The key leaders of the future Rebel Alliance are left reeling with the dawn of the first Galactic Empire in four key extracts fromStar Wars' upcomingAndorprequel novel. TheStar WarsDisney+ series saw Genevieve O’Reilly and Forrest Whittaker reprise their roles of Mon Mothma and Saw Gerrera to cover the period leading up toRogue One. Alongside the othercharacters ofAndor, Mon Mothma grapples with financing an unorganized fledgling Rebel Alliance alongside Luthen Rael (Stellan Skarsgård), as the latter tries to convince Gerrera and other Rebel Cells to take a stand against tyranny.
Ahead ofReign of the Empire:The Mask of Fear’srelease in February,Star Wars Bookson Twitter/X share several key quotes from the book’s three point-of-view characters – Mon Mothma, Bail Organa, and Saw Gerrera –highlighting their reactions to the recent declaration of the first Galactic Empirefollowing the events ofStar Wars: Revenge of the Sith.
In Mon Mothma’s extracts, the Chandrilan senator reckons with how quickly the galaxy has changed under the Empire’s reign, as she is forced to let go of the ideals and systems that she once believed in:
“Maybe her accepting the truth was the start. Her fear was her only source of reassurance. Her fear told hershe hadn’t yet become numb to atrocity and injustice.So she wrapped her fear around her, clung to it like hope, and watched the city in the night.”
“Mon told herself that in the morning, when the sun rose and it came time to work, she would let it all go - her fears, her dreams, and her love for the Republic she believed in. She would leave it behind, and the galaxy would be different, and she would remain unbowed, unyielding, indomitable…”
Meanwhile, Bail Organa’s (Jimmy Smits) extract sees Alderaan’s representative question what methods of fighting are right in the new landscape of the galaxy:
“We tried hiding everything good and decent under a cloak of self-interest, and we failed becausewe never gave people a reason to do what was hardest, to fight for what really mattered.There may be times that deception is necessary, but it’s not how we win.”
Finally, Saw Gerrera’s extracts see the revolutionary calling out the flawed ideals of the diplomats, calling their ways and desires to achieve peace through negotiations pointless, especially in the face of an emperor that has no opposition to his reign, no matter what rules might exist:
“You debate in the Senate while people are dying. You have the habits of a people at peace, but there is no peace! You talked about treaties with the Seperatists, but the Separatists never wanted a treaty.Now you seek to remove the Emperor’s power through law,but the Emperor doesn’t care about law.”
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While the Rebel Alliance’s formal formation was shown inStar Wars: Rebelsseason 3, other pieces ofStar Warsmedia have shown that the resistance had already begun to form long before Mon Mothma’s declaration over Dantooine.Andorshowed Luthen bringing together individual cells and pushing the Empire further, whileThe Bad Batchsaw key figureslike Gerrera, and Hera and Cham Syndulla, begin to oppose Imperial rule. At the time of writing,Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fearis set to be the earliest exploration of rebellionagainst the Empire.
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Though it was ultimately removed from the movie’s final cut, Bail and Mon Mothma’s early resistance against the Empire would have been witnessed inRevenge of the Sith.They, along with Padmé Amidala (Natalie Portman), signed the Petition of 2000 to bring the Clone Wars to a close with a ceasefire and force Chancellor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid) to relinquish his wartime emergency powers. While the scenes were removed, the narrative itself is still considered canon.The Mask of Fearwill build and further enshrine these elements into canon, giving a true origin for the Rebel Alliance.
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The Mask of Fear Promises A Deep Character Study
ThoughStar Wars' 2025 publishing slate is focused on the end of the High Republicand the ending of the Galactic Civil War,The Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fearstands out as one of the most highly-anticipated novels of the year. Alongside itsAndorties ahead of season 2’s release, the novel is written by Alexander Freed, author of theAlphabet Squadrontrilogy. Telling the tale of a squadron of misfit New Republic pilots, the series is celebrated for its explorations of morality, redemption, and tense showdowns from the view of a cockpit.
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As his previousStar Warsnovels have left such an impression, many look forward to seeing how Freed explores key Rebel leaders' struggles. The book shouldfill in key character details that will only enhance their onscreen appearances. WithAndorexploring the Rebellion’s battles,The Mask of Fearis the perfect complementary tale to the second season.
Andor
Cast
Andor is a Star Wars prequel series set before the events of Rogue One, following Cassian Andor as he navigates a world of danger and deception. The series delves into his transformation into a pivotal figure in the struggle against the Galactic Empire.
