Yavin 4
Yavin 4, also referred to as simply Yavin, was the fourth moon, blanketed in jungle, orbiting the red gas giant known as Yavin Prime. Serving as the headquarters for the Alliance to Restore the Republic, a rebellious group in opposition to the ruling Galactic Empire, it was strategically important prior to and during the Galactic Civil War. After a major battle near Yavin, the Alliance fled, eventually relocating their base to the planet Hoth.
During the New Republic Era, the primary settlement on the moon was Wetyin's Colony, where the Dameron family had settled. Following the demilitarization policies of the New Republic, the Civilian Defense Force was established for the moon's protection. This force, along with the New Republic Security Bureau, later engaged with the Spice Runners of Kijimi after their ship crashed there and they escaped custody.
Description
The surface of Yavin 4 was characterized by several continental landmasses, including Starloft and Wetyin. Significant geographical features included Massassi Valley, Skygazer Hill, and the Ferra Groves. This lush world possessed a pleasant, temperate climate, but also presented a challenging ecosystem with dangerous predators.
The landmasses of the moon were densely covered by jungles and rain forests, featuring flora such as purple-barked Massassi trees, grenade fungi, bioluminescent orchids, and climbing ferns. Additionally, Yavin 4 contained swampy regions. However, the moon lacked any substantial mineral resources.
History
Early history
Five thousand years prior to the Battle of Yavin, Yavin 4 was inhabited by the ancient warriors known as the Massassi, who erected the Great Temple. It is believed that the Great Temple was constructed under the direction of the Sith Lord Naga Sadow around 5000 BBY. The Massassi revered the tyrant as a god, and the Temple was built to honor Sadow. Archeologists have since suggested that the Great Temple might have functioned as a massive communications device for contacting other Sith Lords throughout the galaxy. The Massassi species, enslaved by the Sith, became extinct millennia before 0 ABY, after the completion of their temples.
Before the Battle of Coruscant, an archaeological expedition on Yavin 4 unearthed the Great Sith Wars Bas-Relief within one of the immense stone temples constructed by the Massassi.
Galactic Civil War
During the Galactic Civil War, the Alliance to Restore the Republic made use of the temple as a strategic base against the then-dominant Galactic Empire. Operation Fracture to Jedha was launched from this base. Shortly thereafter, Alliance snub fighter squadrons, tasked with destroying the Death Star, also departed from Yavin 4. Following the space battle and the subsequent award ceremony, the rebels evacuated the base to avoid any potential retaliatory attacks from the Empire.
After the rebels abandoned the temple, a Special Galaxy Reporter journeyed to Yavin 4 to create a travel advertisement about the ruins. The moon was also occupied by the Empire after the rebels' departure, with Imperial walkers and stormtroopers stationed around the former base. During the Imperial occupation, Doctor Korin Aphra led his daughter, Chelli Lona Aphra, droids 0-0-0 and BT-1, and the Wookiee bounty hunter Krrsantan on a raid at the Great Temple in pursuit of the Ordu Aspectu.
On another occasion, a rebel force was dispatched to the moon to retrieve leftover data centers from their previous occupation. However, the Empire discovered the plan and also sent forces to secure them for their own purposes. In the time leading up to the Battle of Hoth, numerous skirmishes occurred on the moon's surface between Alliance and Imperial forces.
New Republic Era
Approximately six months after the Battle of Endor, Shara Bey and Kes Dameron settled down on Yavin 4 after leaving the rebellion, and planted a twig from a Force-sensitive tree on the moon. During the New Republic Era, the Civilian Defense Force, or CDF, was formed to protect the moon following the reduction of the New Republic's Defense Fleet, and Bey served as a pilot within the Defense Force.
Poe Dameron, who would later become a Resistance pilot, spent his childhood on Yavin 4. While piloting his mother's starfighter, Poe was shot down by the CDF, resulting in a conflict with his father and close family friend L'ulo L'ampar. Shortly after this incident, Poe ran away to Gully's cantina and joined the Spice Runners of Kijimi, who had crash-landed on the moon. Piloting their freighter, the Ragged Claw, Poe assisted the Spice Runners in narrowly escaping the New Republic Security Bureau, who had taken an interest in their activities.
Behind the scenes
Yavin 4 made its debut in the 1977 film Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, the initial installment of the Star Wars original trilogy.
The real-world inspiration for Yavin 4 is the ruins of an ancient Mayan city located at Tikal, Guatemala. The shots depicting approaches to Yavin 4 from space are largely repeated or modified versions of the Millennium Falcon's approach in A New Hope, with only the ship being altered.
Yavin 4 is incorrectly identified as a planet in the 2016 reference book Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia.