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| Location : Outer Rim HOTH "There isn't enough life on this ice-cube to fill a space cruiser" - Han Solo, The Empire Strikes Back |
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The sixth planet in the system of the same name, Hoth is a frozen world covered entirely by ice plains, treacherous glaciers and freezing oceans. Hoth is located in the Anoat sector, at the end of the Ison Corridor, and is in close proximity to a deadly asteroid field. The ice planet Hoth is an inhospitable and desolate world too remote to feature on standard navigational charts. Hoth orbits a blue-white sun, and is itself surrounded by multiple satellites. Hoth's frozen surface is constantly pock-marked by falling meteorites spun off from the nearby asteroid field. Hoth's axial tilt, orbital position and atmospheric makeup ensures the world is always wrapped in sub-zero temperatures: while the daytime temperature hovers around -32 degrees standard, night-time on Hoth can be fatal for any being caught out in the -60 degree climate. Buffeting winds and blizzards only make the ice world even more isolated and uninhabitable. Although no sentient life has evolved on Hoth, the ice world is not entirely without native life-forms. Chief among these hardy creatures is the tauntaun, used as a pack animal or lizardmount by the Rebel forces who would come to settle on Hoth. While the tauntaun poses no threat to visitors, the deadly wampa ice creature certainly does. The tauntaun's main predator, the wampa uses its white fur to camouflage itself in the snow to take prey unawares. Other creatures, such as the Hoth hog or the legendary dragon-slug, complete Hoth's meager food chain. While much of Hoth is frozen wasteland, volcanic fissures open up steam vents at various points across the planet, depositing rocks and minerals in darker patches on the glacier plains. On the southern hemisphere, underneath the ice, churns a massive ocean. The tidal pull of Hoth's three moons cause fissures in the ice layers, sending jets of of ocean water into the freezing air, forming crystalline spires suspending primitive ocean algae and burrowing ice worms inside. Hoth's glaciers are riddled with caverns, while a deep fissure along the ice shelves of the equator leads hundreds of meters under Hoth's surface. Deep within lies a cache of lumni-spice, a rare fungal growth prized by underworld criminals. Criminals and smugglers were not the only beings who stumbled upon the icy wastes of Hoth. Lieutenant Commander Luke Skywalker of the Rebel Alliance crash-landed on Hoth after evading an Imperial blockade. After an encounter with two human replica droids, Luke contacted Alliance High Command, recommending Hoth as a possible replacement for the doomed Massassi outpost. Over the next two years, a base of operations was established on Hoth, while Alliance heroes attempted to divert the attention of the Empire. Unfortunately, even before Echo Base was completed, the Imperials found the new Rebel base. Thanks to a single probe droid, the Empire learned of the Rebel presence on Hoth, and stormed the ice world. Thanks to a tactical blunder on Admiral Ozzel's part, the Rebels were forewarned of the Imperial invasion, but were still beaten badly in the coming battle. AT-ATs smashed through Echo Base defences to destroy the planetary shield generator, and Darth Vader himself led troops inside the base. Fortunately, many transports were able to evacuate in time. The Hoth base was abandoned, though Luke returned a decade later with Callista Ming while trying to reawaken his new love's Force powers. On Hoth, the Jedi duo were attacked by wampas, who demonstrated their uncanny ability to work together as a killing team. Luke and Callista barely escaped the ice world. The Jedi were not the only ones interested in the secrets of Hoth. Two years after Luke last left Hoth, the mysterious Disciples of Ragnos visited the ice world, in an attempt to learn the location of Dagobah from the ruined computers in Echo Base. Fortunately, Jedi apprentice Jaden Korr arrived in time to defeat the snowtroopers running rampant through the wrecked base, and sent the Dark Jedi Alora fleeing without obtaining the information she sought. Source: The Empire Strikes Back, Essential Guide to Planets and Moons, Inside the Worlds of Star Wars Trilogy _____________________________________________________________________________ -- Behind the Scenes -- The Hoth battle sequences were filmed on location atop the H�rdangerj�kulen Glacier in Finse, Norway. A nearby ski lodge served as the production headquarters during shooting. A large number of elements in the Hoth scenes were added with matte paintings, stop-motion effects and miniature sets in post-production; the glacier itself needed very little visual effects work to transform it into the frozen world of Hoth. -- Multimedia -- Image Gallery: Hoth |
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| DATA Terrain: frozen ice plains System: Hoth Location: Outer Rim, Anoat sector Diameter: 12,875 km Moons: 3 Natives: wampa, tauntaun, dragon-slug, ice scrabbler Points of Interest: Echo Base NOTABLE LOCATIONS - Hoth: Echo Base - Hoth: Echo Station 3-8 - Hoth: Echo Station 5-7 - Hoth: wampa ice cave - Hoth: North Ridge - Hoth: Kerane Valley - Hoth: Moorsh Moraine - Hoth asteroid field RELATED PAGES - Anoat sector - Hoth system - wampa ice creature - tauntaun - ice scrabbler - dragon-slug - Hoth hog - Hoth ice worm |
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