First Order-Resistance War

The First Order-Resistance War (34 ABY–35 ABY) was a yearlong new galactic civil war fought between the First Order and the Resistance. While the First Order sought to conquer the star systems and rule over the galaxy, the Resistance fought to preserve the democracy brought about by the New Republic after their struggle against the Galactic Empire.

The war officially began in the year 34 ABY, three decades after the Battle of Endor, when the First Order fired its planet-converted superweapon, Starkiller Base, on the Republic capital of Hosnian Prime, destroying the Hosnian system, and with it the New Republic Senate and Defense Fleet. Shortly afterwards, the Resistance launched an assault on the First Order stronghold, ending the Starkiller crisis with the destruction of the superweapon. Nonetheless, the New Republic collapsed as the First Order moved in to seize military control over the galaxy, escalating the Cold War into full scale open warfare.

With the New Republic divided, the Resistance had to survive on its own. Forced to depart from D'Qar, the Resistance was pursued across space by the First Order, though both sides incurred heavy losses. During the Battle of Oetchi, Supreme Leader Snoke was killed by his apprentice, Kylo Ren, who appointed himself the new Supreme Leader. However, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker was convinced to return to the fight for galactic freedom. Skywalker sacrificed himself to hold off Ren at the Battle of Crait while his last apprentice Rey fled with the remnants of the Resistance.

In the following year, Supreme Leader Ren discovered the former Galactic Emperor Darth Sidious alive on Exegol, attended by the Sith Eternal cult. From their hidden world, the Sith Eternal had constructed a massive fleet of planet-destroying Star Destroyers, the Final Order, hoping to bolster the forces of the First Order and transform it into a new Sith Empire. Ren ultimately abandoned the First Order, but Allegiant General Enric Pryde continued the alliance with the Sith. At the Battle of Exegol, the Resistance rallied a Citizens' Fleet, and together crushed the Final Order. During the battle, Rey sacrificed herself to destroy Sidious and his followers, though was resuscitated by Ben Solo. Their victory sparked a people's uprising against the First Order across the galaxy.

Text and facts from the “First Order-Resistance War” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.