Princess Leia was always a ferocious revolutionary in the fight against the Empire and subsequently the First Order, but the history of Star Wars and the latest episodes of Star Wars: The Bad Batch confirm that she was right about the totalitarian regime’s fate.
Palpatine’s dominion over the galaxy was introduced in A New Hope as being inspired by intimidation and subjugation. Eventually, the galaxy came to know this period of Imperial rule as the “Dark Times.” But as we learned in Dave Filoni’s new animated sequel to The Clone Wars, the Empire wasn’t as detested and renounced when the Galactic Republic fell. In fact, many systems and worlds were tired of the bureaucratic process that haunted their well-being, not to mention the long war between the Core Systems and the Separatists.
So, when the Empire came along, they embraced the change with open arms, little knowing that Darth Sidious would rule over them with an iron fist. The Empire’s expansion was vicious, even to those who didn’t take the side of the Confederacy in the previous war. The Bad Batch actually highlights this in episodes 11 and 12, where the Syndullas rise in rebellion and even inspire clone troopers to join their fight for freedom because of the Empire’s unnecessary brutality.
All of these developments draw parallels to what Leia told Grand Moff Tarkin in the first movie, who is also a character in The Bad Batch: “The more you tighten your grip, Tarkin, the more star systems will slip through your fingers.”
The admiral was dismissive of this warning, of course, believing in the power of the Death Star and Palpatine’s innumerable legion of Star Destroyers across the galaxy. But as we know, this “tight grip” resulted in the Rebellion’s growth and the administration’s downfall in Return of the Jedi.
What are your thoughts on this, and have you had the chance to watch the latest Star Wars series on Disney+? Sound off below.
