Yavin 4, also referred to as simply Yavin, was the fourth moon, cloaked in jungle, orbiting the red gas giant known as Yavin Prime. The Alliance to Restore the Republic, a resistance group fighting against the ruling Galactic Empire, used it as their headquarters before and during the Galactic Civil War. The Alliance was forced to flee after a significant battle near Yavin, eventually relocating their base to Hoth.
During the New Republic Era, the primary settlement on the moon was Wetyin's Colony, where the Dameron family had established themselves. The Civilian Defense Force was created to protect the moon, because of demilitarization in the New Republic. The Defense Force, together with the New Republic Security Bureau, later had a confrontation with the Spice Runners of Kijimi after their ship crashed on the moon, and they subsequently escaped.
Yavin 4's surface was made up of several continental landmasses, including Starloft and [Wetyin](/article/wetyin]. Massassi Valley, Skygazer Hill, and the Ferra Groves were some of the notable natural features. The lush world had a pleasant, temperate climate, but also a challenging ecosystem and dangerous predators.
The landmasses of the moon were covered in thick jungles and rain forests, with flora like purple-barked Massassi trees, grenade fungi, bioluminescent orchids, and climbing ferns. There were also swampy regions on Yavin 4. However, the moon lacked any noteworthy mineral resources.
Five thousand years prior to the Battle of Yavin, Yavin 4 was inhabited by the ancient warriors known as the Massassi, who erected the Great Temple. It is believed that the Great Temple was constructed around 5000 BBY under the direction of the Sith Lord Naga Sadow. The Massassi revered the tyrant as a god, and the Temple was built to honor Sadow. Archeologists have since suggested that the Great Temple may have functioned as a massive communications device for contacting other Sith Lords throughout the galaxy. The Massassi species, enslaved by the Sith, became extinct millennia before 0 ABY, sometime after completing their temples.
Before the Battle of Coruscant, an archaeological expedition on Yavin 4 unearthed the Great Sith Wars Bas-Relief inside one of the large stone temples constructed by the Massassi.
During the Galactic Civil War, the Alliance to Restore the Republic made use of the temple as a base of operations against the then-dominant Galactic Empire. Operation Fracture was launched from this base, targeting Jedha. Not long after, Alliance snub fighter squadrons were also launched from Yavin 4 with the mission to destroy the Death Star. Following the space battle and the subsequent award ceremony, the rebels evacuated the base to avoid any retaliatory attacks from the Empire.
After the rebels abandoned the temple, a Special Galaxy Reporter was dispatched to Yavin 4 to create a travel advertisement about the ruins. The Empire also occupied the moon after the rebel departure, stationing Imperial walkers and stormtroopers around the former base. While the Empire occupied the area, Doctor Korin Aphra led his daughter, Chelli Lona Aphra, droids 0-0-0 and BT-1, and the Wookiee bounty hunter Krrsantan on a raid at the Great Temple as he searched for the Ordu Aspectu.
On another occasion, a rebel force was sent to the moon to capture leftover data centers from their previous occupation. However, the Empire discovered the plan and sent forces to secure the data for themselves. Leading up to the Battle of Hoth, several battles took place on the moon's surface between Alliance and Imperial forces.
Approximately six months after the Battle of Endor, Shara Bey and Kes Dameron settled on Yavin 4 after leaving the rebellion, planting a twig from a Force-sensitive tree on the moon. During the New Republic Era, the Civilian Defense Force (CDF) was formed to protect the moon after the New Republic's Defense Fleet was reduced, and Bey served as a pilot in the Defense Force.
Poe Dameron, who would later become a Resistance pilot, spent his childhood on Yavin 4. While piloting his mother's starfighter, Poe was shot down by the CDF, resulting in a conflict with his father and close family friend L'ulo L'ampar. Shortly after this incident, Poe ran away to Gully's cantina and joined the Spice Runners of Kijimi, who had crash-landed on the moon. Flying their freighter, the Ragged Claw, Poe assisted the Spice Runners in narrowly escaping the New Republic Security Bureau, who had taken an interest in their activities.
Yavin 4 made its debut in the 1977 film Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, the initial installment of the Star Wars original trilogy.
The real-world inspiration for Yavin 4 comes from the ruins of an ancient Mayan city located at Tikal, Guatemala. The shots showing approaches to Yavin 4 from space are mostly reused or duplicated from the Millennium Falcon's approach in A New Hope, with the only difference being the replacement of the ship.
In the 2016 reference book Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia, Yavin 4 is incorrectly identified as a planet.