Cloud City/Legends

"If you can bribe a member of Bespin's Wing Guard into taking you on a spin around Cloud City, you won't regret spending the credits. The views are stunning."

- Excerpt from Ullok's Underground Guide to Bespin

Cloud City was a covert mining colony on the planet Bespin. It received its name from the fact that it floated high above the actual planet&mdash;an uninhabitable gas giant.

Layout
Cloud City consisted of 392 levels, in addition to a top-side surface-level concourse. The level-arrangements were as follows:
 * Level 1-50: Luxury hotels and casinos which made the city famous throughout parts of the Outer Rim.
 * Level 51-100: Upscale housing areas.
 * Level 101-120: Administrative offices.
 * Level 121-160: Port Town, an area which held an infamous reputation.
 * Level 161-220: General housing of the facility's workers.
 * Level 221-280: Factories.
 * Level 281-370: Gas refineries and miners' quarters.
 * Level 371-392: Contained the 36,000 repulsorlift engines and tractor beam generators that kept the city afloat and in position.

Population
The last official counting placed Cloud City's population at 5,427,080 (not counting droids). With Bespin's total population somewhere around 6 million, this made the city the decidedly largest of all colonies on Bespin.

History
Cloud City was commissioned by Lord Ecclessis Figg and built by the Incom Corporation at around 2,000 BBY at the same time Darth Ruin founded the New Sith Empire.

During the Clone Wars, the Confederacy of Independent Systems launched an invasion force of battle droids to attack the Tibanna gas which was providing energy for Republic warships. Jedi Master Glynn-Beti and groups of clone troopers along with some Jedi Starfighters and LAAT gunships defended Bespin from the invasion force.

Cloud City became overrun by battle droids, super battle droids, and droidekas. Vulture Droids and Droid Gunships ran the skies, destroying many Jedi Starfighters and gunships. The Republic Army managed to save some civilians and bring them to a Star Destroyer and escape. The CIS were able to take the planet. The battle which took place in 21.9 BBY was a heavy loss for the Republic.

The city's chief export was Tibanna gas, which was used in the production of weapons and hyperdrives. At the time of the Battle of Hoth, Cloud City was run by Baron Administrator Lando Calrissian, who had won administration of the city from Baron Administrator Dominic Raynor in a Sabacc tournament. During this time, the City was relatively free from Imperial interference.



In the wake of the Battle of Hoth, Han Solo and Princess Leia Organa arrived at Cloud City, seeking refuge and repairs for their hyperdrive, with Han confident that Lando would provide assistance. Unbeknownst to Han, Lando made a deal with Darth Vader to ensure the colony's continued independence. He would help the Galactic Empire trap his old friend and lure the Alliance commander Luke Skywalker to the city.

When it was clear Vader did not intend to keep his end of the bargain, Calrissian betrayed him and ordered his citizens to flee. However, Han ended up being frozen in carbonite and taken away by the bounty hunter Boba Fett. Lando escaped with Leia and Chewbacca in the Falcon, while Luke and Vader dueled in the depths of the city, with fateful consequences.

The Empire garrisoned Cloud City, putting down an attempted coup staged by the Rebellion. Right before the Battle of Endor, the Imperial forces present on Bespin were defeated by a more substantial Rebel force. With the victory at Endor, Cloud City and its citizens could enjoy their freedom.

After the rise of the New Republic, Cloud City rose out of obscurity and became a major exporter of Tibanna Gas for the Republic. However, Bespin lay relatively close to what remained of the Empire, and changed hands more than once over the subsequent decades. Cloud City had been reoccupied by the Empire by the time of Grand Admiral Thrawn's Thrawn campaign in 9 ABY, and during the Empire Reborn crisis, the city was once again overrun by Imperial Remnant forces, now allied with the Reborn. Kyle Katarn, returning from Nar Shaddaa with Lando Calrissian, helped the Bespinians free the city. It was there that he finally met Tavion Axmis and learned that Jan Ors was alive.



During the Dark Nest Crisis, Bespin was troubled by the appearance of Tibanna tappers, siphoning gas from floating refineries such as BesGas Three to sell elsewhere. Because of this, Cloud City's profits dropped by at least ten percent. Fortunately, the Jedi made an effort to stop the Tibanna tappers.

Denizens

 * Lando Calrissian
 * Lobot
 * Humans
 * Ugnaughts
 * Various aliens

Technology

 * Cloud cars
 * Carbon freezing

Appearances

 * Super Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Tag & Bink: Revenge of the Clone Menace
 * Rebel Dawn
 * Galaxy of Fear: The Nightmare Machine
 * Lady Luck
 * Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back
 * Tag & Bink Are Dead
 * LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy
 * Thank the Maker!
 * The Emperor's Trophy
 * Payback: The Tale of Dengar
 * Marvel Star Wars 56: Coffin in the Clouds
 * Marvel Star Wars 57: Hello, Bespin, Goodbye
 * Star Wars: Demolition
 * Shadows of the Empire comic
 * Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
 * The Revenge of Tag & Bink
 * The Return of Tag & Bink: Special Edition
 * Star Wars: Battlefront
 * Star Wars: Empire at War: Forces of Corruption
 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron II: Rogue Leader
 * Heir to the Empire
 * The Secret Tales of Luke's Hand
 * Tall Tales
 * Star Wars: Jedi Knight II: Jedi Outcast
 * Junior Jedi Knights: Vader's Fortress
 * Young Jedi Knights: Trouble on Cloud City
 * Dark Nest II: The Unseen Queen
 * The Lost Lightsaber