• Cold,
  • Glaciers,
  • Plains,



Following the destruction of the Death Star, the core group of Rebel Alliance heroes had to abandon their headquarters at Yavin 4. They eventually set up a new outpost, Echo Base, on the ice planet Hoth. It was a remote world supposedly devoid of human life, making it a suitable location. Tauntauns, bi-pedal animals that could withstand the frigid surface temperatures, were used for short-distance travel in lieu of speeders or mechanized transports. The Rebels made routine checks of the planet surface, ensuring that the base remained a secret. On one such security pass, Commander Luke Skywalker was viciously attacked by a wampa. He survived the encounter, though just barely.

At that time, an Imperial probe droid -- one of thousands dispatched throughout the galaxy -- landed on Hoth. It was detected by the Rebels, but the droid had already relayed imagery of the base back to the Empire. The Empire shortly arrived in the Hoth system and invaded in a historic confrontation known as the Battle of Hoth. Massive AT-AT walkers engaged the Alliance's snowspeeders and ground troops, and while the Rebels held them off for a time, the Empire was too strong. Echo Base was destroyed -- but many Rebels safely evacuated the system, including Luke, Han Solo, and Princess Leia.

Related //