The Emperor's Observatory on the planet Pillio was one of several observatories maintained by Emperor Palpatine throughout the galaxy, each one being part of his goal to find out what lay beyond the known galaxy. The Pillio observatory contained a number of artifacts from the Emperor's collection.
In 4 ABY, after the Emperor's death, the Emperor's Observatory was discovered by Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker and Imperial Agent Del Meeko of Inferno Squad. Meeko's orders were to destroy the observatory, but Skywalker convinced him not to and to avoid inflicting damage to the planet. Skywalker left the Observatory with a compass, an artifact he sensed was important.
The Emperor's Observatory was a bunker on the planet Pillio. It was one of many observatories that Emperor Palpatine, also the Dark Lord of the Sith, established across the galaxy. Each observatory looked beyond the galactic rim with the intent of finding what laid beyond the known galaxy, and each had a specific purpose. The Pillio observatory contained a number of items the Emperor had collected before his death, such as a compass. The bunker had no locking or unlocking mechanism, and it could only be opened with the Force.
The Pillio observatory also housed a of the Emperor's yacht Imperialis.
During the Clone Wars, while he was still Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, Sheev Palpatine felt the call of unknown space from beyond the galactic rim. He wanted to explore the Unknown Regions and galaxies that laid beyond his own, and even theorized that such unexplored space could be the source of his dark side powers. He built observatories, such as the one on Pillio, as part of that exploration and used this one to store several artifacts.
In 4 ABY, Palpatine—ruler of the Galactic Empire—was killed during the Battle of Endor. After the battle, Inferno Squad member Del Meeko was tasked with leading a contingent of Imperial troopers to Pillio in order to destroy the Observatory. At the same time, Jedi Knight Luke Skywalker also traveled to Pillio. He felt called to Pillio by the Force, and the arrival of Imperial troops confirmed his suspicions that there was something special on the planet.
Luke Skywalker opens the door to the Emperor's Observatory using the Force.
After Skywalker destroyed the Imperial forces he encountered and saved Meeko, who was trapped after an encounter with scritters who lived in Pillio, the two worked together to find the Emperor's Observatory; neither felt the other was truly their enemy. The Jedi opened the door with the Force when they arrived, and Meeko realized that the Emperor—the man who destroyed the Jedi Order—could also use the powers of the Force. Once inside, Meeko felt that none of the items were of any value or worth the Emperor protecting, but Skywalker discovered the Emperor's compass. Meeko allowed him to keep it, and Skywalker convinced Meeko not to destroy the Observatory. The Empire, Skywalker said, had already inflicted enough damage on innocent worlds.
The Emperor's Observatory on Pillio was introduced in a mission during the single player campaign of Star Wars Battlefront II. Observatories and their connection to unknown space were previously introduced in Star Wars: The Aftermath Trilogy.
- Star Wars: The Last Jedi: The Visual Dictionary
- Star Wars 100 Objects
- Star Wars: Timelines
- "After Endor" — Star Wars Insider 222