- "Just relax for a moment. You're free of the carbonite. Shh. You have hibernation sickness."
"I can't see."
"Your eyesight will return in time." - ―Leia Organa and Han Solo
Hibernation sickness was the term given to a collection of temporary side-effects following a being's removal from long-term suspended animation. Hibernation sickness could include temporary stiffness, muscle weakness, numbness, deafness and blindness (or, on the other end of the scale, hypersensitivity), and/or confusion. The symptoms rarely lasted for more than a day, and even more rarely caused death. Han Solo suffered from hibernation sickness after being rescued from carbonite by Leia Organa.
However, beings undergoing short periods of suspended animation could suffer no ill-effects, as evidenced during the Clone Wars when Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker used carbonite freezing to infiltrate Separatist lines.
Appearances
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Shipyards of Doom (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars: The Clone Wars — "The Citadel" (Mentioned only) (As "carbon sickness")
- Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi
- Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi novel (First appearance)
- Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi junior novel
- Star Wars Infinities: Return of the Jedi (Non-canonical appearance)
- Taster's Choice: The Tale of Jabba's Chef (Mentioned only)
- Star Wars Journal: Hero for Hire
- Star Wars 81: Jawas of Doom (Mentioned only)
- The New Rebellion (Mentioned only)
- Legacy of the Force: Revelation
- Fate of the Jedi: Conviction (Mentioned only)
Sources
- A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, Second Edition
- Star Wars Encyclopedia
- The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia
- Xim Week: The Despotica (Part II: The Pirate Prince) on Hyperspace (article) (content removed from StarWars.com and unavailable)