Bacta

Bacta was a thick, gelatinous substance with seemingly magical healing properties. It helped the body regrow tissue, including nerves, skin, and muscles.^[2] Injured individuals could be immersed in bacta-filled tanks in order to recover from their wounds more quickly.^[1]

DescriptionEdit

Promoting rapid regeneration of organic compounds, bacta could be used in a variety of both critical and noncritical medical situations. Described as being warm to the touch, the bacta liquid could aid in the healing of concussions, internal organs, and broken ribs. Furthermore, it could be placed in small dishes to help regrow fingernails, mend cuts, burns, and other injuries. Due to its 'one-size fits all' use in medical applications, it was a highly prized and commonly used medical treatment for most if not all injuries.^[3]

Despite its highly regenerative properties, some individuals harbored negative feelings towards the substance, finding its viscosity somewhere between 'liquid' and 'slime.' Additionally, most bacta patients felt as if they were being 'swallowed alive' upon being submerged in the substance. As such, most doctors injected sedatives first, while subsequent waves of relaxation would slowly overcome the patient, sending them into a meditative state. While most retained consciousness, the combination of drugs and bacta commonly lead one to drift into 'another world,' with some comparing it to being in a mother's womb. Upon emerging from the liquid, many would describe feeling worse for a few days due to the loss of serenity provided by the substance.^[4] However, some would find the opposite to be true, describing their bodies as feeling 'light' and free from pain.^[3]

In order to allow a patient to retain normal functions, a breathing apparatus was provided to the individual along with specialized sensors that allowed the doctor to monitor their patients' bodily functions while submerged.^[3]

HistoryEdit

After his commanding officer, Clone Captain Rex, was injured during a battle on Saleucami, clone trooper medic Kix dressed the captain's wound with a bacta patch.^[5]

In the safety of his compound on Mustafar, Darth Vader would often have his suit removed and submerge himself in a bacta tank, in order to heal the pain caused by his injuries. Vader also hoped that with continued bacta use, his lungs might be healed, freeing him from the breathing apparatus that he was forced to use.^[6]

When the Rebel Alliance was stationed on the frozen planet of Hoth, Luke Skywalker had to be put in a bacta tank after being attacked and maimed by a wampa ice creature.^[7] During this time, grenade-like bacta bombs were used to heal soldiers on the front line.^[8]

A flexpoly bacta suit was a special type of suit that could be worn by a patient to treat them with artificial bacta, an advancement over bacta tanks. The First Order defector Finn was equipped with one of these after being attacked with a lightsaber by Kylo Ren after joining the Resistance.^[9][10] The blend used by the Resistance was synthetic in nature, but was nevertheless still quite expensive.^[11]

AppearancesEdit

SourcesEdit

•  Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back on StarWars.com (backup link) (Story Gallery: Slide 7)
• Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary
• Star Wars: Complete Locations
• Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide (Picture only)
• Forces of Destiny: Tales of Hope & Courage
• Star Wars: The Rebel Files
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi: Incredible Cross-Sections
• Solo: A Star Wars Story: Tales from Vandor
• Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition
• Star Wars: Geektionary: The Galaxy From A To Z
• Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
•  Bacta Suit in the Databank (backup link)
•  Bacta Tank in the Databank (backup link)

Notes and referencesEdit