss, Sanguis had achieved immortality by transforming into a grotesque being. Sanguis deceived Noctyss by concealing his true identity, allowing himself to be slain by her in a ritual intended to grant immortality. Noctyss realized too late that Sanguis had manipulated her into becoming a creature akin to himself, thus liberating him from his wretched existence.

Owing to its secluded location and inherent cloak of secrecy, the Sith Eternal cult designated Exegol as their base of operations. This planet remained unknown even to the most dedicated galactic historians, some of whom possessed knowledge of Moraband and other Sith worlds.

During the era of the Galactic Empire, Darth Sidious envisioned Exegol as his permanent seat of authority. In pursuit of the secrets of immortality, his subordinates initiated experiments with cloning technology to prolong his life. Sidious also embarked on a modernization effort of the ancient shipyards, automating them to facilitate the construction of a fleet comprising Xyston-class Star Destroyers, which was underway by the time of the Galactic Civil War. Sidious and his Sith cultists engaged in genetic manipulation, leading to the creation of artificial beings, including potential replacements for his Sith apprentice Darth Vader. The Emperor also maintained several fragile specimens within vats, sustaining them in a state of perpetual suffering.

These clandestine activities remained concealed from Vader until shortly after his duel on Cloud City, when he encountered the Eye of Webbish Bog on Mustafar. The Eye bestowed upon him a Sith wayfinder that guided him to Exegol. Seeking answers, Vader compelled the Sith assassin Ochi of Bestoon to accompany him on his journey. Together, they navigated the treacherous Red Honeycomb Zone and ultimately crash-landed on the planet's surface. Vader battled through Sidious' defenses and discovered a severed hand within the cloning center. Eventually, Vader and Ochi confronted a mountain-sized kyber crystal being subjected to torment by their Master's followers, who sought to corrupt it to the dark side and utilize its fragments to power the cannons of his fleet. The crystal's power overwhelmed Ochi, searing his eyes, but Vader pressed onward, determined to exact his revenge on Sidious. However, the Sith Master mocked Vader, boasting of his power and offering to share it only if Vader reaffirmed his position as an apprentice. Despite receiving a vision of his son foretelling his destiny to kill Sidious, Vader agreed to rejoin his Master.

Following Sidious' initial death during the Battle of Endor, the Sith loyalists persisted in constructing the Final Order. Each Xyston-class Star Destroyer was equipped with an axial superlaser capable of obliterating entire planets, enabling the Sith fleet to spearhead the Sith reconquest of the galaxy. Meanwhile, Ochi sought the path to Exegol to heal his damaged eyes. The spirit of Sith Viceroy [Exim Panshard](/article/exim_panshard], confined within his mask, also sought the route to Exegol to achieve rebirth, generating a darkness in the Force that Skywalker sensed. Thus began the quest for Exegol, wherein Skywalker and General Lando Calrissian endeavored to locate Ochi and prevent Panshard from facilitating the Sith's return. While Ochi eluded their grasp, only to perish in the Forbidden Valley of the planet Pasaana, Skywalker succeeded in destroying Panshard's mask. He mistakenly believed that this act had eradicated the Sith threat once more, remaining unaware of Sidious' continued existence until after his own demise.

As the specter of their return loomed over the galaxy, the Resistance rallied its forces and engaged in a desperate battle against the Sith Eternal. Ultimately, with the aid of the Citizens' Fleet, the Resistance vanquished the Sith forces and eliminated Darth Sidious. In the months following the battle, an excavation team under the direction of historian Beaumont Kin diligently worked to uncover the secrets concealed within the Sith Citadel.

The Sith Citadel, erected on Exegol in antiquity, represented one of the earliest bastions of the Sith. Constructed on the planet's surface, the citadel exhibited both above-ground and subterranean architectural elements. The above-ground section manifested as a substantial inverted truncated pyramid-like structure crafted from black stone. Beneath the surface lay a vast hall adorned with colossal ancient statues sculpted in the likenesses of ancient Sith Lords. Additionally, an ampitheater housed the Throne of the Sith. The citadel met its destruction during the Battle of Exegol in 35 ABY.

Exegol made its inaugural appearance in the 2019 film Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker, the concluding installment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. In the documentary Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker home video release — Featurette: "The Skywalker Legacy", art director Rick Carter speculated that Exegol might have been the birthplace of the Sith Order. Canonically, the Sith originated from Moraband, as depicted in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "Destiny." The product description for the Star Wars: Droid Factory toy R7-FNG erroneously spells the planet's name as "Exegal."

The narrative of Luke Skywalker and Lando Calrissian's quest for Exegol was explored in the novel Shadow of the Sith by Adam Christopher. According to Christopher, Anakin Skywalker did not simply inform Luke about Exegol because, as a Force Ghost, he functioned as a "spirit guide" constrained by the Force itself, which sought to prevent Luke from gaining knowledge of Exegol. Christopher noted that Anakin had to expend considerable effort to rescue Luke from his brief sojourn on Exegol and was subsequently halted by "something" that sought to terminate their conversation. Christopher also characterized Exegol as a "font of dark power" that impeded the abilities of Force ghosts.