I'vorcia Prime

"Welcome to I'vorcia Prime, Han Solo."

―Ooris^[3]

I'vorcia Prime was a planet in the I'vorcia Prime system of the Outer Rim Territories' Mieru'kar sector that was home to various exotic creatures, including sarlaccs. During the reign of the Galactic Empire, much of its ecosystem was damaged during the Battle of I'vorcia Prime, and what was left was kept as a nature preserve, while a quarantine blockade was set up above the planet.

Around 5 BBY, the smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca were paid by the collector Dok-Ondar to acquire baby sarlaccs from Doctor Genzhor on I'vorcia Prime. However, Solo was betrayed by Genzhor's assistant, Ooris, who attempted to steal Solo's starship, the Millennium Falcon, to escape I'vorcia Prime with frozen sarlacc spores. The smugglers managed to stop Ooris and left I'vorcia Prime with one juvenile sarlacc, taking it back to Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities on Batuu.

Description

"Just keep your eyes peeled. A lot of predators on this planet."

―Han Solo, to Chewbacca^[3]

I'vorcia Prime was a terrestrial planet^[3] in the Mieru'kar sector's I'vorcia Prime system within the Outer Rim Territories^[1] and the New Territories,^[2] located in grid square O-4 of the Standard Galactic Grid.^[1] It was home to a rich ecosystem that housed many species not found anywhere else in the Outer Rim. The world was also home to a population of deadly sarlaccs. The planet appeared a green-blue color from space and had forests, rivers, and cliffs on its surface. Giant arches covered in vegetation also stretched across the planet's cliffs and jungles.^[3] I'vorcia Prime had a breathable, Type I atmosphere.^[4]

History

Battle of I'vorcia Prime and aftermath

"What happened to this place?"
"The Empire happened. The Battle of I'vorcia Prime. Destroyed much of a rich ecosystem that's home to species not found anywhere else in the Rim."

―Han Solo and Ooris^[3]

During the reign of the Galactic Empire, much of the planet's ecosystem was damaged during the Battle of I'vorcia Prime. What was left of the planet was kept as a nature preserve, used by Imperial officers to hunt the native exotic predators, and a quarantine blockade was set up around the world. Sometime later, the preserve became home to a scientific research outpost under Doctor Genzhor, the leading expert on sarlaccs in the galaxy, until he was betrayed by his assistant, Ooris, and died.^[3]

Around 5 BBY,^[5] the shopkeeper Dok-Ondar on the planet Batuu hired smugglers Han Solo and Chewbacca to visit Genzhor and acquire several infant sarlaccs for his collection. The duo reached the surface of I'vorcia Prime in the starship Millennium Falcon using clearance codes given to them by their Ithorian employer, allowing them to pass through the blockade. Upon arriving, the smugglers were greeted by Ooris, who was accompanied by a member of a team of Dowutins that was working alongside the former assistant.^[3]

Betrayal at Genzhor's

"Aren't they beautiful?"
"I'm not…really seeing the appeal right now."
"Then why don't you get a closer look?"

―Ooris turns on Han Solo^[3]

Ooris led Solo and Chewbacca to the research base and betrayed them, pushing Solo into a pit occupied by two adolescent and two infant sarlaccs. Ooris's Dowutin partner also fell into the pit after being shot at by Solo and was eaten by a baby sarlacc. A second Dowutin attacked Chewbacca with a stun stick. As the Wookiee smuggler fought off his attacker, Solo discovered the skeletal remains of Genzhor, took the late doctor's stun stick, and used it to defend himself against the sarlaccs. Chewbacca thwarted his attacker, tossing him into the mouth of a larger sarlacc, and shot a third Dowutin with his bowcaster.^[3]

Solo and Chewbacca escape I'vorcia Prime with their prize.

During all the action, Ooris had left to commandeer the Millennium Falcon for his escape off-planet, hoping the frozen sarlacc spores he carried would make him wealthy. However, his plan was foiled by Chewbacca, who took back the light freighter, saving Solo from the edge of a cliff and using Ooris as bait to catch one of the infant sarlaccs. The two smugglers then returned to Black Spire Outpost on Batuu and delivered the sarlacc to Dok-Ondar in his store, Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities. The shop's proprietor later told the story of how he acquired the creature to the Kendoh Gang as it attempted to broker a deal with the merchant.^[3]

Following the death of the clone of Darth Sidious in 35 ABY,^[6] the creature enthusiast Ardis San Tekka mentioned I'vorcia Prime in an entry on sarlaccs in her journal, which detailed her and her droid companion B8-T5's adventures seeing non-sentient creatures throughout the galaxy.^[7]

Locations

"But they still found use for it as a nature preserve. Imperial officers come here to hunt some of those exotic animals."

―Ooris^[3]

After the Battle of I'vorcia Prime, the planet hosted a nature preserve used by Imperial officers looking to hunt dangerous predators. The preserve itself became the home of Doctor Genzhor's research outpost.^[3] I'vorcia Prime was listed in the 907th issue of the Xenobotanical Journal of the University of Coruscant as a planet where sarlaccs resided, an excerpt of which was published in the botanical guide "The One With the Green Thumb."^[8]

Behind the scenes

I'vorcia Prime first appeared in a flashback scene of the Marvel comic Galaxy's Edge 1, written by Ethan Sacks, illustrated by Will Sliney,^[3] and published on April 24, 2019.^[9] The comic tells the background story behind the animatronic sarlacc prop in the Dok-Ondar's Den of Antiquities retail location in the Disney Parks themed land Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge.^[10]