The New Republic plays a significant role in the Star Wars universe after the events of Return of the Jedi. As a dominant power in the galaxy, it defines three decades of Star Wars chronology before being upended in the sequel trilogy. The New Republic’s rise and fall is closely tied to the cycle of conflict that Star Wars is known for, with both positive and negative aspects. Despite its importance, the New Republic itself remains relatively unexplored beyond the broad strokes of its history.

However, in recent years, this has begun to change. The “Journey to The Force Awakens” initiative in 2015 marked a starting point for exploring the New Republic’s early days. Since then, Ahsoka and The Mandalorian have delved into the shadows of the New Republic’s struggles, and Marvel’s comics have started to fill in the gaps. The Battle of Jakku comics miniseries and the upcoming relaunch of the main Star Wars series have shed more light on the crucial early years of the New Republic, providing a better understanding of its rebirth.

A New Hope, and the Empire Strikes Back

The process of formally establishing the New Republic took nearly a year after the Battle of Endor. During this time, Alliance forces worked to capitalize on the Empire’s disarray and recruit support from worlds across the galaxy. However, the Empire launched Operation Cinder, a campaign targeting multiple worlds with climate-disruption lasers, in an attempt to divide the Rebellion and turn public sentiment against it. Meanwhile, the Anoat sector was locked down by Imperial overseer Governor Adelhard, blocking travel and crushing dissent. Even Coruscant, the former Republic capital, was embroiled in a bitter civil war as Imperial forces clashed with pro-Rebellion sentiment.

It wasn’t until almost a year after the Battle of Endor that the New Republic was officially formed, with Mon Mothma elected as its first chancellor. The new government aimed to send a message to the galaxy that a new era of order had begun. However, the road to establishing the New Republic was fraught with challenges, including internal power struggles and external threats from the Empire.

The Outer Rim Front

Despite the New Republic’s formal establishment, the state of power in the galaxy remained relatively unchanged. The New Republic focused on liberating worlds in the Core and Inner Rim, while the Empire consolidated its forces in the Outer Rim. The lack of a unified front from the Imperial Remnant worked in the New Republic’s favor, but internal sabotage and uprisings threatened to undermine its progress. The formation of the Imperial Future Council on the planet Akiva aimed to establish a new path forward for the Empire, but it was ultimately eradicated, and Akiva became the first Outer Rim world to join the New Republic.

The New Republic’s momentum was further boosted by the liberation of Kuat, which denied the Empire a key asset in ship production. The successful liberation of Kuat led to the approval of peace talks between Mon Mothma and Grand Admiral Rae Sloane. However, the talks were derailed by a violent attack on Chandrila, which caused widespread panic and led to a resurgence of independent alliances and a decline in support for the New Republic.

The Road to Jakku

The aftermath of the attack on Chandrila led to a public relations crisis for the New Republic. The Senate was challenged by rivals seeking to undermine Mon Mothma’s leadership, and various independent powers formed their own governmental systems. In response, the New Republic began to transfer its senatorial duties to the Mid Rim world of Nakadia, which would become the first of a rotating series of capitals and senatorial hubs.

Meanwhile, the Empire, emboldened by the chaos, formed a new ruling council under the command of Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax. Rax, operating on secret contingencies from Palpatine, mustered the remaining Imperial military might to his homeworld, Jakku, seeking to draw the New Republic into a pitched battle that would culminate in the destruction of the planet and cripple the New Republic. Although the New Republic discovered the massing of Imperial assets over Jakku, direct military intervention was initially stymied by the Republic Senate.

Peace and Rehabilitation

The Battle of Jakku marked a turning point in the Galactic Civil War. The New Republic’s victory led to the signing of the Galactic Concordance, a treaty that included the Empire’s total surrender and the dissolution of the Imperial Academy system. The treaty also established the New Republic’s dominance over the galaxy and paved the way for a period of peace and rehabilitation. The New Republic began to demobilize its defense forces and introduced a new Military Disarmament Act, which reduced the scope of the New Republic military in favor of local system defense forces.

As the New Republic navigated this new era of peace, it also began to address the legacy of the Empire. Amnesty programs were established to recruit former Imperial officers and citizens for rehabilitation into Republic society. However, the threat of Imperial remnants and other factions seeking to overthrow the New Republic’s hard-earned peace remained, setting the stage for future conflicts and challenges in the galaxy.

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