Partisans

"Or the campaigns of Saw Gerrera's Partisans? Can you condone that?" "We did what had to be done."

- Ransolm Casterfo and Leia Organa, on the Partisans' so-called terrorist actions

The Partisans, also referred to as Saw Gerrera's militia, and Saw Gerrera's rebels, were a militant insurgent group and rebel cell who enacted armed campaigns against the Galactic Empire during the Age of the Empire. Led and founded by Saw Gerrera in 19 BBY, the Partisans played a part in destabilizing Gerrera's homeworld of Onderon from the Empire's occupying forces and eventually became allied with first the rebellion, and later, the Alliance to Restore the Republic. However, some, like Rebel Alliance founders Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, distanced themselves from Gerrera's faction due to their willingness to resort to extreme tactics, such as torture and attacks on civilian targets. By 0 BBY, the militia had very little communication with the mainstream Alliance, and Gerrera's militia besieged the holy moon of Jedha with the intentions of purging the Imperial occupation. However, the campaign took a major blow with the destruction of the Holy City by the Imperial Death Star battle station's superlaser, and the death of Saw Gerrera himself.

The Partisans were also responsible for enough attacks resulting in civilian casualties that the Galactic Empire in response made a propaganda poster denouncing the Rebel Alliance as a terrorist group. The campaigns of the Partisans were later mentioned by New Republic Senator Ransolm Casterfo as an example of the Rebels' so-called terrorist tactics during the war, and also demanded of Leia Organa to know if she condoned it or not, with Leia simply saying he did what needed to be done without saying either way regarding her views on the matter.

History
Following Onderon's Civil War and the Galactic Republic's transformation into the Galactic Empire Saw Gerrera reorganized the Onderon rebels into the Partisans. When the Empire sent ISB Agent Kallus and his platoon to bring peace to Onderon, Gerrera and a Lasat mercenary ambushed them. The Lasat then mercilessly executed the platoon and left Kallus alive.

In 13 BBY, Gerrera then took Jyn Erso and accepted her into the partisans. By 5 BBY, Erso was one of the best fighters among the partisans. However, Gerrera was forced to abandon her due to her father, Galen Walton Erso, being an Imperial collaborator.

Following the death of Gerrera, the remaining Partisans continued his extremist legacy to thwart the Empire at any cost. After the theft of the Death Star plans, the newly formed Inferno Squad was ordered to infiltrate and eliminate the surviving Partisans.

Appearances

 * Star Wars: Force Arena
 * Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel
 * Rebel Rising
 * Leia, Princess of Alderaan
 * Guardians of the Whills
 * Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
 * Rogue One: A Star Wars Story novelization
 * Star Wars: Rogue One: A Junior Novel
 * Rogue One, Part I
 * Rogue One, Part II
 * Rogue One, Part III
 * Rogue One, Part V
 * Battlefront II: Inferno Squad
 * Star Wars 40: The Ashes of Jedha, Part III
 * Bloodline
 * Battlefront II: Inferno Squad
 * Star Wars 40: The Ashes of Jedha, Part III
 * Bloodline