- "This station is now the ultimate power in the universe!"
- ―Conan Antonio Motti
Project Stardust,[9] also known as the Death Star project, was the project that saw the construction of the superweapon known as the first Death Star, enforced by the Galactic Empire.[4] During the Clone Wars, Supreme Chancellor Palpatine set up the Death Star project secretly under the Galactic Republic, and only a handful of individuals knew about it, including Orson Krennic, who was determined to develop the weapon before the Republic's enemies could.[2]
During the First Battle of Geonosis, the Sith Lord Darth Tyranus was given the Death Star plans by Poggle the Lesser, designed by Geonosian weaponsmiths. He then took the plans with him to Coruscant to give to his Master Darth Sidious.[1]
Jedi General Aayla Secura came close to discovering the plans when she infilitrated the Secret Research Facility on an unmapped moon. But she was stopped by Dark Acolyte Asajj Ventress who engaged Secura in a lightsaber duel and took back the plans.[7]
Later during the Clone Wars, Sidious acquired a massive kyber crystal from the planet Utapau which he wanted for the Death Star project. The crystal was, however, destroyed by the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, which necessitated the world's occupation so the hunt for similar crystals could continue.[10]
During the Lothal campaign, Krennic was able to convince the Emperor to divert more funds towards his project rather than Grand Admiral Thrawn's TIE/d "Defender" Multi-Role Starfighter program.[11]
Shortly before the Battle of Yavin, the Rebel Alliance stole the Death Star plans, with the efforts of Rogue One. The plans were themselves code-named Stardust, allowing Jyn Erso to recognize them on Scarif, as "Stardust" had been her father Galen's nickname for her.[5]
After the battle, the plans were sent to Princess Leia Organa aboard the Tantive IV.[5] As the plans were sent across the galaxy, they ultimately made it to the moon Yavin 4 where a weakness in the form of an exhaust port was discovered, leading Luke Skywalker to destroy the superweapon.[8]
Behind the scenes[]
Project Stardust first appeared, albeit unidentified, in the 2002 film Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones.[1] The project was later identified in the one-shot issue Darth Vader Annual 2, written by Chuck Wendig and published by Marvel Comics in 2018.[9]
Appearances[]
- Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones (First appearance)
- Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel
- Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel audiobook
"Tales of Villainy: Give & Take"—Star Wars Adventures (2020) 12 (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
- Darth Vader (2017) 5 (Indirect mention only)
- Darth Vader Annual 2 (First identified as Project Stardust)
- Tarkin
- Tarkin audiobook
- Thrawn 2 (Indirect mention only)
- Thrawn 6 (Appears through imagination)
Star Wars Rebels – "The Honorable Ones" (Indirect mention only)
Star Wars Rebels – "Ghosts of Geonosis" (Indirect mention only)
- Thrawn: Alliances (Mentioned only)
- Thrawn: Alliances audiobook (Mentioned only)
Star Wars Rebels – "Jedi Night" (Mentioned only)
- Thrawn: Treason
- Thrawn: Treason audiobook
- "Crossing the Line"—Star Wars Rebels Animation-Magazine 4 (Indirect mention only)
"Tales of Villainy: The Short Goodbye"—Star Wars Adventures (2020) 5 (Indirect mention only)
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story novelization
- Rogue One: A Star Wars Story audiobook
- Star Wars: Rogue One: A Junior Novel
- Star Wars: Rogue One: A Junior Novel audiobook
- Star Wars: Rogue One Graphic Novel Adaptation
- Star Wars (2020) 7 (Mentioned only) (In flashback(s))
Sources[]
Star Wars: The Black Series (Pack: Director Krennic) (backup link)
- Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide
Star Wars Helmet Collection 13 (Databank A-Z: Poe Dameron–Delta 7-B)
Star Wars Helmet Collection 34 (Databank A-Z: Davish Krail–Kuat Drive Yards)
Star Wars Helmet Collection 35 (Highlights of the Saga: Escape from Utapau)
Star Wars Helmet Collection 47 (Databank A-Z: Max Rebo–Sabacc)
Star Wars Helmet Collection 49 (Weapons & Uniforms: Creators of the Death Star)
Star Wars Helmet Collection 53 (Databank A-Z: Tantive IV–Tatooine)
Star Wars Helmet Collection 55 (Highlights of the Saga: Target: The Holy City)
Star Wars Helmet Collection 56 (Weapons & Uniforms: Rogue One Commandos; Highlights of the Saga: Infiltrating the Citadel)
Star Wars Helmet Collection 62 (Helmets: Scarif Rebel Trooper (Sergeant Melshi); Highlights of the Saga: Leaving Wobani) (Indirect mention only)
Star Wars: Card Trader (Card: Lyra Erso - 2020 Base Series 2) (Indirect mention only)
"Imperial Troops" – Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Character Encyclopedia - Join the Battle! (Indirect mention only)
Director Orson Krennic in the Databank (backup link) (First identified as Death Star project)
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Star Wars: Episode II Attack of the Clones
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Tarkin
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
- ↑ Star Wars: Rogue One: The Ultimate Visual Guide
- ↑ 7.0 7.1
"Tales of Villainy: Give & Take"—Star Wars Adventures (2020) 12
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Darth Vader Annual 2
- ↑
Star Wars Helmet Collection 35 (Highlights of the Saga: Escape from Utapau)
- ↑
Star Wars Rebels – "Jedi Night"