What Is Spice in Star Wars?

Spice is a prominent item throughout the Star Wars franchise, but they aren’t the typical ingredient used in a kitchen. Instead, this additive is smuggled or sought after by criminals around the galaxy. So, what is spice in Star Wars? To answer this question, we’ll need to look at the history of this mysterious element.

What Spice Is in Star Wars

Spice in the Star Wars universe is an illicit substance, otherwise known as a drug. The original trilogy was the first to mention the ingredient when C-3PO worries about “being sent to the Spice Mines of Kessel.” It even makes its live-action debut in the recent episodes of The Book of Boba Fett, where the drug is referred to as a narcotic powder.

There are different versions of the ingredient, including a Sansanna spice that appears in Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The first episode of Season five displays a group of pirates discovering a crate full of pure Sansanna spice. These criminals highly regard the drug and believe it will make them rich.

In the Star Wars novel Thrawn, Imperial Moff Ghadi uses Polstine spice to threaten Arihnda Pryce, as shown here:

Appearance of spice in Thrawn
Source: Del Rey

Possession of this illegal substance can guarantee a life sentence in prison since acquiring it is seen as felonious.

Even if spice is typically tied to deviant types, heroes of Stars Wars have also been linked to this substance. For example, the courageous Han Solo abandons a spice smuggling operation to avoid getting caught, which leads him to owe Credits to Jabba the Hutt. Likewise, Poe Dameron was once a spice runner before joining the New Republic military.

Appearances of spice in the franchise have made it clear that this is an illegal drug. Furthermore, there have been claims that George Lucas has confirmed the element to be a banned substance. Now that you know what spice is in Star Wars, you can look for hints in multiple TV shows, movies, and books. If you want to see more Star Wars content, check out the relevant links below and stay up-to-date on news and guides on Twinfinite.

Featured Image Source: Star Wars Fandom

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