Skip to main content

star wars - Did the Resistance know about Starkiller Base and if not, how was it hidden so well?


I don't recall this being explained in the movie, but did the Republic/Resistance have any idea the Starkiller base existed before it



Completely obliterated the Hosnian Prime system?



Did no one notice the fact that something way bigger than the Death Star was wandering around the area eating entire stars for nefarious purposes? Surely a patrol or a trade ship would have noticed something while the Starkiller was being constructed, or someone would have noticed the massive amount of supplies being obtained by the First Order to build the Starkiller that probably took a couple of years to build, and someone would have investigated.


Or was the First Order that good at playing hide and seek with an entire planet of death?



Answer




1. No, they did not know about Starkiller base before.


TFA novelization by Alan Dean Foster establishes that (and, ironically, answers your presumably sarcastic quip about "Surely a patrol or a trade ship would have noticed something" ! :)



In the main conference room of the base on D’Qar, an ongoing strategy session had brought together the leaders of the Resistance. Leia, Poe, C-3PO, Han, and an assortment of senior officers including Statura and Ackbar were assembled around a three-dimensional map of an isolated, frozen planet that up until now had not been worth a hopeful visit from a minor trading ship. Finn was present, too, since it was his information about the world in question that had prompted the gathering.


“The scan data from Captain Snap Wexley’s reconnaissance flight confirms everything Finn has told us,” Poe announced to the group. Wexley spoke up. “They’ve built a new kind of hyperspace weapon within the planet itself. Something that can fire across interstellar distances in the equivalent of real time.” His expression showed his incredulity. “I’ve had my share of technical training, but I can’t even imagine how that’s possible.”



2. If you look at the Galaxy Map in the Visual Dictionary, Starkiller base isn't exactly where everyone would be likely to look.




  • Starkiller base is not only out in the middle of nowhere on the edge of the Galaxy





  • It's in the Unknown Regions specifically, where few people go.


    There was a reason First Order retreated there.




  • It's directly on the opposite side of the Galaxy from the Rebellion's center on D'Quar


    enter image description here





3. How would anyone know what they are looking at anyway?


It's NOT a giant metal moon. It's a real planet.


You wouldn't know something was amiss even if there was a trading ship around (and as shown in #1, there wasn't).


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

story identification - Animation: floating island, flying pests

At least 20 years ago I watched a short animated film which stuck in my mind. The whole thing was wordless, possibly European, and I'm pretty sure I didn't imagine it... It featured a flying island which was inhabited by some creatures who (in my memory) reminded me of the Moomins. The island was frequently bothered by large winged animals who swooped around, although I don't think they did any actual damage. At the end one of the moomin creatures suddenly gets a weird feeling, feels forced to climb to the top of the island and then plunges down a shaft right through the centre - only to emerge at the bottom as one of the flyers. Answer Skywhales from 1983. The story begins with a man warning the tribe of approaching skywhales. The drummers then warn everybody of the hunt as everyone get prepared to set "sail". Except one man is found in his home sleeping as the noise wake him up. He then gets ready and is about to take his weapon as he hesitates then decides ...

harry potter - Did Dolores Umbridge Have Any Association with Voldemort (or Death Eaters) before His Return?

I noticed that Dolores Umbridge was born during the first Wizarding War, so it's very likely she wasn't a Death Eater then (but she is pretty evil -- who knows?). After that Voldemort was not around in a way that could affect many people, and most wouldn't know he was planning to rise again. During that time, and up through Voldemort's return (in Goblet of Fire ), did Umbridge have any connection with the Death Eaters or with Voldemort? Was she doing what she did on her own, or was it because of an association with Voldemort or his allies? Answer Dolores Umbridge was definitely not a good person. However, as Sirius points out, "the world isn't split into good people and Death Eaters". Remember that he also says that he doesn't believe Umbridge to be a Death Eater, but that she's evil enough (or something like that). I think there are two strong reasons to believe that: Umbridge was proud to do everything according to the law, except when she trie...

tolkiens legendarium - Did Gandalf wear his Ring of Power throughout the trilogy?

After Gandalf discovered that Sauron was back and sent Frodo on his quest to Rivendell, did he continue to wear Narya (one of the Three Rings)? It seems like a huge risk to continue to wear it after the Nazgûl (Ringwraiths) started to try and reclaim the One Ring; if they managed to get the ring to Sauron, couldn't he be corrupted by his power? Whatever powers Narya bestows upon him couldn't possibly be worth the huge risk, could it? Answer When Sauron forged the one ring and put it on his finger, the other ring bearers were immediately aware of him and his intentions and removed their own rings. There is no reason why they couldn't merely do so again. As soon as Sauron set the One Ring upon his finger they were aware of him; and they knew him, and preceived that he would be master of them, and of all they wrought. Then in anger and fear they took off their rings. "Of the Rings of Power and the Third Age," Silmarillion