If there’s one thing Lucasfilm has accomplished with shows like Star Wars: Andor and Star Wars Rebels, it's showcasing the diverse heroes and worlds that played crucial roles in the fight against the Empire. While fans are familiar with Yavin-IV, Hoth, and Endor from the movies, lesser-known planets like Lothal and Ferrix have also come to light. Now, thanks to the first three episodes of Andor Season 2, another world has entered the Star Wars zeitgeist: Ghorman.
More: The Andor Cast Reacts to 5 Major Moments From the Season 2 Premiere
What is Ghorman, and why is this world so significant in the context of the Galactic Civil War? How does the situation on Ghorman become a pivotal moment for the Rebel Alliance? Here’s what you need to know about this lesser-known yet vital corner of the Star Wars universe.
Ghorman in Star Wars: Andor
Star Wars: Andor first mentioned the planet Ghorman in the Season 1 episode "Narkina 5." In a meeting between Forest Whitaker’s Saw Gerrera and Stellan Skarsgård’s Luthen Rael, Saw references the doomed anti-Imperial group known as the Ghorman Front. To Saw, the Ghorman Front serves as a cautionary tale about how to effectively resist the Empire.
In Season 2, Ghorman plays a more direct role. In the premiere episode, Ben Mendelsohn’s Director Krennic addresses a group of ISB agents about a sensitive issue concerning the planet. He presents a documentary highlighting Ghorman's thriving textile industry, which produces silk from a unique breed of spider, the planet's primary galactic export.
However, Krennic reveals that the Empire is more interested in Ghorman's abundant calcite, a resource crucial for the Empire's research into renewable, unlimited energy. Given Krennic's history from Rogue One, it's likely he's not telling the whole truth. More realistically, the calcite is needed to complete the Death Star, much like Kyber crystals. Calcite is a limiting factor in Project: Stardust, contributing to delays in the battlestation's construction.
The challenge with extracting calcite in the quantities required by the Empire is that it would render Ghorman a barren wasteland, raising concerns about the native Ghor population. Emperor Palpatine cannot simply destroy a world and its people without repercussions, which is why he seeks to build the Death Star—to enforce his rule unchallenged.
Krennic's plan involves turning public opinion against Ghorman, justifying the Empire's takeover and displacement of its people. The planet has a history of anti-Imperial sentiment, but while propaganda ministers believe they can manipulate public opinion, Denise Gough’s Dedra Meero understands the need for more direct action. The Empire plans to install radical rebels to create chaos, allowing it to intervene under the pretext of restoring order and claim the calcite.
This storyline sets the stage for ongoing developments in Season 2, likely drawing characters like Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor and Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma into the fray as the political situation on Ghorman escalates, making it a new battleground in the Galactic Civil War. Given what we know, Ghorman's story is poised to end in both tragedy and a defining moment for the Rebel Alliance.
### What Is the Ghorman Massacre?Andor Season 2 is set to feature an event known as the Ghorman Massacre. Although only alluded to in Disney-era Star Wars media, it's a crucial development leading to the formation of a unified Rebel Alliance.
The Ghorman Massacre originated in the pre-Disney Star Wars Legends universe, occurring in 18 BBY. In this version, Peter Cushing’s Grand Moff Tarkin was responsible. During a peaceful protest against illegal Imperial taxation on Ghorman, Tarkin ruthlessly landed his ship on the protesters, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries.
This massacre became a stark symbol of Imperial brutality, sparking widespread public outcry and prompting Senators like Mon Mothma and Bail Organa to actively support the burgeoning rebel movement. The Ghorman Massacre is directly linked to the establishment of the Rebel Alliance.
Lucasfilm is reinterpreting the Ghorman Massacre for the Disney era, and with Andor Season 2 underway, the revised timeline is still unfolding. Nonetheless, the core concept remains: the Ghorman Massacre represents a moment where the Empire oversteps, igniting a new wave of resistance from the rebels.
Warning: the remainder of this article contains possible spoilers for upcoming episodes of Andor Season 2!
