The true name of the rebellion is the Alliance to Restore the Republic. The goal was to not just throw off a government, or to have anarchy, but to restore the Republic that was subverted into an Empire. The diverse groups that joined the Alliance had different ideas, different cultures and different needs. But their many differences are overridden by one goal, the goal to be free of an Empire that would enslave and slaughter all who had even the most polite and respectful request to listen to their needs.
The Forerunners of the Rebel Alliance
A few things clued in Senators like Padme, Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, Garm Bel-Iblis and Fang Zao that the man was not what he had first appeared. The increasing restrictions in the name of safety during the war was a start. The formation of COMNOR focusing on human recruits only. The evidence that Valorum was set up for being discredited was followed by Valorum’s ‘accidental’ death when the transport he was on was destroyed.
The Senators who were growing concerned signed the Petition of 2000, requesting Palpatine roll back some of the restrictions and changes he made to the laws. Some of them met at Bail Organa’s Cantham house residence to discuss things. Then the cautious mention of Rebellion was reluctantly approached. This was awkward, for they were initially unsure where the Jedi stood. But among them was Padmé Amidala, whose secret husband, the Jedi Anakin Skywalker, was ensnared by his close friendship with the man. She refused to be a part of it, while giving tacit consent it must be done.
The Empire’s Atrocities that led to the Rebellion
The danger to the signers of the Petition of 2000 was immediate. They were questioned on their loyalty. Anakin Skywalker turned Darth Vader even suggested to Padmé that he could protect her, but she should distance herself from those colleagues. When Senator Fang Zhar fled Coruscant before questioning, he was struck down by Vader’s lightsaber on Alderaan. Garm Bel-Iblis’s wife believed in the Empire. But when he finally decided to speak out against it, the entire audience killed with his family, was he was talking outside to a messenger.
The Empire started with Order 66 and the murder of the Jedi. While there were already some limitations on non humans, those of the Confederacy of Independent Systems were rounded up and sold into slavery. This includes those who were forced. Utupauans who had asked for help and been held hostage by the one were now arrested by the other. The wookiees were members of the Republic, but enslaved when they dared help Jedi escape.
Bail Organa was in an awkward position, knowing more than the others regarding Palpatine being a Sith and Vader. He didn’t want to risk exposing Leia, his adopted daughter and biological daughter of Padmé and Anakin, if his own life and loyalty was too deeply probed. Besides that, Alderaan was very much a world devoted to peace. But eventually the Ghorman massacre changed his mind.
Peaceful protests increased, and were met with brutal retaliation. The Ghorman Massacre occurred when people peacefully protested taxation. They simply sat on the landing pads, no weapons were involved, no rioting. But Wilhuff Tarkin landed his ship on them. On Sulon, a moon of Sullust, peaceful protestors were killed, 3 families. The rest survived only because they heeded the warnings of Morgan Katarn and fled off world.
The Empire attempted to perform a Base Delta Zero, a total destruction of Nar Shaddaa, vaporizing it to the bedrock. It would’ve destroyed not only every smuggler on the world but many innocents as well.
The Death Star destroyed the Despayre Penal colony where much of its systems were built after it was completed. It then went on to destroy Alderaan.
They were also very capable of using torture and brainwashing to get whatever they wanted. Leia was tortured by Vader. Agents were brainwashed, losing their entire identity to serve the Emperor. They were also known for bio warfare experiments, such as the one that escaped and led to the massacre of many Falleen.
Early Resistance, Prelude to the Rebel Alliance
Almost from the start, resistance sprang up. Some were former members of the Confederacy. Some were surviving Jedi just seeking to survive. But they had a massive disadvantage. They were separated, had limited resources. And when they tried to join forces, security leaks wiped them out. Former Jedi Padawan Ferus Olin attempted to make a safe trail for Jedi to escape along. It was wiped out by the Empire due to a traitor posing as an ally.
Corellian Treaty leads to a formal Rebel Alliance
The Corellian Trilogy was the turning point in a successful Rebellion. Garm Bel Iblis got the resistance groups to come to the table. With a teenaged Leia’s encouragement, Bail Organa finally agreed to help with funding, and Mon Mothma with organizing. Resistance groups all over the galaxy finally overcame their own reluctance, put aside their differences and cracked down on security. The cells were still separate, with only a few knowing how to contact others. But the Alliance now how an overall leadership, that could draw on the power of the individual groups for extreme cases and send help where needed.
Initially, the rebels had few ships, until the Mon Calamari finally got their fleet together and joined. Some of the ships of the rebellion were old and refurbished, no match for the modern Imperial ships. But the more the Empire tightened it’s grip, the more joined them. The entire Income Starfighter development team jumped ship and joined the Rebellion, bringing the plans for the new X-Wing starfighter along with them.
Alderaan’s destruction backfired on the Empire. Worlds could try and be neutral, or even lean toward believing in the Empire. But if they even thought a few rebels were there, who is to say they, too, wouldn’t be wiped out? Alderaan was well known, a core world that had a no weapons policy and believed in peace. Imperials like Crix Madine, Carlist Riekkan and Kyle Katarn switched sides. General Dodonna, who had retired after the Clone Wars, came out of retirement when a Imperial hit squad came after him. The defectors to the Alliance, brought much needed strategies and tactics to the Rebellion. Many of Alderaan’s survivors, flocked to their ranks.
Organization of the Rebel Alliance
The leadership of the rebellion initially seems like the Empire. Mon Mothma was at it’s head, with various councilors and military leaders. Even Princess Leia, while rarely using the title, was given the rank of General. However, the founding stipulated that this would only last until the Emperor was overthrown, and immediately the council would have the right to elect a new leader.
There was some minor discontent over this. Garm Bel-Iblis took his group and left, fearing Mon Mothma would become a tyrant herself once Bail Organa was no longer there as a counterbalance. But ultimately, the original plan of the Rebellion succeeded. By the time the second Death Star was built, the Rebellion had grown from a ragtag group of freedom fighters into a serious force to be reckoned with. With the help of many, including one Jedi, and a tribe of Ewoks, who successfully diverted the Empire from protecting their shield bunker, they succeeded.
The Rebellion Rallying Cry
May the Force Be with You!
The cry was based on the Jedi they remembered as heroes who helped keep the peace in the Old Republic and defended it before its downfall and subversion. Now, the Rebellion had to keep it’s many diverse groups functioning to a common goal without them. But their example inspired their mission.
Reference Sample:
- Republic comic issue 61 (warnings of and death of former Chancellor Valorum)
- Revenge of the Sith (novel) by George Lucas and Matt Stover (Petition of 2000, Cantham House meeting)
- Dark Lord, Rise of Darth vader by James Luceno (enslavement of the Wookiees)
- Dark Times comics (enslavement of the Confederacy aliens and other atrocities)
- The Last of the Jedi series by Jude Watson (Attempt at building a Jedi escape route)
- The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook by West End Games (organization and strategy. Cantham House meetings)
- Han Solo and the Hutt Gambit by A.C. Crispin (attempted genocide of Nar Shaddaa populace)
- Interlude at Darknell by Timothy Zahn and Michael Stackpole (Senator Bel Iblis family is killed)
- The Force Unleashed by Hayden Blackman, game, comic and novel (This has minor conflicts in the timeline, but does show the Corellian Treaty)
- A New Hope by George Lucas movie, novelization ghost written by Alan Dean Foster, radio drama screen play by Brian Daley (movie and novel imply Leia’s torture. Radio drama has more detail)
- Rebel Forces series by Alex Wheeler (it is here Leia is called General.)
- Classic Star Wars comic strips (Admiral Ackbar and the Mon Calamari join the fight)
- Classic Marvel Star Wars 74 – 80 (hunt for a captured rebel)
- Dark Forces Jedi Agent and Jedi Knight game, novella, audio drama (peaceful protestors murdered)
- Return of the Jedi by George Lucas (proof of growth of the Alliance)
