| “ | I will not let this Republic that has stood for a thousand years be split in two. | „ |
| ~ Palpatine. |
The Galactic Republic are the overarching protagonists of the Star Wars franchise.
It was an interplanetary government that governed the galaxy for over 25,000 years. Its head of state, head of government and commander-in-chief was the Supreme Chancellor. It was also overseen by the Senate, with each Senator representing a world or sector. In 19 BBY, at the end of the Clone Wars, the last Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, who was secretly the Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious, put the final stages of the Sith Grand Plan into action and reorganized the Galactic Republic into the Galactic Empire. 19 years later, the now Emperor Palpatine dissolved the Senate.
The Empire's reign brought about the greatest era of darkness in galactic history, an era known as the Dark Times. Eventually, the Rebel Alliance formed to oppose the Empire and restore freedom to the galaxy. After many years of war, the Rebellion gained victory in the Galactic Civil War and restored the Republic.
History[]
Background[]
The Galactic Republic was founded in the Core around 25,000 years before the events of the films. Founding worlds include Alderaan, Duro, Corellia, Kuat, Chandrila and the planet that would become the capital, Coruscant. The Republic was founded on the ideals of democracy, freedom, liberty, peace, justice and representative government. It was led by an elected Supreme Chancellor and by the Galactic Senate. Over the course of several millennia, the Republic drastically expanded throughout the galaxy, with hundreds of planets joining in. Eventually, the Republic become the largest state at the time, surpassing the Infinite Empire by a massive degree, taking up the majority of the galaxy. Shortly after its foundation, it would form an alliance with the ancient Jedi Order, a group of peaceful warrior monks who were able to use the Force. The Jedi aided the Republic in spreading peace and justice throughout the galaxy.
Much of the Republic's period is marked by peace. However, there the Republic has suffered under many wars, including the threat of the Mandalorians. The Republic suffered from within when the humanocentric cult Pius Dea took over the Republic, resulting in many genocides of alien species. The most grievous offenders, however, were the Sith Order, an organization of dark side Force users who sought to destroy both the Republic and their sworn enemies, the Jedi. Many wars were fought, but with the aid of the Jedi, the Sith were almost always defeated. 1,000 years prior to the outbreak of the Clone Wars, the Galactic Republic was reformed following the seeming final defeat of the Sith, and the Republic during those previous millennia was known as the Old Republic. The most notable outcome of these reforms was demilitarization, and for the next 1,000 years the Republic had no proper military, with peacekeeping being relied mostly on Jedi and planetary defense forces.
During the next 1,000 years, the Republic entered its pinnacle of territory, peace and prosperity, an era known as the High Republic. It was also known as a time of expansion and progress. By the time of the films, the Republic had at least one million official member worlds. There were no major intergalactic wars during this time period, with the only conflict being between pirates and raiders, such as the Nihil. This period lasted from 500 BBY to 100 BBY.
Unbeknownst to the galaxy at large, the Sith were not extinct. They were nearly eradicated near the end of the last war, but only one survived. Darth Bane, the Sith'ari, alone survived and reformed the Sith Order, establishing the Rule of Two. Under this law, there can only ever be two Sith Lords at any given time: one master and one apprentice. Bane's new order also declared that the Sith will not gain galactic domination by conquest as their predecessors have done, but through patience, manipulation and deception. Over the next thousand years, the Sith infiltrated the upper echelons of galactic society, including the Republic itself, becoming scientists, politicians and successful businessmen. They manipulated events behind the scenes, resulting in the Republic becoming increasingly corrupt, especially in the Senate.
Invasion of Naboo[]
In 32 BBY, ten years before the Battle of Geonosis, the Trade Federation invaded the peaceful world of Naboo at the behest of Darth Sidious, who had recently executed his master Darth Plagueis. Sidious was beginning to start his plan to destroy the Jedi Order once and for all so the Sith could take control over the galaxy. To resolve issues with the trading conglomerate, the current Supreme Chancellor Finus Valorum, sent two Jedi to the flagship of the Trade Federation to speak with Viceroy Nute Gunray in hopes of making peaceful negotiations with them as ambassadors of the Galactic Republic.
Unknown to Sifo-Dyas, Palpatine had earlier contacted Prime Minister Lama Su (presumably before the Jedi Master had arrived on Kamino to request the Kaminoans create a clone army for the Republic) and convinced him to implant a control chip into the clones' brains during their growth cycle, the Kaminoans were (unknowingly) being used as pawns by the Dark Lord of the Sith, as they believe the chips were to be used to safeguard against Jedi who could potentially go rogue (become Dark Jedi) believing that these orders came from Sifo-Dyas himself, however, in truth, the control chips were to be used to turn the clone troopers against their Jedi comrades, and kill them, if the control chips were ever discovered, the Kaminoans were to lie (presumably under the orders from Palpatine or Dooku) by claiming that the chips were used to prevent the clones from being aggressive, like their genetic template Jango Fett, the very person they were cloned from. Sometime after the creation of the clone army had begun, Palpatine had Sifo-Dyas eliminated (presumably) because he considered the Jedi Master to be a potential threat to his goals.
During the ten years between the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace and Star Wars: Attack of the Clones, ex-Jedi Master Dooku who had left the Jedi Order following the death of his former apprentice, Qui-Gon Jinn, (secretly) became the apprentice of Sith Master Palpatine and then became known as "Darth Tyranus", eventually obtaining the rank of Sith Lord, prior to him leaving the Jedi Order, Dooku had (secretly) erased the existence of the planet Kamino from the Jedi Archives in the Coruscant Jedi Temple (presumably) under the orders of his Sith Master, many believing he merely wished to form an offshoot of the Jedi Order, including the Jedi High Council itself. However, in truth, Dooku was (secretly) manipulating galactic events to ferment political turmoil on a variety of planets, including Kashyyyk, Sullust, Onderon, Sluis Van and Eriadu; in order to eventually start a war with the Republic.
The Clone Wars[]
After an assassination attempt was made against Padmé Amidala's life, the new Senator, and former Queen of Naboo, by an unknown bounty hunter (Jango Fett), Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi was ordered by the Jedi High Council to find out the identity of the bounty hunter, and who he was working for, which he eventually did, simultaneously discovering the secret clone army on Kamino, furthermore, on the planet Geonosis, he infiltrated and overheard Dooku addressing the Separatist Council and mentioning the attempts on Padmé's life that were at the request of Nute Gunray, Viceroy of the Trade Federation, who was still bitter and angry at Padmé for foiling his invasion of Naboo, and sending him in humiliated defeat back to Coruscant to stand trial for his crimes, only to somehow avoid punishment with still maintaining his position as Trade Federation Viceroy, despite going to trial four times in the Republic Supreme Court to be convicted and found guilty. Realizing the importance of his discoveries, Obi-Wan sent a message to his apprentice Anakin Skywalker, who was on Tatooine, but his signal could not reach Coruscant on it's own, as his long-range transmitter was damaged and before he could end his message, Obi-Wan was captured by the Separatists and imprisoned.
Despite the high quality of its armaments and cloned troops, the Republic's war effort was initially hindered because most of the major industrial companies in the galaxy had, under the aegis of the Techno Union, sided with the Confederacy. Eventually, though, the Republic became a humongous superpower not only economically but also militarily. The rapid militarization of the Republic during the Clone Wars, overseen by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, had far-reaching effects. The Confederacy won most battles in the first year of the Clone Wars. During the second and middle year of the Clone Wars however, the Republic defended itself from Separatist attacks and retaliated with its own assaults, many of which were successful. During the third and final year of the Clone Wars, the Republic won many offensive battles in the Mid Rim and pushed the Separatist forces back to the Outer Rim with its "Outer Rim Sieges" campaign.
Realizing war was now imminent, the Senate gave Supreme Chancellor Palpatine the emergency powers to pass the Military Creation Act, so to raise the newly formed Grand Army of the Republic and Republic Navy to rescue Obi-Wan, Anakin and Padmé, along with a team of two hundred Jedi led by Jedi Master/then-Master of the Order Mace Windu, the Battle of Geonosis would serve as the first battle of the Clone Wars, a war that would last three long years, as well as the Republic's first victory. Shortly after the Clone Wars had begun, Mace stepped down from his position as the "Master of the Order", and appointed Yoda as the "Grand Master".
The Republic and Separatist armies were (seemingly) evenly matched in gaining victory, and defeat over each other, however, in truth, the Republic army were truly superior, as the clone troopers were superior to battle droids; in terms of unarmed/armed combat, marksmanship, intelligence, and tactical abilities, as the clones were rarely caught off-guard or outmaneuvered by battle droids, at some point during the Clone Wars, Palpatine had somehow discovered that Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala were (secretly) married, and the Dark Lord of the Sith would eventually use Anakin's love for his wife, and his fear of losing her to death to turn him to the Dark Side. Throughout the war, numerous diplomatic envoys engaged in several attempts to sway local planets to join the Galactic Republic or the Confederacy of Independent Systems alike.
Although the Jedi Generals, the Jedi Commanders, and those who served under them were regarded as war heroes, much of the public opinion toward the Jedi had grown negative as many came to believe that the Jedi had abandoned their role as peacekeepers, and massive protests were staged outside of the Coruscant Jedi Temple, as a result, politicians like Wilhuff Tarkin, felt that their Jedi code kept them from doing what was necessary to win the war. Jedi Knight-turned-Dark Jedi Barriss Offee also believed the Jedi were losing touch with their commitment of maintaining peace throughout the galaxy, and staged a bombing in the Coruscant Jedi Temple in protest, all while (briefly) framing her friend, Padawan Ahsoka Tano, for committing the act before being exposed as the true culprit by Ahsoka's mentor, Anakin, as Barriss hypocritically believed that the Jedi had become an army fighting for the Dark Side - while she became corrupted herself.
Fall[]
During the Clone Wars, the Senate increasingly granted enormous amounts of power to Palpatine, who was the Commander-in-Chief. Such actions were deemed justified in the name of security and were considered a perfectly reasonable way to increase the wartime government's efficiency. Eventually, Palpatine and his office gained enough political power to equal the Senate.
Tension between Palpatine and the Jedi grew as the war progressed. Many members of the Jedi Council remained skeptical of Palpatine's growing power. In time, the Jedi believed that Palpatine would not surrender his emergency powers, nor his position (which had long gone over-term) by the end of the war. This suspicion was also shared by some senators, including Padmé Amidala of Naboo, Bail Organa of Alderaan, and Mon Mothma of Chandrila.
After the death of Separatist leaders Count Dooku and General Grievous (the Head of State and Commander of the Separatist Army, respectively), and the discovery that Palpatine was actually Darth Sidious, the Sith Lord behind the war, the Jedi activated their contingency plans.
A small group of experienced Jedi led by Mace Windu attempted to arrest Palpatine for treason. Palpatine killed all but Windu with minimal effort, and engaged Windu in a lightsaber duel. Windu appeared to have won, but was prevented from executing Palpatine by the intervention of Anakin Skywalker, at which point Palpatine killed Windu. At that moment, Skywalker took the title and name of Darth Vader, pledging himself to the dark side as a Lord of the Sith.
Shortly afterwards, Palpatine secretly issued "Order 66", compelling the Clone army to exterminate all Jedi. Because of inhibitor chips implanted inside the clones' heads, the clones were forced to kill most of the Jedi in what would later become known as the Great Jedi Purge. The Jedi Padawans remaining on Coruscant were eliminated by Darth Vader, formerly known as Anakin Skywalker, and his personal legion.
Legacy[]
Rise of a New Order[]
- Main article: Galactic Empire
| “ | In order to ensure the security and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the FIRST GALACTIC EMPIRE... for a safe and secure society! | „ |
| ~ Palpatine |
Palpatine then ordered Vader to wipe out the Separatist Council on Mustafar. After Vader reported to his new mentor that his mission was a success - the Dark Lord ordered Vader to send a distress signal to deactivate the remnants of the Separatist Droid Army - thus, ending the Clone Wars. Palpatine then called for a special session of Congress, stating that the Galactic Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire (claiming that it was for a safe and secure society) and declared himself Emperor, a decision with which all members of the Galactic Senate (except for Padmé Amidala, Bail Organa, Mon Mothma and most other senators) agreed. Palpatine also framed the Jedi as traitors who were attempting to take over the Republic and as instigators of the Clone Wars, turning the public opinion completely against the Jedi. With the destruction of most of the Old Jedi Order and the Grand Army of the Republic becoming Palpatine's enforcers to exert his tyrannical rule, the era of the Galactic Republic had ended and the age of the Galactic Empire had begun.
As the Clone Wars entered their final year, Palpatine's once near-unanimous support had begun to falter. A bloc of senators began to emerge, even before the Clone Wars end, who opposed Palpatine's authoritarian rule and resented his treatment of the Jedi and other opponents. This bloc, originally led by influential politicians such as Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, and later by Bail's adopted daughter Princess Leia Organa, eventually became the political voice of the emerging Rebel Alliance.
During the war, the Empire was supported by the Empire of the Zygerrians, but since they were too weak to make a minor difference, their support to the Galactic Empire is often overseen.
Restoration[]
- Main article: New Republic
The New Republic was a restoration of the Galactic Republic after the Galactic Empire was crushed following Palpatine's death and the destruction of the second Death Star in the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY. After the fall of the Emperor, remnants of the Empire were ordered to initiate "Operation: Cinder", a contingency plan created by Palpatine to annihilate both its organization, its followers and its enemies as an act of punishment for failing to prevent his demise, including the planets they have controlled. The Rebels however prevented the Empire's self-destruction in the Battle of Jakku, finally ending Palpatine's rule over the galaxy. In 28 ABY, part of the New Republic, concerned about corruption emerging in the Senate and its unwillingness to see the First Order as a major threat, created the Resistance to fight the First Order. It is depicted as the ruling government of the galaxy and primary target of the First Order, a neo-Imperialist military junta that sought to reclaim the Empire's legacy. 30 years The New Republic effectively collapsed when the First Order's planet-converted superweapon, Starkiller Base, destroyed Hosnian Prime and the New Republic fleet and Senate with its phantom energy beam. After the Battle of Exegol, Rey, a reformed Ben Solo and the Resistance have successfully put an end to the First Order, the Sith Eternal, and the resurrected Palpatine, making way for the Republic to be reborn anew.
Gallery[]
