The Jedi Order

First Appeared: Star Wars (1977)

The Jedi Knights are the greatest heroes of Star Wars, standing as champions of the light. Established roughly 25,000 years ago, the Jedi seem to have emerged across the entire galaxy almost simultaneously; there are links to a cult from the Galactic Core called the Bendu, while their first known temple is on the distant planet Ahch-To in the Unknown Regions. The early Jedi were agents of balance, but a schism 5,000 years ago changed everything, with the Sith leaving to explore the dark side and the Jedi focusing on the light.

The Jedi are almost exclusively Force-sensitive individuals, except in rare cases. The Jedi studied extensively in the ways of the Force and trained in lightsaber combat, and were led by a Council of twelve Jedi Masters and a single Grand Master. The Jedi had a strict Code that kept them able, but the confines of that Code created other problems.

The Sith Order

First Appeared: Star Wars (1977)

The Sith were the ancient enemies of the Jedi, consumed by the dark side and by their own lust for power. Unlike the Jedi, the Sith were driven by emotions - namely anger, greed, and anger. At times, the Sith have successfully conquered most of the galaxy, but they tend to fall to in-fighting. Recognizing this weakness, Darth Bane established the Sith Rule of Two - that there would only ever be a master and an apprentice, one to wield power and the other to embody it. This would allow the Sith to focus on their true enemy, the Jedi.

The Sith were believed to have gone extinct after the death of Darth Bane, but their lineage lasted a thousand years until the time of the Skywalker saga. Darth Sidious - a.k.a. Palpatine - considered himself the greatest of the Sith. He was killed by his own apprentice, Darth Vader, only to return one last time in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

The Galactic Republic

First Appeared: Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace

The Galactic Republic was established some 20,000 years ago, although it went through a significant reformation after the collapse of the Sith 1,000 years ago. A democratic institution, this welcomed senators from member worlds to represent the best interests of the peoples of the galaxy. The senate worked closely with the Jedi Order, who considered themselves to exist in a symbiotic relationship with the Republic.

The Republic's golden age is known as the High Republic Era, which ran from 500-100 BBY. This was a time when the Republic and the Jedi expanded out toward the Outer Rim, although this period of expansion did not go unchallenged. Toward the end, however, the Republic fell prey to corruption - with Palpatine, greatest of the Sith, successfully manipulating events so he became Chancellor.

The Rebel Alliance

First Appeared: Star Wars

The seeds of the Rebel Alliiance were sown before the Empire officially took power, when a group of senators united in an attempt to limit Chancellor Palpatine's powers. In the aftermath of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, many of these senators worked to unite different rebel groups - notably including senators Mon Mothma and Bail Organa. This is why the main group became known as the "Rebel Alliance."

Most recruits were volunteers driven by the desire to rid the galaxy of the Empire’s influence. Experienced smugglers flew alongside simple farmers, united by that goal. Many of Luke Skywalker’s friends had already ed the Rebel Alliance by the time he received Princess Leia’s call for help, and together the twins were able to carry out the Rebels’ plan to destroy the Empire’s Death Star. In true David-and-Goliath fashion, the much smaller and far less sophisticated Rebel Alliance eventually brought the Empire to its knees during the Battle of Endor.

The Galactic Empire

First Appeared: Star Wars: A New Hope

The oppressive Empire took the place of the Galactic Republic after the Clone Wars. The events of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith set up the Republic’s transformation into the Empire when Chancellor Palpatine was granted emergency powers to navigate the Republic around the Separatists. He had in fact been manipulating both sides of the conflict, and he used this legitimate authority to create his Empire.

The Empire began its rule concurrently with the fall of the Jedi Order and lasted for almost 25 years - even though Palpatine hoped to use cloning and thePalpatine was a secret Sith Lord, but the entire regime was structured to encourage the dark side. The Empire was particularly well known for its love of superweapons.

Confederacy of Independent Systems (Separatist Alliance)

First Appeared: Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones

The Separatist Alliance was born in the aftermath of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, spearheaded by Count Dooku. The Separatist movement was part of a complex plan hatched by Darth Sidious, who had spent decades playing both sides of the conflict. The Clone Wars ended in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, when Anakin Skywalker killed the Separatist leadership shortly after Order 66.

The First Order

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

A successor to the Empire, the First Order formed shortly after the fall of Luke Skywalker's New Jedi Order. It was born from Palpatine's contingency plan, ruled by the secretive Supreme Leader Snoke. This militant dictatorship saw itself as a purer version of the Empire, and its leaders focused their efforts on destroying what remained of the Jedi.

The Knights of Ren

First Appeared: Star Wars: The Force Awakens

The history of the Knights of Ren is shrouded in mystery. Minor Force- who wielded the dark side, they appear to have been active on the Outer Rim for decades, with their leader traditionally known as the "Ren." The Knights of Ren fell under Palpatine's influence shortly before Return of the Jedi, and worked to enforce his purposes for decades. Working through Supreme Leader Snoke, Palpatine encouraged Ben Solo to fall to the dark side by killing the previous Ren in combat. Now christened Kylo Ren, Ben remained ignorant his agents secretly worked for the Empire.

The Resistance

Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Leia Organa's political career came to an abrupt end when she was exposed as the daughter of Darth Vader. Sensing the dawn of the First Order, she established a new Resistance movement following the pattern of the old Rebel Alliance. The Resistance was disavowed as a terrorist organization by the New Republic, and its leadership was almost destroyed in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Still, the Resistance ultimately triumphed, successfully calling on the galaxy's inhabitants to unite against Palpatine.

Mandalorians

First Appeared: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The culture on the planet of Mandalore was clan-based, comprised of many different species that were all united under the same banner. They were renowned for the mercenaries and bounty hunters that came from the planet, including Bobo Fett. The Mandalorians were honor-driven and thrived in the glory of war. They were not always enemies of the Republic and the Jedi, but maintained an air of martial strength that ensured they remained an intimidating force.

The history of Mandalore included a powerful lightsaber-like blade called the Darksaber, which symbolized leadership over Mandalore and can only be won through combat. Eventually, the planet became more focused on a pacifist restructuring, leading to a civil war between the New Mandalorians and the martial traditionalists. The Jedi provided protection for the surviving of the New Mandalorian royal family, though the opposing force was exiled to Concordia. Those traditional values survived in the extremist group, the Death Watch, which would charactarize the Mandalorian people after the Purge of Mandalore left them scattered.

The Death Watch

First Appeared: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

This extremist group was made up of a number of Mandalorians who believed that the planet of Mandalore had become weak and should return to its more warrior-led history. They were led by Concordian governor Pre Vizsla, who fooled the Duchess Satine into thinking he was her ally. The Death Watch was exposed by Satine and Obi-Wan Kenobi, and they were exiled from Mandalore as a terrorist group.

The Children of the Watch

First Appeared: The Mandalorian

The spiritual successor of the Night Watch, the Children of the Watch favor ancient practices that the majority of the current Mandalorians had long abandoned. This is the faction that Din Djarin belongs to in The Mandalorian, and they are best known for a creed that forbids removing their helmets. More mainstream Mandalorians consider this group to be a religious cult. The Children of the Watch were predominantly descendants of the Death Watch, an extremist group in Mandalore’s history that had been exiled decades earlier.

The Inquisitors

First Appeared: Star Wars: Rebels: Spark of Rebellion

After the fall of the Jedi, several They were led by a single Grand Inquisitor, but the lower ranks were identified as “Brother” or “Sister” with a unique numerical distinction.

The Guardians of the Whills

First Appeared: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

An ancient religious order that flourished for thousands of years before the Skywalker saga, the Guardians of the Whills were based on the sacred planet Jedha. They allied with the Jedi at many times in galactic history, especially during the High Republic Era, when they helped in the Battle of Jedha against other Force cults. The Guardians of the Whills were almost wiped out by the Empire, with only Chirrut Imwe and Baze Malbus continuing to oppose the Empire on Jedha.

The Shadow Collective

First Appeared: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

The Shadow Collective was an alliance between several criminal groups that united under Darth Maul’s leadership during the Clone Wars. The goal of this force was to compete with Maul’s former master, Darth Sidious, and his grab for power over the galaxy. The Shadow Collective’s biggest move was orchestrating the hostile takeover of Mandalore, leading the Republic to lay siege to the planet.

The Nightsisters of Dathomir

First Appeared: Star Wars: The Clone Wars

Ahsoka revealed the Nightsisters of Dathomir originate from a distant planet in another galaxy. In ancient times, they used their dark side magicks to ride the purrgil - Star Wars' space whales - across the intergalactic void. They settled on Dathomir, claiming the planet as their new homeworld, although this was not the only Nightsister planet. Palpatine considered the Nightsister Mother Talzin a potential rival, and attempted to wipe them out; Nightsister survivors have returned alongside Grand iral Thrawn, meaning they remain a powerful albeit shadowy force in the galaxy.

The Acolytes of the Beyond

First Appeared: Aftermath by Chuck Wendig

The Acolytes of the Beyond was a cultlike religious group that was heavily influenced by the Sith. were generally non-Force-sensitive themselves but regarded the Force as a powerful instrument of fate. The Acolytes venerated the Sith, worshiping those who had died and collecting their artifacts. The Acolytes of the Beyond became a useful tool for Palpatine, helping conceal his return ahead of the Star Wars sequel trilogy.