Red Nebula The Red Nebula was a nebula that had drifted away from the main body of the galaxy . It contained a single inhabited planet , a multitude of stars , and a deadly meteor field . The planet boasted a race of red humanoids with pointed ears , who protected their homeworld from asteroid bombardment with mystical red jewels . A group of exiles led by Klysk attempted to steal and destroy the jewels but were thwarted by Han Solo . The jewels were eventually stolen and the planet ' s cities were destroyed by Domina Tagge and a group of bounty hunters , which intended to use them as a weapon against the Alliance to Restore the Republic . Leia Organa and Lando Calrissian , however , were able to thwart Tagge ' s plan and avert disaster . Description . The Red Nebula appeared externally as a great scarlet void against the pitch black backdrop of space , however , internally there was no hint of the scarlet hue . A cosmic cataclysm effectively severed the nebula from the galaxy physically and culturally , sending it out into extra - galactic territory . A highly unstable locale , the Red Nebula was home to perilous meteor fields and comets , making transit dangerous and often fatal . There was at least one inhabited planet within , home to a small sect of priests and a variety of creatures . The planet was battered and pockmarked by the meteors of the nebula , save for a lush and green small valley , preserved by the power of two Great Life Jewels . Passage to the planet was only possible by navigating the meteor fields , making access virtually impossible to all but the most skilled pilots , or those with exceptionally detailed navigation charts . History . Early history and separation . Originally , the Red Nebula was contained in the outermost reaches of the galaxy . There was only one planet known to support life within the nebula , which resided close to one of the many stars within . A sentient species that resembled the Sephi inhabited the planet , alongside a series of creatures that chose to dwell within the planet ' s forest . The sentients practiced a faith which held belief in the " Cosmic Destiny . " All known inhabitants of the planet were priests at some stage . At one point in time , some form of cosmic cataclysm caused the separation of the Red Nebula from the rest of the galaxy , severing it from all other civilization . During the separation , two great gems , named by the priests as the " Great Life Jewels " were brought to the planet . It was quickly learned that when the two jewels were separated , they would instill a deadly plague within those who made contact . The plague was dubbed " The Crimson Forever " and had no cure . The separation also generated substantial meteor fields and showers , which eventually impacted upon the planet . Most of the world was destroyed by meteors turning it into a pockmarked , mountainous , barren wasteland . Only the area surrounding the temple that housed the Great Life Jewels was untouched , remaining the fertile and bountiful land it had originally been . Schism . Centuries later , the separation of the nebula also divided its inhabitants . Some of the priests believed that they were supposed to have perished in the cataclysm , and thought that the Great Life Jewels were " blasphemous abominations " that should have been destroyed in order to let nature take its course . The majority of the priests , however , labeled that viewpoint as ludicrous and had the detractors exiled . At some stage after that , the nebula played host to an intergalactic chase , as the bounty hunter Beilert Valance pursued and captured the pirate Alabar Double Ax there . The nebula also had an onion named after it , the Red Nebula onion , which was served in nerfsteak sandwich es at Dex ' s Diner on Coruscant . Those exiled from the nebula did not take their banishment lying down . They found their way into the known galaxy and patrolled Wild Space , amassing a small army of mercenaries who were impressed into service . They intended to use that army to reclaim the jewels and destroy them , along with themselves and all of their kind . The final additions to the band , Captain Han Solo of the " Millennium Falcon " and his Wookiee co - pilot Chewbacca , were abducted on Terminus and imprisoned on the ship of the exiles , the " Nova Prince " . The theft of the Great Life Jewels . Klysk , the leader of the exiles , set off on a voyage to his home aboard the " Prince " with the captive army . Upon reaching the meteor fields of the nebula , though , Solo convinced the ex - priest to let him pilot the ship instead of what the Corellian thought to be a fallible and dangerous navigation computer . Despite skirting close to death several times , Solo was able to pilot the bulky freighter through the field and onto the Red Nebula ' s planet intact . The mercenaries were told that they could plunder anything they found , save for the two Great Life Jewels in the Red Nebula temple . They were to be retrieved and returned to Klysk together . Attacking the Untouched Valley with the other criminals , Solo and Chewbacca fought their way through the priests ' defensive laser cannon perimeter , and made it to the temple , where they were met by a single priest . The priest made no attempt to personally bar Solo from retrieving the jewels , and instead released the temple guardian . The guardian , a large beast , was instead distracted by Chewbacca , who it thought to be a pup of hers , and began to perform maternal activities . That allowed Solo to steal the jewels , and escape back to the " Nova Prince " . Solo , thinking that he had the upper hand with his possession of the jewels , sought to make demands of Klysk , who had other ideas . He betrayed Solo and left him stranded on the planet , thinking that he had possession of the Great Life Jewels . Solo , however , had called Klysk ' s bluff and switched the genuine jewels for duplicates . For safekeeping , he had hidden the originals in the valley . Klysk did not notice the switch and continued his mission to destroy the jewels and all life in the Red Nebula . Solo returned to the temple where Chewbacca and the priest were waiting with the guardian . The priest , panicking , led Solo into an underground shelter , where they watched on a viewscreen as Klysk piloted the " Nova Prince " into the sun . The priest did not understand why the valley was not instantly destroyed until Solo revealed that he had hidden the crystals safely . Grateful , the priest presented Solo and Chewbacca with a ship that would take them safely back to the galaxy . Armageddon , courtesy of TaggeCo . Several years later , spies enlisted by Domina Tagge gathered intelligence on the Great Life Jewels and learned they would produce the Crimson Forever plague when separated . Seeing an opportunity to avenge her brother ' s death at the hands of Luke Skywalker , Tagge planned to somehow deliver one of the crystals to the young Rebel , thereby killing him with the potential deadly disease . Hiring the services of the bounty hunters IG - 88A , Zuckuss , Dengar , and Bossk , Tagge took a Mining Explorer to the Red Nebula in search of the legendary crystals . Leaving nothing to chance , the Mining Explorer gratuitously bombarded the Untouched Valley , destroying the temple . She then sent the bounty hunters down to retrieve the jewels . They were able to do so , although they also encountered the lone priest that Solo had dealt with years before . As they captured him and took the jewels , an " Imperial II " - class Star Destroyer that had been dispatched by the Sith Lord Darth Vader to keep tabs on Tagge entered the nebula and forced the Mining Explorer to accept boarders . The Imperial stormtroopers retrieved one of the jewels with a minimum of fuss , but the bounty hunters instigated a firefight . The Imperials were forced to retreat with just one jewel , encased in a carbonite box that had been tampered with by Tagge to burst under the pressure of hyperspace . However , the Red Nebula priest unleashed the second jewel from its own carbonite box , causing the Crimson Forever to take effect due to the separation . That act rendered most of the Mining Explorer contaminated and left Tagge trapped with the bounty hunters . Acting on intelligence that Tagge had given them before the firefight , the Imperials journeyed to the Rebel base on Golrath . They had all succumbed to the Crimson Forever caused by the lone jewel , and upon investigating the silent ship , Luke Skywalker was infected , per Tagge ' s original goal . Seeking to find a cure , Leia Organa and Lando Calrissian sped to the Red Nebula with due haste , only to find the Mining Explorer a floating derelict . They convinced the trapped Tagge to help them in their plight , and were able to save Skywalker . Inhabitants . The Red Nebula , specifically the planet of the Red Nebula , was home to a species of humanoids with red skin and pointed ears . The humanoids were devoted to their belief in the Cosmic Destiny and had erected at least one temple . A small city was all that was left of their civilization after the cataclysm had caused their planet to be bombarded with meteors , and the examples of their race were all , at some stage , priests . They did have a grasp of advanced technology , a holdover from the time when the Nebula was connected to the galaxy , and they had ships capable of leaving the Red Nebula . They also had a system of tunnels built under their city , complete with viewscreens , and a perimeter of laser cannons to ward off intruders . The planet was also home to a large Grundakk - like creature that guarded the temple . The creature did survive Domina Tagge ' s bombardment in the year 3 ABY . Locations . Planet of the Red Nebula . There was only one known planet in the Red Nebula , which was home to the inhabitants of the Red Nebula . It was also the home to the religion of the Cosmic Destiny , and the Red Nebula temple guardian . After the cataclysm , the planet was bombarded with meteors from the newly formed field , effectively wiping out all civilization save for one small valley , where a group of priests continued to exist . The valley was ringed with powerful defensive laser canons , and its underground was riddled with tunnels and bunkers . The valley was razed to the ground by Domina Tagge in 3 ABY . Red Nebula comet field . The Red Nebula comet , or meteor , field ringed the nebula , effectively providing a natural barrier to deter would - be intruders . Composed of fragments from long dead stars and planets , it was an especially perilous field , and could only be navigated by the most skilled pilots , or , as an alternative , blasted through with large capital ships . Sun of the planet of the Red Nebula . The sun of the planet of the Red Nebula was large in comparison to other stars in the nebula , and is the only known one to have a planet orbiting it . Sometime after the Battle of Yavin , ex - priest Klysk piloted " Nova Prince " into it in the name of his religion . Behind the scenes . The Red Nebula was created by Archie Goodwin , and first appeared in the comic issue " " , where it served as the central location . It has since been referenced elsewhere in " Star Wars " media in Jason Fry ' s " " scenario for Wizards of the Coast , in " The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia " , and in " Dining at Dex ' s . " It is possible , though not confirmed , that the humanoid species were related to the Sephi of Thustra .