We witnessed the rise of the First Order in the sequels. Yet, given the Empire’s demise, this development is surprising. Not only did the First Order evolve, but it became one of the most dominant forces in the galaxy. How did this transpire? Much of the explanation comes down to leadership.
The Rise of the First Order
For those who may not know, the First Order arose as one of the splinter groups within the Imperial Remnant. With the Empire disintegrating and “strict disarmament treaties” secured under the Galactic Concordance, it seemed unlikely that another robust Imperial-like order would arise. Yet, Remnant groups persisted.
As we saw in The Mandalorian, Moff Gideon led one of the robust factions in the Outer Rim that threatened to destabilize the galaxy again. Gideon was one of ten groups that were part of the Shadow Council that sought to undo the New Republic.
The First Order was a particular “fascist military junta” located in the Unknown Regions, far to the west of the Outer Rim. Presumably led by Supreme Leader Snoke, they adopted a “mobile headquarters” rather than a stationary planetary one. This mobility is one reason why the First Order was able to rise to power.
As we may know, the First Order was an “offshoot” of the Contingency, Palpatine’s secret and nefarious plan to revive the Empire in a new, more effective form. This plan also contributed to the birth of the First Order. Specific individuals in the plan likewise lead us to think about how this remnant offshoot became one of the most dominant forces in the Star Wars galaxy.
Reasons Why the First Order Became Dominant
Three individuals help shape the contours of the Contingency plan and place the First Order on a path to dominance. The first was Gallius Rax, who initially led the plan to start the Empire anew.
As Palpatine’s protege, Rax became an admiral and worked behind the scenes to undermine hisw own troops and keep only those he found worthy. With Operation: Cinder, which kicked in after Sidious’s presumed death, Rax and other hand-picked officers sought to use climate-control methods to disrupt and devastate planets like Vardos and Jakku.
Rax also allowed the New Republic to win out in battles and rose to become Counselor to the Empire, veering toward being Emperor himself. But, Imperials being Imperials, he was soon displaced. Yet not before laying the foundation for the First Order.
Grand Admiral Rae Sloane killed Rax, took command, and provided the next layer of leadership. Sloane assumed control of the Contingency and gathered central personnel like Brendol Hux, whose son Armitage Hux emerged as a key officer who orchestrated a second coming of stormtroopers.
Meanwhile, and unbeknownst to the galaxy, Sidious had arranged for the cloning that ensured his survival and return. As we saw in Rise of Skywalker, he summoned the Sith Eternal and built a fleet of Star Destroyers to complete the Contingency.
The events lead us to the primary point that Palpatine was most responsible for the First Order’s power. Coinciding with this video, we can conclude that Palpatine’s “determination to rule the galaxy” steered a course to dominance.
If we follow the logic of the sequels and the Contingency, Palpatine wasn’t really defeated but made “a strategic defeat so that he could regroup” and forge a force that could truly be dominant. Alas, Rey and the Resistance thwarted his plan, but not before showing how powerful the new enemy had become.
First Order Dominance
As recapped in this discussion, other reasons were important too. We should mention the resources the First Order acquired, the Starkiller Base, and how the New Republic didn’t heed the threat enough.
Yet, these aspects required central leaders to make them happen. Ultimately, the leadership played the most important role in making the First Order a dominant force in the galaxy. Other factors were influential, but the role of Palpatine outweighed them all.