Sun crystal Sun crystals were precious stones found on Jazbina and the Forest Moon of Endor . The fragile gems had the ability to exponentially reflect and brighten light . Exposure could lead to light addiction and , ultimately , blindness . The stones were highly sought commodities on Jazbina , where they were mined , and on Endor , where treasure hunters had to face the perils of the Black Cavern to obtain them . Miners on Jazbina had to contend with large Tikulini worms in the sun crystal mines and were forced to wear protective eyewear when dealing with the gems . Luke Skywalker was nearly blinded by sun crystals on Jazbina . Sun crystals were highly coveted by both the Ewoks and Duloks of Endor , and over many years , several adventurers perished trying to take them from the perilous Black Cavern . An Ewok warrior from Bright Tree Village succeeded in this quest in 97 BBY , and this particular sun crystal became a symbol of courage to the warrior ' s tribe . The Ewoks established a ritual whereby a youth had to maneuver through a set of dangerous obstacles in the crystal ' s presence and thus prove his or her mettle and earn a badge for his or her Belt of Honor . While the Ewok Wicket Wystri Warrick was undertaking such an ordeal , the Dulok prince Boogutt cut Warrick ' s vine and caused him to crash into the sun crystal and shatter it . Both Warrick and Boogutt were rebuked by their elders , prompting them to venture into the Black Cavern to obtain a new sun crystal . Inside , they faced a variety of hazards , including the guardian of the sun crystal , and barely escaped with their lives . Warrick had to sacrifice the newly obtained sun crystal to save Boogutt from the guardian beast , but he was rewarded with a piece of the smashed gemstone for his Belt of Honor . Physical properties . Sun crystals ranged in color from white to light blue . Those found on Jazbina appeared in uncut , subterranean crystalline deposits that could be as large as a full - grown Jazbinan . In the Black Cavern on Endor , in contrast , sun crystals were multi - faceted gems with a roughly circular shape about 0 . 5 meters in diameter . The crystals reflected and amplified ambient luminosity . In low light , this could illuminate a dark area , but in the presence of a more focused source of luminosity , the crystals intensified the light exponentially . The glow of Luke Skywalker ' s lightsaber blade was enough to create a blinding glow from a chamber of the crystals on Jazbina . Exposure to sun crystal light could temporarily blind someone . To avoid this , miners on Jazbina wore polarized eye goggles that improved low - light vision and protected against flashes from the crystals . Sun crystal - induced light blindness subsided with time provided the sufferer kept to darkened areas or wore a blindfold . However , viewing radiant sun crystals sometimes had the additional effect of causing light addiction , as many miners on Jazbina discovered . Light addicts were seized with the urge to experience the intensity of the initial crystal encounter again . This compelled them to induce more crystal flashes or even to stare into the sun . The resulting eye damage often resulted in permanent blindness . Sun crystals were relatively fragile ; a sharp blow or too much pressure could shatter one . Wicket W . Warrick inadvertently destroyed a sun crystal by merely knocking it from a short perch . Mining and procurement . Sun crystals were highly sought - after commodities on both Jazbina and the Forest Moon of Endor . During the Galactic Civil War , the Jazbinans mined sun crystal ore and sold it to their major buyer , the Galactic Empire . In exchange , the Empire left Jazbina to its own devices . The income generated made Jazbina a wealthy world , and its people were highly loyal to the Empire even after the destruction of the first Death Star . Sun crystal mines on Jazbina consisted of long shafts cut into the earth . The mines were sometimes home to predatory mining worms , known locally as Tikulini , but by 1 ABY , most of these had died out . The Jazbinan cell of the Alliance to Restore the Republic used the mines to hide out from King Prepredenko and the local authorities . Luke Skywalker used an abandoned sun crystal mine shaft to search for the missing Princess Syayna . Adventurers on the Forest Moon of Endor sometimes entered the Black Cavern to obtain a sun crystal . However , the journey inside was so perilous that no more than a handful ever escaped with one . The crystals were guarded by a large , sentient guardian creature who lived beneath the cave floor and attacked any who touched one of the treasures . The cavern itself was hazardous , with a large chasm full of hungry carnivorous creatures running through part of it . The final hurdle for would - be treasure hunters was to exit the cavern before its sentient mouth closed and trapped the adventurer inside . Several Ewok warriors from Bright Tree Village died trying to procure a sun crystal . One finally managed to escape with one in 97 BBY . In the eyes of the tribe , the sun crystal became a symbol of Ewok bravery , and they set it on a wooden post . Gorneesh ' s tribe of Duloks coveted this particular crystal and wished to steal it from their rivals . In Ewok culture . The Bright Tree tribe sometimes allowed young Ewoks to test their bravery by facing a gauntlet of obstacles in the presence of the crystal taken by the Ewok warrior . If the challenger succeeded , he or she earned a badge for his or her Belt of Honor . To some older Ewoks , such as Kazak , such tests were a mere shadow of the bravery shown by the Ewok who first obtained the crystal , but Chief Chirpa viewed the tests as a sign that the Ewoks had grown more peaceful and civilized over the century since the crystal was found . In 3 ABY , Chief Chirpa presented Wicket Wystri Warrick with a set of obstacles that included swinging from a vine , hitting a bullseye with a spear , and swinging through a path of spears embedded in the earth . However , Warrick ' s test was cut short when the Dulok prince , Boogutt , on orders from his father , King Gorneesh , to steal the crystal , cut the Ewok ' s vine and sent him plummeting to the ground . Warrick ' s momentum took him directly into the sun crystal , and the crash shattered the relic . Warrick ' s quest . Assuming the accident was the result of Warrick ' s negligence to check the safety of his vine , Kazak chastised the young warrior and refused to grant him the Badge of Courage . When Warrick later overheard the elder say that he regarded the Ewok who originally obtained the crystal from the Black Cavern as truly brave , the young Ewok decided to venture into the cavern himself to obtain a replacement and prove his own courage . Prince Boogutt , also chastised by his elders for the crystal ' s destruction , followed . . Warrick entered the cavern and found a new sun crystal while Boogutt shadowed him . As the two youths scuffled over the gem , the guardian of the sun crystal sprang from the ground and attacked . The two ran from the guardian ' s chamber and crossed a chasm via Warrick ' s skill at vine swinging . As the cave entrance closed , the Ewok managed to escape , but the Dulok was caught by the guardian beast . . Warrick jammed the cave ' s mouth with his newly obtained sun crystal , allowing him to rescue the Dulok prince . . As the rivals escaped , the cave slammed shut and smashed the newly obtained gemstone . . Boogutt rejoined his father for another round of scolding , but Warrick was awarded a piece of the destroyed gem for his Belt of Honor .