Star Wars: Rebels - 12 Easter Eggs, In-Jokes And References You Need To See

12. The Kessel Run

The planet Kessel is known for being home to spice mines, making it a popular haven for smugglers, who obviously wished to sell the spices on elsewhere, while there were Wookiee slaves under Empire rule charged with working the mines.

The Millenium Falcon is famous - at least in Han’s eyes - for making the Kessel run in 12 parsecs, while C-3PO expressed fear of being sent to the spice mines.

Despite the fact that its name is known across the galaxy, the planet hadn’t actually been seen on screen until Star Wars Rebels’ first episode, Spark of Rebellion.

The Rebels learn that Wookiees are being taken to the spice mines as slaves, and embark on a mission to rescue them, which is when Kanan reveals he is a Jedi.

The basis for Kessel, including the appearance - rocky mountains and a barren landscape - and the major mining operations setup there, were taken from George Lucas’ initial designs and concepts, as he had long-ago developed the look of of the planet, as well as its culture and economy.