Unknown Regions

"These aren't civilian targets. They're Imperial installations staffed by people who have bought into the Emperor's sick vision of the future&mdash;for you, your queen, me, and everyone between here and the Unknown Regions."

- Berch Teller

The Unknown Regions, also referred to as Unknown Space, was a region of the galaxy located in the galactic west beyond the Outer Rim. Largely unexplored throughout galactic history, it remained a mystery to space travelers and served as a source of tales and wonders. The Ilum system and the planet Rakata Prime, as well as the origin point of Starkiller Base, were located in the Unknown Regions.

History
Dating as far back as the Old Republic, the Jedi Order was known to utilize the planet Ilum as a source of Kyber crystals, which were important in the construction of a Jedi's lightsaber. At a young age, Jedi younglings were sent to Ilum to retrieve these crystals, traveling into the Unknown Regions aboard a ship known as the Crucible.

During the early years of the Galactic Empire, some dissidents, such as Berch Teller, believed that the Empire would extend all the way to the Unknown Regions. Towards the end of the Galactic Civil War, following the signing of the Galactic Concordance which confined all Imperial forces to predetermined boundaries in the Inner Rim and Core Worlds, some Imperial warlords withdrew their ships into the Unknown Regions, where they established a militaristic remnant faction that eventually evolved into the First Order.

Behind the scenes
The Unknown Regions were originally introduced in the Heir to the Empire Sourcebook, which was an accompaniment to the Legends novel Heir to the Empire. It was brought into canon when the planet Ilum was introduced in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars episode "The Gathering".

Pablo Hidalgo explained in Rebels Recon that the borders of the Unknown Regions were known (thus should be visible on the map of the Galaxy) but what were within the regions were unknown. Contrast this with Wild Space, which were outside the known map of the Galaxy (in other words, 'off the edge of the map').

Appearances

 * Catalyst
 * Adventures in Wild Space: The Escape
 * Ahsoka
 * Tarkin
 * Aftermath: Life Debt
 * Lost Stars
 * Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens
 * Star Wars: The Force Awakens novel
 * Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A Junior Novel
 * The Force Awakens, Part III
 * The Force Awakens, Part IV
 * The Force Awakens, Part V
 * The Force Awakens, Part VI
 * Star Wars: The Force Awakens Beginner Game
 * The Force Awakens, Part VI
 * Star Wars: The Force Awakens Beginner Game