Star Wars: The 10 Deadliest Planets in the Galaxy

Obi-Wan Kenobi debuts on May 25th, and though not much is known about the story yet, one thing is all but certain: the series will take place, in part, on Tatooine. The seminal Star Wars planet is one of the deadliest, as fans continue to witness, but the franchise continues to introduce a myriad of other deadly planets.

With a diverse roster of worlds on the navicomputer, not all are going to be conducive to the average spacer’s life expectancy, owing their lethality to the native flora and fauna, terrain and climate, or the sentient beings who inhabit (or control) the world.

Bracca

As seen in Jedi: Fallen Order and The Bad Batch, Bracca resembles a graveyard of ships, with its only inhabitants being a guild of salvaging scrappers. The junkyard found in the Mid Rim presents plenty of dangers for those that visit (or crash land). ‘

The sea of ships piled on top of one another makes it hard to travel, while the individual ships themselves contain dormant explosive material and are in danger of falling apart at any moment. Hidden underneath the planet-wide wreckage are a few predators, such as the dianoga. All things considered, the turnover rate for the Scrappers Guild must be high.

Kashyyyk

Upon entering the atmosphere, any pilot would notice that the Wookiee homeworld located in the Mid Rim is teeming with life. The wroshyr trees where most Wookiees reside are the planet’s own organic skyscrapers and are relatively safe (when an empire or corporation isn’t trying to occupy them).

The real danger lurks beneath the canopy, where brave explorers may run into a whole host of hellish creatures. Between swarms of insectoid kinrath, giant wyyyschokk spiders, and giant beasts called terentateks who have a hankering for the Force-sensitive, those venturing into the lower levels of Kashyyyk would be wise to bring a bowcaster.

Kessel

C-3PO quipped in a panic that he and R2-D2 could “be sent to the spice mines of Kessel,” which raises the question: how hospitable can a planet be if sending someone there is a threat? First mentioned in A New Hope, Kessel is home to brutal mining operations built primarily on forced labor that export everything from spice to coaxium.

Located in the Outer Rim, Kessel’s unforgiving climate paired with the grueling labor is a recipe for a short lifespan, with some miners reportedly lasting only a few months. Throw in crime lords and a bustling underworld, and Kessel’s reputation as a dismal and deadly planet is evident.

Moraband (Korriban)

Known as Korriban in the times of the Old Republic, Moraband is the ancient homeworld of the Sith. Barren and mountainous, this Outer Rim planet’s strong connection to the dark side of the Force contributes to its pernicious nature. As well as the unforgiving terrain, creatures and illusions imbued with the dark side of the Force are threats that roam its land.

If an explorer ventures into a Sith tomb in the Valley of the Dark Lords, ancient protective measures and dark mysteries of the Force await. For those not strong enough in the Force, this world may mean an early end…or worse.

Tatooine

Just because it’s one of the franchise’s seminal planets doesn’t mean it’s going to welcome a traveler with open arms. Once an oceanic and important world, Tatooine is now a nearly inhospitable desert. From scarce water sources to krayt dragons and sarlaccs, chances at a long lifespan are slim.

One can visit a settlement like Mos Eisley for basic needs, but the scum and villainy that reside in wretched hives like these may present trouble. The Tatooinian who decides to settle on the outskirts runs the risk of encroaching on Tusken territory. A pilot is better off stopping by for some blue milk before jumping back into hyperspace.

Dathomir

A desolate rock bathed in an eerie red mist, Dathomir is home to some of the galaxy’s deadliest creatures including the bat-like chirodactyl, the fearsome nydak, and, most notably, the rancor. However, the Nightsisters, a clan of Force-sensitive witches who channel the dark side through magick, present the biggest threat to a spacer’s longevity.

Their lesser but still brutal counterparts, the Nightbrothers, also call this Outer Rim world home. From the Nightsisters came Asajj Ventress, and from the Nightbrothers came Darth Maul. How life-affirming can a planet be if it helped produce some of the deadliest beings in the galaxy?

Mustafar

An ancient Outer Rim world, Mustafar lives in infamy as a world where lava geysers gush and magma rivers flow. Shields or repulsor fields are a must to protect any ship or facility it lands at from the destructive nature of the volcanic planet, and prolonged time outside of any shielded area most likely requires protective gear.

The Black Sun crime syndicate treats Mustafar as a base of operations, and the dark side of the Force is strong on this world. Darth Vader eventually builds his castle here, too, if all of that wasn’t enough to shorten one’s life expectancy.

Hoth

An entire planet composed of snow and ice should be enough to suggest Hoth as one of the deadliest in the galaxy, but the Outer Rim planet has even more to offer travelers. With temperatures way below freezing, very few species can survive without making some sort of shelter (even if it is from a tauntaun’s intestines).

In addition, the native wampas have the capability to ambush, capture, and eat those that cross their path. If someone does make it past the frigid climate and frightening creatures, Hoth is also surrounded by an asteroid field, which alone carries survival odds of 3,720 to 1.

Abafar

A lot of planets can claim the title of “Outer Rim desert world,” but what sets Abafar apart from the others is its literal nothingness. Its nickname? The Void. Besides a few rhydonium mining outposts, the world is an empty, dry, seemingly endless white plain. Because of the makeup of the atmosphere, shadows or tracks cannot be seen on the surface, no doubt creating the feeling that one has walked everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

With no landmarks and a boundless, hazy orange horizon, traversing this world means certain death, either from endless wandering and dehydration, or from losing one’s mind to the existential crisis that is the Void.

Lola Sayu

Yet another Outer Rim world, Lola Sayu’s fragmented southern hemisphere reveals a glowing yellow sulfurous sea. The planet’s surface, permeated by an unnerving purple hue, is nearly uninhabitable, with sulfur rivers cutting through the treacherous mountains and caves. Though at first Lola Sayu may not sound familiar, “The Citadel” might.

High atop a rocky outcrop overlooking a fiery sulfurous lake sits one of the galaxy’s most brutal prisons, a fortress designed to hold the most powerful Force users captive. Even a Jedi would have a hard time surviving this planet, a distinction many other planets do not have.