Star Wars Episode 7 News

Friday, June 20, 2014

SPECULATION: Could We See These Planets In Star Wars: Episode 7?


We all know that Disney has announced that the Sequel Trilogy will be an
"original story," but at the same time they purchased the old Expanded Universe as well, which they intend to mine for ideas. So which of the Expanded Universe planets could we see in Episode VII?


Simon Kinberg, one of the producers of Star Wars: Rebels, gave an interview to IGN while attending WonderCon in Anaheim, California this past April. Speaking to IGN, Kinberg mentioned that the old Expanded Universe is NOT off limits to the new generation of Star Wars producers:
“It’s certainly not off limits, it’s certainly inspiring. I’m working on an animated show for them as well [in] ‘Star Wars Rebels’ that will take inspiration from everywhere, but I know for the movies the canon is the canon and the canon is the six films that exist.” 


While IGN talked specifically about the spinoffs, we can presume that since the EU is being mined for Rebels, which we know is canon, there is no reason to believe that the old EU couldn't be fair game for any of the new Star Wars productions as well. With that in mind let us take a look at the best candidates for planets to appear in Episode VII.



First up, since it is highly rumored that Han is the man for Episode VII, there could be a strong possibility that we see his home world for the first time in some fashion. His home planet of Corellia was never seen in any of the six existing movies, nor in The Clone Wars. Therefore, the only source of this info was through the EU. A little while ago Viral reported that there were strong indications that filming would eventually be moving to Scotland. Could Scotland double as Corellia? OR what about Iceland?



Next up we have Tython. According to "The Old Republic" MMORPG Tython was the ancient home world of the Jedi order. While we've never seen nor heard this planet mentioned in any form of canon, would it not be apropos as the home world of the New Jedi Order? It is certainly a suspect as it is very widely believed there will be a NJO, what, with Jedi Master Luke Skywalker in the fold. Since the news of D-Day 2012, speculation regarding the NJO has centered around possible locations being Yavin IV and even Tatooine, both planets we've seen before. Arguments can be made for each. However, it would make more sense to connect the NJO directly to the OJO and Tython could do that while also giving us a new official planet that EXPANDS the galaxy.



Conversely, if there are to be Jedi we suspect there are to be Sith. If this is the case, could Korriban now known as Moraband (as it was appropriately renamed) be far behind? According to Google:
mor·i·bund (môrəˌbənd) 
adjective 
(of a person) at the point of death.synonyms: dying, expiring, terminal, on one's deathbed, near death, at death's door, not long for this world Moreantonyms: thriving, recovering(of a thing) in terminal decline; lacking vitality or vigor. 
Moraband, also used extensively in "The Old Republic," is the ancient Sith home world. It also featured in the last season of The Clone Wars, thus bringing it into the official canonical universe. Last summer there were some rumors that the Episode VII production was looking at filming in locations throughout the state of New Mexico, which offers a wide variety of environments. Could New Mexico be the location chosen for Moraband? 



We suspect that Abu Dhabi was used for Tatooine, although this has been all but officially confirmed. BUT, I honestly can't think of a more fitting place for the Sith to be breaking bad than New Mexico's deserts, which fits perfectly with the EU version of Moraband.


The next best planet suspect is Mandalore! Home of the Mandalorians and explored in various episodes of The Clone Wars, Mandalore would be an epic planet, and people, to bring forth into the Star Wars cinematic universe. Some of you, who aren't TCW fans, may not know but OFFICIALLY Jango and thus Boba Fett are NOT Mandalorians. Dave Filoni said as much in interviews as well as TCW bonus features:


However, the armor of the Mandalorian Super Commando has spawned a cult following for Boba Fett the likes of which are pretty unmatched in Star Wars; that of a very minor character having such a massive fan-following. Add to this the fact that the new Mandalorian character of Sabine, from Rebels, suggests that Mandalore could very well figure prominently in Episode VII.


There are several other planets and/or planetoids that would make nice additions to the cinematic universe such as Nal Hutta or Nar Shaddah, maybe even misshapen Kessel. But one planet that is officially canon but only mentioned once, briefly, during The Empire Strikes Back is Ord Mantell:
Princess Leia Organa: I thought you had decided to stay. 
Han Solo: Well the bounty hunter we ran into on Ord Mantell changed my mind.
Another way to broaden the galaxy and tie-in the Original Trilogy at the same time would be to take us to this mysterious planet where an unknown bounty hunter almost captured Han Solo. It would strengthen the OT and provide depth to what is otherwise a "throw-away-line." And from what we know about the locations selected for the shoot -- England, Scotland, Iceland, and New Mexico -- each could provide scenic plate shots used to create the aforementioned planets!

Whether or not the "Legendary" EU is mined extensively for ideas, plots, or characters obviously remains to be seen. But what we can almost be assured is that some or all of the above mentioned planets are fair game as settings and environments for the movie's pivotal drama to unfold.

Which one would you like to see?


64 comments:

  1. How about seeing Alderaan return as a planetary force ghost?

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    1. Or the Alderaan asteroid field aka Graveyard of Alderaan...it makes a great pirate hideout :P

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    2. #789 of 9735 reasons the prequels are completely inane- Why the fuck didn't we ever properly see Alderaan!? If you know a planet is going to blow up in a later episode then show it to us in an earlier episode to make us more emotionally involved when the time comes. It's like George did everything in his power to screw up all the potential the prequels had in every area possible.

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    3. I think visiting the Alderaan asgteroid field is a great idea. Although, I don't know if it would be a good pirate hideout.

      It wouls seem to me that the place would become sacred to surviving Alderaanians who were off planet during the catastrophe. I could see them making pilgramges here, and it being a kind of holy site in some respects. With all that traffic, I don't think it would be a good hiding place for anyone.

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    4. Completely agree re: Prequel screw ups. Naboo? It should have been Alderaan. Corellia should have played a part. Young Han should have made a cameo. Millenium Falcon should have played some part. An Antilles should have had a larger role somewhere. So many missed opportunities and they are especially galling given the results.

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    5. Agree on Naboo/Alderaan and Corellia. They had written in a part for a very young Han Solo in Episode 3 but trashed it. The Falcon appears in Episode 3, right after the big spaceship crash with Anakin/Obi-Wan/Palpatine, Lucas confirmed it and you see it for a few seconds....I'd like to see Naboo and a tie-in back to Luke & Leia's mother...

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    6. I agree with these sentiments.

      I think Owen Lars and Aunt Beru should have played a larger role in the Prequels, as should the Organas.

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    7. AnonymousJune 20, 2014 at 2:07 PM, I am sick and tired of hearing PTL hate.. get over it... Lucas created this universe, and Lucas decided it was to be as such... Both OT and PT are great...

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    8. AnonymousJune 20, 2014 at 5:41 PM, I am sick and tired of hearing people being sick and tired of PTL hate.. get over it... people are entitled to their opinions.

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    9. Yes to Alderaan replacing Naboo. No to Corellia, Han or the Falcon being in the PT. Feels too much like shoe horning.

      Also, no Jango or Boba Fett in the PT; give us a brand new bounty hunter.

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    10. I too have to say that the near-absence of Alderaan from the prequel trilogy was one of the great sins of omission in the prequels. If it had been revealed as a lovely world with a noble culture (instead of silly-named Naboo), imagine how much emotional depth and poignancy would have been added to the scene where Tarkin casually blows up the whole planet.

      (Incidentally, George: If you really, absolutely HAD to call a planet "Naboo", couldn't you at the very least spell it "Nabou" instead?)

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    11. first you guys bash the prequels for adding unnecessary stuff for the sake of doing so... and now you are bitching because Lucas didn't put more Alderaan when there was really no need for it in the story? Make up your mind, guys.

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  2. That "New Mexico" picture is of Monument Valley in the great state of Utah. Yee haw!

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    1. I noticed that too. Great pic though. I would love for Utah to be Moraband (or any planet really) there's a lot to love in settings from Utah.

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    2. @ Julius Q. Vernon.
      Yeah Mormon, Moraband. Make sense.

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  3. "A long time ago..." What if they actually visited earth? And it was full of dinosaurs?! The perfekt location to film that would be... Well, anywhere.

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    1. I know some sci-fi dudes are into this idea that the GFFA comes to Earth (some even saying it's the only way for it to make sense), but this is simply not Star Wars.

      Star Wars is not just some sci-fi epic. In fact, it's more like a western in space or a space opera. If the GFFA ever visits Earth in canon I will officially quit following any future canon.

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    2. Yes, Anonumous, it was a joke.

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    3. ...but Julius, it is an interesting idea...

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    4. I really don't think it's interesting. I'm not sure if you're joking or not. But I've seen people argue that we have to visit Earth to explain why Basic is so similar to English. Really? I mean that is appalling to me. I think it's so low brow it would destroy the good Lucas has done. I'm a diehard fan, but that would be one jump of the shark I couldn't stomach.

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    5. Ok Julius Q. I agree. It was just some brain stormning. I actually would not like to see the earth in SW.

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    6. ohhh no Star Wars Vs. Star Trek and the hunt for some humbackwhales

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    7. It was strange enough when Star Trek visited 1984... 0_o

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    8. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  4. I know you guys are going to hate this but I can't quit thinking about it-

    Star Wars: Episode VII opens with the Sarlacc Pit scene from Return of the Jedi, (Luke walking the plank). It gets to the scene where Boba Fett is knocked into the pit. This time, we (the audience) fall in with him. It shows him fighting through the muck and slim and and bodies of people eventually crawling and blasting his way up. At the edge of the pit, you see a hand reach back over the edge and dig into the dirt. Screen pans straight up the starry sky and - 30 years later - appears on the screen. Pan back down to somewhere else on Tatooine. (Actually this could make a cool after-credits scene)

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    1. Why hate...it is untypical for a Star Wars Movie to begin like that...but it would fit better in Boba Fett Spin Off ....:)

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    2. Sounds like the beginning of the two towers...

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    3. My money's on a space scene with a ship since all 6 of the other ones start that way.

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    4. Yeah, definitely a space scene. And I feel 99.9% confident saying that Boba Fett will not make an appearance in Episode VII.

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    5. I agree with Julius

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    6. Space scene, obviously. But my guess is that Boba Fett will appear in the movie yes, it would be the worst idiotice ever if they let Boba dies like that:
      Chewbacca: "Grooarr"
      Han Solo: "Boba Fett? Boba Fett? Where?" - Jetpack is hitted.
      Boba Fett: "What? EEEEEAAA" - Boba Fett falls in the Sarlacc Pit. Worst SW scene ever. I sincerely hope they to brinf him back.

      And IMO the movie should have a few planets and big duration scenes on them like:
      Kashyyyk
      Corellia
      Moraband
      tired of Coruscant
      Tatooine

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    7. For a moment, I thought you were paraphrasing Patton Oswalt's "proposal" for what should go on in the first twenty minutes of the movie.

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  5. Tython is actually from the Dawn of the Jedi and Bioware did a pretty poor job of adapting it. It's the homeworld of the Order that predates the Jedi.

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  6. I think Utah could work well for Moraband given the picture shown. New Mexico is a nice looking state as well.

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  7. Why do you insist so much on forcing EU material in place of new ideas coming from the incredibly creative team they have on SW7 ?

    Besides you are making weird assertions , like "at the same time they purchased the old Expanded Universe as well, which they intend to mine for ideas." Of course Disney bought the EU along with Lucasfilm, it is part of the damn company ! It doesn't mean they will NECESSARILY take anything from it.

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    1. If you know Echo-07 you know he's not some EU nut. He's merely using these ideas as a basis to start speculation. I think it's a reasonable approach given the fact that they gave some emphasis to the EU being part of the sale when it was first announced. Even Lucas mentioned it.

      I will not be surprised at all to see some components of the EU pop into this next trilogy. But at the same time I truly expect the creative team to come up with something that blows our socks off.

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    2. Okay I'm going to say it. If you can not find some enjoyment and respect all aspect of Star Wars, you are not a true Star Wars fan. If you only watch the OT and say the PT doesn't exist you are a fan of those three movies and not Star Wars as a franchise. If you claim to be a true fan you have to take the good with the bad. Just like with a sports team, some people love the big names, the teams that always win. Some of these same people leave or complain about their team when they go on a losing streak or their luck changes for years. Heck, I am a die hard Buffalo Bills fan, so I know what down times are like. The EU has it's place and has expanded on Star Wars for years, it was all we had. I am excited to see that we are going to be getting cannon in books, video games, comics, tv shows, and of course movies from now on. But to say that the EU is dead, is a wild assumption that I can guarantee is wrong. There are aspects of the EU in the PT and in the Clone Wars TV. They also have some aspects they are drawing into the Rebels show. We will certainly see at least a little bit of the EU in the future.

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  8. I want to see Mon Calamari, Kuat or Carida, the last one appears in The Clone Wars season 5. And Kuat is a significant planet for the Empire because it's a shipyard planet. Nal Hutta, the homeworld of the Hutt. Byss too, this planet was destroyed accidentally in the novel "Dark Empire". I would like too see a lot of planets, and I hope they create more planets too.

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  9. I think Corellia is more like a city planet rather than mostly Forrest.. It is a core world after all and don't they make ships there!? I'm picturing industrial/city/metropolitan. I would like to return to Naboo as I really enjoy the style of Theed etc.. I'm hoping Leia has something to do with Naboo. What about Imperial City? The big C! Will that make an appearance? I hope so!

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  10. agreeing with Firyadan here. Of course part of the fun of waiting for a new star wars film is the speculation and dreaming of what it might be. But the EU and anything regarding it won't be in Episode 7. I wouldn't be surprised if NONE of the returning OT characters had children in Episode 7. Imagine that. Han and Leia didn't have children.

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    1. Why does everyone hate the Expanded Universe so much. Like I said early if you can't accept all aspects of Star Wars you are not a true fan. There may not be much, but I will bet that some aspects of at least planets or characters will be in Episode 7.

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    2. Everyone is entitled to their opinions. Pro-PT or not.

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  11. I'd love to see a Naboo that's been ravaged by the empire years! That would look cool

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  12. Apparently Lucasfilm has all the planets designed and a library of information on each one already. I remember reading in an interview with a star wars writer, I want to say it was Dave Filoni, so I would say it's a safe bet the planets are considered cannon by Lucasfilm already.

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  13. I would like to see the Corporate Sector and the planets mentioned in the Han Solo novels.

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  14. You are all nuts. I want new stuff.

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  15. I forgot one.... Bastion, the Fel Empire capital. And the Imperial Knights would be goods characters.

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    1. Oh man forgot about them :O Nice one! But I got something too! How about Had Abbadon from Lucas´ idea for Coruscant...

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    2. Hehe, just a correction of my comment: "good characters". I don't know much about planet, but would be a great idea! And it is not impossible, as they are using Ralph McQuarrie concepts that were not used in other films.

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    3. There is an arguement for both new and known planets.... firstly for any Universe to have substance - what's already known needs fleshed out further and obviously new planets from the team expanded the universe further also. So I expect to see mostly ones we already know in some form and maybe an introduction of a new one!
      I'd love to see:
      Taanab
      Empress Teta
      Sullust
      Ryloth
      Kessel

      and trying to be objective these worlds have some merit withinside the universe...

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  16. Korriban (let us never speak of the rename 'Moriband' again, sorry but I love how it starts off sounding so much like Coruscant its like how the sith/jedi seem the same thing to the general public but once you look at it closely they couldn't be further apart)

    Deeper in the forests of Kaskyyk (III, made it look like a planet of bonsi trees. I wanna see the kilometer high trees that can support the weight of cruiser sized star ships and the forest floor so deep down it never sees light and is home to monsters ever Wookiees fear)

    Nar Shadda (an evil, rundown Coruscant with way higher alien population and tendancy to shot first)

    Kaut (more specifically the shipyard surrounding the planet that builds star destroyers)

    The Maw (clust of black holes, enough said)

    Hapes (female run human society, but of more note visually is its in a star cluster surrounded by a nebula... meaning visually its never truly night there, so its as visually memorable as Tatooine)

    Dantooine (call me a softy but I loved it in KotOR I & II, grasslands and farming with sparce population. So a Tatooine but that grows food not collecting water)

    Mon Cal aka Dac (the mon cal homeworld, some land but mostly water. Plus lots of shipyards in space)

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    1. The explanation that one of the writers of "The Clone Wars" gave is that "Moraband" is just what the planet was currently known as, and that it had gone through many other names - "Korriban" included.

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  17. I am hoping to see Dathomir :-)
    Wishing...Hapes :-)

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  18. Why did you delete my post? I just wrote the planets I want to see and a little more about the PT.....didn´t use any dirty words, didn´t write anything off topic....

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    1. I haven't deleted your post. Probably it was marked as spam for some reason from the comment system. That happens sometime with anonumous posts.

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  19. If you hate the PT you are a fool and not a true Star Wars fan and furthermore, I'm 90% certain you are not going to like these new films.. Face the facts, the OT is from a different era of movie making, even with JJ's promises of 'going back to basics' for these new films, they will still feel way more like the PT than the OT that is enevitable so deal with it. I can't stand people who complain about the PT and have nothing good to say about it. They're always whinging and whining 'he should have done this he should have done that, this and that was wrong...' It's up to George how the story goes, not you.. Like it or not. The PT was good for a new generation of Star Wars fans just as the new films will be good for another new generation. I guess I'm lucky, I'm only 26 but I grew up loving the OT and then loving the PT!!... I loved the OT as a child because it was fun, had space ships and I had a lot of the toys, having the PT come when I was abit more older was fantastic, it really made me understand the story more and truly turned me into a Star Wars 'geek'. The PT happened people, accept it. Ps of you're wanting Bobba Fett to play a major role in ep7 then really.. I don't think you're qualified to have an opinion on Star Wars.. He died people, any bring him back would be pathetic on JJ's behalf. Save it for a silly spin off movie not the main story.

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    1. Totally agreed. I've seen a comment in a facebook page: "I'm a huge Star Wars fan but I never watched the prequels or TCW". OH REALLY? A "huge Star Wars fan" that never watched the prequels? Some haters are f****** idiots.

      I like the prequels as I like the original trilogy. Episode III and V are my favorites and I hope JJ will do a marvelous job with Star Wars.

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    2. Wow! Somebody woke up a cranky puss this morning.

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  20. I agree, I don't get people that hate the PT? It's just part of the story, maybe not your fav part but it's still the story. Those people probably won't like episodes 7-9 either! It's never going to be a repeat of the OT.
    I also agree with NO BOBBA!!! There is no legit reason to bring him back it would only be to please his fans. They will do a stand alone spin off movie about Han and Bobba anyway so just wait for that. I personally am not interested in that story anyway, I would much prefer an origins movie about YODA!!! So much more interesting and still revelvant to the main movies! Don't really care what Han was doing before he met Luke.

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  21. I've always hated how Han doesn't know about the Jedi? Umm he must have been about 10 when the empire came about, living on Corellia (a core world). How dumb is he?? He must have known about them and excepted them as an everyday part of the galaxy like everyone else who lived during the Republic era. Chewy also diffinitely knows about the Jedi (including yoda!) yet Han still doesn't know anything about them
    Before luke?? Ok......

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  22. just another hole in the OT - PT story. what about leia remembering her mother?

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  23. I genuinely hope for no more sodding Tattooine. It's not some random Force nexus point like Mortis, it's just a convenient dust-bowl on the edge of the galaxy where there's not much in the way of an Imperial presence. However, Moraband, Kashyyk, Correllia, and Nar Shaddaa need to be used in the ST, and I'd very much be interested to see Dathomir, and maybe finally Yoda's homeworld so we can actually establish a species for him (and Yaddle) for the first time in 37 years....

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  24. Oh, and I'd also like to see them revisit the forest moon of Endor. Hopefully by now, the Ewoks have been so affected by the radiation and toxic chemicals from the exploded Death Star's central reactor, as well as having less hunting and foraging grounds after being destroyerd by all the falling debris, that they'll be more feral now; kind of mini-werewolves, and less like teddy bears.

    Oi, Abrams! You are also never to mention Otoh Gunga or its inhabitants again. X(

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