Makeb

Positioned within the Makeb system along the fringes of Hutt Space, within a sector of the galaxy removed from primary hyperlanes, Makeb presented as an oceanic planet characterized by its atmosphere abundant with substantial electromagnetic interference in its upper reaches. Despite possessing a gravity level below standard, the planet exhibited peculiar anomalies that fostered the development of towering stone pillars across its terrain. These pillars, extending well beyond Makeb's cloud cover, frequently accommodated entire cities atop their plateaus and mesas, and were permeated by intricate cave networks. Both the indigenous wildlife of Makeb and numerous mineral deposits, including the exceptionally prized isotope-5, resided within these pillars and caves. The unique atmospheric and gravitational properties of Makeb stemmed from Isotope-5, a mineral exclusive to the planet, which exerted considerable distorting influences on electromagnetic and gravitational fields.

Due to its remote location, Makeb remained undiscovered by the wider galaxy until the era of the Mandalorian Wars, a prolonged conflict between the Galactic Republic and the Mandalorian warrior culture, spanning from 3976 BBY to 3960 BBY. During this period, a damaged transport vessel carrying Republic refugees—including several affluent entrepreneurs—crash-landed on the planet after encountering electromagnetic disturbances in Makeb's atmosphere. Semako Thalien, one of the businessmen, assumed a leadership role among the survivors as they established settlements atop Makeb's pillars. The colonists soon discovered the presence of valuable mineral deposits on Makeb. Utilizing makeshift mining equipment, the settlers began extracting these minerals, and upon re-establishing communication with the galaxy, Makeb rapidly became a highly lucrative venture for the settlers within a span of fifty years—largely attributable to the influence and financial resources of the original settlers.

Maintaining its independence from the Republic, Makeb attracted economic leaders, banking institutions, and affluent tourists, resulting in the proliferation of luxury resorts across the planet. The Avesta family, a lineage of Human merchant explorers, established numerous prosperous settlements during the early phases of Makeb's colonization, eventually founding the Avesta Mining Corporation. Furthermore, the Avesta family played a pivotal role in establishing the Makeb Business Council, which served as the planet's governing body. Members of the Avesta family also negotiated a trade alliance with the Republic. Upon learning of Makeb's valuable resources, the Hutt Cartel attempted to establish a presence on the planet, but the Business Council thwarted their efforts and instead negotiated a trade partnership. Over subsequent centuries, Makeb experienced significant economic growth, with mining remaining the cornerstone of its industry despite the substantial contribution of tourism to the planet's wealth. Talaos City, Makeb's capital, was established near the initial landing site of the colonists, although efforts were made to segregate industrial activities from the city. Consequently, Talaos City evolved into the hub of Makeb's banking and technological sectors, as well as the epicenter of the planet's cultural life.

In the early period of 3629 BBY, a being known as Gethul, dormant beneath Makeb for millennia, was discovered by Jedi Master Adelade. Though not fully awakened, Adelade and her followers were influenced by Gethul's "song", leading them to form a Cult of Gethul and attempt to fully awaken the creature. Upon learning of this and fearing that Gethul's full power could destabilize Makeb's core and destroy the planet, Eternal Alliance military Admiral Bey'wan Aygo dispatched a strike team to thwart Adelade's plan. The team encountered resistance from Gethul's cultists, Chief Engineer Penzaren, and local wildlife, all under Adelade and Gethul's control. Ultimately, they confronted Adelade and, after defeating her, detonated the D-5X probe droid loaded with explosives inside Gethul's maw, eliminating the abomination and ending its threat.

The planet of Makeb serves as the primary setting for the video game titled Star Wars: The Old Republic: Rise of the Hutt Cartel, which represents the inaugural Digital Expansion for the BioWare-LucasArts video game Star Wars: The Old Republic. The initial mention of Makeb within The Old Republic occurred through a message from the Sith Warrior companion character Vette. The release of the planet as part of Rise of the Hutt Cartel took place on April 9, 2013 for players who had pre-ordered the expansion, followed by its availability to all players who had purchased the game on April 14.

Makeb has been colloquially referred to as "the gay planet" due to BioWare's integration of same-sex romantic relationships with non-player characters on the planet. This decision followed criticism directed at BioWare for the absence of same-gender relationships in The Old Republic, a departure from the company's previous game series such as Mass Effect and Dragon Age, as well as their standalone title Jade Empire and even Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic through the character of Juhani, the first lesbian character introduced in the Star Wars universe. The developers pledged to incorporate the feature as soon as feasible, but in January 2013, executive producer Jeff Hickman announced that the complexity of the process meant that same-sex romances would not be widely implemented for some time. Hickman also suggested that the developers would offer a compromise in the interim, with the planet Makeb serving as the initial major compromise. However, this decision has faced criticism from various news outlets, with some writers drawing parallels between Makeb and a segregated community accessible only to high-level players who have acquired the expansion.