Is there a Hell in Star Wars?

[Gorc]

I was re-watching the older movies and ran across a line in Star Wars that struck a, in my opinion, good question. The quote is "Then I'll see you in Hell" -Han Solo before he set off on his tauntaun to find Luke on Hoth. And that's where this question originated from. Can a galaxy far far away have had Christianity? Or at least their own version of Hell like multiple religions and/or mythologies have?

[ChalklYne]

In Rots, Yoda states that Qui Gon has achieved a way to come back from the "netherworld". I'd assume that means there is some form of afterlife. Most of the material I have researched on it speaks speculatively though because Lucas' vision seems to be more of a secular death. My best hypothesis would be that in translation to religious terms, heaven would be becoming one with the force and hell would be ceasing to be eternally, a damnation of null. 

Good question.

[Noodle]

Of course in a galaxy so vast there must be religions with a concept of hell. Though, just like in our universe, there's no evidence of an actual hell existing. In fact, when people die in Star Wars, it seems their essence becomes part of the cosmic force (as seen in the yoda arc in TCW), so it seems hell doesn't exist there. 

[Kualan]

In the old EU, Han's reference to 'hell' was construed as a cultural thing for Corellians - who apparently believed in nine (or maybe seven) layers of hell, IIRC. Don't know if that explanation has been re-canonised.

 

What we do know about the 'afterlife' from canon is that when a living being dies, it is said by the Jedi at least to return as pure energy ("luminous beings are we...") to the 'cosmic Force', as opposed to the 'living Force' which is what folks experience when they are alive. Folks like Qui-Gon and Yoda were able to contact the physical realm after death by mastering the ability to connect these two realms.

[NumberWan]

Actually there is. While the word "Hell" might have come to Star Wars the same way several others made their way into a Galaxy far, far away (e.g. C-3PO uses a line "Die Jedi dogs!" in Episode II), some aspects have an alternative meaning or name.

 

I guess, in case of Han Solo it was a mere expression (interestingly SW has their own insulting phrases like Rebel scum and Sith Spit, as well as Bantha Fodder). However it is true, that various peoples in Star Wars had their own religious concepts, thus the concepts of hell and paradize can exist there too.

 

After KOTOR II was released, Malachor V was the closest thing to a hell, as see by the SW people. It was never treated that way though untill The Clone Wars episode, where colonel Gascon uses an expression, when angered during his mission. In some commentary to the episode, it was (then) stated, that the destruction of Malachor V during the Jedi Civil War was sort of a known legend, which connected the planet's name to the concept of hell.

 

When Episode I came out back in 1999, I felt puzzled, that Anakin Skywalker was familiar with the concept of an angel. It was further developed in The Clone Wars as well. 

[TheWhitePhoenix]

The EU also referred to it as "Chaos". Kinda fitting.

[Corto]

There is a hell and it's called GTK Radiant.

[Ramikad]

There is a hell and it's called GTK Radiant.

 

"I never thought it was a bad little editor. It's not bad at all, really. Maybe it just needs a little love."

[the_raven]

I read on wookieepedia that there is indeed a Hell in the SW universe, at least, according to old canon. If I remember correctly, it was described mainly as an afterlife for Sith spirits or something like that. Either that, or it was like the regular hell.

[Fuse294]

I've read numerous references to 'The Void' over the years in books.

[Mizore]

Though, just like in our universe, there's no evidence of an actual hell existing. In fact, when people die in Star Wars, it seems their essence becomes part of the cosmic force (as seen in the yoda arc in TCW), so it seems hell doesn't exist there. 

 

Without derailing this thread, in our universe there are some near death experiences as evidence of some kind of hell, even if it is not eternal damnation, and then this is in SW:

 

http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Chaos