History Main / OneProductPlanet

** Aargau, first appearing in Marvel Comics' Star Wars series but referenced in other media with inexplicable frequency, was a banking planet- in fact, the entire planet was owned by bank.

* ''Series/BattlestarGalactica2003'' had the Twelve Colonies of Kobol set up as such. Aerilon was the "bread basket" of the colonies. Caprica was the capital and cultural Center. Gemenon is a holy center. Libran is known for its lawyers. Picon has strategic value (the Fleet HQ was located here), and a cultural center since it was used as a [[StargateCity substitute for Caprica in entertainment]]. Scorpia had shipyards, and Tauron was another farm center.

* ''Series/GameOfThrones'': According to Tywin, each of the houses of the Westerlands contributes a unique skill or service to further the whole of the region. House Clegane provides fierce knights, particularly Ser Gregor "The Mountain" and Sandor "The Hound." House Payne provides loyal servants. Finally, House Lefford guards the main mountain pass into the Westerlands, though Tywin muses that because of the Starks' incursions into the region, "perhaps [we] need a new gatekeeper."

* In ''WesternAnimation/ShadowRaiders'' the four planets of the Cluster--Fire, Ice, Rock, and Bone--each have one resource that the others need, although at the start of the series they've been raiding each other for years instead of trading.

** Beowulf in Sigma Draconis is a Science World, noted for being the galaxy wide leader in (ethical) biomedical and genetic research. Given recent developments in the series, it may also become Strategic as well since if also hosts the one end of the Manticore Wormhole.

* Sometimes the specialization is stated more in terms of species than of planets. In Star Guard by Creator/AndreNorton, Earth, a poor backwater latecomer to a galactic civilization, exports soldiers for combat on primitive or more advanced worlds (the military units are referred to as "Archs" and "Mechs" respectively). In Alan Nourse's Star Surgeon, each species has a specialty, and Earth's is medicine; this sets up a story in which the hero is a nonterrestrial doctor who faces prejudice in his attempt to succeed in the Terran-monopolized interstellar medical system.

* MarvelComics:

* An InvokedTrope in Creator/HarryHarrison's ''To The Stars'' trilogy, which has a Big Brother-like Earth lording it over interstellar colonies set up to be totally dependent upon each other. Since each colony requires numerous goods (which they are never allowed to stockpile) each made only on one of the other colonies, it would be impossible for a revolt to succeed unless every colony did so at once. [[TheWarOfEarthlyAggression Which they do.]] Not only are the planets set up this way, but their cultures are also custom-designed to reinforce this setup.

** This might be justified in ''Star Trek'', since replicators can accommodate most of the Federation's needs, there are only a few resources (like Dilithium Crystals) that they need to bother looking for on other worlds.

* ''StarWars'': As with any good space opera, Star Wars provides plenty of examples. Coruscant is a Capital, Bespin and Kessel are Mines, Endor houses a Superweapon, the Death Stars and Starkiller Base ''were'' Superweapons, Geonosis is a Factory world, Tatooine is a minor Underworld, and Yavin and Hoth were strategic locations. Naboo was Blockaded for a while.

* ''Literature/ChildeCycle'': The interstellar economy depends on specialized services, almost to the point of CripplingOverspecialization. Dorsai and the Friendlies provide Military, Ste. Marie focuses on Farming, the Exotics on Health Services, Coby on Mining, Newton and Venus on Science, Ceta on Commercial Services, Cassdia on providing Technical Services as well as mercs. Zombri, otherwise an uninhabited world, is a Strategic location.
** Parodied in "The Didactics of Mystique", a takeoff on ''The Tactics of Mistake''. Interstellar civilization is falling apart because each world offers only one profession, and there are far less inhabited worlds than needed professions.

* ''FadingSuns'': Uses the trope, with many different examples. For instance "Urth" is the Holy center of the Urth Orthodox church while the Imperial Capital of Byzantium Secundus is a Gate nexus.

* ''VideoGame/WingCommander: Privateer'' put the player in the shoes of a freelance ship owner during a peaceful period of the Terran Confederacy's reign. While the most obvious route to take was killing anything that shot at you, it was entirely possible to make a living solely from trading between the planets, each of which had a specialty. Due to this, each planet would produce certain goods cheaper than elsewhere and purchase some goods for more than other planets.

* Sometimes the specialization is stated more in terms of species than of planets. In Star Guard by AndreNorton, Earth, a poor backwater latecomer to a galactic civilization, exports soldiers for combat on primitive or more advanced worlds (the military units are referred to as "Archs" and "Mechs" respectively). In Alan Nourse's Star Surgeon, each species has a specialty, and Earth's is medicine; this sets up a story in which the hero is a nonterrestrial doctor who faces prejudice in his attempt to succeed in the Terran-monopolized interstellar medical system.

** ''Series/StarTrekTheNextGeneration'' shows us the trope in action. In the episode "Symbiosis", one of the two planets of the week produces nothing but a narcotic which the other planet believes is a cure to a virulent plague (whose symptoms just happen to look exactly like withdrawal). Deconstructed -- the providing planet ''used'' to have a broader commercial base (it was the poorer and less developed of the pair, but still a full civilization), but the profits of the drug were tempting enough that gradually other industries fell out of use over the generations until ''both'' sides were effectively addicted -- the buying planet literally, and the selling planet by being dependent on selling the narcotic to keep society running.

** Numerous worlds, such as Naboo, Geonosis or Kamino, were Homewards for various alien species.

** T'au serves as both the Capital of the Tau Empire and the Homeworld of the Tau species. Also within the Tau empire are Pech and Vespid, the Homewards of the Kroot and Vespid species.

* ''LightNovel/CrestOfTheStars'' / ''[[LightNovel/CrestOfTheStars Banner of the Stars]]'': Interstellar travel relies heavily on Gates. During Jinto's and Lafiel's adventures, they visit a Factory asteroid (producing Antimatter), a Strategic planet, help enforce a planetary Blockade, and latter coming across a rather civilized Penal world.

* ''StarWars'': As with any good space opera, Star Wars provides plenty of examples. Coruscant is a Capital, Bespin and Kessel are Mines, Endor houses a Superweapon, the Death Stars and Starkiller Base were Superweapons, Geonosis is a Factory world, Tatooine is a minor Underworld, and Yavin and Hoth were strategic locations. Naboo was Blockaded for a while.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': Many worlds are known for what they produce to feed to the Imperium's war machine, with Forge worlds producing complex technology, Agriworlds producing food for [[CityPlanet Hive worlds]], Hive, Knight, Feral and Death worlds providing different kinds of Military forces, Holy Terra being both a holy Capital of the Imperium and the human Homeworld, and Cadia being a Strategic world. [[CrapsackWorld Needless to say]], most worlds serve as [[ForeverWar settings for War]] at one point or another.

** T'au serves as both the Capital of the Tau Empire and the Homeworld of the Tau species.

* ''StarWars'': As with any good space opera, Star Wars provides plenty of examples. Coruscant is a Capital, Bespin and Kessel are Mines, Endor houses a Superweapon, the First Death Star itself was a Superweapon, Geonosis is a Factory world, Tatooine is a minor Underworld, and Yavin and Hoth were strategic locations. Naboo was Blockaded for a while.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': Many worlds are known for what they produce to feed to the Imperium's war machine, with Forge worlds producing complex technology, Agriworlds producing food for [[CityPlanet Hive worlds]], Hive, Feral and/or Death worlds providing different kinds of Military forces, Holy Terra being both a holy Capital of the Imperium and the human Homeworld, and Cadia being a Strategic world. [[CrapsackWorld Needless to say]], most worlds serve as [[ForeverWar settings for War]] at one point or another.

* ''Literature/TheHitchhikersGuideToTheGalaxy'', to the point that some planets now have commodities growing naturally on them such as a swamp planet with mattresses that get slaughtered and dried to be slept on. Another planet has tools that grow on trees.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': Many worlds are known for what they produce to feed to the Imperium's war machine, with Forge worlds producing complex technology, Agriworlds producing food for [[CityPlanet Hive worlds]], Hive, Feral and/or Death worlds providing Military forces, Holy Terra being both a holy Capital of the Imperium and the human Homeworld, and Cadia being a Strategic world.

[[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt Had seen better days]], and is now waning. They may have been over exploited and depleted of primary resources or undergoing a natural calamity. To escape their fate, refugees will flee to the stars. These planets tend to collect garbage, [[ScavengerWorld both physical artifacts and the seedier elements of society]]. If anything of worth remains, it's related to the planet's primary export.

Location takes no sides in a conflict, either [[TheNeutralZone forbidding]] sides from entering with force or acting as a [[TruceZone third-party mediator]]. Generally worlds or stations that have little interest in fighting, but plenty of services to offer (shipyards, underworlds, pleasure planets, etc.). Often well prepared to make sure they maintain their neutrality.

The local political situation is bad, and society is barely holding together. Order can fall apart at a moment's notice. Merchants and travelers will avoid going there if they can help it. It results in less trade, and could lose it's status as a trade or culture hub. If it's really bad, it may become a War zone or worse.

Location is the center of an armed conflict, with Military ships and troops fighting each other. Mercenaries and arms dealers would be attracted to this place. Lost of life and destruction of infrastructure will negatively impact its value. Refugees from this world would be common. If this status lasts long enough, a planet may become Dying as well.

*''Film/{{Avatar}}'': An example of interstellar commerce with STL craft. Pandora is mostly valued for its Phlebotinum Monopoly, though having a Exotic Alien society and ecosystem.
* ''StarWars'': As with any good space opera, Star Wars provides plenty of examples. Coruscant is a Capital, Bespin and Kessel are Mines, Endor houses a Superweapon, the First Death Star itself was a Superweapon, Genosis is a Factory world, Tatooine is a minor Underworld, and Yavin and Hoth were strategic locations. Naboo was Blockaded for a while.

* ''TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}'': Many worlds are known for what it produces to the Imperium's war machine: Forge worlds producing high technology, Agri worlds producing food for [[CityPlanet Hive worlds]], Feral or Death worlds providing Military forces, Holy Terra as a Holy Capital, and Cadia as a strategic world.
** Hive worlds supposedly produce a lot of different products, but they're best known as a source of CannonFodder for the Imperial Guard.

* In ''WesternAnimation/ShadowRaiders'' the four planets of the Cluster, Fire, Ice, Rock, and Bone, each have one resource that the others need. Though, at the start of the series they've been raiding each other for years instead of trading.

Center of mass production. Presented as [[NightmarishFactory industrial nightmares]], with [[PollutedWasteland polluted skies]] and [[MegaCity large]] [[IndustrialGhetto crowded cities]]. Its products can include technology, but it's often less than state-of-the-art. Focused on [[TheEngineer production/engineering]] than research. Often ruled by tyrants or a [[OneNationUnderCopyright corporatocracy]].

Center of mass production. Presented as [[NightmarishFactory industrial nightmares]], with [[PollutedWasteland polluted skies]] and [[MegaCity large]] [[IndustrialGhetto crowded cities]] Its products can include technology, but often less state-of-the-art. Focused on [[TheEngineer production/engineering]] than research. Often ruled by tyrants or a [[OneNationUnderCopyright corporatocracy]].

* ''MobileSuitGundamSEED'': ZAFT's colonies were arranged in this manner, with one group focusing on Farming, another on Information Science, another on Chemistry, and so on.

* Spoofed in ''StingraySam'' with Durango, a Planet of Rocket Builders which after an economic slump turns into a Planet of Criminals and then a Planet of Prison Factories (in which they build rockets).

* ''ChildeCycle'': The interstellar economy depends on specialized services, almost to the point of CripplingOverspecialization. Dorsai and the Friendlies provide Military, Ste. Marie focuses on Farming, the Exotics on Health Services, Coby on Mining, Newton and Venus on Science, Ceta on Commercial Services, Cassdia on providing Technical Services as well as mercs. Zombri, otherwise an uninhabited world, is a Strategic location.

* ''CoDominium'': Alderson Points serve as Gates. During the [=CoDO=] era, most worlds were used as Mines, Drug Farms, and Penal Colonies. Many industrialized worlds hired out Military forces as mercs. Latter, more examples, such as Pleasure and Alien worlds begin to appear.

* ''{{Foundation}}'': Trantor is the Capital, Terminus serves as Science/Library as well as another Capital. Many other planets are Developing/Strategic due to their location and influence, as well as Mines. Pleasure and Farm worlds are also mentioned.

* ''GauntsGhosts'': The forest planet Tanith was, when it still existed, a major exporter of high-quality wood.

* Mostly averted in the ''VideoGame/{{X}}-Universe'' games, but some sectors specialize in only a few types of goods. Asteroid Belt in ''Terran Conflict'' mostly produces different types of minerals from the asteroid mines, for example.