The original trilogy itself kept things simple: the heroes sought to overthrow a fascist state and reinstate democracy. The heavy focus on politics was one of many aspects of the prequel trilogy that viewers criticized, but it ultimately added context to the original trilogy and nuance to the lore of both continuities. Related: Every Star Wars Movie, Ranked Worst To Best Long after Palpatine’s apparent death during the Battle of Endor, the cult-like supporters of his ideology kept the Empire’s oppression alive and well long after the Rebellion’s decisive victory. Using the Jedi as a scapegoat, he framed the order as the architects behind the Clone Wars (in truth, his machinations as the Sith Lord Darth Sidious), stoking the fires of xenophobia and portraying himself and the Republic’s citizens as victims of a Jedi conspiracy.

Instead, he gradually twisted the Republic into the authoritarian Empire and convinced its populace to support the coup. Palpatine didn’t conquer the galaxy through brute force. One of the core thematic elements of both Star Wars continuities is the conflict between democracy and authoritarianism.

Non-movie material in both the Canon and Legends continuities showed the Rebellion reform itself into the New Republic, and the Empire degrade into Imperial Remnant factions. The sequels saw the resurgence of Imperial and Sith ideology in the form of the First Order, leading to the creation of The Resistance and their subsequent war with the First Order. The prequels saw the buildup, ignition, and devastating ending of the Clone Wars, between the Galactic Republic and the Separatists. Each era of the Star Wars Skywalker saga is defined by a conflict between two major factions, but how many of these factions are there in total? The original trilogy centered on the Galactic Civil War, where the Rebel Alliance sought to free the galaxy from the Galactic Empire.

How long was the galactic civil war