Rebel Alliance

Updated on Oct 03, 2024

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Universe Star Wars

Type Resistance movement striving to form a republic Founded 2 BBY, with the signing of the Corellian Treaty Defunct 4 ABY, Declaration of the Alliance of Free Planets Fate Reorganized into the New Republic and the Resistance Location Dantooine, Yavin IV, Hoth, various other hidden bases

The Alliance to Restore the Republic (also known as the Rebel Alliance or the Rebellion) is an interstellar revolutionary faction in the fictional universe of Star Wars.

As a direct reaction to the formation of the Galactic Empire, the Alliance insurgency conducted covert operations on Imperial garrison-worlds and guerrilla warfare against the Imperial Fleet throughout the Star Wars galaxy. Their goal was to seize Mon Mothma's forces. The Rebel Alliance was first featured as the main protagonist-faction in the 1977 film Star Wars, The Empire Strikes Back (1980) and Return of the Jedi (1983). The faction's origins were alluded to in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005), and their early activities are featured in the Disney XD television series Star Wars Rebels and the 2016 anthology film Rogue One. With the advent of the First Order decades later, an army backed by the New Republic called the Resistance is formed to counter their progress, including members of the old Alliance among their ranks.

Backstory

The origins of the Alliance to Restore the Republic are told during the events of Revenge of the Sith. It is explained that the Delegation of 2000 is a group of Senators who are disgruntled about the already unjustified extraordinary powers of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, as the Clone Wars were waning. The group included Padmé Amidala, Garm Bel Iblis, Mon Mothma, and Bail Organa, amongst others. Amidala was, at the time, the most famous and prominent of the group, and was thus their spokesperson. She realized that this made her a target and later advised the others to go quiet in their dissent and exclude her from any future proceedings. The young senator died in premature childbirth not long after her last-ditch attempt to prevent Anakin Skywalker's fall.

The TV series Star Wars Rebels, set five years before A New Hope and fourteen years after the fall of the Galactic Republic and the Jedi Order in Revenge of the Sith, begins with the rebellion against the Galactic Empire. The show focuses on a motley group of rebels (all of whom have been affected by the Empire in one form or another) that band together aboard a freighter starship called Ghost. By the end of the first season, it is revealed that there are various cells that are resisting the Empire. Bail Organa and former Jedi Ahsoka Tano both play a role in coordinating them. Near the end of the third season, Alliance founder Mon Mothma calls out to the various Rebel cells to unite into the future Rebel Alliance, and many Rebel ships arrive at a rendezvous point above Dantooine to unite and form the Alliance.

Galactic Civil War

During the events of Rogue One and the original Star Wars, the Alliance learns of the construction of the Death Star, an enormous battle station intended to secure the Empire's power. With the help of the Rogue One squad led by Jyn Erso and Cassian Andor, the Rebels successfully steals the schematics of the station and won its first major battle against the Empire on Scarif. Right after the battle, the Tantive IV, Princess Leia's ship is captured by the Imperial fleet while attempting to deliver them. Princess Leia is held hostage for a time by Darth Vader, but is rescued by Luke Skywalker, Han Solo, Chewbacca, and Obi-Wan Kenobi, who then deliver the station schematics to the Alliance. This leads directly to the Alliance's victory in the Battle of Yavin and the loyalty of Luke Skywalker: the Rebellion's only remaining member with training in the Force.

In The Empire Strikes Back, the Alliance suffers a crushing defeat on Hoth when one of their main command centers, Echo Base, is overrun by the Empire's 501st Legion. The remaining forces of the Rebellion are forced to stay mobile, using Admiral Ackbar's flagship, Home One, as their headquarters.

By Return of the Jedi, the Rebel Alliance has regrouped and learned that a new Death Star is being constructed, and will be completed under Emperor Palpatine's personal supervision. Mon Mothma has Admiral Ackbar and Lando Calrissian command the Alliance fleet and dispatches Han Solo and Princess Leia to disable the station's defenses, while Luke distracts Vader. The Alliance subsequently wins the Battle of Endor, in which Darth Vader, Emperor Palpatine, and much of the Imperial hierarchy are destroyed. Thus, the Empire is essentially defeated, and the Rebellion liberates most of the galaxy.

Legacy

By The Force Awakens, the New Republic has formed from the Rebellion. The Resistance, an army backed up by the New Republic and successor of the Alliance, is formed to stand against the First Order, a new military power formed by remnants from the Old Empire.

Star Wars Legends

According to Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game, the Cantham House Meetings of Coruscant, including the participation of Senators Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, take place with the purpose of discussing the formation of a Galactic Alliance in opposition to Palpatine's Galactic Empire. In addition, the RPG tells that although throughout the galaxy many sectors are already fighting against Imperial interests, resistance is relatively quiet until the incident on the planet Ghorman, which takes place 18 years before the Battle of Yavin. The incident begins when an Imperial military cruiser commanded by Captain Wilhuff Tarkin is blocked by peaceful anti-Empire protesters who refuse to move off the ship's landing pad. With implied permission from the Emperor, Tarkin lands the ship anyway, injuring and killing many, an incident that history would record as the Ghorman Massacre. The myriad of civilizations which are fighting the Empire continue to grow in number and progressively coalesce into a ragtag organization known as the Resistance. They intend upon removing the evil Emperor, but the growing ruthlessness of the Imperial state forces them into secrecy, as they are initially unable to undermine the Empire's regime. The RPG tells that part of the strategy of the Rebel Alliance is the Doctrine of Space Denial, wherein the Rebellion would attack Imperial shipping frigates in hit and run raids, both to disrupt Imperial supplies and operations, and also to loot desperately needed materials. These Rebel starfighters were equipped with hyperdrive capability along prearranged routes which would allow this kind of harassment and escape before the Empire may react.

The video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed presents a differing view of the Alliance's beginnings, hinting that the Emperor actually secretly pushed for its formation. Palpatine clandestinely bids for the creation of another opposing force, intent on starting yet another war in order to consolidate his power with the fledgling Empire, just as he had done earlier with the Confederacy of Independent Systems. The Emperor orders his apprentice Darth Vader to use his own secret apprentice, Galen Marek (called "Starkiller"), as a pawn to gather together the Empire's enemies, manipulating him into believing that the intention is to start a rebellion. Vader quickly realizes that this is obviously a ploy by Palpatine in order to lure any significant rebels into a trap; however, it is unclear whether Vader (or the Emperor) had intended for the Rebellion to survive. At the supposedly secret meeting known as the Corellian Treaty, Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, Garm Bel Iblis, Jedi-General Rahm Kota, and others meet to formally create the Rebellion against the Empire. However, the proceedings are ambushed by Vader under orders from the Emperor, whom had actually secretly orchestrated the Treaty himself in order to gather all the Rebel leaders together and eliminate them. Starkiller, now aligned with the Rebellion after two betrayals by his former master, manages to save the principal founders from the Empire, though at the cost of his own life. Regrouping on Kashyyyk, the Senators formally proclaim an open Declaration of Rebellion, which states the grievances of the Empire against the Alliance to Restore the Republic and concludes with an open threat to depose the Emperor. This marks the formal "founding" of the Rebel Alliance, and Galen Marek's family crest becomes its official symbol. Thus, the Rebel Alliance is effectively founded by Darth Vader himself, and, by extension, Emperor Palpatine, though it is clear neither had imagined that the Alliance would actually ever become a serious threat. The Galactic Civil War consequently ensues, during which the Rebellion confronts the Empire many times throughout the galaxy.

Star Wars: Empire at War depicts various allies contribute secretly to the Alliance, slowly making the united Rebel Force more powerful. The most notable equipment contributions include the defection of the Incom Corporation staff and all relevant material involved in the development of an advanced spacefighter, the X-wing.

Symbol

The symbol of the Alliance is the "Starbird", which in the old canon was the crest of Galen Marek's family. Princess Leia selected it to honor Marek's sacrifice, declaring it a "symbol of hope".

Founders

Senator Mon Mothma – Co-founder; current commander-in-chief

Senator Bail Organa – Co-founder; early constituting member

Deceased during Episode IV: A New Hope, when the Death Star destroys Alderaan.

Senator Padmé Amidala – Co-founder; early constituting member

Deceased during Episode III: Revenge of the Sith, while giving birth to Luke and Leia.

Senior civil government and military high command

Ahsoka Tano – Former Jedi Padawan; covert operations spymaster.

Gial Ackbar – Supreme Commander of the Rebel Alliance Fleet

Crix Madine – Supreme General of the Rebel Alliance Ground Forces

Luke Skywalker – Commander and Jedi Knight; former Commander of Rogue Squadron and former Grand Master of the New Jedi Order

Leia Organa – Senior diplomat of the Alliance and General of the Resistance.

Han Solo – General and former smuggler

Deceased in Episode VII: The Force Awakens, killed by his own son Kylo Ren.

Lando Calrissian – General and former Cloud City administrator

Carlist Rieekan – General and Commander of the Alliance's Echo Base on Hoth

Jan Dodonna – General and Commander of the Alliance base on Yavin IV

Wedge Antilles – Commander of Rogue Squadron and, following Luke Skywalker's resignation, General

Star Wars Legends members

This characters only featured within the non-canonical Expanded Universe / Legends story-line. Additionally from the canon members.

Founders:

Senator Bana Breemu – Co-founder; early constituting member (deceased)

Senator Garm Bel Iblis – Co-founder; financed private army to fight against the Empire; rejoined Alliance during the Thrawn campaign.

Senior civil government and military high command:

Col Serra – Commander of Renegade Squadron

Ylenic It'kla – Commander and Jedi Knight who escaped Order 66, serving as a personal aide to Bail Organa.

Qu Rahn - General and Jedi Master who survived Order 66, mostly due to his connection and training with Yoda.

Rahm Kota - General and former Jedi Master who survived Order 66, thanks to the aid of his own private militia.

Echuu Shen-Jon - General and Jedi Master who survived Order 66, thanks to his exile on Krant.

Talon Karrde – General and former smuggler who aided the New Republic during the Thrawn campaign.

References

Rebel Alliance Wikipedia

(Text) CC BY-SA

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