Megalox Beta was a planet in the Expansion Region that housed a prison known as Megalox which Poe Dameron and Black Squadron visited during their search for Lor San Tekka. The planet had a high gravity and was considered inhospitable, except for a small gravity field-covered zone that housed the Megalox prison. The planet was the site of a brief skirmish between the Resistance and the First Order.
Description[]
Due to its enormous size and high density, Megalox Beta generated a gravitational pull ten times standard. Outside an artificial standard grav-field dome, anyone walking on the surface of the planet would be instantly crushed under ten times their own weight. The only settlement on the planet was a prison called Megalox, which was protected by a gravity shield generated by an orbiting space station. Megalox was home to some of the worst criminals in the galaxy. One known location inside the prison was Grakkus' fortress.[3]
History[]
By 34 ABY, Megalox Beta was regarded as a dumping ground for some of the worst criminals in the galaxy including Grakkus the Hutt,[3] Kan Be, Papa Toren, and Isin.[7] These criminals dwelled in a settlement that was protected by a gravity field. The prisoners were left to govern themselves, subsisting on supplies ferried from the orbiting space station. The prison was administrated by Warden Luta, who could be bribed into admitting visitors.[3]
Following the Mission to Ovanis, General Leia Organa of the Resistance managed to bribe Warden Luta into allowing Poe Dameron and his Black Squadron to question Grakkus for information about the explorer Lor San Tekka. However, the First Order Agent Terex outbidded Leia with a larger bribe to ensure that the guards abandoned Black Squadron to the prisoners instead of escorting them directly to Grakkus' fortress. In a bid to escape, Grakkus offered to sell the information to whoever could free him from Megalox.[3]
Incensed at Grakkus for breaking their deal, Terex hired Kan Be, Toren, and Isin to rally their gangs for an assault on Grakkus' fortress. In response, Poe got his droid BB-8 and the squadron's other astromech droids to disable the station's gravity field generator.[7] The prisoners were overwhelmed by Megalox Beta's high gravity. After disabling the gravity shield, Black Squadron was able to convince Warden Luta to let them escape with Grakkus. Before the prison authorities could restore the gravity field, Terex disabled the space station with his starship Carrion Spike. Black Squadron then turned around and attacked Terex's ship, allowing the prison authorities to safely evacuate the prisoners.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
Megalox Beta first appeared in the 2016 comic Poe Dameron 4, written by Charles Soule and illustrated by Phil Noto.
Appearances[]
- Jango Fett 1
- The Mandalorian — "Chapter 14: The Tragedy" (Mentioned on screen)
- Poe Dameron 4 (First appearance)
- Poe Dameron 5
- Poe Dameron 6
- Poe Dameron 8 (In flashback(s))
- Poe Dameron 10 (Mentioned only)
- Poe Dameron 11 (In flashback(s))
Sources[]
- Poe Dameron: Flight Log
- Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know, Updated and Expanded
- Star Wars Helmet Collection 50 (Highlights of the Saga: The Search for Lor San Tekka)
- Star Wars: Scum and Villainy: Case Files on the Galaxy's Most Notorious
- Star Wars: Smuggler's Guide
- Collapse of the Republic
- Ultimate Star Wars, New Edition
- "Republic, Rebel, and Resistance Starfighters" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- "BB-8 and Other Astromech Droids" — Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars Galaxy Map
- SWCA 2022: 7 Things We Learned from the Lucasfilm Publishing Behind the Page Panel on StarWars.com (backup link)
- Star Wars: Timelines