Atollon

"This planet may be hot, dry, and unpleasant&hellip;but at least there's nothing trying to kill us."

- Rex, before he was attacked by Atollon's wildlife

Atollon was a remote planet in the Lothal sector of the Outer Rim Territories. It was known to the ancient peoples of the sector, and was depicted in their artwork. The only known inhabitant was the Bendu, a mysterious Force wielder. In the third year before the Battle of Yavin, the rebels of Phoenix Squadron established a base there after receiving intel from rebel astromech Chopper and AP-5, an inventory droid formerly in service to the Empire. Eventually, the rebels were forced to flee the planet after Grand Admiral Thrawn located their base and launched an attack which destroyed Chopper Base and killed many of the rebels.

Geography
"The site doesn't look like much, I'll admit. The good news is our scouts found a fresh water source deep underground."

- Rex

Atollon was located in an undiscovered region in the Lothal sector of the galaxy's Outer Rim Territories, off a major hyperspace route. The planet had a breathable atmosphere, but a hot climate. Despite the dry weather on the rocky surface, which was covered in plated tree corals, the planet featured a fresh water source deep underground. The planet had caverns which served as hives to the giant krykna spiders. Atollon was also home to other creatures, such as the convoree and dokma.

The planet's wilderness was also the domain of a powerful being of the Force called the Bendu, who saw himself as the balance between the light and dark sides of the Force.

History
"We finally have a place to call home."

- Hera Syndulla, to Kanan Jarrus

Atollon was depicted in the artwork of the ancient people of the Lothal sector, but did not appear on the Empire's starcharts. In the wake of the near-destruction of Phoenix Squadron during many battles, the early rebellion against the Empire faced a shortage of bases for their forces. In 3 BBY, the rebels found Atollon by cross-referencing rebel data with the Imperial network, provided by AP-5 and the astromech droid Chopper, and successfully established Chopper Base. After the sudden disappearance of rebel Lieutenant Dicer, they found out that one of the planet's native creatures was the krykna, a giant spider-like predator. Eventually, they managed to ensure the base's protection using sensor markers as a fence. Later, the former Jedi Ahsoka Tano traveled to Atollon to meet up with Jedi Knight Kanan Jarrus, his Padawan Ezra Bridger, and Chopper prior to their departure on a mission to Malachor.

After returning from their mission to Malachor, the blinded Kanan, along with Ezra and Chopper, were greeted by their fellow rebels, Rex, AP-5, and Commander Jun Sato. In 2 BBY, Atollon continued to host Chopper Base. While Kanan stayed behind to meditate in the Force, Ezra assumed a greater leadership role among Hera Syndulla's rebel cell and led a successful mission to rescue Hondo Ohnaka, a Weequay pirate who supplied Phoenix Squadron with information about the Imperial starfighter reclamation plant Reklam Station. While Ezra led a recon mission there, Kanan encountered the Bendu, who taught him to overcome his fear of the krykna and repair his connection to the Force. Kanan also left the Sith holocron that Ezra had obtained on Malachor in Bendu's care.

After the former Sith Maul kidnapped Hera and the other Ghost crew, Kanan and Ezra traveled on a speeder bike into Atollon's wilderness to find the Bendu and retrieve the Sith holocron. There, they told Bendu that Maul planned to combine the Sith holocron with Kanan's Jedi holocron. The Bendu counselled Ezra and Kanan that doing so would provide clarity but could lead to chaos. Nevertheless, he allowed Ezra to retrieve the Sith holocron from an underground cave full of krykna. With the help of Kanan, Ezra overcame his fear of the giant spiders and together the two retrieved the holocron.

Later, the Spectres, Rex, and Commander Sato attended a briefing at Chopper Base to discuss a mission to rescue several cadets from the Imperial Skystrike Academy who wanted to defect. The Mandalorian weapons expert Sabine Wren was assigned the mission. After rescuing the cadets, Sabine, along with Wedge Antilles and Derek Klivian, arrived at Chopper Base where they were welcomed by Commander Sato.

After evacuating rebel dissidents and the rebel cell Iron Squadron from the planet Mykapo, Commander Sato had an emotional reunion with his nephew Mart Mattin at Chopper Base. Later, Hera, Sabine, Zeb, and Commander Sato remained at Chopper Base while Ezra, Kanan, and Chopper undertook a mission to infiltrate the Imperial Armory Complex on Lothal with Ryder Azadi's rebel cell. Ezra's team and Ryder corresponded via hologram throughout the mission. As a result of the mission, the Phoenix rebels learned that Grand Admiral Thrawn was developing a new starfighter initiative and that the Imperial Security Bureau Agent Kallus had become a rebel informant.

Using the information obtained by Ezra and Chopper, Hera began preparations for a recon mission, as part of the preparations for Phoenix Squadron's planned strike on Lothal's Imperial factories. Before they could proceed with the mission, Ezra succumbed to a dark side attack by Maul. While Hera left for Lothal, Ezra, Kanan, and Sabine stayed behind to deal with Maul. Ezra and Kanan encountered Maul in the wilderness after going to speak with the Bendu. Ezra agreed to travel with Maul to the planet Dathomir after Maul threatened to activate a homing beacon that would alert the Empire to Chopper Base.

Later, the E-XD infiltrator droid EXD-9 discovered the planet Atollon and Chopper Base. Before it could alert the Empire to the presence of Chopper Base, EXD-9 was overpowered and deactivated by Zeb, Chopper, and AP-5. The rebels then reprogrammed it into a bomb which destroyed an Imperial Star Destroyer. Despite this setback for the Empire, Thrawn managed to narrow his search for the Phoenix rebel base to 94 systems.

After a reluctant Sabine agreed to learn how to wield the Darksaber in order to gain leadership over the Mandalorian people, Kanan and Ezra took her into Atollon's wilderness to train her. Over several days, Sabine managed to overcome her own self doubt and fears. Her rebel comrades, including Fenn Rau, than vowed to support her mission to rally the Mandalorians over to the rebel cause.

During an undercover mission to rescue the rogue ISB Agent Kallus, Chopper deleted Atollon from Grand Admiral Thrawn's star chart aboard the Star Destroyer Chimaera. Later, several members of Phoenix Squadron witnessed former Imperial Senator and rebel leader Mon Mothma's HoloNet speech announcing the formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Following a rebel mission to Killun Station, Imperial slicers hijacked Chopper in an attempt to find the location of the rebel base on Atollon. Their plot was foiled by Chopper's rebel comrades, who restored Chopper's original programming and transmitted a data surge which destroyed the slicer's Gozanti-class cruiser.

After receiving messages from Kanan's Jedi holocron and the Malachor Sith holocron hinting that Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi's life was in danger, Ezra stole an RZ-1T trainer and traveled to Tatooine. He and Chopper returned to Atollon after Kenobi defeated Maul in combat. Thrawn was able to find the base shortly after he and his death troopers exposed and captured Agent Kallus, who was "Fulcrum". With Kallus' transmissions, the course for General Jan Dodonna's forces, and ancient Lothal sector artwork, Thrawn was able to discover the planet. Soon after, a battle ensued on and above the planet between the Galactic Empire and the Rebel Alliance. Towards the end of the battle, after being enraged by Kanan calling him a coward, the Bendu transformed into a storm and attacked the Imperials and Rebels before being subdued when Grand Admiral Thrawn had his AT-ATs shoot the Force-wielder down. The battle ended with an Imperial victory, and saw the destruction of Chopper Base and Phoenix Squadron.

Behind the scenes
Atollon first appeared in the Star Wars Rebels late season 2 episode "The Forgotten Droid". It was first identified in the episode's trivia gallery, but was not named on-screen until the third-season episode "Iron Squadron".

Appearances

 * Star Wars Rebels: Steps Into Shadow
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Star Wars Rebels: Steps Into Shadow
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Star Wars Rebels: Steps Into Shadow
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances
 * Thrawn: Alliances

Non-canon appearances

 * Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes