The Empire

Emperor Palpatine named his regime the Galactic Empire after he came to power. The regime was supposed to eradicate the corruption and social injustices of the previous government, but it soon became evident that the Emperor had no intention of returning the galaxy to a state of peace and justice. His government corrected the mistakes that made the Old Republic ineffective and unwieldy, but it also installed a program designed to subjugate as many planetary governments as possible for the personal glory and benefit of the Emperor. The Empire was a regime of tyranny and evil. Bolstered by a vast war machine and held together by the dark will of the Emperor, the Empire held sway over the galaxy for many years. Its iron hold was shattered by the Rebel Alliance at the Battle of Endor.

Since the Battle of Endor, the Empire has been reduced to a quarter of its size at the height of the Emperor's power. While it continues to rule a small portion of the galaxy and wages battles against the New Republic government, it is nothing more than a remnant, a pale shadow of its once darkly powerful self. In many ways, the Empire that exists five or more years after the Battle of Endor is much like the Rebel Alliance it once fought–disorganized, lacking in overbearing firepower, and engaged in a hit-and-run style of warfare. It showed some signs of its old glory under Grand Admiral Thrawn and the reborn Emperor, but the New Republic was able to win out against both of these threats.