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The Galactic Empire, also known simply as the Empire, is a fictional
autocracy Autocracy is a form of government in which absolute power is held by the head of state and Head of government, government, known as an autocrat. It includes some forms of monarchy and all forms of dictatorship, while it is contrasted with demo ...
featured in the ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
'' franchise. Introduced in the 1977 film ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera media franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and Cultural impact of Star Wars, quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop cu ...
,'' it is the main antagonistic faction of the original trilogy, which also includes ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'' (1980) and ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas. The sequel to '' The Empire ...
'' (1983). An oppressive
dictatorship A dictatorship is an autocratic form of government which is characterized by a leader, or a group of leaders, who hold governmental powers with few to no Limited government, limitations. Politics in a dictatorship are controlled by a dictator, ...
with a complicated
bureaucracy Bureaucracy ( ) is a system of organization where laws or regulatory authority are implemented by civil servants or non-elected officials (most of the time). Historically, a bureaucracy was a government administration managed by departments ...
, the Galactic Empire seeks the rule and
social control Social control is the regulations, sanctions, mechanisms, and systems that restrict the behaviour of individuals in accordance with social norms and orders. Through both informal and formal means, individuals and groups exercise social con ...
of every planet and
civilization A civilization (also spelled civilisation in British English) is any complex society characterized by the development of state (polity), the state, social stratification, urban area, urbanization, and symbolic systems of communication beyon ...
within the
galaxy A galaxy is a Physical system, system of stars, stellar remnants, interstellar medium, interstellar gas, cosmic dust, dust, and dark matter bound together by gravity. The word is derived from the Ancient Greek, Greek ' (), literally 'milky', ...
, based on
anthropocentrism Anthropocentrism ( ) is the belief that human beings are the central or most important entity on the planet. The term can be used interchangeably with humanocentrism, and some refer to the concept as human supremacy or human exceptionalism. From a ...
,
nationalisation Nationalization (nationalisation in British English) is the process of transforming privately owned assets into public assets by bringing them under the public ownership of a national government or state. Nationalization contrasts with priv ...
,
state terrorism State terrorism is terrorism conducted by a state against its own citizens or another state's citizens. It contrasts with '' state-sponsored terrorism'', in which a violent non-state actor conducts an act of terror under sponsorship of a state. ...
,
power projection Power projection (or force projection or strength projection) in international relations is the capacity of a state to deploy and sustain forces outside its territory. The ability of a state to project its power into an area may serve as an eff ...
, and threat of lethal force. The Galactic Empire's rise was not a violent takeover by force, but rather a calculated ''
gleichschaltung The Nazi term (), meaning "synchronization" or "coordination", was the process of Nazification by which Adolf Hitler—leader of the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, Germany—established a system of totalitarian control and coordination over all ...
''-like dismantling of the galaxy's most powerful institutions by rewriting constitutional foundations, controlling the Jedi Council, weakening the Senate and the appointment of loyal Governors. At its peak, the Galactic Empire sprawls over much of the known ''Star Wars'' galaxy, which consists of millions of habitable star systems and billions more fringe
colonies A colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule, which rules the territory and its indigenous peoples separated from the foreign rulers, the colonizer, and their '' metropole'' (or "mother country"). This separated rule was often or ...
,
shipyard A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are shipbuilding, built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Compared to shipyards, which are sometimes m ...
s,
fortress A fortification (also called a fort, fortress, fastness, or stronghold) is a military construction designed for the defense of territories in warfare, and is used to establish rule in a region during peacetime. The term is derived from L ...
worlds, and outer territories. The Empire's origins are depicted in the prequel film ''
Revenge of the Sith Revenge is defined as committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Vengeful forms of justice, such as primitive justice or retributive justice, are often differentiated from more fo ...
'' (2005), where it replaces the
Galactic Republic The Galactic Republic, commonly known as The Republic, is a fictional political entity in the ''Star Wars'' universe that predates the formation of the Galactic Empire. It is prominently featured in the prequel trilogy of ''Star Wars'' fil ...
at the end of the Clone Wars orchestrated by the Republic's Supreme Chancellor,
Palpatine Sheev Palpatine ( ) is the main antagonist of the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He first appeared in the 1980 film ''The Empire Strikes Back'' as . He is also known by his Sith name, Darth Sidious, which was first used in the novelization of the 199 ...
. Palpatine is also secretly the
Sith The Sith are the main antagonists in the fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise. They are the antithesis and ancient enemies of the Jedi. The Sith Order is depicted as an ancient cult of warriors who draw strength from the dark sid ...
Lord Darth Sidious, who masterminds the war to destroy the
Jedi Jedi (), Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are fictional characters, and often protagonists, featured in many works within the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order is depic ...
and restore the Sith to power. Palpatine falsely accuses the Jedi of causing the
secessionist Secession is the formal withdrawal of a group from a Polity, political entity. The process begins once a group proclaims an act of secession (such as a declaration of independence). A secession attempt might be violent or peaceful, but the goal i ...
Clone Wars to weaken the Republic and gain political power. He manipulates the Galactic Senate into using clone troopers created during the conflict to purge the Jedi. After engineering these threats, Palpatine reorganizes the Republic into a state meant to "ensure the security and continuing stability, and a safe and secure society": the Galactic Empire, with himself as Emperor ''ad infinitum''. The Senate overwhelmingly supports this decision and lauds his apparent resolve, bravery, and selflessness. With Emperor Palpatine keeping mostly to the shadows, his Sith apprentice, commander-in-chief
Darth Vader Darth Vader () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was first introduced in the original film trilogy as the primary antagonist and one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire. He has become one of the most iconic villain ...
maintains a more public presence and leads the Imperial forces, acting as a
national personification A national personification is an anthropomorphic personification of a state or the people(s) it inhabits. It may appear in political cartoons and propaganda. In the first personifications in the Western World, warrior deities or figures symboliz ...
of the Galactic Empire's power. By the time of ''Episode IV – A New Hope'', the faction has transformed into a fully
autocratic Autocracy is a form of government in which absolute power is held by the head of state and Head of government, government, known as an autocrat. It includes some forms of monarchy and all forms of dictatorship, while it is contrasted with demo ...
regime, though it is opposed by the insurgent Alliance to Restore the Republic. The completion of the
Death Star The Death Star is a fictional space station and superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire, the Death Star is capable of obliterating entire planets, and serves to enforce ...
, a planet-destroying battle station, allows Emperor Palpatine to instigate a
self-coup A self-coup, also called an autocoup () or coup from the top, is a form of coup d'état in which a political leader, having come to power through legal means, stays in power illegally through the actions of themselves or their supporters. The le ...
, dissolving the Imperial Senate and transferring power to ''
Praetor ''Praetor'' ( , ), also ''pretor'', was the title granted by the government of ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected ''magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to disch ...
''-officers called Imperial Moffs, such as
Grand Moff Tarkin Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the original 1977 ''Star Wars'' film as one of the two main antagonists, alongside Darth Vader, and the commander of the Death Star, a gigan ...
. The Galactic Empire collapses after the events of ''Return of the Jedi.'' Its remnants form the
First Order In mathematics and other formal sciences, first-order or first order most often means either: * "linear" (a polynomial of degree at most one), as in first-order approximation and other calculus uses, where it is contrasted with "polynomials of high ...
in the sequel trilogy, set 30 years later.


Appearances in chronological order

*'' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' (2005) *'' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008–2020) (Briefly) *'' Star Wars: The Bad Batch'' (2021–2024) *'' Tales of the Empire'' (2024) *'' Solo: A Star Wars Story'' (2018) *''
Obi-Wan Kenobi Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi () is a character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. In the original film trilogy, he is a Jedi Master who trains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force. In the prequel trilogy, he mentors Luke's father, Anakin Skywalke ...
'' (2022) *'' Andor'' (2022–2025) *''
Star Wars Rebels ''Star Wars Rebels'' is an American 3D animated science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation and set in the ''Star Wars'' universe. It takes place 14 years after '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' (2005 ...
'' (2014–2018) *'' ''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'''' (2016) *'' Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope'' (1977) (First appearance) *'' Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) *'' Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' (1983) *''
The Mandalorian ''The Mandalorian'' is an American space Western television series created by Jon Favreau for the streaming service Disney+. It is the first live-action series in the ''Star Wars'' franchise and begins five years after the events of the fil ...
'' (2019–2023) (Remnants) *'' Ahsoka'' (2023) (Mentioned only) *''
Star Wars Resistance ''Star Wars Resistance'' is an American 3D animated comic science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation. It follows Kazuda Xiono, a New Republic pilot who is recruited by the Resistance to spy on the growing threat of ...
'' (2018–2020) (Mentioned only) *'' Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens'' (2015) (Mentioned only) *'' Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi'' (2017) (Mentioned only) *'' Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker'' (2019) (Mentioned only)


Themes

''Star Wars'' creator
George Lucas George Walton Lucas Jr. (born May 14, 1944) is an American filmmaker and philanthropist. He created the ''Star Wars'' and ''Indiana Jones'' franchises and founded Lucasfilm, LucasArts, Industrial Light & Magic and THX. He served as chairman ...
sought to make the First Galactic Empire aesthetically and thematically similar to
Nazi Germany Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German Reich, German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a Totalit ...
and to appear to be
fascist Fascism ( ) is a far-right, authoritarian, and ultranationalist political ideology and movement. It is characterized by a dictatorial leader, centralized autocracy, militarism, forcible suppression of opposition, belief in a natural soci ...
. Similar to Nazi Germany, the Galactic Empire is a dictatorship based on rigid control of society that dissolved a previous democracy and is led by an all-powerful supreme ruler.Henderson (1997), p. 146 The Empire, like the Nazis, desires the creation of
totalitarian Totalitarianism is a political system and a form of government that prohibits opposition from political parties, disregards and outlaws the political claims of individual and group opposition to the state, and completely controls the public sph ...
orderHenderson (1997), p. 153 and utilizes
excessive force Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, but is not limited to, ...
and violence to achieve their ends. The title of the Empire's main soldiers, the stormtroopers, is somewhat similar to the name given to
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
's (SA, "storm department")
paramilitary A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934. Overview Though a paramilitary is, by definiti ...
bodyguards. The visual appearance of
Darth Vader Darth Vader () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was first introduced in the original film trilogy as the primary antagonist and one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire. He has become one of the most iconic villain ...
in his all-black uniform combined with his fanatical obedience to Palpatine has allusion to the black-uniformed Nazi (SS). According to a Lucasfilm-authorized source, Darth Vader's relationship with Palpatine is akin to SS leader
Heinrich Himmler Heinrich Luitpold Himmler (; 7 October 1900 – 23 May 1945) was a German Nazism, Nazi politician and military leader who was the 4th of the (Protection Squadron; SS), a leading member of the Nazi Party, and one of the most powerful p ...
's relationship with Hitler. The uniforms of Imperial military officers also bear resemblance to uniforms used in Nazi Germany, as well as 19th century Polish '' ulans'' (mounted lancers)—who wore tunics, riding breeches, and boots like the Empire's officers wear—as well as the Imperial officers' cap resembling the field caps historically worn by German and Austrian troops. In addition to Nazi Germany, there was also at least one portion of the Galactic Empire that was based on the
Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...
, which is the various military personnel and
TIE Fighter The TIE fighter or Twin Ion Engine fighter is a series of fictional Starfighter (science fiction), starfighters featured in the ''Star Wars'' Universe of Star Wars, universe. TIE fighters are depicted as fast, agile, yet fragile starfighters p ...
s that are flying in formation as Palpatine arrives on the second Death Star in ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand from a screenplay by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas. The sequel to '' The Empire ...
''. According to Lucas, the ceremony for the Emperor's arrival was inspired by October Revolution Day military parades in the Soviet Union. Lucas has also indicated that the Galactic Empire's struggle against a smaller guerrilla force was inspired by the United States' involvement in the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
and his surprise at how relatively few people spoke up against the war. Palpatine's rise to power has been related to political strongmen such as
Augustus Caesar Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus (born Gaius Octavius; 23 September 63 BC – 19 August AD 14), also known as Octavian (), was the founder of the Roman Empire, who reigned as the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in A ...
,
Napoleon Bonaparte Napoleon Bonaparte (born Napoleone di Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French general and statesman who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led Military career ...
, and
Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (20 April 1889 – 30 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was the dictator of Nazi Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his suicide in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the lea ...
. Palpatine's consolidation of power and declaring himself emperor is like the Roman political figure Augustus Caesar, in that Augustus manipulated the Roman Senate as Palpatine did with the Galactic Senate; he legitimized authoritarian rule by saying that corruption in the Senate was hampering the powers of the head of state; he pressured the Roman Senate to give him extraordinary powers as Consul of the Republic to deal with a crisis and he falsely claimed that he would rescind those powers once the crisis was over; and, as with the transition of the
Roman Republic The Roman Republic ( ) was the era of Ancient Rome, classical Roman civilisation beginning with Overthrow of the Roman monarchy, the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom (traditionally dated to 509 BC) and ending in 27 BC with the establis ...
into the
Roman Empire The Roman Empire ruled the Mediterranean and much of Europe, Western Asia and North Africa. The Roman people, Romans conquered most of this during the Roman Republic, Republic, and it was ruled by emperors following Octavian's assumption of ...
, Augustus, like Palpatine, relied on his strong control over military force. Many Imperial officers speak with the
Received Pronunciation Received Pronunciation (RP) is the Accent (sociolinguistics), accent of British English regarded as the Standard language, standard one, carrying the highest Prestige (sociolinguistics), social prestige, since as late as the beginning of the 2 ...
accent (known in-universe as
Coruscant Coruscant () is an ecumenopolis planet in the fictional universe of ''Star Wars.'' It was first described in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel '' Heir to the Empire.'' The planet made its first on-screen appearance in a scene added to '' Return of t ...
i), and Irvin Kershner "deliberately cast British actors as the high-rank imperials for ''The Empire Strikes Back'' to mirror the composition of the
American revolution The American Revolution (1765–1783) was a colonial rebellion and war of independence in which the Thirteen Colonies broke from British America, British rule to form the United States of America. The revolution culminated in the American ...
, with the rebels mostly Americans".


Depiction


Origins

Note: All dates in this article are in the BBY/ABY format. This is a fictional in-universe dating system centred on the Battle of Yavin in ''Episode IV: A New Hope'' in which the first Death Star is destroyed. BBY is Before the Battle of Yavin; ABY is After the Battle of Yavin.


The Twilight of the High Republic

The Galactic Empire is born out of the declining High Republic; the rise of the empire wasn't sudden but instead unfolded gradually, step by step with one power grab after the next. However, its seeds of
decadence Decadence was a late-19th-century movement emphasizing the need for sensationalism, egocentricity, and bizarre, artificial, perverse, and exotic sensations and experiences. By extension, it may refer to a decline in art, literature, science, ...
are planted and nurtured by the Sith over a period of centuries, that bore fruit during the Clone Wars, the epic war between the Republic and the separatist Confederacy of Independent Systems (CIS) depicted in '' Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' and '' Episode III: Revenge of the Sith''. The Jedi Council, sitting atop Coruscant in their ivory tower, pride themselves in having permanently eradicated the Sith-menace, and are romanticized as guardians that ushered an unprecedented 1000-year era of peace and justice, yet beneath their solemn chants and stoic meditation lies arrogance masked as wisdom, complacency mistaken for serenity. Palpatine's ascension came with the final layer of poison instilled into a governmental system on the brink of collapse. Because of the hubristic Jedi, the corrupt senate and a civil war, Palpatine was seen by many as a savior and is easily able to take near-complete control of the Republic. In '' Episode I: The Phantom Menace'', amid a trade dispute and invasion of his homeworld of
Naboo The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Di ...
, Senator Palpatine convinces Queen Padmé Amidala to call for a
vote of no confidence A motion or vote of no confidence (or the inverse, a motion or vote of confidence) is a motion and corresponding vote thereon in a deliberative assembly (usually a legislative body) as to whether an officer (typically an executive) is deemed fi ...
in Supreme Chancellor of the Republic Finis Valorum. Palpatine is elected Supreme Chancellor in Valorum's place. For the Jedi, clairvoyant beings who sat calmly as corruption festered in the heart of the Republic, Chancellor Palpatine, a ''Sith Lord'', the greatest galactic threat the Jedi swore to oppose, rose right under their noses.


The Clone Wars

As the Separatists Crisis fighting intensifies in ''Episode II'', the Galactic Senate, the
legislature A legislature (, ) is a deliberative assembly with the legal authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country, nation or city on behalf of the people therein. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial power ...
of the Republic, grants Palpatine
emergency powers A state of emergency is a situation in which a government is empowered to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. A government can declare such a state before, during, o ...
to deal with the crisis. Palpatine promises safety at the cost of individual freedoms, all while tightening his own control over every facet of society; he promises to relinquish his powers once peace and order is restored. His first executive order creates a massive army of clone troopers. His second executive order conscripts the Jedi as commissioned officers of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) armed forces; by seizing influence over the Jedi Council, Palpatine indirectly takes command of the GAR. His third executive order nationalizes the military-industrial and financial sectors to finance the war effort. He intentionally prolongs and exploits the Clone Wars to amass unprecedented political power, using his apprentice Darth Tyranus, Head of State of the Confederacy of Independent Systems, as a pawn to keep everyone distracted and focused on ending the war. By the time of ''Episode III'', he is effectively a
dictator A dictator is a political leader who possesses absolute Power (social and political), power. A dictatorship is a state ruled by one dictator or by a polity. The word originated as the title of a Roman dictator elected by the Roman Senate to r ...
who overstayed his term limits; he exploits the people's fears, systematically rewrites constitutional laws and crushes the institutions that threaten his goals. He orchestrates his own kidnapping by the Separatists by leaking classified information, and thereby bringing the war to the capital,
Coruscant Coruscant () is an ecumenopolis planet in the fictional universe of ''Star Wars.'' It was first described in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel '' Heir to the Empire.'' The planet made its first on-screen appearance in a scene added to '' Return of t ...
, to further spread terror. The
Jedi Jedi (), Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are fictional characters, and often protagonists, featured in many works within the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Galactic Republic, the Jedi Order is depic ...
are overstretched across the galaxy trying the end the war; they distrust Palpatine's motives, fearing he has come under the influence of a Dark Lord of the Sith named Darth Sidious. Their concerns are shared by more than 2,000 loyalist, pro-democracy senators who suspect Palpatine may not return his emergency powers once the war ends. These senators set into motion plans that will eventually lead to the creation of the Rebellion. The film reveals that Palpatine and Sidious are one and the same, and Palpatine engineered the conflicts as a
false flag A false flag operation is an act committed with the intent of disguising the actual source of responsibility and pinning blame on another party. The term "false flag" originated in the 16th century as an expression meaning an intentional misrep ...
.


The Purge

Palpatine reveals himself as a Sith Lord to Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, promising to save Padmé, Skywalker's secret wife, from dying in childbirth as Anakin has foreseen. Skywalker reports Palpatine's true identity to the Jedi Council; confirming their worst-case scenario and triggering a
constitutional crisis In political science, a constitutional crisis is a problem or conflict in the function of a government that the constitution, political constitution or other fundamental governing law is perceived to be unable to resolve. There are several variat ...
. Knowing the extent of his crimes and influence, Jedi Council are forced to circumvent bureaucratic procedure to arrest him on the two charges of "instigating a war of aggression" and "high treason" (and if necessary, execute him as they would any Sith, should he resist) without consulting the Senate and without following the
rule of law The essence of the rule of law is that all people and institutions within a Body politic, political body are subject to the same laws. This concept is sometimes stated simply as "no one is above the law" or "all are equal before the law". Acco ...
. However, they fell for Palpatine's trap; when Jedi Master
Mace Windu Mace Windu is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the Star Wars prequel trilogy, prequel trilogy as a Jedi Master who sits on the Jedi Council, Jedi High Council during the final years of the Galactic Repub ...
confronts Palpatine, Anakin comes to Palpatine's aid, and helps him kill Windu. Desperate to save Padmé, Anakin pledges himself to the dark side of the Force and becomes Palpatine's third apprentice,
Darth Vader Darth Vader () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was first introduced in the original film trilogy as the primary antagonist and one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire. He has become one of the most iconic villain ...
. Palpatine declares the Jedi to be traitors, providing "irrefutable evidence" that they were the instigating masterminds behind the Clone Wars, and all but exterminates the Jedi Order in a galaxy-wide slaughter, while sending Vader to kill everyone in the Jedi Temple and assassinate the Separatist leaders. Vader then immediately ends the Clone War by transmitting deactivation codes to all Separatist droids in galaxy. Two remaining Jedi,
Obi-Wan Kenobi Obi-Wan "Ben" Kenobi () is a character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. In the original film trilogy, he is a Jedi Master who trains Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force. In the prequel trilogy, he mentors Luke's father, Anakin Skywalke ...
and
Yoda Yoda () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a small, green humanoid alien who is powerful with the Force. He first appeared in the 1980 film '' The Empire Strikes Back'', in which he is voiced and puppeteered by F ...
, mount a counterattack. Obi-Wan defeats Vader and leaves him for dead, but Yoda's duel with Palpatine ends in a stalemate; both Jedi flee into exile. Grievously wounded, Vader is rescued by Palpatine and fitted with cybernetics and a black suit of armor with a life-support system. After Padmé dies giving birth to twins, Yoda and Obi-Wan decide to separate the children – Luke and Leia – to hide them from the Sith. Luke goes to Vader's stepfamily on
Tatooine Tatooine ( ) is a fictional desert planet that appears in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It is a beige-colored, desolate world orbiting a pair of binary stars, and inhabited by human settlers and a variety of other life forms. The planet was fi ...
, while Leia is adopted by Senator
Bail Organa This incomplete list of characters from the ''Star Wars'' franchise contains only those which are considered part of the official ''Star Wars'' canon, as of the changes made by Lucasfilm in April 2014. Following its acquisition by The Walt Di ...
of
Alderaan Alderaan ( ) is an Earth-like fictional planet featured in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It is blue-green in appearance, depicted as a terrestrial planet with humanoid inhabitants, and characterized by a peaceful culture. It is the home planet o ...
.


The New Order

Having "won" the war, with GAR liberators occupying every known star system, Palpatine orders them to annex planets, suppress the sectors and subjugate the people. The average citizen is oblivious to the effects of the Empire's policies; any repression or brutal behavior on the Empire's part is localized, covered up with propaganda, or just isolated in the outer rim. Secured in his power and position, with no one left to stop him, Palpatine reorganizes the Republic into the Galactic Empire, with himself as Emperor for life. He moves on to his final political opposition, the Senate; rather than dismantling it outright, he reduces it to a powerless symbol that exists only as an illusion of representation, and as an echo chamber for his rhetoric. Senators with no dedication to public service are bribed or coerced into rubberstamping Palpatine's policy; the remaining pro-democracy senators are spied upon, arrested, extorted, assassinated, or otherwise made to resign and/or disappear. Palpatine appoints governors to oversee all star systems in the Republic; these governors, later known as Imperial Moffs, report directly to Palpatine and are appointed without a vote or approval from any senators. This effectively sidelines the Senate, leaving it unable to influence how the galaxy is governed. The Old Republic symbolisms are discarded on favor of the Imperial crest, an emblem that comes from the Galactic Roundel symbol of the ancient Bendu monks (predecessors of the Jedi). Originally a symbol of unity and non-confrontation, the wheel is perverted by Palpatine by removing two spokes, echoing Hitler's appropriation of the
swastika The swastika (卐 or 卍, ) is a symbol used in various Eurasian religions and cultures, as well as a few Indigenous peoples of Africa, African and Indigenous peoples of the Americas, American cultures. In the Western world, it is widely rec ...
from
Hinduism Hinduism () is an Hypernymy and hyponymy, umbrella term for a range of Indian religions, Indian List of religions and spiritual traditions#Indian religions, religious and spiritual traditions (Sampradaya, ''sampradaya''s) that are unified ...
and
Buddhism Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
.


Government


Legislature

The Senate, now known as the Imperial Senate, nominally continues to exist, though it is virtually powerless. Palpatine dissolves the Senate (off-camera) in ''A New Hope'' after discovering that several members helped found the
Rebel Alliance The Rebel Alliance (known formally Universe of Star Wars, in-universe as the Alliance to Restore the Republic) is an organization that features in the fictional world of the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise. The Alliance is portrayed as a state ...
, a
guerrilla Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, Partisan (military), partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include Children in the military, recruite ...
army dedicated to overthrowing the Empire and restoring the Republic.


Executive

With the end of the Clone Wars, the purge of the Jedi Order, and the formation of the First Galactic Empire, Palpatine rules with absolute power as Emperor. Between the events of ''Revenge of the Sith'' and ''A New Hope'', Palpatine rules the galaxy from the confines of his heavily guarded Imperial Palace on
Coruscant Coruscant () is an ecumenopolis planet in the fictional universe of ''Star Wars.'' It was first described in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel '' Heir to the Empire.'' The planet made its first on-screen appearance in a scene added to '' Return of t ...
. Coruscant was introduced in
Timothy Zahn Timothy Zahn (born 1951) is an American writer of science fiction and fantasy. He is known best for his prolific collection of ''Star Wars'' List of Star Wars books, books, chiefly the Thrawn trilogy, ''Thrawn'' trilogy, and has published several ...
's then-
canon Canon or Canons may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Canon (fiction), the material accepted as officially written by an author or an ascribed author * Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture ** Western canon, th ...
novel '' Heir to the Empire''. It made its film debut in the special edition of ''Return of the Jedi''. Inspiration for the world-spanning city came from 1940s science fiction works, especially
Isaac Asimov Isaac Asimov ( ;  – April 6, 1992) was an Russian-born American writer and professor of biochemistry at Boston University. During his lifetime, Asimov was considered one of the "Big Three" science fiction writers, along with Robert A. H ...
's ''
Trantor The ''Foundation'' universe is the future history of humanity's colonization of the galaxy, spanning nearly 25,000 years, created through the gradual fusion of the ''Robot'', '' Galactic Empire'', and '' Foundation'' book series written by America ...
''. Visually, it resembles the
Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...
skyscrapers of
Manhattan Manhattan ( ) is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City. Coextensive with New York County, Manhattan is the County statistics of the United States#Smallest, larg ...
. '' Star Wars Battlefront II (2017)'' depicts Palpatine as intentionally having no clear line of succession, desiring either immortality or the destruction of the Empire.


= Imperial Ruling Council

= Unwilling to embroil himself in the day-to-day running of the Galactic Empire, the Emperor leaves the mundane work to the Imperial Ruling Council (IRC), an advisory body with whom he confers on vital affairs of state. The group is made up of Imperial Advisors, "yes-men" who serve as ministers and counselors. The spokesman of the Imperial Ruling Council is the Grand Vizier Mas Amedda, who attends most of the Imperial Senate's sessions. Amedda functions as an intermediary for Palpatine, managing his schedule, screening his calls and contacting other Imperial dignitaries and officers on his behalf. The Imperial Ruling Council also keeps tabs on the progress of the Imperial Military and delivers news from Imperial High Command to the Emperor.


= Imperial High Command

= The Emperor leaves the actual martial management to Imperial High Command (IHC), a central command structure that notably coordinates the Galactic Empire's war effort. The cabinet enjoys much power within the government's hierarchy, being responsible for: sanctioning weapons programs (such as the TIE Defender project), supervising the armed forces, forming strategies and organizing expansionary or pacification campaigns. Despite this, Imperial High Command was unable to take any serious action against rebel sympathizers with allies in the Imperial Senate. The group works closely with the Council of Moffs and notifies the Imperial Ruling Council on important developments. Imperial High Command's overseer is
Darth Vader Darth Vader () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was first introduced in the original film trilogy as the primary antagonist and one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire. He has become one of the most iconic villain ...
- also a Sith Lord - who relentlessly pursues the fledging Rebel Alliance, in addition to quelling insurgencies and purging the last of the Jedi Order. As Emperor Palpatine's second-in-command, Vader is treated with almost the same deference as his master and has his personal battalion and armada- the 501st Legion and "Death Squadron", respectively - at his beck and call. Imperial High Command maintained a number of subdivisions, each charged with directing the naval, ground and intelligence assets of the Imperial Military. The most important of these were the Joint Chiefs, an executive group of senior officers who advised both the Emperor and the Commander-in-Chief on all martial-related matters. Other members included the Grand Admirals, a cadre of the 12 highest-ranking naval officers that helmed large Imperial fleets and policed Imperial Space; Grand Admiral Thrawn, the commander of the 7th Fleet, is the most famous of their number.


= Council of Moffs

= Aside from the Imperial Ruling Council and Imperial High Command, power resides in the hands of "''
Praetor ''Praetor'' ( , ), also ''pretor'', was the title granted by the government of ancient Rome to a man acting in one of two official capacities: (i) the commander of an army, and (ii) as an elected ''magistratus'' (magistrate), assigned to disch ...
ian'' administrators" ( planetary governors) that form the Council of Moffs. The cabinet is composed of 20 Moffs ( sector governors) and their superiors, the "Grand Moffs" (oversector governors), all of whom answer directly to the Emperor. The Moffs are senior officials who held the governorship over Administrators of minor provinces and commanded a Sector Fleet-size imperial armed forces at the sector level. The Grand Moffs are among the Galactic Empire's top figures, being on equal-footing with the Grand Vizier and the Commander-in-Chief and having been similarly appointed by the Emperor himself. The Council of Moffs works closely with Imperial High Command and is therefore able to dispose of the Imperial Military's assets to enforce the Emperor's authority in its "provinces". Governor Wilhuff Tarkin is the most prominent Grand Moff, having suggested the creation of the role and thus holds the distinction of being the first.


Judiciary

In the series ''Andor'', the Galactic Empire is depicted as foregoing ''
habeas corpus ''Habeas corpus'' (; from Medieval Latin, ) is a legal procedure invoking the jurisdiction of a court to review the unlawful detention or imprisonment of an individual, and request the individual's custodian (usually a prison official) to ...
'', arbitrary and cruel in its rule over ordinary people, particularly when it comes to certain agencies such as the Imperial Security Bureau (ISB), which acts as a
secret police image:Putin-Stasi-Ausweis.png, 300px, Vladimir Putin's secret police identity card, issued by the East German Stasi while he was working as a Soviet KGB liaison officer from 1985 to 1989. Both organizations used similar forms of repression. Secre ...
force. In the latter part of the series, the autocracy takes to retroactively extending the sentences of prisoners, moving prisoners around to different facilities after they are due to be released, euthanizing labor camp prisoners when they become too ill to work, not permitting defendants in criminal cases to present a defense, and committing mass murder when its officers feel they are losing control of a situation. It also engages in
torture Torture is the deliberate infliction of severe pain or suffering on a person for reasons including corporal punishment, punishment, forced confession, extracting a confession, interrogational torture, interrogation for information, or intimid ...
of subjects of interest and carries out arbitrary executions for political purposes. ISB agents are assigned to spy on political dissidents in the Imperial Senate, such as Senator Mon Mothma.


=Imperial Security Bureau

= The Imperial Security Bureau (ISB) is the politically aligned and indoctrinated civilian intelligence branch of the Galactic Empire that is charged with matters of internal state security and law enforcement, being analogous to the political commissar,
Gestapo The (, ), Syllabic abbreviation, abbreviated Gestapo (), was the official secret police of Nazi Germany and in German-occupied Europe. The force was created by Hermann Göring in 1933 by combining the various political police agencies of F ...
, the
Schutzstaffel The ''Schutzstaffel'' (; ; SS; also stylised with SS runes as ''ᛋᛋ'') was a major paramilitary organisation under Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party in Nazi Germany, and later throughout German-occupied Europe during World War II. It beg ...
and the
KGB The Committee for State Security (, ), abbreviated as KGB (, ; ) was the main security agency of the Soviet Union from 1954 to 1991. It was the direct successor of preceding Soviet secret police agencies including the Cheka, Joint State Polit ...
. The ISB was not a national agency, but a part of COMPNOR (''Commission for the Preservation of the New Order''); Palpatine's own political party. Because the ISB is so directly connected and fanatically loyal to Palpatine, there are no checks and balances to their power as they did whatever Palpatine wanted them to do; ISB agents frequently bypassed the bureaucracy and patronage in the Imperial government, and were empowered to commandeer whatever resources an Admiral or General had if deemed necessary for their mission. Consisting of several supervisors overseeing multiple sectors, they are charged with matters of dissidents, counter-terrorism, criminal investigation, internal affairs, state security, state-sponsored propaganda and ensuring the political loyalty of citizens to the Galactic Empire. Each supervisor had at least one ISB attendant assigned to them that helped them do their duties. Veteran Colonel Wullf Yularen acts as ISB's main figurehead and spokesman, answering to the likes of Emperor Palpatine, Darth Vader and Amedda. Towards the end of the Galactic Empire's reign after the death of Emperor Palpatine, ISB officers were entrusted with carrying out Operation Cinder. When that operation fails and the empire collapses, some former ISB officers, such as Moff Gideon, become warlords and part of the Imperial remnants.


=Inquisitorius

= Outside the formal
chain of command A command hierarchy is a group of people who carry out orders based on others' authority within the group. Military chain of command In a military context, the chain of command is the line of authority and responsibility along which orders ...
, the Galactic Empire's reins are '' de facto'' held by the Sith, a cult of Force-wielders – called Sith Lords – that call on the dark side in their plot to dominate the galaxy and destroy the Jedi. Both Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader are part of this cult, although this is known to or guessed by only a very few figures in the regime's upper echelons, such as Governor Tarkin. The Imperial Inquisition, or Inquisitorius, acts as an extension of the Sith Order and its Force-attuned operatives, the Inquisitors, are routinely given control of Imperial Military assets to hunt down the Jedi Knights that survived the initial purge. The Inquisitors' lack of proper rank within the armed forces, as well as their reliance on "occult" ways, earn the ire of the standard officers. The Inquisitorius was founded by the Emperor and is governed by the Commander-in-Chief, but the agency is virtually led by a Grand Inquisitor who defers to both.


Military


Notable officers

*
Darth Vader Darth Vader () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was first introduced in the original film trilogy as the primary antagonist and one of the leaders of the Galactic Empire. He has become one of the most iconic villain ...
- Dark Lord of the Sith, Commander-in-Chief of the Imperial Armed Forces, thus Palpatine's second-in-command apprentice, until his death in the Battle of Endor. * Mas Amedda – Grand Vizier of the Imperial Ruling Council and vice-chair of the Imperial Senate, later installed by Gallius Rax as puppet leader following Palpatine's death in '' Aftermath: Life Debt''. Amedda formally surrenders the Galactic Empire to the New Republic in '' Aftermath: Empire's End''. * Wilhuff Tarkin – Grand Moff of the Oversector Outer and commander of the Death Star, until his death in the Battle of Yavin. *
Thrawn Grand Admiral Thrawn is a character who appears in ''Star Wars'' media. ''Thrawn'' may also refer to the title of several ''Star Wars'' novels featuring the character: * The ''Thrawn'' trilogy (1991–1993) by Timothy Zahn, also known as the '' ...
– Grand Admiral of the 7th Fleet of the Imperial Navy, until being MIA upon his defeat in the liberation of Lothal. *
Orson Krennic Director Orson Callan Krennic is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed by Australian actor Ben Mendelsohn in the film '' Rogue One'' (2016) as the main antagonist, as well as in Season 2 of the prequel series '' Andor' ...
– Head of Imperial Weapons Division and director of the Death Star, until his death in the Battle of Scarif. Krennic was also the Head of Advanced Weapons research.


Tarkin Doctrine

In ''Star Wars'', the ''Tarkin Doctrine'' is a
military doctrine Military doctrine is the expression of how military forces contribute to campaigns, major operations, battles, and engagements. A military doctrine outlines what military means should be used, how forces should be structured, where forces shou ...
of using fear through overt displays of overwhelming power to keep control over the galaxy. The plan presented by Tarkin himself to Palpatine in 18 BBY that outlined the Empire's goal and structure: bringing order to the galaxy and restoring
rule of law The essence of the rule of law is that all people and institutions within a Body politic, political body are subject to the same laws. This concept is sometimes stated simply as "no one is above the law" or "all are equal before the law". Acco ...
to sectors overtaken by piracy and
organized crime Organized crime is a category of transnational organized crime, transnational, national, or local group of centralized enterprises run to engage in illegal activity, most commonly for profit. While organized crime is generally thought of as a f ...
, ending destructive conflicts through grand strategy, a plan for maximizing social control and
propaganda Propaganda is communication that is primarily used to influence or persuade an audience to further an agenda, which may not be objective and may be selectively presenting facts to encourage a particular synthesis or perception, or using loaded l ...
, maintaining economic order and increasing security in the Galactic Empire. Tarkin believed the chief factor that contributed most to the demise of the Republic was not, in fact, the war, but rampant self-interest, which left the body politic feckless and corrupt. The plan which Palpatine ultimately had implemented in its entirety contained three main principles: territorial consolidation, rapid communication, and
coercive diplomacy Coercion involves compelling a party to act in an involuntary manner through the use of threats, including threats to use force against that party. It involves a set of forceful actions which violate the free will of an individual in order to i ...
. Tarkin's concept was that rule could be established and maintained "through fear of force rather than force itself", and he believed grand displays of power—when combined with oppressive means of terrorizing communities—could suppress dissent and crush any would-be rebellion. This Doctrine became the Empire's core military doctrine of
peacekeeping Peacekeeping comprises activities, especially military ones, intended to create conditions that favor lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed w ...
,
internal security Internal security is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other Self-governance, self-governing territories, generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats. This task and rol ...
,
counter-insurgency Counterinsurgency (COIN, or NATO spelling counter-insurgency) is "the totality of actions aimed at defeating irregular forces". The Oxford English Dictionary defines counterinsurgency as any "military or political action taken against the ac ...
, and
state terrorism State terrorism is terrorism conducted by a state against its own citizens or another state's citizens. It contrasts with '' state-sponsored terrorism'', in which a violent non-state actor conducts an act of terror under sponsorship of a state. ...
-philosophy. The instrument of this power is the military, which includes the Imperial stormtroopers, a massive fleet of about 1,000
Star Destroyer Star Destroyers are capital ships in the fictional ''Star Wars'' universe. Star Destroyers were produced by Kuat Drive Yards, later Kuat-Entralla Engineering, and serve as "the signature vessel of the fleet" for the Galactic Empire, the First Ord ...
s, a couple of Super Star Destroyers, and the
Death Star The Death Star is a fictional space station and superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire, the Death Star is capable of obliterating entire planets, and serves to enforce ...
, a
moon The Moon is Earth's only natural satellite. It Orbit of the Moon, orbits around Earth at Lunar distance, an average distance of (; about 30 times Earth diameter, Earth's diameter). The Moon rotation, rotates, with a rotation period (lunar ...
-sized
superweapon A weapon of mass destruction (WMD) is a biological, chemical, radiological, nuclear, or any other weapon that can kill or significantly harm many people or cause great damage to artificial structures (e.g., buildings), natural structures (e.g. ...
capable of destroying entire planets. Plans for the Death Star first appear (in
universe The universe is all of space and time and their contents. It comprises all of existence, any fundamental interaction, physical process and physical constant, and therefore all forms of matter and energy, and the structures they form, from s ...
chronology) in ''Attack of the Clones'' and construction begins at the end of ''Revenge of the Sith''. Summarized measures set forth by the Tarkin Doctrine: *Establish "Oversectors" which contain tumultuous systems; to monitor and react to rebellious activities within those systems. Oversectors would be formed without regard for the borders of standard sectors and would receive more forces than other regions of the Empire. This Imperial presence would be designed to stop small rebel factions before they could become a larger established threat. An average of three Sector Groups would be deployed in an Oversector. *Assign command of each Oversector to a single individual who reports directly to the Emperor, in order to eliminate any delays created by political opportunism by Imperial advisors. *Improve communication resources and Imperial response time by placing modified HoloNet transceivers (cannibalized from existing HoloNet transceivers) aboard each flagship of every Sector Group within an Oversector command. Place similar facilities aboard the Emperor's flagship and in Imperial City on Imperial Centre (formally Coruscant). *Control unruly portions of the galaxy through a fear of force rather than force itself. Through the combination of superior coordination of multiple Oversector groups and the control of information (news media) an impression of overwhelming force will be installed within the citizenry, thereby instilling the idea that resistance is futile. *Continue to research and develop new and more powerful starships and weapons designed to inspire fear in the resistant systems. Present the citizen with a weapon so powerful, so immense as to defy all conceivable attack against it, a weapon invulnerable and invincible in battle, that shall become a symbol for the Empire. This weapon must possess a power great enough to dispatch an entire system. Only a handful or one of these weapons would be required to accomplish this task.


Imperial Navy

The Imperial Naval Command (INC), also referred to as the Imperial Starfleet, is the foremost military arm of the Galactic Empire in charge of maintaining security, peace and order in the galaxy. Led by Darth Vader, it absorbed the military forces of the Galactic Republic after Emperor Palpatine's declaration of the New Order. At its peak, the Imperial Navy fields millions of warships, including an estimated 25,000 Star Destroyers, fulfilling the Emperor's will throughout the galaxy. The Empire's central warship cadre is well structured and uniformed, but the Imperial Navy suffers against strike craft, largely due to the inadequacies of its own starfighters and point defense. The Empire's focus on size, firepower, and terror comes at the expense of a well-balanced fleet. After its defeat at the Battle of Endor, the Galactic Empire splits up into warring factions, and the Imperial Starfleet along with it. While much of the remnants of the Imperial Navy are later reunited under impressive Imperial commanders, the military organization ceases to exist shortly after the death of the Emperor. Specific responsibilities of the Imperial Navy include defending Imperial citizens from space-based threats (such as pirates, smugglers and rebel contingents), enforcing Imperial will, and overseeing commerce through customs and blockade operations. The Imperial Navy also performs orbital bombardments and transports major ground force deployments, supporting them with space, orbital, and aerial support. Imperial Navy officers wear the same standard uniform that their Army counterparts use but is colored grey, and both services use colored chest plaques to denote rank.


=Imperial Starfighter Corps

= The Imperial Starfighter Corps (ISC) was the starfighter pilot branch of the Galactic Empire. Although the Corps was a component of the Navy, most pilots were assigned to ground operations with the Imperial Army. Imperial starfighters include TIE (Twin Ion Engine) fighters, TIE interceptors, TIE Defenders, TIE Brutes, TIE strikers, and TIE bombers. The Corps were scattered after the Battle of Endor (4 ABY).


Imperial Army

The Imperial Army was the ground based force. Imperial Army enlisted soldiers wore gray uniforms with a mandarin collar and four pockets along with chest pieces similar to Stormtroopers but in black. Corporals displayed their rank on one of their shoulder pauldrons with a single white diagonal stripe. They also wore a gray Imperial kepi or Imperial Combat Helmet


=Imperial Stormtrooper Corps

= Imperial Stormtrooper Corps (ISC) are elite corps of rapid response all-environment shock troops—organized like the U.S. Marine Corps with their own separate divisions. The Stormtroopers operate in conjunction with the Army Ground Troopers and Navy Marine Troopers—who were used as garrison forces—to reinforce and hold defensive positions until the regular military arrived. When not in their signature white armor, stormtrooper officers wear black uniforms.


Galactic Civil War

After the formation of the Empire and the purge of the Jedi, Palpatine declares
martial law Martial law is the replacement of civilian government by military rule and the suspension of civilian legal processes for military powers. Martial law can continue for a specified amount of time, or indefinitely, and standard civil liberties ...
throughout the galaxy. Those in hiding, or attempting to either flee from or oppose the New Imperial Order, are subject to persecution or death. This is the start of the bloody decades-long Galactic Civil War fought between the Empire and the
Rebel Alliance The Rebel Alliance (known formally Universe of Star Wars, in-universe as the Alliance to Restore the Republic) is an organization that features in the fictional world of the Star Wars, ''Star Wars'' franchise. The Alliance is portrayed as a state ...
. Lacking any industrial base at all, the rebels focused on surgical strikes, using whatever ships they were surreptitiously given or whatever they could steal; in contrast the Empire had seemingly endless industrial capacity and manpower, and focused all of it on making mass quantities of fighters and huge weapons of mass destruction to terrorize both the rebels and the galactic citizenry. As portrayed in the live-action series '' Andor'', one single moment in Galactic history completely changed the Empire's policy towards its citizens and therefore changed its relationship with them. In 5 BBY, on the relatively unremarkable planet of Aldhani, a small rebel team managed to infiltrate the local Imperial depository, stealing a decent portion of the sector payroll. This created a massive Imperial overreaction, increasing their security spending and draconian law enforcement policies, making all future rebellious activity even more costly and difficult, which is exactly what the mastermind of the heist Luthen Rael wanted.


The Two Death Stars

As portrayed in the animated series ''
Star Wars Rebels ''Star Wars Rebels'' is an American 3D animated science fiction television series produced by Lucasfilm Animation and set in the ''Star Wars'' universe. It takes place 14 years after '' Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith'' (2005 ...
'' and '' The Bad Batch'', the Empire explores ways to weaponize Force-sensitive
kyber crystal A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured throughout ''Star Wars''. A typical lightsaber is shown as a luminous laser sword about in length emitted from a metal hilt around in length. First introduced in the original ''Star Wars'' ...
s, which are sacred to the Jedi and are at the core powersource of every
lightsaber A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured throughout ''Star Wars''. A typical lightsaber is shown as a luminous laser sword about in length emitted from a metal hilt around in length. First introduced in the original ''Star Wars'' ...
. They mine for kyber crystals across worlds, but are thwarted twice in securing massive crystal reserves by the ''Ghost'' crew and Saw Gerrera. On Jedha, however, the Empire uncovers a surplus of kyber, with which they power the Death Star. The Death Star, a moon-sized battle station with sufficient firepower to destroy an entire planet, is designed to be the ultimate weapon of the Empire's power. The threat of this weapon provoked a desperate suicidal raid, the Battle of Scarif, by the Rebel Alliance. The engagement and loss of the classified Death Star blueprint plans was to seen as a complete embarrassment for the Imperial forces along with a loss of two Star Destroyers and the destruction of Scarif base. Tarkin, the station's commander, demonstrates that power in ''A New Hope'' when he destroys
Alderaan Alderaan ( ) is an Earth-like fictional planet featured in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It is blue-green in appearance, depicted as a terrestrial planet with humanoid inhabitants, and characterized by a peaceful culture. It is the home planet o ...
as a show of force. In the film's climactic scene, however, the station is attacked by rebel starfighters who have come into possession of the station's blueprints. The battle ends with the Death Star's destruction at the hands of
Luke Skywalker Luke Skywalker is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the original film trilogy as the main protagonist and also appears in the sequel trilogy. Raised as a poor moisture farmer on the desert planet Tat ...
, which is the Rebel Alliance's first major military success against the Empire. Politically, Alderann's destruction was a watershed moment for most Imperial loyalists, many whom would later defect to the Alliance; it revealed the Empire's willingness to kill loyalists on Alderaan, along with millions of innocents, just to prove a point to a rebellious Senator. Tarkin's Doctrine, meant to perpetually "tighten the noose" and instill fear of being killed for engaging in rebellion, eventually gets overridden by people realizing that no one was actually safe. After the '' Battle of Yavin'', Vader's special powers as Commander-in-Chief are increased by Palpatine, granting him full command over all other officials and officers to ease his campaign against the Rebellion. In ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'', Vader becomes obsessed with finding the
Force In physics, a force is an influence that can cause an Physical object, object to change its velocity unless counterbalanced by other forces. In mechanics, force makes ideas like 'pushing' or 'pulling' mathematically precise. Because the Magnitu ...
-sensitive Luke and leads his stormtroopers to attack on the rebel base on
Hoth Hoth is an ice planet in the ''Star Wars'' fictional universe. It first appeared in the 1980 film ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and has also been a setting in ''Star Wars'' books and video games. Description Hoth is the sixth planet of a remote ...
, but the rebels escape. Vader would continue to systematically and ruthlessly dismantle Alliance assets, and to hunt for Luke in the process, forcing Alliance survivors to abandon all static bases and regroup with Alliance HQ and remain nomadic. In ''Return of the Jedi'', after four years of conflict and near constant harassments by Vader's forces, the Alliance achieves a decisive victory over the Empire during the '' Battle of Endor''. In the film's climactic battle, the Rebellion destroys the second Death Star and a number of capital ships that contain a great portion of the Imperial Navy's highest-ranking officers. During this battle, Vader redeems himself by sacrificing his life to kill Palpatine in order to save his son, Luke Skywalker.


State Collapse

The dual loss of the Emperor and his right-hand, the Commander-in-Chief, creates a power vacuum of chaos and instability. By design, the Empire had no clear line of succession; and there was no next-in-line after Palpatine and Vader. Revolts, infighting,
fiefdom A fief (; ) was a central element in medieval contracts based on feudal law. It consisted of a form of property holding or other rights granted by an overlord to a vassal, who held it in fealty or "in fee" in return for a form of feudal alle ...
s and
warlord Warlords are individuals who exercise military, Economy, economic, and Politics, political control over a region, often one State collapse, without a strong central or national government, typically through informal control over Militia, local ...
ism gradually fracture the Empire apart more effectively than any damage capable of being inflicted by the Rebel Alliance, as the Moffs and Grand Moffs maneuver to grab power for themselves amidst civil unrest. Palpatine left posthumous orders. Upon verification of his death, messenger droids are sent to select Imperial officers to relay his last orders: to begin ''Operation: Cinder'', a
scorched earth policy A scorched-earth policy is a military strategy of destroying everything that allows an enemy military force to be able to fight a war, including the deprivation and destruction of water, food, humans, animals, plants and any kind of tools and i ...
tasking hardline Imperials to destroy entire planets so the Rebellion cannot claim them. The fallen Emperor does not desire the Empire to continue without his presence; if he cannot live forever as the galaxy's Emperor, he would rather see it destroyed. A year after the Battle of Endor, the bolstered Rebellion defeats the weakened Empire during the Battle of Jakku and formally establishes the New Republic.


Post-conflict collapse


New Republic Era

By the time of ''
The Mandalorian ''The Mandalorian'' is an American space Western television series created by Jon Favreau for the streaming service Disney+. It is the first live-action series in the ''Star Wars'' franchise and begins five years after the events of the fil ...
'', set five years after the Battle of Endor, the Galactic Empire no longer exists as an official government or a major power and is essentially a
failed state A failed state is a state that has lost its ability to fulfill fundamental security and development functions, lacking effective control over its territory and borders. Common characteristics of a failed state include a government incapable of ...
.''The Mandalorian'' Its former leaders who are now
warlord Warlords are individuals who exercise military, Economy, economic, and Politics, political control over a region, often one State collapse, without a strong central or national government, typically through informal control over Militia, local ...
s that represent several different
rump state A rump state is the remnant of a once much larger state that was reduced in the wake of secession, annexation, occupation, decolonization, a successful coup d'état or revolution on part of its former territory. In the last case, a government st ...
s, are competing with each other, as well as the New Republic over the
power vacuum In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has replac ...
left behind. One Imperial remnant established a base on the planet Nevarro, where Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin was hired to acquire an asset, later revealed to be a Force-sensitive infant named
Grogu Din Grogu (), colloquially referred to as Baby Yoda, is a Character (arts), character from the ''Star Wars'' Disney+ original television series ''The Mandalorian'' and ''The Book of Boba Fett''. He is an infant member of the same List of Star Wa ...
. Djarin abandoned his job and decided to protect the child, making him an enemy of the Imperial warlord Moff Gideon and his army of mercenary stormtroopers. Djarin later returned to Nevarro, reuniting with his allies Greef Karga and Cara Dune, as well as an unnamed Mythrol, to take down an Imperial facility to eradicate the Empire's presence on the planet. The group soon discovered that it was housing Imperial experiments, using blood rich in midichlorians obtained from Grogu. The group succeeded in taking down the base. Gideon was informed of the developments while overseeing a unit of enhanced droids known as darktroopers, who would later help him capture Grogu. Djarin led a mission to rescue Grogu, assisted by several allies including Dune, Boba Fett, Fennec Shand, and Mandalorian warrior
Bo-Katan Kryze Bo-Katan Kryze (pronounced ; ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. She was introduced in the animated television series '' Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', in which she was voiced by Katee Sackhoff. Sackhoff subsequently reprise ...
. The group boarded Gideon's command ship and subdued him. Djarin turned Grogu over to Luke Skywalker, who took down the Moff's darktroopers.


Successor

The most successful remnants of the Empire reformed as the
First Order In mathematics and other formal sciences, first-order or first order most often means either: * "linear" (a polynomial of degree at most one), as in first-order approximation and other calculus uses, where it is contrasted with "polynomials of high ...
, led by Supreme Leader Snoke and former Imperial officers. They become a major faction in the galaxy in ''
The Force Awakens ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens'') is a 2015 American epic film, epic space opera film co-produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. The sequel to ''Return of the Jedi ...
'' and face a reformed Rebel Alliance called the Resistance. The First Order rises to power through the use of Starkiller Base, a planet-converted superweapon that later destroys the Hosnian system, the location of the New Republic's capital and therefore the empire reclaim authority over the galaxy. Starkiller Base is destroyed by the Resistance in ''The Force Awakens''. In the sequel '' The Last Jedi'', however, First Order forces draw the Resistance out of hiding and wipe out a majority of their fleet. During the battle, Snoke is killed by his apprentice Kylo Ren, who assumes the title of Supreme Leader. In '' The Rise of Skywalker'', the final film in the sequel trilogy, the First Order allies itself with the Sith Eternal, a cult led by Palpatine, who had transferred his essence into a cloned body and formerly positioned himself to control the First Order over Snoke, a
puppet ruler A puppet ruler is someone who holds a title of political authority, but is loyal to or controlled by outside persons or groups. When a foreign government wields such outside control, the puppet ruler's territory is referred to as a puppet state. ...
. The cult is stationed on the isolated Sith planet of Exegol. Palpatine offers Ren, who had tracked him to the planet, control of the Sith Eternal's fleet, the Final Order, in exchange for killing the young Jedi Rey, Palpatine's own granddaughter. Ren initially accepts the assignment, but later forsakes the dark side after a duel with Rey in the wreckage of the second Death Star. With Ren's defection, Palpatine turns command over to Allegiant General Enric Pryde, previously an Imperial officer. With help from the spirit of Luke Skywalker, Rey eventually makes her way to Exegol, guiding the Resistance away to the planet to take down the Sith Eternal forces, including the Sith fleet. With help from a redeemed Ren and the spirits of Jedi past, she resists Palpatine's promises of power and turns his own Force lightning against him, destroying the Sith Lord once and for all. The Resistance, with help from their allies across the galaxy, destroys the remaining Sith forces and prevents an establishment of a new Sith Empire. Without reinforcements of the Sith, people across the galaxy rises up against the First Order.


''Legends''

With the 2012 acquisition of
Lucasfilm Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company founded by filmmaker George Lucas in December 10, 1971 in San Rafael, California, and later moved to San Francisco in 2005. It is best known for creating and producing th ...
by
The Walt Disney Company The Walt Disney Company, commonly referred to as simply Disney, is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate headquartered at the Walt Disney Studios complex in Burbank, California. Disney was founded on October 16 ...
, most of the licensed ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe material was rebranded as ''
Star Wars Legends ''Star Wars'' has been expanded universe, expanded to media other than the original films. This spin-off material is licensed and moderated by Lucasfilm, though during his involvement with the franchise ''Star Wars'' creator George Lucas reserve ...
'' and declared non-canon to the franchise on April 25, 2014.


''Thrawn'' trilogy

In
Timothy Zahn Timothy Zahn (born 1951) is an American writer of science fiction and fantasy. He is known best for his prolific collection of ''Star Wars'' List of Star Wars books, books, chiefly the Thrawn trilogy, ''Thrawn'' trilogy, and has published several ...
's " Thrawn trilogy" of novels – '' Heir to the Empire'' (1991), '' Dark Force Rising'' (1992), and '' The Last Command'' (1993) – an army of former Imperials, led by Grand Admiral Thrawn, attempt to overthrow the New Republic and install a dictatorship known as the Empire of the Hand. The backstory of the series explains that following their defeat at the Battle of Endor, the galactic sectors that are still under Imperial control are now governed by several different
military junta A military junta () is a system of government led by a committee of military leaders. The term ''Junta (governing body), junta'' means "meeting" or "committee" and originated in the Junta (Peninsular War), national and local junta organized by t ...
s that fight each other in a conflict known as the Imperial Civil War, all the while resuming the Galactic Civil War with the Rebellion's successor, the New Republic, for control of the galaxy for years until mostly uniting under Grand Admiral Thrawn. By the time of ''The Last Command'', Thrawn has nearly defeated the New Republic, but they claim victory in a last-ditch effort, and Thrawn is killed by his own bodyguard, shattering the Empire's unity.


''Agent of the Empire''

''Agent of the Empire'' is a 10-issue comic book series published by
Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, manga and Artist's book, art book publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon, by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, O ...
from 2011 to 2013. It was written by John Ostrander and illustrated by Stephane Roux, and is set three years before the original ''Star Wars'' film. Two five-issue story arcs follow an Imperial
secret agent Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering, as a subfield of the intelligence field, is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence). A person who commits espionage on a mission-specific contract is called an ''e ...
, and feature characters such as
Han Solo Han Solo () is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was introduced in the 1977 film ''Star Wars (film), Star Wars'', and later appeared in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980), ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983), ''Star Wars: The F ...
,
Princess Leia Princess Leia Organa ( or ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Introduced in the Star Wars (film), original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is a princess of the planet Alderaan, a member of the Galactic Empire (Star Wars ...
and Boba Fett. Both arcs were collected in trade paperback volumes.


''Jedi Prince''

In the '' Jedi Prince'' novel series, a group of impostors calling themselves the Prophets of the Dark Side install a three-eyed
mutant In biology, and especially in genetics, a mutant is an organism or a new genetic character arising or resulting from an instance of mutation, which is generally an alteration of the DNA sequence of the genome or chromosome of an organism. It i ...
named Trioculus as Emperor by claiming that he is Palpatine's son, reforming the Empire (as Trioculus's Empire). By the end of the series, Palpatine's true son, Triclops, helps the New Republic defeat this new enemy.


''Dark Empire''

In the '' Dark Empire'' comic book series, Palpatine is reborn in a clone body and unites most of the scattered remnants of the Empire (forming the Dark Empire), hoping to retake control of the galaxy. By the sequel, '' Empire's End'', he is defeated and destroyed once and for all. Following the final death of Palpatine, Luke Skywalker, influenced by the force ghost of Obi-Wan Kenobi, starts the New Jedi Order in an ancient temple on Yavin 4, which had undone the Emperor's purge of the Old Jedi Order 28 years earlier at the rise of the Galactic Empire.


''Jedi Academy'' trilogy

In the ''Jedi Academy'' trilogy, an Imperial admiral named Daala commandeers the remainder of the Imperial Navy (the Crimson Empire) and mounts a ferocious assault on the New Republic. She nearly succeeds in taking over the galaxy, but is foiled by New Republic pilots
Wedge Antilles Wedge Antilles is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is a supporting character portrayed by Denis Lawson in the original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, and voiced by David Ankrum in '' Episode IV – A New Hope'' (1977) and '' R ...
and
Lando Calrissian Lando Calrissian (; ) is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He is introduced in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) as a friend of Han Solo and the administrator of Cloud City on the planet Bespin. Prior to the events of the fi ...
in the final entry, ''
Champions of the Force The ''Jedi Academy'' trilogy is a trilogy of science fiction novels set in the Star ''Wars'' Expanded Universe. All three books were written by Kevin J. Anderson and published in 1994. The plot takes place around seven years after the even ...
''. A year later she would arrange the assassination of the rival Imperial warlords to unify the feuding Imperial factions into the Imperial Remnant and bring an end to the Imperial Civil War.


''Darksaber''

In the 1995 novel '' Darksaber'', Daala, frustrated with the Imperial warlords in the Core fighting and bickering amongst themselves, orchestrates the warlords' deaths and unites and becomes the leader of the remaining Imperial forces. After being defeated in battle once again by the New Republic, she resigns and selects Gilad Pellaeon (originally in the ''Thrawn'' trilogy) as the new leader, where he becomes Grand Admiral Pellaeon. At the end of the novel, he signs a
peace treaty A peace treaty is an treaty, agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually country, countries or governments, which formally ends a declaration of war, state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice, which is an ag ...
with the New Republic representative Ponc Gavrisom and finally ends the Galactic Civil War.


''New Jedi Order''

By the time of the '' New Jedi Order'' series, the remaining Imperial military factions sign a truce with the New Republic, becoming the Imperial Remnant. The former enemies then become allies against the invading Yuuzhan Vong. A few years later, the Remnant help the Galactic Alliance fight an assimilating insect species known as the Killiks, which become a third party in the Second Galactic Civil War. Eventually, they make peace with the Alliance and Confederation. All three of these are represented by former Imperial commanders.


''Legacy''

The '' Star Wars: Legacy'' comic book series, set 127 years after the original ''Star Wars'' film, explains that, during a
civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
, the New Galactic Empire known as the Fel Empire declares war on the Galactic Federation of Free Alliances (Galactic Alliance), the successor state of the New Republic, after 83 years of a
cold war The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...
that began in 44 ABY. This conflict begins the Sith-Imperial War, which after three years leads to the eventual defeat of the Galactic Alliance and the Galactic Empire asserting its domination over the galaxy once again in 130 ABY. A few months later, the Sith overthrows the Fel Empire. The Sith Lord Darth Krayt, the leader of the One Sith, usurps the throne and forces Emperor Roan Fel to take refuge in the fortress planet of Bastion. In 138 ABY, the Galactic Alliance Remnant led by Admiral Gar Stazi, Fel's forces known as the Empire-in-exile led by Empress Marasiah Fel, and the New Jedi Order led by Jedi Master K'Krukk unite against Krayt's empire and eventually destroy it in the Battle of Coruscant, after a grand total of 157 years of its existence. The three united factions form a new galactic government called the Galactic Federation Triumvirate. The One Sith, led by Darth Wredd, remains at large and wages a war against the GFT. One year later, the former Empire-in-exile works with the other two factions, killing Wredd, rounding up all surviving members including their new leader Darth Nihl, and permanently dissolving the One Sith and the Sith religion itself for good. The next year, the GFT defeats the secular alliances of the One Sith and in the aftermath of that conflict, the galaxy after 172 years of Palpatine's influence, enters an era of peace and unity for the first time since before the Clone Wars.


See also

* Isaac Asimov's Galactic Empire * Imperium of Mankind * List of ''Star Wars'' characters *
Utopian and dystopian fiction Utopian and dystopian fiction are subgenres of speculative fiction that explore extreme forms of social and political structures. Utopian fiction portrays a setting that agrees with the author's ethos, having various attributes of another reality ...
*
State terrorism State terrorism is terrorism conducted by a state against its own citizens or another state's citizens. It contrasts with '' state-sponsored terrorism'', in which a violent non-state actor conducts an act of terror under sponsorship of a state. ...


Notes


References


Further reading

*'' Vision of the Future'', 1st paperback printing 1999, Timothy Zahn, *'' Star Wars Battlefront II: Inferno Squad'', published 2017,
Christie Golden Christie Golden (born November 21, 1963) is an American author. She has written many novels and several short stories in fantasy, horror and science fiction. Career Golden has written many novels and several short stories in the fields of science ...


External links

* *
DomusPublica.net
(No longer active, this archive as of September 27, 2005 has at least some of the essays intact)
The Case for the Empire
''
The Weekly Standard ''The Weekly Standard'' was an American neoconservative political magazine of news, analysis, and commentary that was published 48 times per year. Originally edited by founders Bill Kristol and Fred Barnes, the ''Standard'' was described as a ...
''
Web.Archive.org
"No Case for the Empire" *
Why did The Galactic Empire Hate Aliens?Tarkin in the ''Star Wars'' Databank


Fan societies


The Empire Reborn
- Roleplaying and gaming society (PC Games)
The Galactic Empire
- Roleplaying game with strong emphasis on political and military training.
The Emperor's Hammer Strike Fleet
- PC Gaming club for all ''Star Wars'' games and Star Conflict. {{Star Wars universe, state=collapsed Sith Villains in animated television series Fictional elements introduced in 1977 Galactic empires Star Wars governments Film supervillains Totalitarianism in fiction Autocracy