The age of the Empire was a terrible time for
the galaxy. The shroud of darkness fell over
what had once been the Republic, and
seemed to offer no light for its peoples.
However, rebellion against the Emperor had
already begun. As Palpatine's New Order was
imposed, and people realized just how dread-
ful their new government was, resistance
emerged. Most of it was quashed, but a group
of freedom fighters persisted. A civil war began,
and the rebellion was seemingly headed for
destruction. Yet Palpatine was underestimating
his enemies, and did not realize just how
much danger his Empire was in.
The atrocities made by his Empire - razing
cities, killing innocents as collatoral damage while hunting a single rebel, enslaving entire civilizations - caused many to wake up to the reality of the New Order. Pilots and officers who had once looked forward to a career in the Imperial Navy quickly re-evaluated their employers, and often turned traitor to join the growing rebellion. A Rebel Alliance had formed, and the Empire was beginning to lose its iron grip. Though the Rebels had not had a major victory since they emerged, neither had the Empire destroyed the dissident group. Palpatine's Death Star was completed some time after the treaty that united the rebels was signed. The Empire thought their new superweapon would see the end of the Alliance.
The Death Star caused quite the opposite effect. The Rebels exploited a fatal weakness in the design - caused by Imperial arrogance and a disregard of the threat posed by the enemy - and destroyed the station. The Rebellion gained even more support, and had achieved its first victory. Though the Empire struck back at Rebel bases around the galaxy, the Alliance pressed on, and prepared for the final battle. Their Bothan spies had learned the Emperor was onboard his second Death Star - though it turned out to be a trap. The Emperor knew the Alliance couldn't afford to pass up an opportunity to destroy him, but he had not counted on the end result. He was killed by his own servant, and the second Death Star followed the first into oblivion.
The control that Palpatine had exuded over his Empire was its undoing. The power of the dark side held the galaxy-wide organization together, so when he died over the moon of Endor, the Galactic Empire splintered. Factions split away, Warlords attempted to seize territory and would-be Emperors and Empresses vied for power on Imperial Center. The Empire was dead. |
