A Star Wars tie-in finally reveals secrets and legends of the planet Jedha, which was introduced in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. It's a big galaxy, and part of the magic of every Star Wars film and TV series is that it introduces viewers to a wealth of new locations. One of the most memorable new worlds of the Disney era is the planet Jedha, a temple moon that made its debut in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story - but sadly fell foul of the Death Star.
The planet Jedha was a vergence in the Force, and it had become a holy site for countless Force traditions, with pilgrims traveling from across the galaxy to meditate there. The secret of Jedha's strength in the Force lay in the rare kyber crystals that could be found there in plentiful supply, which could even be used to allow those who were not normally Force-sensitive to receive guidance from the Force. Unfortunately this made Jedha an important prize for the Empire, who sought to strip the planet of its kyber, using it to power the Death Star. A resistance movement led by Saw Gerrera promptly settled on Jedha, ultimately leading the Empire to destroy it with the Death Star. The full scale of the devastation has since been revealed in tie-in comics, with the Rebel Alliance visiting and learning the mantle itself had been permanently exposed by the Death Star's superlaser.
But Star Wars tie-ins love to hop around the timeline, and 2021's Life Day Treasury, by George Mann and Cavan Scott, contains a short story called "Reflection Day" that is set well before the establishment of the Empire. It explores the visit of two pilgrims who travel to Jedha and find love there, a touching Christmas-style story set in a galaxy far, far away. Their conversation also reveals some of the secrets of Jedha, with legends explaining that it was originally settled by an ancient race called the Luminous, "who first came to understand the sacred nature of the moon and its connection to the Living Force." Given the antiquity of Jedha, the Luminous may well be a Force tradition who existed long before the Prime Jedi, founder of the Jedi Order.
The Luminous are believed to have left a permanent mark on the spiritual temple moon of Jedha, creating the sacred Dome of Deliverance (briefly seen in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story). There, once every year pilgrims traveled to the Dome of Deliverance in order to look upon the famous Kyber Mirrors and gain a vision of the future. "Now travelers from all across the galaxy flock to the moon to participate in the festivities, browse the markets, enjoy the processions and the eclectic foodstuffs, and - if they are lucky enough - peer into the mirrors in search of insight of their own."
"Reflection Day" is an excellent story, made strangely bittersweet because readers know Jedha's ultimate fate - but not too bittersweet, because there's no hint of the Clone Wars or the Empire, meaning this could have happened centuries before the moon would be blasted apart in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. Given Cavan Scott is involved with this project, it's quite possible Jedha will appear in the Star Wars: The High Republic transmedia initiative set 200 years before Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, adding yet more depth to that fascinating location.
