A harsh desert world, Jakku is a lawless place that’s home to thieves, outlaws and refugees. During the final years of the Galactic Civil War, Jakku was the site of a secret Imperial research base and served as a jumping-off point for warships heading into the Unknown Regions. The Empire made a last stand above the frontier planet, leading to a pitched battle between rebel and Imperial fleets. Jakku’s sandy wastes are littered with old wrecks, picked over by desperate scavengers searching for parts that can be salvaged and sold.

A scavenger toughened by life in Jakku’s harsh deserts, Rey has been drawn into a galaxy-spanning conflict and learned that her life is being shaped by the mysterious power of the Force. She seeks out Luke Skywalker, the lost Jedi Master, in hopes that he will aid the Resistance against the First Order and help her control her growing powers. But when that quest ends in disappointment, Rey must find a new way forward.

A hulking Crolute, Unkar Plutt is the junkboss of Jakku, doling survival rations out to scavengers in return for salvage from the Graveyard of Ships. The ruthless Unkar uses hired muscle to enforce his stranglehold on barter, sending his thugs to punish any scavenger who dares dabble in unauthorized trades or negotiates too aggressively. The Blobfish – as scavengers call him behind his broad back -- has collected all matter of weapons, gears and ships over the years, including a battered Corellian freighter he keeps under a tarp on the outskirts of Niima Outpost.

The Rebel Alliance became the New Republic after its victory over the Empire at the Battle of Endor. Eager to win over the war-weary citizens of the galaxy, the New Republic revived the Senate, signed a peace treaty – the Galactic Concordance – with the Empire’s remnants, and drastically reduced its military capabilities. That policy aroused the ire of rebel hero Leia Organa, who warned that elements of the Empire were still seeking power. Sidelined from the political process, Organa founded the Resistance to oppose the Empire’s successor state, the mysterious First Order.

The Galactic Empire ruled for years through fear, intimidation, and tyranny. With a mighty military force including stormtroopers, spy technology like probe droids, and the planet-destroying Death Star, Emperor Palpatine’s regime seemed unstoppable and permanent. But some dared to strike back…

Despite her humble origins and shabby exterior, the Millennium Falcon has played a role in some of the greatest victories of the Rebel Alliance and the New Republic. The Falcon looks like a worn-out junker, but beneath her hull she’s full of surprises. A succession of owners, including Lando Calrissian and Han Solo, have made special modifications that boosted the freighter’s speed, shielding and firepower to impressive – and downright illegal – levels. The price of such tinkering? The Falcon can be unpredictable, with her hyperdrive particularly balky. Despite her flaws, she’s beloved by her owners – Han Solo and Chewbacca spent years searching the galaxy for the ship they once called home, rejoicing when they finally reclaimed her.