For me, at the heart of The Rebellion, is passion and hope. The denizens of the galaxy are under the heavy boot of a fascist autocracy seeking to expand power into every area of their lives. Under the cruel and vicious guiles of Palpatine, the grunts of the machine subject themselves and others to subjugation under which no one is to think freely, or even dream freely, for that is dangerous. One of the most insidious tendrils of Palpatine's monster is its intellectual and narratival power. Through repeated propaganda and demonstration of military might, The Empire places itself as the only logical choice for the galaxy. After all, who else could unite the stars so masterfully? What other polity has managed to bring "peace" and "tranquility" to the vast reaches of space?

Under this line of reasoning, the Empire isn't just entitled to the galaxy due to its might, but it is the natural path for its inhabitants. This subtle "might equals right" logic is carried throughout the OT and it rears its head in the prequels as well. Compared to the tumolt of galactic wars between Separtists and the Republic, one would almost gladly trade in the chaos for peace and stability. It is easy to understand why so many of the senators and worlds simply fell into place with the transition of power after the war ended and the Jedi were exterminated. They were desperate for any quiet, and as long as they did not think about how this new peace was accomplished, they were fine to go along with it.

But as we know, ignorance and appeasement only go so far. In the depths of Wild Space, a space station is being constructed to further the Emperor's control over every single facet of the galaxy. This terrifying new weapon represents the unquenchable lust for power which fear and hatred command. Hidden from the noble and illustrious citizens of the core world and mid rim are the dark corners of the Empire's control. The genocides, the enslaving of billions, the brutal oppression of entire populations and worlds, the disappearance of dissenters and those seeking deeper. It is easy for the privileged interior to dream of the Empire as a slightly harsh tool, but that is all. Everyone has heard of penal colonies and of local rebellions being put down across the galaxy. But those people deserved it, they must have been for the Empire to react with hostility. And yes, it is tragic that many are killed in brutal crackdowns, but that is the natural outcome of their actions. If they had just accepted the Empire, they would have been fine.

The Death Star represents the shattering of illusory safety, and the destruction of Alderaan is the ultimate splash of cold water to the willfully blind inhabitants of the interior, the Imperial Core. This isn't supposed to happen to people like them, people with privilege, people with prestige and wealth. Of course for those who had opened their eyes a while ago, it was clear that the bloated and corrupt Republic was no utopia. Even at ground zero, Coruscant, trillions go hungry and impoverished. They are left to fester in the lower levels, surviving crime bosses and harsh police droids. The Republic had long exploited outer worlds for resources, left them to the whims of interstellar organized crime, and ignored their cries for help. They enslaved billions of clones for their war and traded with slavers like the Zygerians.

Now, the veil is torn away. No one is safe. The Imperial Senate, even as the husk of fabled democracy, is now dissolved. There is no need for any illusion anymore, all vestiges of the old way are removed. The willfully ignorant, and therefore arrogant, core worlds, are now accutely aware of Palpatine's monstrous effect. But what can they do? All their old forms of representation are removed, the safeguards are fully gone, or perhaps for the first time in a decade, they recognize they have been gone for a while. Perhaps the time for action has passed, maybe Palpatine has won, and maybe there's no point to even resist. The core worlds wasted the precious time they had to dissent, and in their view, maybe all is lost.

Or maybe not. Quietly, unexpectantly, out in the far reaches of space, the exploited and forgotten, the dejected and ignored regions of space, a young boy wakes up to a new day. Out there, a surly smuggler and his Wookie friend jump into hyper space in a derelict space ship. A grieving princess, who has lost everything and everyone she loved, sits in a cell awaiting her sham trial and punishment. Amidst the forgotten and overlooked parts of the galaxy, a new narrative arises, a new resistance, a new hope. And maybe, just maybe, time isn't out to change the world.