Cult of Varn

The so-called "Cult of Varn" was a religion that developed among the Kamarian Badlanders in 2 BBY. Kamar was a dry, mountainous planet, with the Badlands even harsher than average. The Badlanders thus had a great reverence for water.

When Han Solo and Chewbacca arrived on Kamar, they briefly ran a makeshift holotheater. Although their only feature was a dull documentary entitled Varn, World of Water, their business became quite popular. Solo did not realize that the Badlanders had formed a religion around his theater, and thus thought nothing of replacing Varn, World of Water with Love is Waiting. When the Kamarians rioted, Solo and Chewbacca were forced to flee in the Millennium Falcon.

After Solo left, the Badlanders were restless. Fighting between different groups of Badlanders, and between the Badlanders and the more technologically sophisticated mountain-dwelling Kamarians, increased. This changed when another smuggler, an associate of Solo's named Sooniod, arrived on Kamar with a copy of Varn, World of Water and a new holoprojector. Sooniod began showing Varn, World of Water again, and recruited some of the locals to act as priests and custodians of the holoprojector. Since then, the Badlanders became less violent, and Soonoid had a steady flow of handicrafts and other trade goods from the Badlanders.

In the Cult of Varn's mythology, Varn became the paradise that good Badlanders would live in the afterlife. Han Solo was seen as "Solohan the Deciever", a messenger of the gods who turned to evil, and was taken back to the heavens as punishment for his blasphemy. Chewbacca was viewed as a sinister, furry demon. Sooniod was revered as a good prophet who renounced his former friendship with Solohan &mdash; which was ironic, considering he was the one who brought Solo the replacement feature in the first place.

Appearances

 * Brian Daley, Han Solo's Revenge, Del Rey, 1979