The Complicated Story of Bail Organa: From Legends to Canon

The Forming of the Rebel Alliance

A major problem with Bail Organa's story from Star Wars Legends was brought into the current canon by the Star Wars TV show Obi-Wan Kenobi. In the Legends continuity, Bail Organa, Mon Mothma, and Padmé Amidala planted the seeds of the Rebel Alliance before Palpatine's coup, thanks to their formation of the Delegation of 2000. Once the Republic became the Empire and the Jedi were all but destroyed in Order 66, Organa and Mothma feigned loyalty to the totalitarian regime while secretly continuing to form a Rebellion that could restore the democracy of the Republic. However, different properties in both the canon and Legends continuities make Bail Organa's evasion of the Empire questionable, to say the least.

Mon Mothma with Bail Organa and Princess Amidala

In the current canon, Bail Organa's story between the prequels and A New Hope was no longer problematic until the release of 2022's Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series, which introduced new elements that raised questions about Organa's connection to the Rebel Alliance and his interactions with the Empire.

Bail Organa wanted to chase Purrgil - Obi-Wan Kenobi episode 1

Bail Organa's Evasion of the Empire

Bail Organa's evasion of the Empire presents a perplexing discrepancy between the Star Wars Legends and the current canon. In the Legends continuity, the Force Unleashed multimedia project established that Bail Organa, along with other prominent Rebel Alliance founders, was captured and scheduled for public execution by the Empire. However, they were rescued, leading to questions about how Organa escaped the Empire's notice and continued to operate within the Rebellion without facing repercussions. This inconsistency created challenges in maintaining the continuity of Organa's character and his role in the Rebel Alliance.

Bail Organa in Star Wars The Force Unleashed

The introduction of the Obi-Wan Kenobi Disney+ series further complicated Organa's evasion of the Empire, as it revealed his direct contact with a Jedi Knight and his involvement in rescuing Princess Leia, raising concerns about why the Empire did not act on this knowledge and arrest Organa for nearly a decade. These discrepancies added layers of complexity to Organa's character and his interactions with the Empire, highlighting the challenges of merging the Legends and canon continuities.

Bail Organa talks to Obi-Wan on Tatooine in Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Resolving Bail Organa's Story

The resolution of Bail Organa's story in both the Star Wars Legends and the current canon can be found in A New Hope, which presents a potential fix for Organa's issue in both timelines. The Imperial Senate allowed the Empire to maintain control of the galaxy through bureaucracy, and Bail Organa's treasonous activities were known to the Empire but not to the public. This allowed him to operate within the Rebellion while maintaining his public image as a beloved Senator and Alderaanian nobleman. The destruction of Alderaan by the Empire is portrayed as their act against Organa, providing a loophole for resolving the discrepancies in his untold story.

The destruction of Alderaan from Star Wars A New Hope

Despite the challenges and discrepancies in merging the Legends and canon continuities, A New Hope serves as a crucial element in resolving Bail Organa's story, highlighting the complexities and intricacies of character continuity in the Star Wars universe.

Jimmy Smits as Bail Organa in Rogue One.