Rebellions are built on hope

"Rebellions are built on hope" was a phrase adopted as a saying in the Alliance to Restore the Republic during the Galactic Civil War against the Galactic Empire. The phrase originated with the Ghorman Thela, who said the phrase to the revolutionary Cassian Andor on the planet Ghorman shortly before the Empire's massacre of the Ghorman in 2 BBY. In 1 BBY, shortly before the Battle on Jedha, Andor repeated it to Jyn Erso, who then later repeated it during a Rebel Alliance meeting discussing retrieving the plans for the Death Star superweapon from Scarif.

After Erso and her team, Rogue One, sacrificed their lives to retrieve the plans from Scarif, it was her use of the phrase that became famous as a rebel rallying cry: at that meeting, rebel propagandist Corwi Selgrothe recorded Erso saying the phrase and then spread the quote to encourage others throughout the galaxy to see the promise of the Rebel Alliance. Being able to capture Erso's moving speech was one of Selgrothe's proudest moments in her service to the Alliance. During conflict between the Resistance and First Order, General Leia Organa, who had served in the Alliance, mentioned the saying to Resistance pilot Poe Dameron.

Text and facts from the “Rebellions are built on hope” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.