SPOILERS BELOW!

My time at SDCC was fruitful. I return with some more information about the great Star Wars story that was unknown to us. The new Star Wars canon has been something a lot of us have wanted to understand and comprehend for a very long time. The new canon is being revealed to us and we are getting a feeling for what the galaxy looks like after Return of the Jedi. The galaxy is clearly in turmoil after the death of Emperor Palpatine and things changed drastically between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens. For the most part, here are the “macro” events that transpire after Return of the Jedi. The information is very reliable.

Coruscant was in chaos, Grand Vizier Mas Amedda attempted to keep the Empire together by any means necessary.

The Imperial chain of command was is in disarray; no one knew exactly which superior officer they were supposed to follow or what the consequences for doing so might be.

Several powerful people tried to declare themselves Emperor; the rank and file didn’t really care much for those declarations any longer.

Pretenders to the throne used their forces to fight one another and chaos ensued.

The Anoat sector was cut off completely.

The Rebel Alliance secured several systems and set up bases there in relative peace with minor resistance.

The Rebel Alliance proclaimed itself the New Republic by this time.

The New Republic was established in the Hosnian System.

One year after The Battle of Endor the galaxy was still embroiled in all-out war, however.

Emperor Palpatine was praised as a martyr by many and young and untrained Imperial Cadets were sent to the front lines in his name.

Many battles for Naboo were fought in the year after Palpatine’s death.

The capital of Naboo, Theed, was well protected and stable.

Imperial sympathizers tried rallying at Naboo because it was Palpatine’s homeworld. The planet was still relatively wealthy and healthy.

The Empire repeatedly tried to invade Naboo, but every attempt was thwarted.

The New Republic celebrated its victory in liberating Naboo by the third battle.

Sondiv Sella served the New Republic beside Mon Mothma and Leia Organa.

The New Republic had a provisional galactic senate with elected representatives established.

Imperial laws were rewritten by the New Republic to be more benevolent and just.

Democracy was returning.

Worlds polluted by Imperial strip mining were being rebuilt; there were also slavery reparations.

One year out, Jakku was seen as a worthless world.

There was strategic value in Jakku for one power-hungry Moff who wanted to win back the sector.

General Carlist Rieekan, a leader of the New Republic, sent a team out to capture a Star Destroyer christened Inflictor, over Jakku.

The Battle of Jakku took place in the stars, in the sky, and on land.

The Battle of Jakku was the largest battle since the Battle of Endor.

The New Republic gained an advantage through better tactics, despite the Empire outnumbering them vastly.

The Captain of The Inflictor decided to follow protocol and scuttle the ship rather than surrender it.

The ship then crashed to the surface of Jakku.

One month after the Battle of Jakku there were no longer any large-scale battles by the Empire and they vanished into a nebula.

Having gathered their forces for a counterattack and established a new chain of command, Imperial vessels within Core and Inner Rim areas stayed within borders defined by a treaty, waiting to erupt at any moment.

As we can see, there was a lot of turmoil following Return of the Jedi. Stability is not certain and we know that when we get to The Force Awakens Leia Organa is leading the Resistance. It appears the Inflictor is the ship Rey drives by in The Force Awakens. Sondiv Sella is likely a parent of Korr Sella who will serve the resistance under Leia in The Force Awakens. Other things stand out like the New Republic being based not on Courscant, but in the Hosnian System.

The post-Return of the Jedi era just got a whole lot more fascinating than it has ever been, in my opinion. The era is now ripe for tons of fantastic Star Wars stories to be told and create the climate for the chaos in The Force Awakens.