Kalgan Military Power

A pleasure planet that fell to a conqueror who weaponized emotion, with no military force and no resistance.

Before the arrival of the Mule, Kalgan was an independent planet in the Periphery that had come under the control of a warlord. It had risen to prominence under the Galactic Empire as a pleasure planet, with tourism as its main amenity. This changed when the mutant known as the Mule arrived and took the planet with no military force and no resistance from the Kalganians, converting its warlord into his mind-slave.

Quick Facts

Key conflict: Conquest by the Mule

Lore & Background

In the novella "The Mule," the galaxy is depicted as a place where the Galactic Empire has collapsed and the Foundation holds dominance. This conquest was not achieved through traditional warfare but via the Mule's mutant ability to sense and manipulate the emotions of others. He used these psychic powers to "convert" his enemies into loyal followers; Kalgan fell with no resistance from the Kalganians. The Mule employed this method to sow despair on other worlds such as Terminus and Haven.

Reader's Guide

When the Mule arrived there was no military force used and no resistance. The Mule converted key figures like Han Pritcher into loyal agents using his psychic abilities. Following this bloodless conquest, Kalgan became a central part of the Mule's empire. While the Mule was focused on Bail Channis, Second Foundation agents travelled to Kalgan and the Foundation worlds to undo his Conversions; the First Speaker then altered the Mule's mind, and he returned to Kalgan to live out his life as a peaceful despot.