Mos Espa

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Mos Espa was a spaceport settlement located on the desert world of Tatooine. The settlement included a number of commercial and workspace settings, as well as entertainment establishments such as the Mos Espa Grand Arena. During the Invasion of Naboo, Mos Espa was also home to a number of slaves, including Anakin Skywalker and his mother, Shmi.

Description[]

One of the few port cities on the Outer Rim planet of Tatooine, Mos Espa was filled with dwellings, workplaces, and commercial operations of many kinds, along with entertainment venues, some of which were grandiose in size.^[7] The crime lord Jabba Desilijic Tiure maintained a casino in Mos Espa.^[4] The Mos Espa Grand Arena, home to the Boonta Eve Classic podrace,^[2] could seat an audience numbering almost as many as the city's entire population. Because the Hutts controlled Mos Espa and found the institution of slavery to be very useful, slaves were often traded within the city.^[7] One such slave trader was the Toydarian Watto, who owned a parts store within the city.^[2] The city center was located in a crater.^[10]

History[]

Republic Era[]

The Boonta Eve Classic about to begin in the Mos Espa Grand Arena

Ten years before the outbreak of the Clone Wars between the Galactic Republic and the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Mos Espa was visited by Queen Amidala of Naboo, the Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn, the Gungan Jar Jar Binks, and the astromech droid R2-D2, as their ship was in dire need of hyperdrive repairs. The party stopped by Watto's part store, where they met the young slave Anakin Skywalker. Unable to acquire the parts they needed, the group headed out, but due to a sandstorm, Skywalker took them back to his house. There they met Anakin's mother Shmi Skywalker. After a secret blood test, Jinn realized Anakin's midi-chlorian count was the highest of any Jedi, and he thus began to believe Anakin was the Chosen One, the one prophesied to destroy the Sith and bring balance to the Force.^[2]

Because of Anakin's access to the Force, Jinn attempted to free the boy from Watto by way of gambling on a podrace. The two agreed that, if Anakin won the race, Watto would hand over the parts needed for the hyperdrive and free Anakin. If Anakin were to lose, Jinn would have to give the entire ship over to Watto. Anakin went on to win the race, ensuring his freedom and acquiring the parts needed to fix the hyperdrive. He then left his mother to begin training as a member of the Jedi Order.^[2]

Just prior to the outbreak of the Clone Wars, Skywalker returned to Mos Espa in search of his mother, who had been the subject of numerous nightmares that had been keeping the Jedi from sleeping. Watto informed Skywalker that he had sold Shmi, and that her new owner Cliegg Lars had freed her and married her. Skywalker departed to find his mother after Watto showed him the location of the Lars moisture farm on his map.^[11]

Imperial and New Republic Eras[]

MosEspaSpaceport-BoBFCh7 — Mos Espa spaceport around 9 ABY.

At one time, the businesswoman Laizhu Bedenn maintained a modest diner in Mos Espa that provided good food at reasonable prices. She became a role model and someone to go to for advice. However, after managing to keep up with the tribute payments Jabba the Hutt demanded of her, a sudden spike in requested payment born out of Jabba's greed proved to be too much. With Bedenn unable to pay, the angered Jabba forced her to work in the kitchens of his palace, where the only person who looked up to her was the young waitress Valnir Nai. Shortly before Jabba's death, both managed to escape the palace on a stolen speeder.^[5]

Around 9 ABY,^[12] the Ithorian Mok Shaiz was mayor of Mos Espa and its surrounding plateaus. He sent his majordomo to receive tribute from the new Daimyo Boba Fett, who had taken over Jabba's criminal empire to create his own. When the former bounty hunter refused to pay this tribute, the Majordomo told the crime lord that he should expect a second delegation from the mayor sometime in the future.^[1]