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 a crucial role in the fight against the Empire. While we're familiar with Yavin-IV, Hoth, and Endor from the movies, lesser-known planets like Lothal and Ferrix have also gained prominence. Now, thanks to the first three episodes of Andor Season 2, another world has entered the Star Wars zeitgeist: Ghorman.
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What is Ghorman, and why is this world so pivotal in the context of the Galactic Civil War? How does the situation on Ghorman evolve into a critical moment for the Rebel Alliance? Here’s everything you need to know about this intriguing and significant corner of the Star Wars universe.
Ghorman in Star Wars: Andor
Star Wars: Andor first hinted at the planet Ghorman in the Season 1 episode “Narkina 5.” During 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. For Saw, the Ghorman Front serves as a cautionary tale about the best strategies to combat the Empire.
In Season 2, Ghorman takes center stage. In the premiere episode, we see Ben Mendelsohn’s Director Krennic addressing a group of ISB agents about a sensitive issue involving the planet. He presents a documentary reel that highlights Ghorman’s thriving textile industry, particularly its silk fabric derived from a unique breed of spider, which is the planet's primary galactic export.
However, Krennic reveals that the Empire is more interested in another of Ghorman’s resources: its vast supply of calcite. Krennic claims this calcite is essential for the Empire’s research into renewable, unlimited energy. Yet, knowing Krennic’s character from Rogue One, it's likely he's not telling the whole truth. It's more probable that he needs the calcite to complete the Death Star. Like Kyber crystal, calcite is a critical component in Project: Stardust, and its scarcity is one reason why the construction of the Death Star is taking so long.
The challenge with extracting calcite in the quantities the Empire requires is that it would leave Ghorman a barren, uninhabitable wasteland. This raises concerns about the native Ghor population. Emperor Palpatine’s control over the galaxy isn’t absolute enough to devastate an entire world and its people without repercussions. This is precisely why he wants the Death Star—to enforce his rule without contest, regardless of the war crimes committed.
Krennic’s strategy is to manipulate public sentiment against Ghorman, justifying the Empire’s takeover and displacement of its people. Given Ghorman’s history of anti-Imperial sentiment, this seems feasible. However, while his propaganda team believes this can be achieved through social manipulation, Denise Gough’s Dedra Meero understands the necessity of installing a group of radical rebels to further the narrative that Ghorman is a dangerous, lawless place. This would allow the Empire to seize control under the pretext of restoring order.
This setup suggests an ongoing storyline in Season 2, where characters like Diego Luna’s Cassian Andor and Genevieve O’Reilly’s Mon Mothma will likely be drawn to Ghorman as the political situation deteriorates, turning the planet into a new battleground in the Galactic Civil War. Given what we know about Ghorman, it’s poised to be a site of both tragedy and a pivotal moment for the Rebel Alliance.
What Is the Ghorman Massacre? -----------------------------Andor Season 2 is set to depict an event known as the Ghorman Massacre. While this event has been alluded to in Disney-era Star Wars media, it's one of the most significant developments leading to the formation of a unified Rebel Alliance.
Originally from the pre-Disney Star Wars Legends universe, the Ghorman Massacre occurred 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.
The Ghorman Massacre became a stark symbol of Imperial brutality, sparking widespread public outcry and prompting Senators like Mon Mothma and Bail Organa to support the burgeoning rebel movement. It directly contributed to the formation of the Rebel Alliance.
In the new Disney era, Lucasfilm is reimagining the Ghorman Massacre, and with Andor Season 2 underway, we're still piecing together the revised timeline. However, the core concept remains unchanged: the Ghorman Massacre is an incident where the Empire oversteps, igniting a renewed wave of rebel resistance.
Warning: the remainder of this article contains possible spoilers for upcoming episodes of Andor Season 2!
