Exactly How Far Spread Was The First Order Before 'The Force Awakens'?
Image Source: IGN
Like most problematic political ideologies, the Galactic Empire from the original Star Wars trilogy was defeated but not stamped out. Remnant Imperial loyalists would become the chief enemies of the new trilogy with Daisy Ridley’s Rey. While these remnants are the true beginning of the First Order, the actual organization was formed in 21 ABY (After the Battle of Yavin). Separate remnants who had previously fled to the Unknown Regions came together to form the First Order. They started by creating a criminal syndicate called the Amaxine Warriors. The network expanded to become as large as the Hutt Empire. Three years later, Captain Phasma came aboard and rose through the ranks. Sometime within these three years, Snoke becomes the leader of the First Order. It’s possible that he was there during the time of the Amaxine Warriors, as he was inhabiting a space station of the ancient Amaxines.
The First Order’s rise to power continues in 28 ABY. Imperial Worlds like the factory planet Kuat formed a political bloc in the New Republic, but disguised their true intentions. They misrepresented themselves as Centrists. However, Senator Leia Organa sensed something dark with the new bloc and sought the Chancellor position to confront it. When the news spreads that Leia is the daughter of Darth Vader, she’s forced to resign from the Senate, freeing up the First Order to seize power. Meanwhile, Ben Solo reels from the discovery that he’s Darth Vader’s grandson and goes fully to the Dark Side. With Palpatine pulling the strings from the shadows, Ben Solo became the leader of the Knights of Ren and began his transition into Kylo Ren. Following these events, the Centrists seceded from the New Republic and joined the First Order, giving it real political power. The New Republic tried to appease the First Order, but Leia was working in the background, forming a resistance. When appeasement failed, Leia sent her Resistance to the Unknown Regions to gather information about this rising group.
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Image Source: Cinemablend
While there was peace throughout the galaxy until 34 ABY, the time of The Force Awakens, that is only because the First Order was quietly building a superweapon capable of destroying planets. This may seem like a complete timeline of how the First Order came into existence, but like most Dark users, they operated in the shadows. The Order had developed a strong military hidden from public view and used maps of the Unknown Regions to traverse the galaxy in secret. While their destruction of Hosnian Prime in The Force Awakens launched their complete takeover of the galaxy, the Order was spreading its influence long before.
From Imperial loyalists looking for the next Vader to former stormtroopers suffering homelessness after losing the war, the First Order had no shortage of loyalists. The reveal of Leia’s heritage could also lead long-time supporters of the Rebellion to turn on her for her alleged association with the Empire. Similarly, ordinary citizens of the galaxy may be experiencing negative effects from the shakeup of political power and could be convinced to support the First Order, especially under the influence of master manipulator Palpatine.
Image Source: Space
While the First Order wasn't at the level of the Galactic Empire’s power until 34 ABY, they still wielded significant influence and planted seeds across the galaxy. At the same time, Leia was spreading her influence and planting seeds of rebellion that would become the Resistance. At its heart, Star Wars is about a battle between good and evil or light and dark. For most fans, this is represented in epic lightsaber duels or spaceship battles, but whole political wars are going on in the background or even foreground of every movie and show. In fact, the first frame of any mainline Star Wars movie is a scrawl of text outlining the political climate so that viewers can have the full context.
As political systems go, the defeated First Order will likely spin off into some new group that seeks to continue the Empire’s glory. But there will always be people in the galaxy who stand for justice and freedom, and a new rebellion or resistance to fight against dark forces. Viewers may get a glimpse of the First Order’s aftermath in the upcoming Star Wars: Starfighter or the next movie with Rey called Star Wars: The New Jedi Order.
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Source(s): Wookieepedia [1], [2], ScreenRant
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