| This is the article on the planet orbiting Hiigara. For the mission that takes place near the moon, see HW2 Campaign: Angel Moon. |
The Angel Moon
The Angel Moon is the single moon of Hiigara. Its exact size is unknown, but a Hiigaran map shown during briefing suggests it is about half the size of Hiigara itself. Its surface is rocky and scarred by craters, and it shows no signs of water or an atmosphere. However, in the Homeworld 2 Era there are artificial-looking structures visible on the moon's surface, suggesting that it was reclaimed since Landfall.
It is mentioned that the Guidestone, which led the Kushan back to their homeworld, is made of minerals from the moon's surface.
During the beginning stages of the Vaygr War, the Mothership Pride of Hiigara jumps into low orbit over the Angel Moon to rendezvous with the Bishop Crew Transports carrying the rest of her crew.
The Angel Moon is represented by the smaller circle above the large circle in the symbol of the Hiigaran empire. It has prominent, feathered angel wings that extend down and envelop the larger circle. The Moon plays an important role in Pre-Exilic Hiigaran history, as it became the hiding place of the Hiigaran's Second Hyperspace Core when the flagship Sajuuk's Wrath was deliberately crashed into it in defiance of the Bentusi order of disarmament. From here, the hyperspace core was secretly collected and taken with the Exiles on the prison ships.
Trivia
The Angel Moon undergoes a most curious change of appearance throughout the series. Initial concept art show it overgrown with huge facilities, and indeed a corresponding model exists in the game files of Homeworld, but in-game a "clean" version with an almost white surface appears in the final mission. In the first mission of Cataclysm, which takes place over Hiigara as well, the moon is still completely rocky, but the craters are much darker than before, giving it an almost charred look. In Homeworld 2, the moon returns to its first concept, with straight lines and what looks like lights scattered across the surface, giving it the appearance of an inhabited stellar body. Alternatively, the patterns on the surface may be intended as the still visible wounds of the flagship Sajuuk's Wrath desperate crash landing in the last days before the exile.
There is no canon explanation given for these changes.
Sources
Angel Moon during Cataclysm Era
Hiigara and Angel Moon map