Star Wars is one of the most expansive sagas of all time, but the history, background, and dynamics of the universe are much more expansive than what’s shown in the movies. Diving into the Legends canon as well as the official Star Wars storyline, this series hopes to flesh out the Star Wars galaxy and augment any effort to delve into it, whether it be for game masters, tabletop role players, or fan fiction aficionados.
Perhaps no era better captures the feel and atmosphere of Star Wars than that of the Original Trilogy, the era of the Galactic Civil War, wherein Rebels and Imperials clashed, superweapons were destroyed, and individuals around the galaxy proved that hope conquers hate. This era popularized the white-armored Stormtroopers and maverick smugglers that captivated generations of moviegoers and fiction fans.
This era, though, spans more than just the scenes shown in Episodes IV, V, and VI, and this post delves into expanding the era to uncover whole new opportunities. The start of the Galactic Civil War was arguably the execution of Order 66 and the creation of Palpatine’s New Order, beginning what was sometimes termed the Rise of the Empire era. The end of the Galactic Civil War could be noted either by the signing of a peace treaty between the Empire and the New Republic or by the substantially earlier killing of Emperor Palpatine onboard the second Death Star.
Ultimately, though, the beginning of the New Order shaped its end. The destruction of the Galactic Republic and the creation of the first truly galaxy-wide Empire didn’t happen overnight: though mere days spanned the start of the Jedi attempt to arrest then-Supreme Chancellor Palpatine and the annihilation of the Jedi Order and Confederacy of Independent Systems, the actual process of reforming the galaxy took substantially longer.
Immediately after Palpatine’s assumption of absolute authority in the new galactic government, the Grand Army of the Republic – millions of clone troopers sworn to obey Palpatine’s theoretically-legitimate government – became a tool of oppression, herding former allies into detention camps and cracking down on any unrest following the creation of the Empire. This, combined with the ruthless pursuit of any surviving Jedi, meant that in mere days, countless people died to secure Palpatine’s new throne.
As time went on, these kinds of incidents continued – for instance, in the Ghorman Massacre, Imperial officer Wilhuff Tarkin’s vessel was blocked from landing by a crowd of peace protesters on the pad. Tarkin then ordered his vessel to land on top of the protesters, killing and maiming hundreds. These atrocities continued, especially against nonhumans – the New Order was staunchly humano-centric, and aliens were frequently persecuted by Imperial authorities. Sometimes the speciesism of the Empire evolved past mere prejudice to downright murder – for instance, the planet of Falleen was used as a base for biological weapons manufacturing. When a containment breach developed, the Imperial Navy bombarded the planet, killing hundreds of thousands of aliens.
As time went on, the stifled dissatisfaction of the populace led to the rise in terrorist movements and insurrections across the galaxy. Eventually, an organized rebellion was founded, taking the name Alliance to Restore the Republic – or, more simply, the Rebel Alliance. This organization set to work banding together various resistance cells, incorporating them and thus pooling resources and manpower to hopefully greater effect.
As the various cells and resistance organizations around the galaxy began reacting to the Alliance’s formation, more notice began to be taken of the Rebels by the Senate, which officially condemned but sometimes illegally supported the Rebels, and by the Imperial leadership, which cracked down on sedition more than ever before. Over time, small victories began to pile up on the rebel side, and momentum was growing. This was exemplified during the plan to steal the schematics to the Empire’s latest superweapon: the Death Sar. This plan is covered in the movie Rogue One, but suffice it to say that the theft was the first major blow the Rebellion dealt the Empire – in fact, the opening crawl to Episode IV states that it was the first true victory at all.
This set the stage for one of the most defining moments in galactic history: the destruction of the Death Star mere moments before its destruction of the Rebellion’s base on Yavin IV. This battle was so momentous, in fact, that it reset the calendar: within a few years, calendars were often dated in years before and after the Battle of Yavin – BBY and ABY, respectively.
In reprisal for this devastating defeat, the Empire brutally responded, chasing the Rebels from system to system and hunting down the Rebellion’s allies wherever they could be found. Eventually, the Rebellion was on its last leg: the Empire had pushed them from Yavin, Hoth, and countless other bases, and it was time for an all-or-nothing assault on the occasion of the Emperor’s visit to the second Death Star. At this battle, Darth Vader, the Emperor, the Death Star II, and countless Imperials and Rebels alike all met their destruction, toppling the New Order and setting the stage for a new galactic power to rise.
The possibilities for playing in the Galactic Civil War era are countless. One unique strength of this era, however, is in the variety of atmospheres it can present. Immediately after the fall of the Republic, clone troopers wage war against the remnants of the CIS, hunting down and destroying insurgencies and dissidents with the very weapons and vehicles they previously used to protect the now-dead Republic.
Later, a period of tenuous peace develops, the illusion of conformity and happiness enforced by brutal pacification and the absolute control of the Imperial government. Those that make waves or upset the calm and order of the new Empire are hunted and persecuted – perfect fodder for eternally-meddlesome player characters. Those hiding from Imperial rule exist in a society of perfect control and constant paranoia, an excellent time period for a more multicultural group.
Then, of course, comes the part of the era most familiar to film fans: the height of the Galactic Civil War. Player characters could be Imperial spies infiltrating a cell or commandos taking down a particular terrorist group. They could also be Rebel starfighter pilots, warfighters, foot soldiers, capital ship crew, or just home-grown dissidents protecting the people that they love. Characters could even be civilians, caught in the crossfire of Imperial and Rebellion forces, or war profiteers – smugglers, pirates, or honest traders looking to make money or amends in their own way.
Ultimately, the Galactic Civil War era was undoubtedly one of the best eras that could be chosen for the Edge of the Empire and related Star Wars systems, not only because of its richness and atmosphere but the sheer diversity of the era and the stories that could be told within it. This era made film history, and will no doubt make history for many roleplaying campaigns to come.
Dain Simpkins
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- The Praxeum: Legacy Era - April 10, 2017
