Warning! This post contains spoilers for Star Wars: Battle of Jakku – Insurgency Rising #2
Star Wars Has confirmed exactly how the empire was fractured following Return of the Jedi. In the wake of the second Death Star’s destruction and the deaths of both Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, those who continued to serve the Empire were effectively split. To that end, three main groups emerged after Endor, as seen in the new and canonical Marvel Comics series Star Wars: Battle of Jakku.
in Star Wars: Battle of Jakku – Insurgency Rising #2 By Alex Segura, Leonard Kirk and Rachele Rosenberg, The Empire is shown consolidating its remaining power after the greatest loss in the Imperial’s 60-year rule over the galaxy far, far away. This is largely motivated by a series of emissaries activated and sent out after Palpatine’s death, tasked with delivering his final posthumous orders known as Operation: Cinder, a brutal bombing campaign designed to punish the galaxy:
However, the fracturing of the Empire over such a major loss of leadership meant that not every Imperial faction was aligned with each other. While it is not the first Star Wars project to introduce the various new factions, uprising rising Effectively breaks down the three main groups that emerged post-Endor. It especially provides new insights into one of the biggest rogue elements that proved quite dangerous for both the Rebellion and Imperial Loyalists.
The scope of the empire saw through Palpatine’s contingency
Key figures like Grand Admiral Sloane and Gallius Rax
The largest Imperial faction after Endor are those who have done Operation: Cinder. Led primarily by Grand Admiral Ray Sloane and Counselor Gallius Rax, these were the Imperial leaders who kept the bulk of the Imperial Navy intact in the Outer RimEven as the New Republic began to gain ground elsewhere across the galaxy. Rax, a protégé of Palpatine himself, proved instrumental in the creation of the Imperial Shadow Council which debuted in live-action as seen in The Mandalorian Season 3.
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Rax is also the main reason why the Galactic Civil War reached its conclusion on Jakku, having tried to blow up the planet’s heart using Palpatine’s observatory on the desert world to destroy both the New Republic and Imperial fleets simultaneously. It was all part of the Emperor’s contingency plans, believing that the empire would not continue if he died and should instead be destroyed to create a new order for the future. Although Rax failed to destroy Jakku, he ensured that selected Imperials would live in the Unknown Regions, eventually reforming as the First Order..
Governor Adelhard’s iron blockade was weak
A state of imperial denial
At this point in the US Star Wars timeline, Rax is still working with Grand Admiral Sloane to carry out Operation: Cinder In uprising rising. That said, it seems he already has a plan for the part of the Old Empire that isn’t necessarily cooperating. This notably includes Governor Ubrick Adelhard who was introduced in the first issue of uprising rising (Having come from the canceled game Star Wars Uprising).
After forming an iron blockade around the Annaath sector, Adelhard dismissed any report that the emperor had died.. He has instead chosen to work in a state of denial, eliminating those who say otherwise or try to rise against him rather than working with the rest of the empire. However, Rax tells Sloane that Adelhard has “already taken care ofAs such, it will be fascinating to see what this actually looks like in the coming issues.
The Acolytes of the Beyond serve the Dark Side itself
They probably cannot be trusted by any Imperial faction
A former member of Palpatine’s inner circle, Yupe Tashu leads the cult known as the Acolytes of the Beyond. Notably, Tashu and his agents have been in contact with Rax and Adelhard. As such, it’s hard to tell who the Acolytes are truly allied with, and it’s safe to assume that he ultimately manipulated them both, serving the dark side over anything else.. Regardless, they are certainly a faction in their own right, having tried once to thwart Luke Skywalker’s effort to rebuild the Jedi Order after Return of the Jedi.
Star Wars: Battle of Jakku – Insurgency Rising #2 is now on sale from Marvel Comics.