Galactic Games

"This will be a good opportunity for you to reflect on [our Jedi] connection with the Living Force. There are beings from all over the galaxy here. You'll pick up many kinds of energies. With such a variety of beings crowded onto one planet, there is much to learn."

―Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi admonishes his 14-year-old Padawan Anakin Skywalker that, beyond the fun and excitement of the Galactic Games, there were Jedi lessons to be learned^[1]

The Galactic Games was a galaxy-wide sporting event that occurred on a different planet every seven years; planets all over the galaxy competed for the honor and distinction of hosting the Games. The galaxy's fastest and most skilled individuals competed at the Games in a variety of races and contests, all of them exciting and dangerous, but against which betting was illegal.

The Galactic Games Council organized the events. In 26 BBY, they did this with help from the Ruling Power, the governing body of that year's host planet, Euceron.

History[]

The first Galactic Games were held around 100 BBY, in an expansive effort to promote peace through sports. When the Games were held on Berrun in 33 BBY, the undisputed star was the Euceronian athlete Maxo Vista, who stunned the galaxy when he won five separate events. To honor Vista's homeworld, the Galactic Games were next held on Euceron in 26 BBY.

Three Jedi teams were sent by the Jedi High Council, at Euceron's request and with the approval of the Galactic Senate, to keep the peace during those events—including Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, who arrived at the planet's capital city, Eusebus, in a Galan starfighter. While there, the Jedi foiled a plot involving high-profile Games Council members to increase their planet's prestige among the Galactic Senate by "fixing" or rigging not only some of the official games, but also an illegal podrace at the Great Dordon Caves on the city's northern border.^[1]^[2]

During the Games, a representative from each planet played on teams competing in 20 different sponsored events. These included Team Coruscant, Team Fondor, Team Fwillsving, Team Kinyen, Team Kothlis, Team Kubindi, Team Ord Mantell, Team Ralltiir, Team Tralus, and Team Yag'Dhul.

In addition, in a crowd-filled Stadium Nine, former Games champion (and corrupt Games Council member) Maxo Vista forced Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi to compete with him in "the exhibition match"—an intense, fast-moving holographic obstacle course that the former Galactic champion had rigged with a real Gladiator droid among a platoon of holographic droid renditions. Kenobi, however, still won the competition, shaming the former champion.

During the reign of the Galactic Empire, the games were called the Imperial Games. An assassination attempt on Emperor Palpatine occurred when the Games were held on Coruscant.