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| - Accompanying the growth of the Empire was an unprecedented military buildup. The many shipyards in the Emperor's domain churned out immense fleets of Star Destroyers and TIE fighters. The Imperial starfleet maintained order in the galaxy, a role previously undertaken by the Jedi Knights, an august order of protectors wiped out during the Emperor's ascent. It was through fear that the Empire ruled. Its power hungry lieutenants and technocrats developed greater and greater instruments of destruction to cow a rebellious populace. This philosophy culminated in the creation of the Death Star, the brainchild of the combined genius minds of Galen Erso, Orson Krennic, and Wilhuff Tarkin. The Death Star was a mobile space station with a prime weapon of unspeakable power. When fully charged, the Death Star's superlaser had the ability to destroy a planet. Despite such shows of strength -- indeed, because of them -- the flames of rebellion fanned higher. Small pockets of resistance banded together to form the Alliance to Restore the Republic. At first, the pitiable number of freedom fighters seemed no match for the oppressive Empire. Nonetheless, they managed to score an impressive victory with the theft of the battle station's plans at Scarif and the subsequent destruction of the Death Star at the Battle of Yavin 4. Having proved itself a viable threat, the Rebel Alliance found itself under Imperial counterattack. The core group of Rebels spent three years relocating their hidden headquarters, before being routed in a crushing attack at the Battle of Hoth. A few short months later, the Rebels discovered that the Death Star was but the first of many Imperial superweapons in development. A second Death Star was nearing completion over the distant moon of Endor. Intelligence gathered by Bothan spies informed the Rebel planners that Emperor Palpatine himself would be present to oversee the final stages of construction. Thus an irresistible target was in place over that peaceful green moon: the Empire's next great weapon, incomplete and vulnerable, and the head of the Empire himself, both in one place. The Alliance took the bait -- the Battle of Endor was entirely designed by the prescient Emperor Palpatine to be the final confrontation in the Galactic Civil War. Palpatine however, failed to foresee the resourcefulness of the Rebels or the treachery of one of his most trusted aides - Darth Vader. Palpatine died during The Battle of Endor, and the second Death Star was destroyed. The Empire had been dealt a deadly blow, and slowly and surely, would be brought down by the Alliance to Restore the Republic. It however, divided into multiple factions.
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![[RDF Data]](/fct/images/sw-rdf-blue.png)