Rumor: The Political State of the Galaxy Before, During, and After 'The Force Awakens'

By: Dominic Jones

One of the many questions fans have about Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens is what is the state of the galaxy during the sequel trilogy era?  Books like Star Wars: Aftermath and Star Wars: Lost Stars, as well as video games like Star Wars: Uprising and comics like Star Wars: Shattered Empire, have given us our first glimpse as to what the galaxy is like after the destruction of the second Death Star.  Now, our friends over MakingStarWars.net have some very interesting details about the political state of the galaxy before, during, and after The Force Awakens.  As usual, there is a chance this may not be true so if you are trying to avoid all The Force Awakens spoilers then stop reading now.  This is your SPOILER ALERT!

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To set this up, recall that after the fall of the Death Star II the Rebel Alliance established the New Republic with a new senate with Mon Mothma as Chancellor (as seen in Aftermath).  While this may have started as a more idealistic body than the Old Republic or Imperial Senates, based on MakingStarWars.net's report, it didn't stay that way.  According to MSW,

• Well before the events of The Force Awakens, Supreme Leader Snoke began corrupting the Republic senate set up after Return of the Jedi.
• Senators in the Republic remember the opulence of the Imperial Senate before Emperor Palpatine stabbed them in the back and Snoke’s allure is rather seductive for the greedy politicians.
• Treaties were signed stopping the Republic from attacking the First Order as long as they remained in the Outer Rim, well beyond the Republic territories.
• General Organa started the secret Resistance as she felt the First Order would one day attack and she would need a force to thwart their advancements while the Republic gained its senses.
• These corrupt and old Imperial Senators (now Republic senators) want the First Order to prevail so they can reinstate the Imperial Senate under which they once prospered.
• After the events of The Force Awakens, the First Order is known to be a threat because of the use of the Starkiller and the treaty is effectively broken.
• The Republic is ripped apart as Senators side with Snoke and others side with democracy.
• The Galactic Civil War returns and the Galaxy can no longer pretend like it solved the crisis after Palpatine’s death.

I like these ideas, and they sound like there is a bit of repetition of the past but not a direct copy of what happened in the prequel trilogy.  We also know that the leadership of the Rebel Alliance want peace and may be willing to make a pact with the devil (like The First Order) to end the fighting.  It also leaves the door open for their to be smaller conflicts throughout the time between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens without having a galaxy wide war.  That being said, I wouldn't expect much of this to play out on screen, but rather be brought up through expository dialogue by main characters.

As always, this is just a rumor until confirmed or denied by Lucasfilm or Disney.

Source: MakingStarWars.net

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