Warning: The following contains spoilers for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."
Many "Star Wars" fans have been wondering what exactly has taken place in between the time of "Return of the Jedi" and "The Force Awakens." Rumors suggest that Luke Skywalker has become a legend among younger citizens of the galaxy and the upcoming canon-approved comic "Shattered Empire" delves into the fallout of the Emperor's death. But not much is known about the specifics of the Empire's fall and the transfer of power. That is, until now.
Making Star Wars Editor-in-Chief Jason Ward provided fans with what he deems reliable information regarding the missing events of the last 30 years in the "Star Wars" timeline. His post reads:
- "Coruscant wasin chaos, Grand Vizier Mas Amedda attemptedto keep the Empire together by any means necessary.
- The Imperial chain of command was is in disarray; no one knew exactly which superior officer they weresupposed to follow or what the consequences for doing so might be.
- Several powerful people tried to declare themselves Emperor; the rank and file didn'treally care much for those declarationsany longer.
- Pretenders to the throne usedtheir forces to fight one another and chaos ensued.
- The Anoat sector was cut off completely.
- The Rebel Alliance secured several systems and set up bases there in relative peace with minor resistance.
- The Rebel Alliance proclaimed itself the New Republic by this time.
- The New Republic wasestablishedin the Hosnian System.
- One year after The Battle of Endor the galaxy wasstill embroiled in all-out war, however.
- Emperor Palpatine was praised as a martyr by manyand young and untrained Imperial Cadets were sent to the front lines in his name.
- Manybattles forNaboo were fought in the year after Palpatine's death.
- The capital of Naboo, Theed, was well protected and stable.
- Imperial sympathizers triedrallying at Naboo because it was Palpatine's homeworld. The planet wasstill relatively wealthy and healthy.
- The Empire repeatedly tried to invade Naboo, but every attempt was thwarted.
- The New Republic celebrated its victory in liberating Naboo by the third battle.
- Sondiv Sella served the New Republic beside Mon Mothma and Leia Organa.
- The New Republic had a provisional galactic senate with elected representatives established.
- Imperial laws wererewritten by the New Republicto be more benevolent and just.
- Democracy wasreturning.
- Worlds polluted by Imperial strip mining werebeing rebuilt; there were also slavery reparations.
- One year out, Jakku was seen as a worthless world.
- There was strategic value in Jakku for one power-hungry Moff who wanted to win back the sector.
- General Carlist Rieekan, aleader ofthe New Republic, sent a team out to capture aStar Destroyer christenedInflictor,over Jakku.
- The Battle of Jakku took place in the stars, in the sky, and on land.
- The Battle of Jakku was the largest battle since the Battle of Endor.
- The New Republic gained an advantage through better tactics, despite the Empire outnumbering them vastly.
- The Captain ofThe Inflictordecided to follow protocol and scuttle the ship rather than surrender it.
- The ship then crashed to the surface of Jakku.
- One month after the Battle of Jakku there wereno longer any large-scale battles by the Empire and they vanished into a nebula.
- Having gathered their forces for a counterattack and established a new chain of command, Imperial vessels within Core and Inner Rim areas stayedwithin borders defined by atreaty, waiting to erupt at any moment."
Clearly, there was a lot of turmoil throughout the galaxy in the direct aftermath of "Return of the Jedi." Even in "The Force Awakens" it is doubtful that the Rebel Alliance/New Republic has a strong foothold in its new leadership position. One should likely expect some very entertaining chaos to ensue in the new trilogy of "Star Wars" films.
