Destruction of Alderaan

"Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel base, I have chosen to test this station's destructive power on your home planet of Alderaan."

- Wilhuff Tarkin to Leia Organa

The Destruction of Alderaan, also known as the Battle of Alderaan, occurred in 0 BBY at the order of Grand Moff Tarkin.

Background
"I think it is time we demonstrate the full power of this station. Set your course for Alderaan."

- Wilhuff Tarkin

In the absence of the Senate, Palpatine had established an environment where even his subordinates were capable of terrible atrocities against sentients. From the very beginning of its design, it was intended that the Death Star be capable of destroying entire planets. But most Imperial strategists were certain that the threat alone would be enough to keep most worlds in line. Tarkin felt differently; as he saw it, the Rebels were growing bolder, and only a very public demonstration of the battle station's power against a Rebel target would succeed in giving them pause. His argument convinced Palpatine (not that he needed that much convincing). So Palpatine approved in advance the destruction of a planet&mdash;and thereby the mass murder of its entire population.

An unexpected battle
A small fleet of Star Destroyers escorted the Death Star to Alderaan. Tarkin ordered a reconaissance of the planet. The fleet scouted out the system, and came across a Rebel fleet. The two fleets exchanged fire, and as Mon Calamari Cruisers distracted the Imperial ships, Assault Frigate Mk. IIs opened fire on the Star Destroyers. More reinforcements of smaller ships, such as Acclamator-class assault ships, supported the fleet and took down most of the Rebel ships. Meanwhile, the Death Star had completed the charging of its main cannon.

Destruction
"You may fire when ready."

- Wilhuff Tarkin

To obtain information on disappearance of the Death Star plans and location of the Rebel base, Darth Vader had taken Leia Organa to the Death Star, which was under the control of Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. When she refused to yield the location of the Rebel base or the whereabouts of the plans voluntarily or through tortutre, Tarkin threatened to destroy Alderaan in an attempt to force her to confess. Fearing that Tarkin would use the superweapon on hers and other peaceful worlds, she offered the location of an abandoned rebel base on Dantooine. Thinking that he and the Empire had won, Tarkin went ahead and destroyed Alderaan. The planetary shield held off the awesome blast from the Death Star for but a second before it was vaporized.

The destruction of Alderaan caused the deaths of the billions who were on the planet at the time, sending shock waves through the Force, weakening those who were able to feel them. Senator Bail Organa was the most famous casualty of this genocidal act. A colony of Caamasi was also wiped out&mdash;ironically, they were refugees from the destruction of their own home planet in 19 BBY.

Aftermath of the blast
"I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of voices suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. I fear something terrible has happened."

- Obi-Wan Kenobi



The destruction of Alderaan failed in its psychological goal. Wiping out a peaceful, idyllic paradise caused great anger, even in the Core Worlds. The failure of the Empire to conceive an appropriate cover story only furthered the anger of many citizens. They did attempt to pin the destruction of Alderaan on the Rebel Alliance; however, few believed them. Rather than cow the galaxy before Emperor Palpatine, whole systems would soon revolt. The fall of the Galactic Empire had begun.

After the destruction of the Death Star, many systems not under military Imperial control either declared neutrality or joined the Rebel Alliance.

The rescue of Princess Leia
After the Battle of Tatooine, Han Solo and Chewbacca piloted the Millennium Falcon to Alderaan, just to see that it was destroyed. Orbiting around the ruins was the Death Star, which took the Falcon in with a tractor beam. Using deception, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker disabled two Stormtroopers, TK-421 and TK-422 and used their armor to disguise themselves as two troopers with a captive Wookiee. Slicing into a computer, Luke discovered that an Alderaanian senator, Princess Leia Organa, was being held captive in Detention Block AA 23 and was awaiting execution. While Luke, Han, and Chewbacca rescue her, Obi-Wan Kenobi, who also went on the trip, would take down the tractor beam. Solo and Skywalker made their way into the detention center, where they were discovered as imposters. Killing everybody in the detention center, Luke rescued Leia.

Squads of Stormtroopers attacked them, and there was no way out. So, Leia blew open the grate leading into the Garbage Compactor 3263827. When they were all in the compactor, Luke was nearly killed by a Dianoga, a sewer squid. Then, the walls that compact the garbage started to close in, but the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 deactivated them.

After taking down the beam, Kenobi confronted Darth Vader in one of the hallways. They engaged in a second duel.

Meanwhile, Luke, Leia, Chewbacca, and Han fought their way back to the hangar, where Luke witnessed Kenobi's ascension into a Force spirit. They escaped with the Falcon, but were attacked by four TIE Fighters. They destroyed them all with their turrets, and fled to Yavin IV.

A squad of troopers managed to place a tracking beacon on the Falcon, resulting in the Mission to Yavin and the Battle of Yavin.

Appearances

 * Empire at War
 * Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope
 * Star Wars: X-wing
 * ''Star Wars: Rebel Assault
 * Specter of the Past
 * Star Wars: Rogue Squadron III: Rebel Strike