Breha Organa

Breha Organa was a human female Alderaanian who served as queen of her homeworld of Alderaan during the final decades of the Galactic Republic and was one of the founding members of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Following the rise of the Galactic Empire at the end of the Clone Wars, Alderaan became a source of early rebellion against the Empire. Though she would not live to see their defeat, Organa and her husband Bail were remembered as heroes and martyrs of the Galactic Civil War.

During her early years, Breha claimed the right to hold the throne through her Day of Demand, during which she suffered a bad fall, which ultimately proved her commitment to her home planet. However, because of the injuries she had sustained, Organa and her husband decided not to conceive, as it would strain the queen's body. An opportunity to adopt a child would come following the proclamation of the New Order, when Bail brought to his wife a young child, Leia, whom they adopted. Leia, who was the daughter of Senator Padmé Amidala of Naboo and fallen Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, became Princess of Alderaan, though her true heritage was kept secret from her.

Using Alderaan's wealth and their positions of power to their advantage, Breha and her husband organized clandestine operations to help planets subjugated by the Empire, and they searched the galaxy for insurgent groups that could help lay the groundwork for a revolution. While Bail continued to work on the foundations of a unified rebellion, Breha personally mentored a select number of young Alderaanians, teaching them the culture and heritage of their planet. During this time, the Jedi-hunting Inquisitorius attempted to use the Organas in order to locate the fugitive Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, threatening the lives of Leia and her separated twin, Luke Skywalker, but the children's protectors managed to keep them safe. Though the Empire made increasing attempts to crack down on the rebel effort, Organa and her husband continued with their struggle, and, when Mon Mothma publicly denounced the Empire and resigned from the Senate, their resistance was formally unified as the Alliance to Restore the Republic.

As the conflict between the Alliance and the Empire grew, large-scale warfare became inevitable. Following the destruction of Jedha City, the Alliance achieved its first major victory of the Galactic Civil War at the Battle of Scarif. Despite the victory at Scarif, Breha and her husband were killed when the Death Star, an Imperial planet-killing superweapon, destroyed Alderaan just days later.

Text and facts from the “Breha Organa” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.