This brings up an interesting point. Without a sun, any planet in that system just carries on along its trajectory. I'm not sure how feasible it is to hyperjump to systems without a sun - could be much more difficult and dangerous. Not to mention that anybody trying to find the rogue planet - and land on it - has to do so in complete darkness.

It would continue on the trajectory it had when the sun disappeared. In other words, it would wander away from its original orbit, making it nearly impossible to find.

Of course, this is Star Wars . Star Wars eats impossible for breakfast.

Nope. The map coordinates for Starkiller Base are its origin point coordinates, which line up perfectly with Ilum. So, while it can move to other systems, the origin point of the planet is the same as Ilum's location. Thus, it's obviously intended to be Ilum transformed.

I'm convinced that it's Ilum. I was playing devil's advocate but that reinforces the idea.

There is also the possibility that more than one planet exists in the same star system. Ilum could have been another planet in the same system as the world that would become Starkiller.

Not to mention, we're looking at a 2D map of a 3D Galaxy, because that's what printing (including virtual documents) can conveniently accommodate. In 2D, two objects at different 3D planes will look like they're in the same spot.

Although I do think it's a bit of a "Wow!" to those familiar with Ilum for Starkiller to be Ilum, and it's consistent with the current lore. At this point, though, it's like Schrodinger's Ilum until confirmed or busted.

At this point, though, it's like Schrodinger's Ilum until confirmed or busted.

lorlz

Nope. The map coordinates for Starkiller Base are its origin point coordinates, which line up perfectly with Ilum. So, while it can move to other systems, the origin point of the planet is the same as Ilum's location. Thus, it's obviously intended to be Ilum transformed.

I'm convinced that it's Ilum. I was playing devil's advocate but that reinforces the idea.

There is also the possibility that more than one planet exists in the same star system. Ilum could have been another planet in the same system as the world that would become Starkiller.

Yeah I would tend to think that Starkiller came from the same system and not the planet Ilum itself. Besides ..... Starkiller had forest .... and in all previous canon depictions of Ilum it was always shown to be a barren ball of ice.

You can pick your friends, your nose, and your canon! Anyway, according to starwars.com , Starkiller Base originated near Ilum. It did not replace Ilum.

From Hosnian Prime, continue north on the Corellian Trade Spine to Corellia, where you then take the Corellian Run to Coruscant and head northwest into the Mid Rim and Ansion. Cut across Wild Space and into the Unknown Regions, and eventually you will find Starkiller Base, which was situated not far from the legendary world of Ilum. Barren and isolated, this ice planet was protected by perhaps the greatest planetary shield ever created. The original identity of the planet was unknown, although it must be said that the Unknown Regions are named so for a reason. Explorers rarely ventured out this far, with the majority of occupied world being to the east of Coruscant.

Something important to keep in mind when reviewing maps from the Star Wars Atlas is scale . The galaxy is 3.3 x 10 ⁶¹ m ₃ in size. Just because a system is near or overlapping another system in the Atlas, that doesn't mean there aren't tens to dozens of light years of space between the two. Lords of Nal Hutta makes Hutt Space seem like it's 12 systems when it's actually thousands. The Atlas shows more systems and trade routes than LoNH but even that isn't complete. The scale is too massive.

Just because Starkiller Base was near Ilum doesn't mean it is Ilum. Could it be? Heck yeah! Could it not be? Heck yeah!

Then why remove Ilum from the map?

I have a ton of galaxy maps without Ilum on them. Just because they didn't draw it doesn't mean it's not there.

Ilum not being on the map isn't what bothers me. It's the actively removing it that strikes me very odd.

So what if they are extremely close, Fantasy Flight knows that a lot of Force and Destiny players will want to go to Ilum especially after it appearing in the TV Rebels. I can't picture them saying, "It's too close to Starkiller Base, let's remove it completely off the map."

Playing devil's advocate, I heard (maybe from a recent book) that the Jedi removed Ilum's location from all of the republic's maps so that no one would find it. So maybe that's why it's now missing?

Do I think Ilum is Starkiller base? I don't know now, but something strange is afoot. I have a feeling something will come out (maybe in Episode 8, or Rebels TV show) that will make everyone say, "That's why Ilum isn't on the map!".

Just because Starkiller Base was near Ilum doesn't mean it is Ilum. Could it be? Heck yeah! Could it not be? Heck yeah!

Then why remove Ilum from the map?

I have a ton of galaxy maps without Ilum on them. Just because they didn't draw it doesn't mean it's not there.

Ilum not being on the map isn't what bothers me. It's the actively removing it that strikes me very odd.

So what if they are extremely close, Fantasy Flight knows that a lot of Force and Destiny players will want to go to Ilum especially after it appearing in the TV Rebels. I can't picture them saying, "It's too close to Starkiller Base, let's remove it completely off the map."

Playing devil's advocate, I heard (maybe from a recent book) that the Jedi removed Ilum's location from all of the republic's maps so that no one would find it. So maybe that's why it's now missing?

Do I think Ilum is Starkiller base? I don't know now, but something strange is afoot. I have a feeling something will come out (maybe in Episode 8, or Rebels TV show) that will make everyone say, "That's why Ilum isn't on the map!".

Excellent points all around. I just have this feeling like we're going to learn more about it eventually. It's far too popular to just go unnoticed, so I'm with you, something strange is afoot here, particularly since Nexus of Power has Ilum in it.

I haven't had a chance to compare the map in the BB vs the one released by LFL around the time of TFA. But how similar are they?

I'm curious to know if FFG just bummed the galaxy map from LFL or if they commissioned an artist to paint up a new one.

The Ilum entry in Nexus of Power says that as part of Order 66 the Emperor sent troops to Ilum and knowing the importance of Ilum to the Jedi placed a garrison and a naval presence there and goes into some of the details of the Imperial presence there.

The Ilum entry in Nexus of Power says that as part of Order 66 the Emperor sent troops to Ilum and knowing the importance of Ilum to the Jedi placed a garrison and a naval presence there and goes into some of the details of the Imperial presence there.

Being assigned to Ilum is like being assigned to Siberia. It's what happens when the Empire wants you out of the way without having grounds to execute or discharge you.

The Ilum entry in Nexus of Power says that as part of Order 66 the Emperor sent troops to Ilum and knowing the importance of Ilum to the Jedi placed a garrison and a naval presence there and goes into some of the details of the Imperial presence there.

Being assigned to Ilum is like being assigned to Siberia. It's what happens when the Empire wants you out of the way without having grounds to execute or discharge you.

And that's basically what the entry says. I thought it was great.

Is Fantasy Flight RPG Creating Cannon?

I sure hope so! Commercially-available large-caliber artillery sounds like a great fit for the new Soldier book.

Do we get any ninja out of the deal?

(The joke explained for the Youngin's: The Cannon Film Group was the distributors of the finest schlock in the eighties, giving the world a flick that combined Flashdance, The Exorcist and a Ninja movie. Here, just watch this trailer )

Just because Starkiller Base was near Ilum doesn't mean it is Ilum. Could it be? Heck yeah! Could it not be? Heck yeah!

Then why remove Ilum from the map?

Just because Starkiller Base was near Ilum doesn't mean it is Ilum. Could it be? Heck yeah! Could it not be? Heck yeah!

Then why remove Ilum from the map?

It COULD BE another planet in the same system as illum and they thought it was more important to put starkillerror on the map than illum, and didn't want the two text strings to overlap or cause confusion that illum and starkiller were the same planet (although if this was their intent it kind of backfired on them)

I would imagine that since this box is about TFA movie it was more important to list the Starkiller base than it was Ilum itself.

And of course it's worth pointing out that the official Star Wars site has already settled the matter when it stated that Starkiller was near Ilum. So the official canon answer is that the two are separate and the map in the TFA box isn't some kind of change to canon that people seem to want to make it to be. I mean sure for your games if you want Ilum and Starkiller to be the same then run with that idea. But it seems the official position from Disney is that they may have been close to one another but that they are in fact two separate planets.

I haven't had a chance to compare the map in the BB vs the one released by LFL around the time of TFA. But how similar are they?

I'm curious to know if FFG just bummed the galaxy map from LFL or if they commissioned an artist to paint up a new one.

The map that FFG used in the TFA Beginner Game looks virtually identical to the maps I’ve seen them use before in the CRBs, with a few minor exceptions.

So, if I had to guess, they may have gone back to the same artist who did them before and asked for some minor changes. Alternatively, if they have the original files themselves, then they may have just made a few minor tweaks without going to an outside artist.

According to wookiepedia, Starkiller base was made from "mobile ice planet located in the Unknown Regions". I have no idea what mobile planet means. Star wars galaxy is so large, and so many worlds in it that I actually don't care if Illum was destroyed. Canon is idea fodder for me anyway, not a shackle which restricts me too much. "And thirdly, the canon is more what you'd call 'guidelines' than actual rules."

It would be actually a cool idea, to PCs find a new planet which provides lightsaber crystals.To whom do they sell the information? Do they even realise the value of their finding?

But back to topic. I think that it's fairly safe to take all FFG material as canon, as long as it doesn't hugely conflict with movies, which are the primary canon source (and should never happen at current state). As alreay said, FFG doesn't have full freedom to publich what ever they want, but everything that gets published is approved by Star Wars guardians of canon (Lucasfilm Story Group). Wookiepedia says about canon: "Most Star Wars material released after April 25, 2014—with some exceptions—is composed in collaboration with the Lucasfilm Story Group, making it part of the "new canon."" So answer to OPs question is: Yes, Star Wars material published by FFG is canon with certain restrictions ("Background information given in the roleplaying game sourcebooks such as biographies, stories, blueprints, etc. is proper canon." [but game mechanics stuff is not]). http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Canon

FFG Star Wars already breaks from canon but how big a deal that is is dependent on the reader. Off the top of my head, I can think of two instances:

• Kessel in Rebels is a planet with a yellow atmosphere, whereas in every Legends source prior, it was portrayed as a large, potato-shaped planetoid. Disney went a different direction after the Edge of the Empire Core Rulebook was released. Whatever. It happens. It's ridiculous to think a film/TV studio is going to hold itself to licensees. Try to remember who writes the checks.
• Mon Calamari, in the Age of Rebellion Core Rulebook are listed as being an amphibious race that finds breathing underwater uncomfortable but in the Mon Cala story line in The Clone Wars , they Mon Cals were tooling around without issue and their cities are completely submerged. I suspect that the FFG editing staff let the AoR write-up slip through on accident.

It's not the 1980s or 1990s anymore and canon is no longer closed. Star Wars is a living, breathing franchise with movies and TV shows coming out every year for the next 5+ years. Conflicts are going to happen.

The best we as gamers can do is establish what's canon with our groups prior to a campaign. In my group, what FFG publishes is canon and if there are conflicts we'll work out a creative story solution to explain it. That's part of the fun. Plus, I don't want to watch the movies or Rebels with a checklist going "nope, that's wrong" and "yep, that's right." That would be... sad.

Just because Starkiller Base was near Ilum doesn't mean it is Ilum. Could it be? Heck yeah! Could it not be? Heck yeah!

Then why remove Ilum from the map?

It COULD BE another planet in the same system as illum and they thought it was more important to put starkillerror on the map than illum, and didn't want the two text strings to overlap or cause confusion that illum and starkiller were the same planet (although if this was their intent it kind of backfired on them)

I would imagine that since this box is about TFA movie it was more important to list the Starkiller base than it was Ilum itself.

And of course it's worth pointing out that the official Star Wars site has already settled the matter when it stated that Starkiller was near Ilum. So the official canon answer is that the two are separate and the map in the TFA box isn't some kind of change to canon that people seem to want to make it to be. I mean sure for your games if you want Ilum and Starkiller to be the same then run with that idea. But it seems the official position from Disney is that they may have been close to one another but that they are in fact two separate planets.

Got a link?

According to wookiepedia, Starkiller base was made from "mobile ice planet located in the Unknown Regions". I have no idea what mobile planet means.

While I realize that science and Star Wars very seldomly have anything to do with each other, aren't all planets mobile? Just with very predictable trajectories.

Got a link?

Well here's the original post in this very thread that highlights the relevant information with a link to the source on the Star Wars site. It seems people skipped over this dudes post answering the question.

Got a link?

Well here's the original post in this very thread that highlights the relevant information with a link to the source on the Star Wars site. It seems people skipped over this dudes post answering the question.

That's what I was looking for. Thanks.

I also wonder what they mean with mobile planet. Maybe its on a highly eccentric orbit, maybe its main export is cellphones. Maybe they had already built in a planet-sized hyperdrive before they built Starkiller Base. Maybe Centerpoint Station technology has something to do with it. Who knows?

I think it should be interpreted as a planet that could move to different star systems, like the Death Star . IMO it implies the FO somehow installed an hyperdrive on the planet, as absurd as it seems.

I think it should be interpreted as a planet that could move to different star systems, like the Death Star . IMO it implies the FO somehow installed an hyperdrive on the planet, as absurd as it seems.

That's exactly what it means. From an article on the film:

What was known for a while as "the Doom Star" became Starkiller Base, a glacial planet that's been weaponised by Supreme Leader Snoke. "We thought, 'What would a Death Star look like with 30 years of extra technology?'" says concept artist Doug Chiang. "Terraforming has been talked about in the scientific community for a long time, and we decided to magnify that idea." Fun facts that aren't revealed in the film: 1) the First Order chose this planet because of its minerals, and 2) yes, it can move, since it has rocket ports on its far side.

And yes, I agree that it's absurd. The Death Star is basically a giant spherical capital ship, so having it fly around from place to place nuking planets is plausible (if you can accept that things like hyperspace and artificial gravity and ray shields and so on are things that exist).

But Starkiller Base is a planet. I have trouble imagining that the surface of the planet would be stable while making sublight travel, let alone in hyperspace. Supposedly they constructed a containment field around the entire planet, so that might protect the planet a bit, keeping the atmosphere intact, and I know that even if there is no sun to warm a planet that it takes awhile for the planet to cool off. (Plants, for example, could probably survive without sunlight for at least a week.) So if it doesn't take too long to move from system to system things on the planet might survive the stress of being away from a star. But wouldn't the surface be wrecked with devastating quakes?

SKB was surrounded by a shield, I'm sure that would be the rubber-science explanation as to why the planet and it's atmosphere remain intact when it moves from system to system.

I however prefer the novelization explanation for how SKB generated the power for the weapon. In the book it draws upon Dark Energy (the energy version of dark matter) and that it was this gathering of it around the planet as it was being absorbed that blotted out the star, at least from the surface. This explanation not only makes more sense (as far as these things go) but eliminates all the mental gymnastics necessary to explain what we see in the film.
JJ though is a visual kinda guy with no understanding distance, or how to show the passage of time to build suspense and how travel time in a story is useful, or basic physics. So he went with a cool visual of sucking the energy out of the star. Now it's cannon, which is too bad because the other explanation is easier on the brain.