The Spike, a notable feature of Jakku's landscape, came into existence as a result of the Battle of Jakku. The battle resulted in the crash of many starships, scattering debris across a desert zone that later became the Starship Graveyard. Within the Crackle region of this graveyard, a capital ship met its end, its impact generating extreme heat that transformed the surrounding sand into blackened glass. The vessel was utterly obliterated upon impact, with only its keel remaining. This keel, embedded deep within the sandy terrain, stood vertically and was subsequently christened "the Spike." Approximately 29 years following the Battle of Jakku, Rey, a scavenger, ascended the Spike and gained a vantage point with a viewing range of several kilometers. From her elevated position, she spotted an undamaged Ghtroc 690 light freighter, its hull reflecting the rays of the sun and making it visible in the far distance.
The Spike made its initial appearance in Before the Awakening, a young adult novel authored by Greg Rucka and released in 2015.