These sun crystals, like the ones on Jazbina, had the property of reflecting and amplifying light.
Sun crystals, prized for their unique properties, could be located on planets like Jazbina and the Forest Moon of Endor. These delicate gems were capable of reflecting and intensifying light to a significant degree. Overexposure to this amplified light could result in light addiction and, in severe cases, permanent blindness. On Jazbina, these stones were a valuable resource that was actively mined. On Endor, treasure seekers braved the dangers of the Black Cavern in their pursuit. The miners of Jazbina had to be wary of the large Tikulini worms inhabiting the sun crystal mines and were required to wear protective eyewear when working with the gems. Luke Skywalker himself nearly suffered blindness from sun crystals while on Jazbina.
The Ewoks and Duloks of Endor both greatly desired sun crystals, leading many adventurers to their doom as they attempted to retrieve them from the treacherous Black Cavern. In 97 BBY, a warrior from the Ewok's Bright Tree Village successfully obtained a sun crystal, which then became a symbol of courage for his tribe. The Ewoks then established a ritual where young Ewoks had to navigate a series of dangerous obstacles in the presence of the crystal to prove their bravery and earn a badge for their Belt of Honor.
During one such trial, as Ewok warrior Wicket Wystri Warrick was undergoing the ordeal, the Dulok prince Boogutt severed Warrick's vine, causing him to collide with and shatter the sun crystal. Both Warrick and Boogutt were reprimanded by their respective elders, which prompted them to embark on a journey into the Black Cavern to find a new sun crystal. Within the cavern, they encountered numerous dangers, including the guardian of the sun crystal, and narrowly escaped with their lives. Warrick was forced to sacrifice the newly acquired sun crystal to save Boogutt from the guardian beast, but he was later rewarded with a fragment of the broken gem for his Belt of Honor.
Sun crystals exhibited a color range from white to light blue. Those discovered on Jazbina were found as uncut, subterranean crystalline deposits, sometimes reaching the size of a fully grown Jazbinan. Conversely, sun crystals located in the Black Cavern on Endor were multi-faceted gems, roughly circular in shape, and approximately 0.5 meters in diameter.
These crystals possessed the ability to reflect and amplify ambient light. In dimly lit environments, this property could illuminate the surrounding area. However, when exposed to a more concentrated light source, the crystals intensified the light exponentially. The glow emitted from Luke Skywalker's lightsaber was sufficient to produce a blinding light within a chamber filled with these crystals on Jazbina.
Exposure to the light emitted by sun crystals could cause temporary blindness. To mitigate this risk, miners on Jazbina wore polarized goggles, which enhanced low-light vision and provided protection against the intense flashes from the crystals. Light blindness induced by sun crystals would gradually subside with time, provided the affected individual remained in darkened areas or wore a blindfold. However, prolonged exposure to radiant sun crystals could lead to light addiction, a phenomenon experienced by many miners on Jazbina. Individuals addicted to light developed an insatiable craving to relive the intensity of their initial encounter with the crystals. This compulsion drove them to seek out more crystal flashes or even to stare directly into the sun, often resulting in permanent eye damage and blindness.
Sun crystals were relatively delicate and could be shattered by a sharp impact or excessive pressure. Wicket W. Warrick accidentally destroyed a sun crystal simply by knocking it off a low perch.
Sun crystals were highly desirable 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 primary customer, the Galactic Empire. In return, the Empire allowed Jazbina to govern itself. The revenue generated from these sales made Jazbina a prosperous world, and its inhabitants remained loyal to the Empire even after the destruction of the first Death Star.
The sun crystal mines on Jazbina consisted of extensive tunnels dug into the earth. These mines were occasionally inhabited by predatory mining worms, known locally as Tikulini, but by 1 ABY, most of these creatures had died out. The Jazbinan cell of the Alliance to Restore the Republic utilized the mines as a refuge from King Prepredenko and the local authorities. Luke Skywalker explored an abandoned sun crystal mine shaft in his search for the missing Princess Syayna.
On the Forest Moon of Endor, adventurers occasionally ventured into the Black Cavern in an attempt to acquire a sun crystal. However, the journey was fraught with peril, and only a small number ever managed to escape with a crystal. The crystals were guarded by a large, sentient guardian creature that dwelled beneath the cave floor and attacked anyone who touched one of the treasures. The cavern itself presented numerous dangers, including a vast chasm teeming with carnivorous creatures. The final obstacle for treasure hunters was to escape the cavern before its sentient mouth closed, trapping them inside.
Many Ewok warriors from Bright Tree Village perished in their attempts to obtain a sun crystal. Eventually, one warrior succeeded in escaping with a crystal around 97 BBY. This sun crystal became a symbol of Ewok bravery within the tribe, and it was placed on a wooden post. Gorneesh's tribe of Duloks coveted this particular crystal and sought to steal it from their rivals.
The Bright Tree tribe sometimes permitted young Ewoks to demonstrate their courage by facing a series of challenges in the presence of the crystal retrieved by the Ewok warrior. A successful challenger would be awarded a badge for their Belt of Honor. Some older Ewoks, like Kazak, considered these tests to be a pale imitation of the bravery displayed by the Ewok who originally obtained the crystal. However, Chief Chirpa viewed the tests as an indication that the Ewoks had become more peaceful and civilized in the century since the crystal was found.
In 3 ABY, Chief Chirpa presented Wicket Wystri Warrick with a series of obstacles, including swinging from a vine, hitting a target with a spear, and navigating a path of spears embedded in the ground. However, Warrick's test was prematurely ended when the Dulok prince, Boogutt, acting on orders from his father, King Gorneesh, to steal the crystal, severed the Ewok's vine, causing him to fall to the ground. Warrick's momentum carried him directly into the sun crystal, shattering the relic.
Kazak, believing the accident was due to Warrick's failure to ensure the vine's safety, berated the young warrior and denied him the Badge of Courage. When Warrick later overheard the elder's praise for the Ewok who originally retrieved the crystal from the Black Cavern, the young Ewok resolved to venture into the cavern himself to find a replacement and prove his own courage. Prince Boogutt, also scolded by his elders for the crystal's destruction, followed him.
Warrick entered the cavern and discovered a new sun crystal, while Boogutt secretly followed him. As the two youths struggled over the gem, the guardian of the sun crystal emerged from the ground and attacked. They fled from the guardian's chamber and crossed a chasm using Warrick's vine-swinging skills. As the cave entrance began to close, the Ewok managed to escape, but the Dulok was captured by the guardian beast. Warrick used his newly acquired sun crystal to jam the cave's mouth open, allowing him to rescue the Dulok prince. As the rivals escaped, the cave slammed shut, destroying the newly obtained gemstone.
Boogutt returned to his father and received another scolding, while Warrick was awarded a piece of the destroyed gem for his Belt of Honor.