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- "Coruscant, the capital of the Republic. The entire planet is one big city."
- ―Ric Olié
Coruscant ((pronounced /'kɔɹəsɑnt/)), also known as Imperial Center during the reign of Emperor Sheev Palpatine, was a planet in the Coruscant system of the Core Worlds which served as the capital of the galaxy for over a millennium. It was a prominent world known for its cosmopolitan population and culture, the towering skyscrapers of Galactic City, and its long history as the center of political power from the time of the Galactic Republic to the age of the Galactic Empire. In addition to its political affiliations, Coruscant was the location of the Jedi Temple which served as the headquarters of the Jedi Order.
The whole of Coruscant was the site of Galactic City, a vast ecumenopolis that covered the entire surface of the planet. Although it was the homeworld of the human species, much of Coruscant's population consisted of various alien races from across the galaxy. The city was also the hub of galactic culture, education, fine arts, technology, and finance. It was from Coruscant where the galaxy based its universal dating system. By the Fall of the Republic, roughly a thousand years after its founding, several notable monuments and structures were located on Coruscant, including Monument Plaza, the Senate Building, the Senate Office Building, and the Imperial Palace—formerly known as the Jedi Temple prior to the rise of the Empire.
Following the Emperor's death at the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY, the Empire made its last stand on Jakku and was defeated by the New Republic. With the signing of the Galactic Concordance on Chandrila, the Empire surrendered Coruscant to the Republic and ultimately ceased to exist. However, former officials of the Empire were permitted to establish a provisional government on Coruscant. Though it would be administrated by Grand Vizier Mas Amedda, the Republic stationed observers on Coruscant to ensure that both Amedda and his government remained powerless in the new era.
By the time of the Empire's dissolution, the Republic had already chosen to break with a millennium of tradition by rotating the galactic capital from one member world to another. Despite losing its status as the center of galactic power, Coruscant would go on to gain representation in the Galactic Senate. Approximately twenty-eight years after the Battle of Yavin, Senator Arbo represented Coruscant as a member of the Centrist faction.
Description
Overview
- "Do you know the rarest resource on Coruscant, my boy?"
"I... I'm not sure."
"Sky. Down here, the sun is a myth." - ―Sheev Palpatine and Anakin Skywalker, regarding Coruscant's underworld
The cityscape of Coruscant.
Located in the Coruscant subsector of the Corusca sector within the Core Worlds region, Coruscant was a planet covered in a dense ecumenopolis.[1] 12,240 kilometers in diameter, Coruscant orbited relatively far from its small sun, varying from 207 to 251 million kilometers, and thus did not have a climate that suited any one particular species (although this inconvenience was rectified by technological means and the vast heat generated by the multi-level cityscape). There were 24 hours in a Coruscant day, and 365 days in a Coruscant year.[6] Owing to its importance in galactic history, the galaxy used a dating system standardized on Coruscant[23] and the planet's galactic coordinates were 0-0-0 despite it not being located in the exact geographical center of the galaxy.[4] From space, Coruscant's luminosity was slightly dimmed by the planet's hazy cloud cover. The planet's weather patterns were affected by the troposphere-piercing buildings that covered the planet's surface. Inside the tallest buildings, enormous differences of temperature and air pressure from top to bottom produced unusual and unpredictable microclimates.[4] As such, Coruscant had its own weather control system.[11] Thousands of years of development destroyed the planet's ancient mountains and seas.[4] As such, Monument Plaza housed the top of Coruscant's last remaining mountain peak.[6]
Galactic City
Main article: - "You see that? Out there are the little people you're representing so proudly. You know what they're going to do if you ever get in trouble or need help?"
"No. What?"
"Absolutely nothing. You'll be as forgotten as yesterday's breakfast. I'm the one you want to impress, Ms. Pryce. Men and women like me. Not Daisie what's-her-name out there. We're the ones with the power to make or break you. You'd be well advised to remember that." - ―Chesna Braker to Arihnda Pryce, discussing establishing a power base on Coruscant
Coruscant's surface was defined by its urban sprawl which collectively was called Galactic City.[1] The dense city blocks were built on top of each with lowest being Level 1 and the highest reaching to Level 5127. At its highest level, Galactic City's skyscrapers were built with many reaching 6,000 meters into the atmosphere, with sleek, transparisteel edifices standing next to older duracrete structures.[6] Galactic City was divided into sectors named by designated coordinates. Some sectors, however, also were called by unofficial names such as H-46 which named Sah'C Town. Sectors were further divided into zones for various purposes such as financial, senatorial, or industrial. Under the Galactic Republic, the Federal District, also called the Senate District, was the center of political activity on the planet as it was home to both the Senate Building, seat of the Galactic Senate, and the Senate Office Building, where the Supreme Chancellor had his own set of offices. It served as the main district for government buildings and institutions including the City Municipal Authorities Building and Galactic Courts of Justice. The Federal District was also where the Jedi Temple was located, headquarters of Jedi Order, as well as 500 Republica a massive residential tower home to the most powerful on Coruscant.[4] Under the rule of the Galactic Empire, the Federal District became transformed and heavily fortified as the Jedi Temple was re-purposed as the Imperial Palace and it became a part of the "supreme triangle" of structures alongside the Naval Intelligence headquarters and the massive COMPNOR arcology[11] which housed the city-block large Central Office of the Imperial Security Bureau.[6] Next to the Federal District was the Verity District which also became a largely government area under the Empire housing the Hall of Adjudication, the Hall of Imperial Register, the Institute to Preserve Imperial History and the ISB Academy and Offices.[24]
Night view of Galactic City
The planet's skylanes directed the air-traffic of airspeeders via auto-navigation system that moved the speeders along preprogrammed routes. As such crashes were extremely rare.[6] Precautions were taken though with and skytunnels incorporating bombproof shields and high-level tracking systems, and most structures on Coruscant had defensive shields to protect windows from stray and out-of-control vehicles.[4] Owing to the planet's prominence in terms of galactic affairs, Coruscant's Galactic City housed numerous governmental offices and inter-galactic headquarters in its winding depths. The central planning strategy offices of the food giant TaggeCo could be found within the city, along with the droid research institutes funded by Cybot Galactica, and the Bank of the Core, one of the galaxies largest financial institutions.[4] The towers were symbols of power and authority, the largest could hold populations of well over a million.[4] The planet's residents were known as the Coruscanti[11] and of the estimated one trillion inhabitants of the planet, 68% were believed to be human.[6] On Coruscant, wealth increased with altitude: the lowermost levels were devoid of light and abandoned, with Level 1 deemed uninhabitable and roaming with strange creatures and monstors; above them were lawless underlevels—countless blocks inhabited by billions of middle-class workers. The super-towers on Level 5217 remained home to the ultra-wealthy.[4] Furthering this class divide, citizens who lived in the upper levels were able to breathe air that was filtered and clean, while lower-class inhabitants were forced to breathe the air of toxic fumes from factory and vehicular waste.[6] As such, most visitors to Coruscant chose to bring their own air supply to last the length of their stay.[4]
History
Early history
Coruscant was the birthplace of the human species, who eventually traveled, explored, and colonized the rest of the galaxy. Coruscant was one of the Republic's original Core World founders, and outmaneuvered its early rivals to become the economic and cultural engine of civilization as it expanded along newly chartered hyperspace routes. As these early hyperspace lanes became well-established trade routes, increasing numbers of alien species migrated towards Coruscant. Coruscant's effective status as center of the Republic led to it being awarded the coordinates 0-0-0 on all standard navigation charts. With the planet's near-galactic importance, many born on backwater worlds dreamed of arriving on the bustling planet to make it big, only to find themselves relegated to low-level positions and subjected to a life of crime and violence. Nonetheless, it was largely accepted that whoever controlled Coruscant—controlled the galaxy.[4]
The waning Republic
See also: Separatist Crisis
- "I will not let this Republic that has stood for a thousand years be split in two. My negotiations will not fail."
"If they do, you must realize there aren't enough Jedi to protect the Republic. We are keepers of the peace, not soldiers." - ―Palpatine and Mace Windu
The Federal District during the Republic's last years
Coruscant was the center of political and cultural life of the galaxy. In the ancient past, the Sith built a shrine on Coruscant. When the Jedi ousted them, they built their temple over it.[11] The Old Republic maintained Coruscant as its capital,[21] and so did its successor state, the Galactic Republic.[8] It was towards the end of the Republic's millennium of peace that Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum, hampered by a bloated government and a corrupt Senate, was unable to respond to an invasion of the planet Naboo. Valorum dispatched two Jedi Knights, Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi, who were able to retrieve Queen Padmé Amidala and bring her to Coruscant. Upon their arrival, Valorum met them and promised swift action on the issue. Later, Senator Sheev Palpatine of Naboo maneuvered Amidala into believing Valorum incapable of action. During the following session of the Galactic Senate, Amidala called for a Vote of No Confidence in Valorum. The resulting election saw Valorum removed from office and Palpatine gained the majority vote to become Supreme Chancellor.[25]
Several years later a crisis erupted when Count Dooku, under the direction of Palpatine who was secretly the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, led several systems to break from the Republic and form into the Confederacy of Independent Systems with himself as its leader. Many commercial organizations pledged their droid military forces to the Confederacy, commonly called the Separatists. As the Jedi were too few to fight a galactic war, the Senate pushed for a vote to create a military to defend the Republic. Upon arriving in Coruscant to vote on the matter, former Queen Padmé Amidala, now Senator of Naboo, narrowly avoided an assassination attempt as her shuttle exploded on the landing platform and several persons were killed. Amidala met with Palpatine in the Senate Office Building were he had been meeting with members of the Jedi Council. In response to the attack on Amidala, Palpatine delayed the vote and at his suggestion to Jedi Grand Master Yoda, had the senator placed under the protection of Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, her old allies from the Battle of Naboo.[12]
That evening, a bounty hunter named Jango Fett met with Amidala's would be assassin, Zam Wesell. Informing her that Fett's client was impatient, Fett gave Wesell two deadly worms. Wesell took the worms, placing them inside a droid. While on guard in Amidala's apartment, the Jedi sensed that there was a threat to Amidala's life. As the Jedi charged into a bedroom, they were in time for Skywalker to kill the worms that had entered through a hole in the window that the droid had cut. Kenobi crashed through the window, grabbing on to the droid, as it made its way back to Wesell. The assassin fired a shot at Kenobi who began to fall before he was caught by Skywalker who had requisitioned a speeder. They chased Wesell through Coruscant's skylanes with Skywalker maneuvering around the Coruscant air taxis, transports and other speeders. Skywalker took a route through a tunnel to where he was able to cut off Wesell, jumping on top of her speeder. The two grappled and Skywalker was able to disable Wesell's speeder causing it to crash into the street and narrowly avoiding the throngs of pedestrians. Wesell melted into the crowd however Skywalker spotted her, pursuing her on foot to the Outlander Club that she fled into.[12]
The Jedi chase Wesell into Coruscant's entertainment district
Kenobi met up with Skywalker at the entrance to the club. They split up, searching for the assassin in the throngs of patrons. Kenobi moved to the bar where a patron attempted to sell him death sticks but Kenobi used the Force to dissuade the patron from selling and to go home. Wesell attempted to surprise and shoot Kenobi who was standing at the bar, however the Jedi sensed her coming and severed her weapon arm with his lightsaber. The Jedi carried the injured Wesell into the alley to question her. Initially reluctant to give any information about who had hired her, Wesell replied that it had simply been a job. As Skywalker pressed her, however, Wesell prepared to reveal the information. Suddenly, a man, who had been observing the situation, fired a toxic dart into Wesell's neck, killing her and revealing her true form as a Clawdite.[12]
The next day Kenobi went to Dex's Diner to see his old friend Dexter Jettster in the hopes that Dexter could identify the poison. Dex was able to provide information on the dart as well as its originating location, the planet Kamino. Later Kenobi went to the Jedi Archives to research Kamino. However, the Temple's Archives had no information of the planet. Kenobi left Coruscant to investigate, finding the planet and the clone army being created there for the Republic and transmitting information on it back to Coruscant. Meanwhile Skywalker escorted Senator Amidala off the capital and back to Naboo. Kenobi tracked Fett to Geonosis finding a droid army and the Separatist leadership planning an attack on the Republic, as well as discovering that Viceroy Nute Gunray was behind the attacks on Coruscant against Senator Amidala. Kenobi transmitted the information back to Coruscant informing members of the Jedi Council, the Senate, and Chancellor Palpatine of his findings. Before he finished, Kenobi was attacked and his transmission ended. Jedi Master Mace Windu ordered Skywalker to stay with Amidala while the Jedi would respond from Coruscant to assist Kenobi.[12]
A capital at war
- See also: Clone Wars
- "The shroud of the dark side has fallen. Begun, the Clone War has."
- ―Yoda
Seeing that the Senate would not be able to vote on accepting the clone troopers as a military, Palpatine and his Vice Chair Mas Amedda discussed ways around the situation with Amedda proposing that a Senator put a bill giving Palpatine emergency powers, allowing him to approve an army. Representative Jar Jar Binks of Naboo, feeling he would do what Amidala would want him to do, then made a speech to the Senate for them to give Palpatine emergency powers. The Senate approved the motion and Palpatine used his power to create the Grand Army of the Republic. Under Jedi leadership, the Grand Army arrived on Geonosis and engaged the Droid Army, beginning the Clone Wars. After the battle, Separatist leader Count Dooku, revealed as a Sith Lord, retreated in secret to Coruscant. In an abandoned complex in Coruscant's industrial sector, Dooku met with Darth Sidious and brought him the news that the war had truly begun.[12]
Chancellor Palpatine accepts emergency powers from the Senate
The Clone Wars became one of the most turbulent times in galactic history[8] and the first, full scale war in over a thousand years.[12] As the capital of the Republic, Coruscant, already a hotbed of political intrigue, became a target for both military and political reasons. Situations and events that were unthinkable centuries before became commonplace.[8] Even prior to the beginning of the war, changes could be seen in the Republic. The Senate, already corrupt and bloated found it difficult to respond, delegating emergency powers to Palpatine. The Chancellor himself brought changes such as implementing the use of his personal Red Guards instead of the Senate Guards.[12] As the Grand Army and the Republic Navy spread across the galaxy to defend the Republic, the Jedi, long taking the stand of being peacekeepers not soldiers, took charge of the military as commanders and generals. The dramatic changes were noted by both the Jedi and the Republic's citizens,[26] specifically on Coruscant.[27] Unknown to everyone except a select few, Coruscant was from where the entire war was continually manipulated by Palpatine. As Supreme Chancellor, he took overall charge of the Republic military and directed the war effort from his office in the Senate Office Building.[28] As Darth Sidious he directed Dooku's actions designed to continue the war and further his plans.[29]
The Jedi Temple, long the sanctuary and fortress of the Jedi Order, became the target of Cad Bane and his group of bounty hunters. Thought by most to be impenetrable, Darth Sidious hired Bane to steal a holocron from the Temple archives. Sidious gave Bane a map layout of the Temple as well as information on its security systems and the Temple's vaults. Bane, with the assistance of his droid Todo 360 and a Clawdite named Cato Parasitti moved forward with his plan. Parasitti took the form of a dead Jedi name Ord Enisence and entered the Jedi Archives. From there he transmitted a weak point in the Temple's shielding and jammed the Jedi's scanners, allowing Bane and his droid to enter. However, Master Yoda sensed the disturbance and placed the Temple on high alert. Parasitti was able to knock librarian Jocasta Nu unconscious and took her form, continuing to guide Bane and Todo through the ventilation systems. Meanwhile, Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi began tracking Bane. Padawan Ahsoka Tano discovered Parasitti's ruse and engaged her in a lightsaber fight and was able to arrest her. However Bane managed to gain access to the vault and took a holocron that would allow him to read the kyber crystal that contained a list of all known Force-sensitive children in the galaxy.[29]
Rampage on Coruscant
- "Stay with General Kenobi. I'm on my way."
"Better hurry, sir. You're missing all the fun." - ―Anakin Skywalker and Captain Rex during the Zillo Beast rampage
The Zillo Beast rampages across the capital
After discovering the last known Zillo Beast during the battle on Malastare, the Republic's scientific community and Chancellor Palpatine both desired to study the beast's invulnerable scales to create impenetrable armor for the Republic's clone troopers. However, they decided to conduct this study on Coruscant, and subsequently transported the heavily-sedated beast to the Republic Science and Technical Center. Doctor Sionver Boll, throughout the course of her examination of the beast, found that she couldn't remove the Zillo Beast's scales without harming it. On briefing Palpatine of this, he ordered her to kill it, angering the Zillo Beast. Later, during the attempted execution, the beast escaped from the facility and began a rampage across Coruscant. The Beast's rampage caused severe damage; buildings exploded, airspeeders fell to the streets, and walkways were destroyed as the civilian population fled in terror or were killed. Military ships responded and fired at the Beast but were also destroyed. As alarms began wailing across Coruscant, orders were given for the Senate staff to evacuate to the lower levels. Upon the Zillo Beast's arrival at the Senate Office Building, looking for the Chancellor, Palpatine agreed to evacuate as well.[17]
Accompanied by Senator Padmé Amidala, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, R2-D2, and C-3PO, they left the Chancellor's office through an emergency escape tunnel and boarded the H-2 executive shuttle that was piloted by a Senate Commando. As the shuttle left the docking bay, it was seized by the Zillo Beast. Skywalker cut the shuttle in half, loosening the passenger compartment from the beast's grip. However, the Commando and Palpatine were unable to jump from the falling shuttle. Upon it landing on the ground, the Zillo Beast noticed the Chancellor and the Commando and moved towards them just as R2-D2 arrived. Seeing the Zillo beast come towards them and knowing that R2-D2 could not carry both of them, the Commando forced Palpatine onto the droid to be carried to safety, sacrificing himself as the beast slammed its foot down on top of the shuttle's remains, killing the Commando. With the Chancellor in safety, Republic forces began a bombardment of poisonous gas, killing the beast. The next day, Palpatine ordered the dead beast to be cloned.[17]
Murders, kidnappings, and hostages
- "Morning, Senators. You should all consider yourselves to be in my power. As long as everybody behaves, this will be quick and painless. Do nothing, and it will all be over soon."
- ―Cad Bane
Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, made an arrest of a suspect in Coruscant' Slum district G17 when Tano's lightsaber was taken from her during the confusion. In an attempt to find it, she requested Jedi Master Tera Sinube—an expert in the workings of Coruscant's criminal underworld—to assist in the investigation. They were able to track the lightsaber to a Trandoshan assassin named Nack Movers. They found him dead in his apartment and Tano began pursuing Cassie Cryar who she saw with the lightsaber. Master Sinube notified the authorities to respond to the scene and began questioning Ione Marcy, Mover's girlfriend who was still in the apartment. He was able to identify Marcy as being involved in the death and she fled as the police arrived though not before Sinube placed a tracking device on her. Both suspects were eventually traced to a train station, where they were confronted by the Guardian police droids and the Jedi. Marcy was apprehended, and after a brief attempt at taking hostages, Cryar was arrested as well. The incident resulted in the dismantling of two Coruscant police droids by Cryar when she used Tano's lightsaber to try to escape.[30]
Monument Plaza
Coruscant police forces were patrolling the Coruscant streets when the Duchess of Mandalore, Satine Kryze, was found next to the body of a Republic Ministry of Intelligence agent, Davu Golec. Although a Death Watch assassin had murdered Golec, the police probe that found Kryze noticed that she had a weapon and identified her as a suspect. The Duchess fled, resulting in a chase by the Coruscant police droids and Coruscant Guard troops as well as the Death Watch assassin himself. Kryze was able to elude them by tricking them into believing that she had escaped in an airspeeder in a different direction. While the police kept searching for her, she met with Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi in Coruscant's Monument Plaza,[13] which was home to the planet's only uncovered mountain peak,[6] and gave him a video concerning Republic aid for Mandalore. With the information in secure hands, she surrendered to Senate Guards at the Senate Building. The video was played for the Senate, resulting in the Duchess's exoneration and the resolution of the situation.[13]
Police Lieutenant Tan Divo of the Coruscant Security Force was called to investigate the kidnapping of Chi Eekway and Che Amanwe, the daughters of the Pantoran Chairman Papanoida. However, in their search of Papanoida's apartment, the police failed to realize that Papanoida's Icon of the Moon Goddess had been misplaced and so missed the trace amount of blood, left there by the kidnappers, underneath the statue. After the police left the apartment, Chairman Papanoida discovered the blood when replacing his idol. An analysis of the blood showed it to be that of Greedo, a Rodian bounty hunter from Tatooine. Papanoida and his son, Ion, recovered Chi Eekway on Tatooine, and Che Amanwe was found aboard a Trade Federation battleship by Senator Riyo chuchi and Jedi Padawan Tano, who had been instructed by her Master, Anakin Skywalker, to assist unofficially in the investigation since the Jedi could not officially interfere with a matter delegated to the local police.[31]
Senators are taken hostage.
The Grand Hutt Council hired the bounty hunter Cad Bane to seize the Senate Office Building and force Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to issue a pardon for the Hutt crime lord Ziro the Hutt, who was imprisoned in the Republic Judiciary Central Detention Center. Bane formed a team of bounty hunters and infiltrated the Executive Building, disposing of multiple Senate Commando guards along the way, the team took a small group of senators hostage. Bane trapped Palpatine and Senator Orn Free Taa in the Chancellor's office by shutting down the building's power. Bane then demanded Ziro was to be released or the senators would be executed. To secure the Hutt's release in exchange for the senators' lives, Bane ordered Taa to take a pardon disc to the Detention Center to release Ziro.[16]
Taa reluctantly complied and was taken to the Detention Center by Bane's accomplices where the shock troopers on guard released Ziro. As final leverage against Palpatine, the bounty hunters set up a system of lasers around the senators that would trigger explosives with the slightest touch before leaving the building. Clone troopers of the Coruscant Guard led by Clone Commander CC-1010 arrived and stormed Palpatine's office then moved to apprehend Bane's team on the landing platform. However, with the still-trapped senators Palpatine ordered the bounty hunters to be allowed to escape with Ziro.[16]
Terrorism on Coruscant
- "The bombing of the power generator has been confirmed to be a Separatist attack!"
- ―Senator Gume Saam
When Senator Padmé Amidala visited Confederate Senator Mina Bonteri on Raxus, together with Jedi Padawan Ahsoka Tano, Bonteri recommended the start of peace negotiations. The Separatist Parliament approved this initiative and Amidala returned and announced the same proposal in the Galactic Senate. Count Dooku became alarmed, and tasked General Grievous with disturbing the process. Demolition droids were sent to execute the operation. These machines were capable of transforming into sweeper/maintenance units to infiltrate a location or combat units armed with two blaster cannons to secure a demolition points. Two such droids could connect into a bomb which exploded after a given time. The units, camouflaged as Coruscant Sanitation Department sweeper droids, arrived on Coruscant and encountered members of the Coruscant Guard who were checking the identification of a group of Coruscant power generator engineers. The droids displayed their holographic permission, which stated that their task was "generator maintenance". The clones allowed them through and droids arrived at the central power distribution grid.[32]
Coruscant in flames during the blackout after the bombing.
Meanwhile, Padmé Amidala and Ahsoka Tano visited Supreme Chancellor Palpatine in his office, attempting to persuade him to accept the Confederacy's peace offer so that no more orders for clones would have to be paid. The Chancellor, however, replied that their past efforts at ending the conflict had been fruitless, as the Separatists rejected their previous proposals, but agreed to put the vote to the floor after Padmé told him that this particular suggestion originated from her old mentor, Mina Bonteri. As the dialogue proceeded, the demolition droids reached the generator's vicinity. After one of the engineers standing near the entrance of the control room questioned the need for their presence, the droids transformed into combat mode and began to slaughter the personnel in and around the area without loss, connecting into bombs as soon as they secured the room.[32]
As the Separatist machines killed the engineers operating the generator, Senator Padmé Amidala was addressing the Galactic Senate, stating that there was no need for deregulating the banks or ordering further clones due to the start of the negotiations. As the Senators began to enter their vote, the process was interrupted by the blackout caused by the explosion of the demolition droids, which destroyed the generator. Large areas of the city turned dark in moments, and fires broke out in the vicinity of the Senate Building as the system was overloaded. Later on, it was announced that the attack had been confirmed as a Separatist one, and it was proposed to vote on the military spending bill to deregulate the banks allowing for more Republic troops.[32]
Amidala is pursued by the bounty hunters.
A short time later, several Republic senators were attacked in an attempt at intimidation to not vote on the military spending bill. One attack was against Senator Padmé Amidala by the bounty hunters Chata Hyoki and Robonino, whom the Separatist Head of State Count Dooku had hired to kill her. Two police droids, seeing Amidala being attacked outside of Senator Christo's apartment, interfered, although the thugs shot them and destroyed them by beating their heads on the ground. Amidala escaped in a speeder, with the two assailants in pursuit. Amidala was able to shake off Robonino and Hyoki as she fled past two police droids holding a position in a Coruscant police speeder. They noticed the speeding Amidala and also took after her, identifying her speeder was officially stolen.[33]
Several other police speeders joined the chase and surrounded the senator, stopping her for the theft of the speeder. Amidala was released from their custody after the situation had been explained, but the two thugs had already escaped. Later, Hyoki and Robonino attacked Alderaan Senator Bail Organa in the Senate Building parking area. Organa called for help, and his guards engaged the attackers. The police immediately responded to the scene, and upon arriving in the hanger, one of the police droid–driven speeders slammed into Robonino, knocking him unconscious. The police droids engaged Hyoki and overwhelmed him at which point Hyoki was also taken into custody.[33]
Homicide in the Senate
- "What makes you think it was murder?"
"Poison, of course. The politicians' preferred method. Found a chemical in his bloodstream, killed him right away. It's an obvious case. Politicians always have something to hide, and it always comes back to haunt them, am I right? Oh, look who I'm asking. Room full of politicians." - ―Padmé Amidala and Tan Divo
Coruscant Police Lieutenant Divo investigates
Immediately thereafter, the Senate continued debating to decrease military spending. After a speech by Senator Amidala promoting the bill, the proponents of the legislation—including Senators Onaconda Farr, Mon Mothma, and Bail Organa, along with Farr's assistant, Lolo Purs—withdrew to Amidala's office. While enjoying refreshments, Farr choked on his drink and died. The Coruscant Security Force was called in and responded to investigate the suspicious death and Divo was assigned as the inspector on the case. Samples were taken of the drinks, and the forensics report concluded that a poison had been given to the Senator, thereby classifying the death as a homicide. After the Senator's funeral, Farr's political allies were summoned to Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's office in the Senate Office Building. There, Divo revealed that Farr had not died of natural causes but had in fact been murdered. Amidala suggested that Farr had been killed because of someone who was angry over the proposed military spending reduction bill. Divo was dismissive of that idea and told the senators to stay out of his investigation.[34]
Divo's attitude led Amidala to pursue a separate investigation with the assistance of Senator Bail Organa. After an attempt on the lives of Amidala and Organa at the Coruscant docks the body of Senator Mee Deechi was discovered in his office, and Divo opened a second investigation into Deechi's homicide. Divo was able to gather evidence in both cases and further his investigations. Throughout the affair, Divo had little regard for politics and was frustrated by Amidala's constant meddling. After Lolo Purs, Farr's assistant, accused Senator Halle Burtoni of Kamino of attacking her and as Farr had been killed with a Kaminoan-engineered poison, Divo arrested Burtoni for the murders. However, the killer was revealed to be Lolo Purs herself. After intervention by Divo and Amidala, Purs was taken into custody. Purs' reasons for the murder confirmed Divo's original theory: that the Senator had been killed due to his past.[34]
Intrigue of Jedi and Sith
- "Well, there's a sinister plot in the works against the Jedi! I have proof of it! I can prove that everything I know is true beyond the shadow of a doubt!"
- ―Fives attempts to explain his findings to Skywalker and Rex
The Temple is bombed.
Towards the end of the war, the opinion of the public, as represented by the citizens of Coruscant, began to turn against the Jedi. Protesters would gather in front of the Temple, blaming the Jedi for the military losses and the Jedi's loss of perspective as keepers of the peace. It was at that time that an explosion occurred at the Jedi Temple docking complex that killed six Jedi and several clone troopers and Temple employees. The investigation by crime scene analysis droid, Russo-ISC and Jedi Anakin Skywalker and Ahsoka Tano, found that Letta Turmond, the wife of Temple employee Jackar Bowmani, had fed him volatile nano-droids which then exploded killing Bowmani and causing the bombing at the Temple. Turmond was arrested and held at the Republic military base.[35] When Tano went to visit her, Turmond was killed by a Force choke, making Tano seem to be the murderer. Though unknown to all, the true murderer was rogue Jedi Barriss Offee. However, Tano was arrested by the Coruscant Guard and placed in a cell.[36]
However, Tano managed to escape with, to her unknown, the assistance of Barriss Offee. During the escape, several Coruscant Guards were killed by a lightsaber, leading the pursuing troopers to believe Tano was responsible.[36] In response to this, the Jedi Council ordered Tano's arrest. The Coruscant police was told that she had been last seen fleeing to the lower levels, and so the underworld police divisions were also put on high alert. Tano managed to temporarily avoid notice by using a cloak to hide her identity. However, at one point two officers boarded a train that Tano was on and they began checking IDs of the passengers. As Tano attempted to leave the train at the next station, she ran into three more officers on the platform. The cops identified Tano and moved in to arrest her. Tano pushed the officers away using the Force, throwing one back onto the platform. He signaled ahead to other units as the train left the station and the remaining four officers gave chase.[37] Dodging passengers, Tano fled through the train cars. A civilian attempted to hold her and the police officers managed to briefly overpower her. However, Tano fought them off during the scuffle and opened a door of the train. She then jumped onto the adjacent platform as the train passed. Believing herself safe, Tano began walking away. Three officers standing on the platform then noticed her and ordered her to stop. Tano fled from the station and towards an open turbolift door. The cops, seeing they were about to loose their quarry, opened fire on her with their blasters, but Tano had already entered a lift by that time had escaped the officers' shots.[37]
Coruscant police officers fight Ahsoka Tano
Tano then met up with bounty hunter Asajj Ventress. Hoping to make a deal, Ventress left Tano on Level 1315 at a warehouse to give her clues on the murders and attack on the Temple. Asajj was ambushed later and her helmet was taken from her by Barriss Offee. Offee, with Ventress' mask attack Tano and their fight caused an explosion. The search had continued meanwhile and two police officers spotted the explosion and alerted a search group composed of Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Master Plo Koon, and Coruscant Guard troopers. Responding to the warehouse they were able to capture Tano as Offee, still unidentified by Tano, escaped.[37] Tano was subsequently expelled from the Jedi Order and placed on trial at the Republic military base. Supreme Chancellor Palpatine presided as the judge and members of the Senate were seated as the jury. Admiral Tarkin served as the prosecutor while Padmé Amidala served as Tano's defense. As the court deliberated, Anakin Skywalker continued investigating in the underworld. He was able to locate Ventress and in talking with her, was able to focus his investigation on Offee. Confronting her in the Jedi Temple, Offee revealed her true colors. The two engaged in a lightsaber fight and Skywalker overwhelmed her. He took her under escort with the Jedi Temple Guard to the tribunal chambers. There Offee admitted her crimes and Tano was set free.[38]
During the Battle of Ringo Vinda, Clone trooper Tup shot and killed Jedi General Tiplar. Tup was brought to Kamino under Fives' watch, but died from complications involving a tumor and the rotting of an implanted control chip. To cover up a Sith plot, Kaminoan Doctor Nala Se injected Fives with a drug that would slow his reaction.[39] On Coruscant, Fives was framed by Chancellor Palpatine of attacking him and escaped from the medical base. Fives took a cab to 79's, a clone bar where he ran into his friend Kix and asked him to pass a message onto the commanding officers of the 501st Legion, Anakin Skywalker and Clone Captain Rex to meet him so he could tell them what he learned in an attempt to clear his name. Unknown to Fives, he had been spotted and followed down to the meeting area by and the Coruscant Guard had been sent to capture him.[39] Skywalker and Rex arrived at the location Kix had given them and were ordered by a hiding Fives to throw down their weapons. Tossing away their weapons, Fives enclosed them in a ray shield. Both Skywalker and Rex wanted to help Fives, but neither seemed to believe his story, his drug-hazed state not helping his cause. Commander Fox and a squad of shock troopers ambushed the rogue clone, pointing their weapons at him. Fives, not wanting to go back, grabbed a blaster pistol and attempted to hold them back. In retaliation, Commander Fox shot Fives through the chest. Skywalker and Rex were freed from the ray-shield and Rex went directly to Fives. Fives explained he was just trying to do his duty before reiterating Tup's final words before he too, died.[39]
Battle of Coruscant
Republic and Confederate forces fight over Coruscant
Throughout the Clone Wars, Palpatine had remained a popular leader, remaining in office at the will of the Senate for far longer than his term technically allowed.[40] Throughout this period, Palpatine continued to consolidate and centralize his own power.[41][33][42] It was then that under the command of Count Dooku, General Grievous, in a daring move, launched a surprise attack on Coruscant. As the Republic military moved to engage the Confederate fleet, Grievous entered the capital and kidnapped Chancellor Palpatine. Returning to his flagship, the Invisible Hand, the general secured Palpatine in the observation deck. Jedi Knights Anakin Skywalker and Obi-wan Kenobi were immediately sent to rescue Palpatine. Fighting their way through the vicious battle between the two fleets, they were able to board Grievous' ship. Upon arriving at the observation deck, the Jedi were confronted by Count Dooku. They engaged in a vicious lightsaber fight during which Kenobi was rendered unconscious. Skywalker, tapping into the dark side of the Force, defeated Dooku and cut off his hands. Palpatine, manipulating Skywalker, ordered the Count killed. After hesitating briefly, the Jedi relinquished and executed the Confederate leader by severing his head.[40]
As the Chancellor and Jedi, Kenobi having regained consciousnesses, make their way to the hanger bay they are captured and brought to Grievous on the ship's bridge. There they overwhelmed the droid guards though Grievous managed to escape. During the commotion, the ship began a free-fall towards Coruscant's surface. Skywalker seized control of the ship and crash landed it on an industrial landing platform assisted by Coruscant's emergency firespeeder. The Jedi returned Palpatine to the executive building and with Dooku dead, the Confederate military fled Coruscant's space, ending the battle. During several meetings, Palpatine would further manipulate Skywalker closer and closer to the dark side. On one occasion, Palpatine appeared at the Galaxies Opera House to attend a performance. There he met Anakin Skywalker telling him the story of a Sith Lord called Plagueis the Wise who was able to cheat death before his apprentice killed him. Skywalker, having had nightmares that he had reveal of Palpatine of his secret wife, Padmé Amidala, dying, asked how to obtain the knowledge to which Palpatine responded that it would not be from the Jedi, implying that Palpatine had the knowledge. Palpatine was also able to insist that Skywalker be placed on the Jedi Council as his representative. The Council acceded, but refused to grant Skywalker the title of Master. While discussing this with Skywalker, Palpatine revealed himself to be the Sith Lord Sidious. Angered and confused, Skywalker left to report the discovery to the Jedi Council.[40]
Birth of the Empire
- See also: Fall of the Republic
- "So this is how liberty dies... with thunderous applause."
- ―Padmé Amidala, to Bail Organa following the declaration of the Empire in the Senate
Palpatine declares the formation of the Empire
Skywalker reported to Jedi Master Mace Windu of Palpatine's true identity as Sidious. Master Windu and three other Jedi went to attempt to arrest Sidious and a brief but vicious fight ensued in which several Jedi were killed at Sidious' hands, and Sidious himself was visibly injured in the struggle. The intercession of Jedi Anakin Skywalker, who was a personal friend of Palpatine’s, and already disillusioned with both the Order and the war, ensured Palpatine's victory over Master Windu who was killed. Skywalker was turned to the dark side of the Force and Palpatine immediately seized the opportunity to order the clone army to enact Order 66: to exterminate the Jedi commanding forces across the galaxy.[40] With this command programmed into the clones since their beginnings on Kamino,[43] the Republic clone troopers immediately turned on their Jedi commanders, and exterminated the vast majority of the Jedi Order in an instant.[40]
At the same time, Palpatine ordered his new apprentice, now christened Darth Vader, to capture the Jedi Temple. Vader invaded the Temple with the 501st Legion, killing all the Jedi and younglings inside and setting the Temple on fire. Palpatine then sent him to wipe out the Separatist leadership hiding on Mustafar. Skywalker said good-bye to, Padmé Amidala, who was unaware of what exactly had occurred, and left Coruscant. Now able to demonstrate threats to the Republic from both within and without, a visibly injured and scarred Palpatine addressed the Galactic Senate to announce the reforms which had been his endgame since the beginning. To the thunderous applause of the Senators, Palpatine announced that in order to ensure safety and security, the Republic would be reorganized into the Galactic Empire.[40]
After narrowly escaping their assassination attempts, Jedi Grand Master Yoda and Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi were able to enter Coruscant with the assistance of Senator Organa. Having been informed of an emergency session of the Senate, the Jedi made plans to enter the Jedi Temple. After killing several clone troopers who had been left there to guard it, they discovered Skywalker's fall and subsequent actions. Determined to put an end to the Sith, Kenobi met Amidala and then secretly stowed aboard her ship as she went to find Skywalker while Yoda confronted Sidious at the Senate Building. Defeating his Royal Guards easily with a wave of the Force, Yoda engaged Sidious in a lightsaber duel inside the Senate rotunda's chamber. However, Yoda, having fought Sidious to a standstill and unable to defeat him, retreated and with Bail Organa's help fled the planet. Sidious ordered the Coruscant Guard to continue searching for the Jedi Master and then. Then, sensing Vader's distress who had been defeated by Kenobi and left injured and burned on Mustafar, Sidious ordered the Coruscant Guards to prepare his shuttle. Retrieving Vader, they returned to Coruscant where at the Grand Republic Medical Facility Vader was put into a life-sustaining suit and helmet that he would wear for the rest of his life.[40]
Imperial might
- "Only some secrets are well kept on Coruscant."
- ―Rear Admiral Nils Tenant
The Imperial Palace, formerly the Jedi Temple
After Palpatine's accession to power and the fall, changes came quickly to Coruscant, formally renamed as Imperial Center or Imperial City.[44] The Jedi Temple and its surrounding serene complex became the home of the new Emperor. While the spires of the Temple remained in place, the rest of the structure was heavily remodeled and expanded with sloping facades and block-shaped additions. The entire area was known as the Federal District with the Imperial Palace forming one point of the so called supreme triangle. The other two points were the byzantine like COMPNOR arcology which contained the headquarters of the Imperial Security Bureau and the new Naval Intelligence Agency headquarters, a near-windowless complex which formerly housed the Republic's strategic center. The city-scape of Coruscant changed as well with buildings stripped of its elegant Republic dressings in favor of sleek lines and block-like surfaces. Smaller buildings became engulfed into larger buildings. The changes in some areas were so quick and dramatic that they were not recognizable to those who had seen them only a few years before.[11]
The Empire's policies against non-humans and its tightening control of the population caused unrest, especially among the alien populations of the underworld. As the Galactic Civil War took shape, the Empire began moving its Mon Calamari population on Coruscant. The aggressiveness of the forced relocations caused rioting to erupt in the Old Market Sector which was brutally put down by Imperial forces. After the destruction of the planet Alderaan by the Death Star, rumors of what occurred began reaching the Alderaanian population on Coruscant, most of whom lived on Level 3204. Vigils were held which soon became heated and angry when images of the event followed the rumors, confirming Alderaan had been destroyed. The vigils turned into rioting which lasted for several days until the Coruscant security forces and the Imperial stormtroopers were sent in to restore order. However, as the troops marched into the streets, the stormtroopers opened fire with their blasters. One of the casualties was Reffe who died during his tirade against the Empire. The crowds, frightened, dispersed. The following day, the Coruscant police arrested anyone caught out in the streets. The day after that, stormtroopers began going door to door stating that Rebel spies had recruited local residents and Alderaanians had to be taken in for questioning.[45]
Planetary civil war
- See also: Riot in Monument Plaza
- "It is a symbol of our indolence and torpidity. It is the moldering core of our overripe fruit and I wish to cut away such rot so as to preserve our sweet remains and of course the seeds within."
- ―Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax to Grand Admiral Rae Sloane, arguing against assisting Imperial forces on Coruscant and re-securing the throneworld.
Coruscant celebrates the defeat of the Empire
It would be several decades later, that during a large battle on the planet Endor, the Rebel Alliance managed to defeat the Empire. During the battle, Vader's son, Luke Skywalker having learned the Jedi arts from Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda, confronted both Vader and Emperor Palpatine aboard the second Death Star. There, Luke turned Vader back to the light side of the Force and the now Anakin Skywalker grabbed Palpatine and hurled him down a ventilation shaft of the Death Star, killing the Emperor. However Skywalker was too injured by the Emperor's Force lightning and subsequently died as well shortly before the Alliance destroyed the Death Star. With both the Emperor and his apprentice dead, the citizens of Coruscant rejoiced, pulling down statues of Palpatine, overwhelming the stormtroopers on the streets, and setting off chimes and fireworks.[46] During this, police forces on speeders entered the plaza and opened fire on the crowds without warning, killing many who were present. The Coruscanti erupted into rioting and some climbed edifices to jump onto the police speeders. One officer was flung from his speeder to the plaza's ground while another was struck in the head with thrown debris. The other police speeders retreated as blaster fire and fighting erupted across the capital between Coruscanti and the Imperial security forces.[47]
During the fighting Rorak, a Coruscanti who was present at Monument Plaza with his twelve year old son Jak, was killed by Imperial Commander Orkin Kaw. Jak, determined to seek vengeance, joined the Anklebiter Brigade, a group of children familiar with the inner workings of the city who passed on information to Rebel fighters on Coruscant. He then staged a rescue from police custody of Lazula, the women of Level 1313 crime lord Talvee Chawin, in order to gain the crime lord's favor. Using the favor as leverage Jak negotiated the procurement of an EMP device that he planned to place at the abandoned Dex's Diner to disable the power grid underneath the Imperial forces fighting the Rebels for control of Coco-Town. Jak hoped to use the loss of power and the subsequent Rebel attack as a distraction to kill Kaw and take revenge for his father's death. The Rebels were eventually able to capture Coco-Town from Imperial forces and capture the remaining Imperial hold-out garrison.[47]
In the ensuing months the New Republic was formed and re-established the Galactic Senate on Chandrila.[47] Meanwhile Coruscant dissolved into a true state of civil war with some sectors remaining free from Imperial control and its citizens entrenching themselves with Rebel resistance fighters while other sectors actively fought against their neighbors and supported the Imperial forces. As the Empire fractured all over the galaxy, Grand Vizier Mas Amedda took control of Imperial forces on Coruscant. However, the Imperial Navy withdrew support from the throne world as Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax refused to allow Grand Admiral Rae Sloane, the figurehead of the Navy, to send reinforcements seeing the planet as a part of the decay Rax wished to separate from to make room for his new vision of the Empire. In this vacuum, the Imperial Security Bureau was left to coordinate Coruscant's Imperial forces and so Amedda remained an administrator with little true power in the overall Empire beyond Coruscant. The ISB established a nominal blockade around the planet utilizing ISB spaceships and coordinated the efforts of the security forces and stormtroopers. Areas with vital government buildings such as the Verity District and the neighboring Federal District were heavily fortified with checkpoints and barricades manned by stormtroopers and the area skylanes were diverted with ISB crafts flying patrol. While the Federal District was relatively secure the other Imperial sectors and fortifications fell prey to continual attacks with the rebel soldiers and Coruscanti fighting a guerrilla war against the Imperials. Amedda, in his despair and desperation, sought to turn himself over to New Republic Chancellor Mon Mothma and Princess Leia Organa. However they refused to take him prisoner instead insisting that he find a way to capitulate the Empire and sign a full surrender.[19]
Galactic Concordance
- "Mas Amedda has come out of hiding and wants to sign a cease-fire. He wants to end it. All of it."
- ―Mon Mothma relaying the news of the Imperial surrender of Coruscant
By the time of the Battle of Jakku, Grand Vizier Mas Amedda was kept under house arrest at the Imperial Palace. There, he was forced to make propaganda broadcasts and was treated like a virtual captive. Later, he was rescued by members of the child resistance group known as the Anklebiter Brigade, who had initially come to assassinate him. Amedda managed to persuade the child resistance fighters to help him escape so that he could end the Galactic Civil War. After emerging from hiding, Amedda contacted Chancellor Mothma to surrender.[20] Following the signing of the Instrument of Surrender and the Galactic Concordance on Chandrila, the Empire surrendered to the New Republic[20] and ceded Coruscant over to the fledgling galactic government[22] with Mas Amedda being permitted to form a provisional government on Coruscant, with Republic observers to ensure that it remained powerless under a figurehead leader. Following the Imperial surrender, weeks of celebrations took place in the streets and rooftops of Coruscant as the population celebrated the end of Imperial rule.[20]
The New Republic
With the Galactic Civil War concluded, the New Republic sought to reshape galactic politics in an effort to prevent the abuses of the Old Republic and to bring in the disaffected worlds that had seceded from the Republic prior to the Clone Wars. It was decided by the Senate that all worlds would have an equal say in their government, in which member worlds such as Chandrila and Hosnian Prime would host the New Republic's capital on a rotating basis rather than Coruscant alone.[22] Coruscant joined as a member of the Republic and during its height, twenty years after its establishment, was represented by Senator Arbo, a member of the Centrist faction and a notorious war hawk, and junior senator Orris Madmund.[48]
Inhabitants
- "Buildings are just buildings. What really makes a city are the inhabitants that live in it."
- ―Clone trooper Waxer
Although Coruscant was believed to be the homeworld of the human species,[18] the Coruscanti were as varied as the galaxy itself, especially as one journeyed below the surface of the skyscrapers and into the underworld.[37] Over a trillion beings resided on the planet,[1] and humans made up 68% percent of the population.[6] As the capital of the Republic and the Empire to follow, members of senators and delegates of every represented planet had a residence on Coruscant. From there they would spend their days either working in the Senate or hosting events such as parties and political meetings.[25][33] Additionally, the planet served as the home of large communities of various species, some who rarely returned to their original homeworld. Many of those communities of species that were not human resided in the lower levels of the city. With the formation of the Empire, even those humans whose home planet had fallen out of favor with the Imperial government, such as Alderaan, were forced into enclaves in the underworld.[49]
Coruscant's wealthy and influential attend an opera.
On the surface levels of Coruscant, skyscrapers served as homes and businesses for the wealthy, powerful, and politically connected. They were ferried by private speeder or an air taxi from one tower to the next or to the various theaters, clubs, operas, and other entertainment areas of Coruscant.[12] Some journeyed to the surface street levels or Coruscant's surface parks to conduct clandestine meetings[13] or to mingle in the crowds of people that streamed through the walkways of the residential and commercial areas. Among the rich and powerful of the planet were the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic and members of the Galactic Senate.[12] The influential and wealthy of Coruscant thrived in lavish lifestyles, attending meetings and social gatherings in highrise apartments,[25][33] dining in fine restaurants overlooking the city,[50] partying in the entertainment districts,[12] and viewing large scale shows in theaters and operas.[40] Even as the Republic decayed, the Clone Wars raged on, and the average citizen became disenfranchised,[35] Coruscant's wealthy continued their lifestyle seemingly oblivious of the rest of the galaxy.[40]
On the streets of the city in the shadows of skyscrapers teemed the planet's blue collar working population.[51] Many lived in the various housing blocks of the surface structures in relative comfort though not nearly as extravagant as the planet's wealthy and powerful. Many worked on the upper and lower surface levels or enjoyed the entertainment and restaurants that were more catered to their financial abilities.[12][33][52] Below the housing blocks and surface levels was the population inhabiting the Coruscant underworld. A term used to describe both the thousands of levels underneath the surface, and, Coruscant's criminal population, the underworld was home to millions of the planet's population who were too poor to move upward or were hiding from the attentions of the authorities. The citizens who lived here rarely if ever during their lifetime saw the surface of the planet. Living between vast buildings and infrastructure that supported the surface, they carried on their lives at the mercy of the violence, decay, and constant threat of death.[37][49][53]
Government
- See also: Coruscant provisional government
- "Enter the bureaucrats―the true rulers of the Republic."
- ―Palpatine
Coruscant was the seat of the Senate and the galactic government
Coruscant, as the center of the galaxy, thrived on the rule of government. It served as the capital of the Republic which kept the peace and prevented a major war in the galaxy for over a thousand years. Under the Republic, the Chancellor and the Senate had a direct influence on the planet's governance. Major events that occurred that affected the Republic, equally so affected Coruscant.[17][30][33][32][27] In its last years, the Republic's Senate became corrupt, bloated, and ultimately ineffectual though some continued to fight in the belief of its ability to govern.[25][12] With the formation of the Empire, the Senate transitioned into a limited role, providing council and legislation but ultimately at the power of the Emperor.[40] As Coruscant's government services were strained, the Imperial Senate moved to have each senator open citizen assistance offices that would supplement the work of the local government. While the goal was to primarily assist the members of each individual senator's homeworld living on Coruscant, the assistance offices were open to help all Coruscanti.[54] At the height of his power, Palpatine would disband the Senate altogether and gave what little power they had left to the regional governors.[55] At the end of the Galactic Civil War, the New Republic installed a provisional government over Coruscant led by the former Imperial Grand Vizier Mas Amedda.[20] However, the New Republic did not establish its government on Coruscant, choosing instead to rotate the capital among the various member worlds.[22] Under the New Republic, Coruscant was represented by a senator and junior senator.[48]
Coruscant was policed by the Coruscant Security Force which utilized police droids on the upper levels together with sentient officers and detectives,[34] and the burly underworld police who patrolled in the cutthroat environment of the lower levels.[37] The Coruscant Ministry of Ingress handled the flow of immigration to and from the planet[4] and the Galactic Republic Customs of Coruscant office monitored cargo transports.[56] The Senate had its own protectors, the Senate Guard. Serving under a long tradition, the Senate Guard was a reminder that though the Republic did not have a standing army, it was not defenseless.[57] As the Clone Wars erupted, the clone troopers of the Coruscant Guard worked as peacekeepers and military police, providing a constant reminder of the expanded power of the government, specifically Palpatine.[58] With the formation of the Empire, the Coruscant Guard and Imperial stormtroopers took over the functions of the Senate Guard,[57] with stormtroopers directly responsible for security on the planet, alongside the civilian Coruscant police.[49]
Locations
CoCo Town
- "I should think that you Jedi would have more respect for the difference between knowledge and wisdom."
- ―Dexter Jettster to Obi-Wan Kenobi inside Dex's Diner
The surface streets of CoCo Town
CoCo Town was a dilapidated industrial area of Coruscant. Home to mostly hard working laborers, CoCo Town was located on a surface area of the city.[9] The area however was as run down as other heavy industrial surface districts and contained relatively well maintained streets, speeder lanes, and a shuttle bus route.[12] On one of the main streets built on top of the urban blocks was a eatery called Dex's Diner. Owned and operated by Dexter Jettster, a Besalisk with a colorful background, it served mostly hard workers from the area. The diner offered home-style cooked meals and freshly brewed ardees. Jettster worked as the cook and employed two waitresses, Hermione Bagwa and a her service droid partner, WA-7.[9] It was shortly before the Clone Wars that Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi came to Dex's Diner to see if his old friend, Jettster, could identify a poisoned dart. Jettster was able to identify it as originating from the planet Kamino which he knew of from his days as a prospector.[12] During the civil war that erupted after the Emperor's death, CoCo Town became an epicenter of the fight between rebel and Imperial forces. The fighting saw the formation of the so-called Anklebiter Brigade, a group of youths familiar with the underground maintenance systems would use them to sneak behind Imperial lines and disrupt their abilities to fight.[47]
Grand Republic Medical Facility
The Grand Republic Medical Facility
The Grand Republic Medical Facility was a tower built to serve as a treatment center for badly injured Republic soldiers. The building was heavily guarded and had defensive shields, an independent power supply and was armored to where it could withstand a siege. The facility provided treatment to patients from all over the galaxy and boasted the ability to utilize cutting edge techniques in surgery and biomechanical reconstruction. The heavy fortifications and benign front appealed to Palpatine and towards the end of the Clone Wars he began using the lower levels of the facility to store Sith artifacts and used it as a meditation area access to which was prevented by the Red Guards.[4] After Order 66 was prematurely activated in a few individual clone troopers,[59] the investigation brought Jedi Master Shaak Ti and Doctor Nala Se to the facility along with ARC Trooper Fives. Palpatine confronted Fives in the facility revealing his true nature. Fives fought back against the Red Guards and escaped the facility though he was eventually located and killed by the Coruscant Guard.[39] After this threat to Palpatine's plans, the Medical Facility was temporarily closed and Palpatine used the opportunity to move several larger secret Sith artifacts into the tower from a building in the Works. However the medical capabilites would remain operational and be used to build the life sustaining suit for Darth Vader after his fateful duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi. The Sith artifacts inside the buildling would add to fuel Vader's recovery and hate. [4]
Jedi Temple/Imperial Palace
- "I can't believe a Jedi would attack a place this sacred."
- ―Ahsoka Tano
The Jedi Temple, later, the Imperial Palace
As the galactic capital, Coruscant was also home to the Jedi Order, guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. An order of Force-sensitives, the Jedi Knights served the Republic for thousands of years as keepers of the peace. Their home was the Jedi Temple. Built on a plain of low lying urban blocks, the Jedi Temple was easily recognizable on the Coruscant cityscape with its distinctive five spires. Part school and part monastery, the Temple was the hub of all Jedi activity throughout the galaxy.[10] In one of the spires sat the Jedi Council, led by the Grand Master of the Order, which directed the actions of the Jedi and served as advisers to the Senate and Chancellor.[60] The Temple held a large lobby and chambers with statues of famous Jedi[12] and also contained numerous facilities including hanger bays for starships and speeders utilized by the Jedi,[40] sleeping and living quarters, rooms for meetings and instruction,[12] a medical facility,[61], prisoner cells,[35] and communications and security stations.[40] The Temple also held the famous Jedi Archives which stored the largest collection of information on the galaxy[12] as well as a vault containing the valuable holocrons containing the Order's Force knowledge and secrets.[29]
During the Clone Wars, the Jedi, serving as generals and commanders of the Grand Army, coordinated their efforts from the Temple. However, as the war began to conclude, the Jedi became more separated from the hierarchy of the military command and establishment.[35][37] When Palpatine was revealed as the Sith Lord the Jedi had been searching for, he ordered the execution of Order 66 and sent his new apprentice Darth Vader to the Jedi Temple. Entering with the 501st Legion, Vader and the clone troopers seized the Temple, killing all the Jedi and younglings inside and setting the monastery ablaze. Later, Masters Yoda and Kenobi infiltrated the Temple to discover what had occurred. It was there they reconfigured a distress signal transmitting from the Temple to any surviving Jedi asking them to return (into a Sith trap), and learned the truth of Skywalker's fall and Palpatine's identity as the Dark Lord of the Sith.[40] After the war, Palpatine turned the Temple into the Imperial Palace, using it as his new home. The Temple's spires remained intact though the rest of the Temple was heavily remodeled and expanded. The hallways were stripped of all statues and Republic-era ornaments. Where they had once been quiet and solemn, they became filled with busy government workers and functionaries. A large landing courtyard allowed for shuttles and starships to land. The entire Palace complex was watched over by the red-robed Imperial Royal Guard. The center spire was converted into the Emperor's throne room with a ten-meter tall podium in the center accessible by the Emperor from his residence via a private turbolift.[11] The structure remained standing on Coruscant throughout the Emperor's reign.[46]
Republic Center for Military Operations
- "Can't say I blame you, Commander Tano, but all the same, you're under arrest."
"I—n-no. I did not do this." - ―Commander Fox and Ahsoka Tano, after Letta Turmond was killed while Tano was in her cell
The Republic's military base
Towards the end of the Clone Wars, the Republic constructed a large military base in close proximity to the staging areas. Outside of the complex was an airfield with Venator-class Star Destroyers, HAVw A6 Juggernauts, and other ships. A memorial was also located just outside of the main entrance to the base. The base was protected by shock troopers of the Coruscant Guard. Inside was a military prison. The cells had two options for entering. The first was sliding a keycard. The second was pressing a button on the outside of each cell. The cells had ray shielded doors to make sure prisoners did not escape. Inside the cells there was a bed and bowls for water and food. Another area in the prison was a medium circle room with a fairly large computer for scanning people before they entered the base, a crate for weapons and communication devices, and a red button to start the red alert sequence. In the last half of the war the prison held Whorm Loathsom, Poggle the Lesser, and Wat Tambor. It was also here that Ahsoka Tano escaped when she was suspected of killing Letta Turmond.[36] Additionally, inside of the compound there was a military tribunal courtroom of which the court decided on the fate of dangerous criminals. It was a tall room, with platforms extending into its center for the accused, prosecution, and defense. There was seating along its walls for the presiding official, jury, and other trial participants and onlookers.[38]
Senate Building
- See also: Senate Office Building
- "I was not elected to watch my people suffer and die while you discuss this invasion in a committee!"
- ―Queen Amidala, to the Galactic Senate
The Senate Building
The Senate Building was located within the heart of the dense Federal District. It was here that delegates would meet during sessions of congress to discuss legislation and galactic policy. The structure's recognizable dome was two kilometers in diameter and the rotunda's chamber could seat over a thousand senators.[4] Each senatorial delegation had their own hover platform which they could detach from the walls of the chamber. They could then float it throughout the cavernous hall to be recognized by the Senate chair or to debate the issue at hand. In the center of the Senate chamber was the Chancellor's podium. Seated in it would be the Supreme Chancellor and the Senate's Vice Chair who would lead sessions of congress.[25] The podium could be lowered to a office used by the Chancellor below the chamber. Directly adjacent to the Senate Building was the Senate Office Building. The executive building had docking bays that wrapped around the building, allowing Senators to land their private shuttles and walk inside. Within the building contained mostly offices and meeting rooms for members of the Senate but also held the offices used on a day-to-day basis by the Supreme Chancellor. During Palpatine's term, the Chancellor's office was decorated with red floors and walls as well as several statues. A lobby led to the Chancellor's public use office which contained a grand desk and large window that overlooked the cityscape. To the side, another hallway led to Palpatine's inner private office.[40]
The underworld
- "What about Coruscant? Is there unrest here?"
"You must be joking. Go down two thousand levels and you'll find all the unrest you could ever want. Go down four thousand and you might as well be in Wild Space." - ―Captain Thrawn and Colonel Wullf Yularen
The Coruscant underworld
Beneath the top level structures, streets and glistening lights of the city surface was Coruscant's underworld. It was accessible by huge portals that additionally served as ventilation shafts. The underworld was a massive city beneath a city with hundreds of levels built on top of each other. On each level, dwellings and smaller buildings were squeezed in between massive towers and infrastructure that serviced the upper levels. The streets and alleyways were narrow and large sections contained massive buildings and warehouses, largely abandoned. Sunlight never reached the lower levels which had to be lit by artificial light. The population was able to move them from one area to the other with the assistance of Coruscant trains that ran below and above the planet's surface. While airspeeders were used, they were a less common sight then on the surface levels. The underworld, containing a vast population of the poor and criminal, was a dark and violent place. Those who wanted to disappear to hide from the authorities or to conduct illegal transactions could blend in despite the presence of cam droids and other monitoring technology.[37] Patrolled by the underworld police division of the Coruscant Security Force, the underworld was where large populations of species not loyal to the Emperor were relocated to after the formation of the Empire. Uprisings and riots became common with stormtroopers frequently called in to assist the Coruscant cops in putting down any dissent with ruthless violence.[49]
Uscru District
The Galaxies Opera House overseeing the lower levels of the Uscru District
Coruscant's entertainment districts catered to everyone from the wealthy and powerful to the secretive and criminal. The upper sections of the Uscru District reached to upper levels of the city where the Galaxies Opera House was located. It was here that Chancellor Palpatine often would come to enjoy various performances. He also met Anakin Skywalker and told him the story of Darth Plagueis to subvert Skywalker's faith in the Jedi.[62] Further down in the lower levels of the Uscru Entertainment District was a variety of establishments, most notably the Outlander Club. The club was situated in a less developed area of the district and did not garner as much attention from the police, a fact that worked in the club's favor. Its labryinth of bars, gambling rooms and sleeping quarters allowed for a wide variety of visitors and entertainment. In the center was a large bar, usually crowded, that catered to all parts of Coruscant's society.[4] Jedi Knights Kenobi and Skywalker pursued bounty hunter Sam Wesell into the Uscru District after her attempted assassination of Senator Amidala. The pursuit ended in the Outlander Club where the Jedi were able to located the assasin. However, Wesell was killed by bounty hunter Jango Fett in an alley outside the club before the Jedi could finish questioning her.[12]
The Works
- "Where am I? I don't understand. Tell me you must!"
"The industrial sector on Coruscant."
"What is happening here?"
"A rogue shuttle slipped through the security grid. We suspect Dooku was aboard." - ―Yoda and Anakin Skywalker, in a vision to the former
The Works
A large sector and industrial area, the Works was once a great manufacturing district, recognized as a major source of production for spacecraft parts, construction droids, and building materials. However, centuries prior to the Clone Wars, increasingly high cost on Coruscant prompted most manufacturers to shift their operations to off-planet facilities. Afterwards, the Works mainly consisted of long-abandoned buildings and empty warehouses, many of which were appropriated by criminals, which large areas rendered entirely uninhabitable by toxic waste. Due to this, a derelict hanger in the neglected industrial zone was the site of clandestine meetings between Darth Sidious and Darth Tyranus during the Clone Wars.[1]
Behind the scenes
In early drafts of Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, the Imperial capital planet was set to appear under the name Had Abbadon. During the development of Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace, George Lucas officially adopted the name Coruscant for the planet, a name that was created by Timothy Zahn for his June 1991 novel Heir to the Empire. The planet first appeared in the 1997 Special Edition of Return of the Jedi, showing scenes on Coruscant of a jubilant population celebrating the demise of the Emperor, with its name first mentioned in The Phantom Menace. The prequel trilogy and the Star Wars: The Clone Wars film and television series showed Coruscant as a major center of activity and action within their stories. In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story the planet is briefly revisited via the dreams of Jyn Erso, featuring her childhood on Coruscant with her father Galen Erso and Orson Krennic.
While the word "coruscant" (meaning "glittering" or "sparkling") is usually pronounced in English as /kəˈɹʌskənt/ (with with a hard 'c' and with the stress on the second syllable), in the Star Wars canon, the pronunciation /'kɔɹəsɑnt/ is used instead, with the second "c" being silent, and with stress on the first syllable.
Appearances
Non-canon appearances
- Disney Infinity 3.0
- LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales — "Exit from Endor" (In flashback(s))
- LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales — "Crisis on Coruscant"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "A Hero Discovered"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Crossing Paths"
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Return of the Kyber Saber"
