- "Today is Empire Day, celebrating the fifteenth anniversary of the galaxy's salvation, when our great Emperor Palpatine ended the Clone Wars and founded our glorious Empire."
- ―Imperial Holonet anchorman Alton Kastle
Empire Day was the day that Sheev Palpatine declared himself Emperor of the First Galactic Empire, bringing an end to the Clone Wars[1] as well as the Republic in 19 BBY.[8] Following that year, Empire Day became a holiday marking the anniversary of the rise of the Empire.[1] Festivities of the holiday included a parade on various Imperial-controlled planets, the playing of the Imperial anthem, "Glory of the Empire," as well as the airing of Emperor Palpatine with two Royal Guards at the Imperial Senate, but the footage used made the Emperor seem younger and more physically appealing than he actually was at the time of the speech.[1] Attendance to the festivities was mandatory.[9] On Coruscant, the holiday was the cap to a week of festivities known as Ascension Week.[10]
It was also the day Ezra Bridger was born,[1] and two days before the births of Luke and Leia Skywalker on Polis Massa.[8]
Behind the scenes[]
Empire Day was the name of a holiday in Canada, the United Kingdom, and other countries celebrating the British Empire, held on or near to 24 May, Queen Victoria's birthday, between 1898 and 1958.[11][12] Coincidentally, the day on which the world premiere of Star Wars: Episode V The Empire Strikes Back was held in London, 20 May 1980, fell close to this date and so the term Empire Day was used in marketing for the premiere event.[13]
Appearances[]
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Non-canon appearances[]
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Duel of Destiny" (Mentioned only)
- LEGO Star Wars: The Freemaker Adventures — "Return of the Kyber Saber"
- LEGO Star Wars Summer Vacation (In flashback(s))
Sources[]
Notes and references[]
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 Star Wars Rebels — "Empire Day"
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy
- ↑ Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith
- ↑ NYCC 2022: Rise of the Red Blade Inquisitor Novel Revealed, and More Highlights from the Lucasfilm Publishing Panel on StarWars.com (backup link)
- ↑ Aftermath: Empire's End
- ↑ The Star Wars Book establishes that the First Order fell thirty-five years after the events of Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope, which Star Wars: Galactic Atlas dates to 0 ABY. Therefore, the First Order fell in 35 ABY.
- ↑ Ezra's Duel with Danger
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Rebels Recon #2.01: Inside "The Siege of Lothal" | Star Wars Rebels on the official Star Wars YouTube channel (backup link) (Posted on StarWars.com)
- ↑ Star Wars: Absolutely Everything You Need to Know
- ↑ Thrawn
- ↑ https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofBritain/Empire-Day/
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commonwealth_Day
- ↑ An 'Empire Day' to Remember on StarWars.com (backup link)