15 Things 'Star Wars' Fans Probably Don't Know About Planets Strong In The Force

The Wellspring of Life is a nexus of power, rich with the Force. It is commonly called the “Force Planet,” so it's safe to say it's one of the most powerful Force-enriched planets in the Star Wars galaxy. It was long considered to be the source of all life in the galaxy, and it is aligned with the light side of the Force. The planet's surface is barren and largely inhospitable, but it features geysers that emit glowing power from the planet's interior.

Underneath the surface is where the planet's true connection to the Force is most evident. Floating islands rich in plant life are flooded with the Force and can be found beneath the barren surface. The planet is also the homeworld of the midi-chlorians. These microscopic life forms channel the Force through their bodies and into their hosts, making them Force-sensitive beings capable of becoming truly powerful.

The Wellspring of Life was considered a legend more than anything, but Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn sought it out during his life. He never found it, but years after his passing, his Force Spirit guided Grand Jedi Master Yoda to the Wellspring of Life, where he met the Force Priestesses. This was Yoda's first step on the path to becoming a Force Spirit (Force Ghost in pre-Disney times). He began a quest that Qui-Gon first started years earlier to discover this ability only available to followers of the light side of the Force.

Gazian is a world located in the Mid Rim, but it is unlike any other planet in the Star Wars galaxy. Gazian is very much a “living planet,” and is covered with mushrooms. Those mushrooms grow deep, and they emit spores strong with the Force. This sea of mushrooms is known as the Living Sea of Gazian, and it is known for being incredibly strong with the Force. As a living vergence in the Force, it can imprint the minds of anyone who visits and later reproduce them.

When Luke Skywalker was still training to become a Jedi, he traveled to the Living Sea of Gazian, where he fell into the mushrooms and lost his breathing mask. He inhaled the Force-enriched spores and saw a vision of Ahch-To, the home of the first Jedi Temple. He also saw and spoke with High Republic Era Jedi Master Elzar Mann, who was reproduced perfectly by the Living Sea. After they spoke, Luke found a sacred Jedi text among the bones of a long-deceased Jedi, which further aided him in his quest to find Ahch-To.

When Darth Vader established himself, he chose to build his fortress in one of the worst places imaginable: Mustafar. The barely hospitable world offered Vader hope because he believed he could use the dark side of the Force to tap into a Sith cave on the planet so he could bring Padmé back to life. Since she perished on Mustafar (more or less), it offered the best opportunity to do that, but building his castle was no easy task, and it required the spirit of Darth Momin, a long-deceased Lord of the Sith and scholar.

Because of his specific requirements, it took numerous attempts to build Vader's castle on Mustafar. He wanted to make it so the castle could channel the power of the Sith cave to open the door to the dark side of the Force. After each attempt, Vader tried to use the fortress to tap into the energy of the Sith cave to open the door to the dark side, but he continuously failed, which didn't make the already impatient Sith Lord very happy.

He failed to open the door in eight attempts. Each time he failed to open the door, Vader killed Lord Momin's host out of anger. Finally, the ninth design was built, and Momin felt he'd achieved his goal. Vader was somewhat impatient at this point, but he found that the door could be opened, so a 10th attempt was never made. Lord Momin used the door to regenerate his own body, but when he attempted to challenge Vader, he learned (the hard way) that few are capable of defeating the Dark Lord of the Sith.

Tython was once a significant planet for the Jedi Order, as it was long believed to be the location of the first Jedi Temple. It was once a pivotal world within the galaxy, but it was eventually lost and forgotten as the galaxy's hyperspace lanes drifted further and further from its location within the Deep Core. As a result, the planet became somewhat legendary, though it wasn't entirely forgotten as a location important to the Jedi.

Its importance to the Jedi Order is rooted in its strong connection to the Force. After the Empire's fall, Din Djarin took Grogu to Tython on the recommendation of Ahsoka Tano. The pair found a Jedi seeing stone, which amplified Grogu's mental powers, allowing him to contact the Jedi across the galaxy, hoping to find a teacher. His attempt was successful, as Luke Skywalker heard and heeded the call.

Tython was featured far more in Star Wars Legends than it has been seen in canon. On Tython, immigrant species found a world rich with the Force, ultimately resulting in the establishment of the Je'daii Order. The planet was incredibly sensitive to the Force, and whenever the people upon it would change their allegiances, Force storms would break out upon the planet's surface. Ultimately, the ever-shifting balance resulted in the Force Wars, which resulted in a victory for the light side followers, who left Tython to found the Jedi Order.

Dagobah isn't a widely known planet throughout the galaxy, as it is unexplored and remote. Despite this, it is known to be one of the purest places in the galaxy due to its connection to the Force. During the Clone Wars, Jedi Grand Master Yoda traveled to Dagobah after hearing the voice of Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn. Once he arrived, Jinn manifested himself as a group of fireflies. He then told Yoda about the cave.

The cave on Dagobah is deeply connected with the dark side of the Force. Luke Skywalker entered it and saw a vision of himself as Vader. When Yoda entered the cave, his vision foretold the betrayal of the clones following the execution of Order 66. It also revealed an unknown Sith Lord who was behind the eventual betrayal. Places like the cave on Dagobah are spread throughout the galaxy, but they are rare and powerful. In fact, Yoda chose to exile himself to Dagobah when he failed to stop Darth Sidious in part due to both the massive planet-wide concentration of the Living Force and the proximity of the dark side vergence, making it incredibly difficult to detect his presence.

One of the most important moments in a Padawan's training comes when they undertake the Gathering. The Gathering is a rite of passage that comes in the form of a trial meant to teach them to overcome their fears. If they can accomplish this, they are able to find a Kyber crystal in the Crystal Caves of Ilum. Kyber crystals can be found elsewhere, but during the Clone Wars, the Crystal Caves of Ilum served the Jedi Order well. Once a youngling retrieves a crystal attuned to their Force presence in the cave, they then learn to construct their lightsaber.

Building a lightsaber is done telekinetically, so there is no touching of components. There is also very little instruction. The lightsaber is constructed while the Padawan is in deep meditation. The components come together to form a lightsaber attuned specifically to them. During the Clone Wars, the Gathering and lightsaber construction were overseen by Professor Huyang, a droid who had been helping young Padawans with lightsaber construction for more than 1,000 years.

However, the First Order rose in the Outer Rim while the New Galactic Republic cleaned up the mess the Empire left behind. While it was building its strength, the First Order started construction on Starkiller Base, but the project actually predates the First Order. In fact, the seeds of Starkiller Base were planted by the Empire at the height of its power. During the height of the Empire, the planet Ilum was mined for its Kyber crystals, which were used for the Death Star's superlaser. 

The planet was rich with Kyber crystals, so the Empire mined it as much as possible. The mining resulted in a wide equatorial trench, which ultimately proved useful in creating Starkiller Base. Rumors of the planet's existence remained following the fall of the Empire, and the First Order searched for it for decades. When it finally found Ilum, the First Order established a base and began converting the planet into the superweapon that would be called Starkiller Base.