‘Star Wars’: Why Mon Mothma Is The Most Important Member Of The Rebel Alliance
Mon Mothma has long been considered a supporting Star Wars character. However, it is often forgotten how there would have been no Battle of Yavin or Battle of Endor without Mon Mothma’s efforts in building and running the rebellion. While Luke, Leia, Han, and Chewie are duly credited for bringing the Empire to its knees, it is worth remembering that there was an entire Rebel Alliance that efficiently orchestrated the rebellion with minimal means. Mon Mothma was one of the most important members of the Rebel Alliance who not only worked alongside Bail Organa and Padmé Amidala in establishing the rebellion but took on its leadership and ensured its success.
Mon Mothma first appeared in the Star Wars canon in 1983 in Return of the Jedi. She was portrayed as the leader of the Rebel Alliance and was seen briefing the Battle of Endor, the other members of the Alliance. Since then, her backstory has been significantly developed in the Star Wars canon, and Mon Mothma has come to be recognized as a fearless, selfless leader who stood up against the Empire and led the rebellion to victory.
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Mon Mothma was born and raised in a politically inclined family and was interested in governance from an early age. She was one of the youngest senators and represented her home planet, Chandrila, in the Galactic Senate. As a member of the Loyalist Committee, she was vocal about the demerits of the war between the Republic and the Separatists.
Mothma, along with like-minded senators like Bail Organa and Padmé Amidala, was acutely aware of the ludicrous amount of power that Chancellor Palpatine was amassing and the price that the ordinary people of the Republic were having to pay during the Clone Wars. Together they opposed the war and advocated peace in the galaxy through diplomacy. Toward the end of the Clone Wars, as Palpatine overtook the Jedi Council, they sensed an impending threat to the Republic. However, they refused to let democracy die, and in a pivotal meeting at Organa’s office, the first seeds of the rebellion were laid in secret.
Their fears were proved accurate, and the Republic was replaced by the Galactic Empire at the end of the Clone Wars, with Sith Lord Emperor Palpatine at its helm and Darth Vader by his side. With Amidala dead, it was up to Mothma and Organa to protect the people from the atrocities of the Empire and bring balance to the galaxy. They worked secretly and helped coordinate the activities of the many small Rebel cells that selflessly and tirelessly fought to thwart the Empire’s rise.
Senator Mothma continued to openly speak out against the Emperor and the corrupt Galactic Senate, which led to her being called a traitor, and she was soon at the top of the Empire’s ‘Most Wanted’ list. In a courageous act of defiance, she resigned from the senate to fight the Empire alongside her people and called for the formation of the Rebel Alliance. Her momentous Declaration of the Rebel Alliance, made aboard the Ghost, was broadcasted to all the rebel cells, which showed their support by answering her call. The ‘Alliance to Restore the Republic,’ more popularly known as the Rebel Alliance, thus formed, formally declared their rebellion, and kick-started the Galactic Civil War.
Mon Mothma became the Commander-in-Chief and Chancellor of the Rebel Alliance and took on the difficult task of leading a resource-limited rebellion against an all-powerful Empire. She had to make tough decisions and constantly strategize to put the rebellion in a winning position. Mon Mothma played a crucial role in organizing Operation Fracture that ultimately enabled the Alliance to obtain the plans for the Death Star, albeit at the cost of many lives.
With the blueprints of the Death Star in hand, the Rebel Alliance could destroy the gigantic weapon in the Battle of Yavin. Three years later, under Mon Mothma’s leadership, the Rebel Alliance defeated the Imperial forces at the Battle of Endor. This victory, along with the death of Palpatine at the hands of a redeemed Vader, led to the fall of the Empire and the rise of the New Republic. Mon Mothma thus kept her promise of not resting until the Empire was defeated during the Declaration of the Rebel Alliance.
Mon Mothma was a strong leader who put the needs of her people first in every situation. She was an idealist and a fierce advocate of democracy; however, this did not deter her from being a pragmatic and shrewd politician. She was unbelievably fearless and dared to openly speak out against the Empire. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that her expert planning in moving the resources and people to the right place at the right time was crucial to winning the rebellion. It has been reported that the upcoming Disney+ series, Andor, will explore Mon Mothma’s story further, and we will hopefully learn more about her role in the formation of the Rebel Alliance.
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Source(s): Wookieepedia