Bail Prestor Organa/Legends
- "We will never betray the legacy of the Jedi. I will never surrender the Republic to the Sith."
- ―Bail Organa
Bail Prestor Organa (formally styled as His Serene Highness, Prince Bail Organa, First Chairman and Viceroy of Alderaan) was a Human male who served as the First Chairman and Viceroy of Alderaan, and served in the Galactic Senate as the Senator of the Alderaan sector from 32 BBY to 19 BBY. Subsequently, he was Senator of the Alderaan sector of the Imperial Senate from 19 BBY to 1 BBY. He was Princess Leia Organa's adoptive father and a friend of Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Rahm Kota, and Jedi Knight Ylenic It'kla. He was also a friend and colleague of Leia's biological mother, Senator Padmé Amidala, and was present when Leia and her twin brother Luke Skywalker were born. He was married to Queen Breha Organa. One of the main founders of the Rebel Alliance, he was killed when the Death Star obliterated Alderaan. In the Alliance and its successor states, the New Republic and Galactic Federation of Free Alliances, he was respected as a martyr who died for his cause.
Biography
Early life
Bail Prestor Organa, a male Human, was a native of Alderaan,[1] a planet of pristine beauty the inhabitants of which were among the Core Founders of the Galactic Republic.[11] Born in 67 BBY,[2] his parents were two of the most important people on his homeworld. His mother Mazicia was the reigning queen of Alderaan,[12] and his father belonged to the prestigious House of Organa,[13] one of the princely dynasties among which the crown of Alderaan traditionally befell.[14] He also had three sisters: Rouge, Celly, and Tia.[15] Additionally, his maternal uncle Tayvor Mandirly was a notorious agricultural expert.[6] Like all the scions of his noble bloodline, the young Organa enjoyed a golden childhood. While he always had all the material things he needed, Organa's parents were careful never to spoil him.[6] As a youth, Bail Organa was trained to eventually take up Alderaan's seat in the Galactic Senate. Despite the rampant corruption that had spread its tentacles to most of the political class, the actions of civic-minded statesmen such as Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum finally convinced Organa that he could do well in the Senate.
Despite his pampered upbringing, Organa maintained many personal acquaintances across Alderaan which crossed class boundaries. Taking an interest in the son of two archivists at the Royal Library of Alderaan, Organa championed the young Halagad Ventor's education and assisted him in his rise through the academy system. The two swiftly became friends and it wasn't long before Ventor was a welcomed presence around House Organa. Inspired by Ventor's desires to become a Jedi, Organa assisted the youth in pursuing his dreams by granting him access to both mental and physical training across Alderaan.[16] In 32 BBY,[17] Bail Organa's future ascent to the position of viceroy was put into question. That year, Alderaan was wracked by the Alderaan Ascendancy Contention, a bitter feud between House Organa and the rival House Antilles over which family had the proper claim to the title of viceroy.[18] After three deadlocked votes, the High Council of Alderaan[19] appealed to the Galactic Senate for mediation, and a special dispatch led by the Jedi Master Jorus C'baoth was sent to oversee the dispute. During this time, Organa became acquainted with the Jedi Knight Everen Ettene who championed his cause and the two maintained a positive relationship.[16] In less than one month, C'baoth guided the tribunal to a decision that favored the Organas. Subsequently, Organa's father was made viceroy[13] and the rivaling families were joined together in marriage at the Jedi's behest.[18]
In the wake of the standoff, the victorious Organa family decided to celebrate by sending young Organa, his sister Tia and the Ventor family as their representatives to the Okonomo Retreat on the beautiful island resort. Eager to spend the holiday hunting manka cats that roamed wild on the island, Organa did not reprimand his sister or his friend as they made passes at each other. Despite Tia's proposed marriage to a nobleman of House Vandron, she pursued her brother's friend during the trip all while Organa turned a blind eye. The three were out hunting when Organa received word that a terrible tragedy had befallen the retreat. A madman had infiltrated the dinner and had infected the gathered nobility with a hive virus which provoked anthropophagitism in its victims. Among the victims were both of Ventor's parents', Ean and Zollet, who in their madness ate each other before being consumed by the madman.[16]
At some point when it seemed that the old Republic was already crumbling, a group of Alderaanian scouts under the responsibility of First Chairman Organa discovered the remote and mineral-rich planet of Isis. Bail Organa, who foresaw a time of turmoil in the not-too-distant future, chose to to keep information about this world secret, only revealing its existence to his close political allies.[20]
Becoming a Senator
In 32 BBY, the peaceful planet Naboo was invaded by the droid army of the Trade Federation, a labyrinthine organization of trade officials, which provoked a crisis in the Galactic Senate. Padmé Amidala, queen of the Naboo, came to plead her case before the Senate and, seeing that Valorum would not react, she called for a Vote of No Confidence in the Chancellor.[21] Despite not being a senator, Bail Organa was present in the plenary chamber, and he stepped out to second the motion,[22] as did the Roonan delegate Edcel Bar Gane.[23] Before the chair could find a motive to postpone the vote, Organa argued that the motion could suffer no delay, since it was on the floor and had to be voted during the ongoing session.[22]
Following the election of Palpatine as Supreme Chancellor, Senator Bail Antilles chose to retire, and Organa succeeded him.[24] In order to occupy that position, he was forced to abandon his viceroyship, delegating his powers to a regent.[25] Though a new Senator, he quickly gained the ear of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, agreeing with his view on bureaucratic stagnation.[4] He also established political relationships with other like minded Senators, including Garm Bel Iblis of Corellia, Padmé Amidala of Naboo, Doman Beruss of Illodia, and Mon Mothma of Chandrila, with whom he had a very good personal friendship. His residence on Coruscant during his time as a Senator was called Cantham House, although he had an apartment in 500 Republica as well. Organa also became close friends with former Chancellor Valorum. Despite his elevated position, Organa remained committed to his friends. Approached by Halagad Ventor after the young man had spent some time at the Jedi academy on Almas, Ventor expressed frustration regarding his inability to find a master that would train him in the ways of the Jedi. To assist, Organa arranged for a meeting with his old contact within the Order: Everen Ettene. Speaking with the Jedi Knight and vouching for Ventor's dedication and hard-work, Ettene saw something of herself in Ventor and agreed to train the unconventional Padawan.[16]
In 28 BBY, Organa took in his turn the mantle of viceroy,[26] which he would keep till his death.[3]
The Clone Wars
Rising concerns
As the Clone Wars dragged on, Organa became concerned about Palpatine's growing powers. Because of his newfound relationship with Kenobi, Organa started cultivating a friendly relationship with the Jedi High Council, which was also concerned, and began seeking out similarly wary Senators. As a diplomat, Organa was often on the front lines of the war; he was engaged in actual fighting during both the Battle of Boz Pity[27] and the Battle of Coruscant, although he fought involuntarily in the latter.[28] He also visited Qalydon[18] and Metalorn,[29] and served with and befriended Giles Durane, saving the man's life on more than one occasion.[30]
Last days of the Republic
- "What's going on here?"
"There's been a rebellion, sir. Don't worry. The situation is under control. [raises weapon] I'm sorry, sir. It's time for you to leave."
"And so it is." - ―Bail Organa and clone commander Appo
During the Great Jedi Purge, after witnessing clone troopers gun down Padawan Zett Jukassa, Organa was determined to intercept any surviving Jedi before they "walked into this catastrophe." Organa managed to locate and rescue Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi. When he took them back to Coruscant, he sat with Padmé Amidala as Palpatine declared himself Galactic Emperor. Despite his revulsion at the concept, Amidala told him to vote in favor of Palpatine, both being outnumbered and realizing the added benefits that time and access to Imperial knowledge would have on a resistance movement.[8]
After Yoda's failed attempt to kill Palpatine at the Grand Convocation Chamber of the Senate Building, Organa managed to rescue the Jedi Master before security could find him. They then fled Coruscant to the planetoid Polis Massa and contacted Kenobi on the planet Mustafar. Kenobi, having defeated his former apprentice Anakin Skywalker who had fallen to the dark side of the Force, arrived with the droids C-3PO and R2-D2 and a pregnant Padmé, who was in a critical condition. The medical team who tried to save her discovered that she was dying, having apparently lost the will to live. However, before her death Padmé managed to give birth to healthy twins, Luke and Leia Skywalker.[8]
Adopting Leia
Organa also took the droids into his service (and ordered C-3PO's memory wiped to keep the chatty droid from someday accidentally revealing Leia's true parentage[7]), placing them in the care of Tantive IV's captain Raymus Antilles. Along with Mon Mothma, Organa attended Padmé's funeral on Naboo.[8] He continued to serve in the Senate well into the days of the Galactic Empire, where he remained a representative for Alderaan until his adopted daughter Leia took over one year before the Battle of Yavin.[15] Bail was one of the few people in the galaxy who were aware that Palpatine was a Sith Lord, presumably having been informed of this by Yoda.[7][31]
Despite the Viceroy's sheer affection for his daughter, on the whole, the young Leia had far more meals with servants and household droids than with Organa.[32] He mostly entrusted the princess' education to an army of experts, which included Amidala's former handmaiden Sabé, who tutored her in matters of court etiquette and diplomacy,[33] the scholar Arn Horada, who instructed her in galactic politics and history,[34] and the former senator of the Thesme sector Silya Shessaun.[35] While Queen Breha had been extensively involved with Leia's education in the latter's early years,[36] the princess' later girlhood was was mainly marked by the Viceroy's sisters, Rouge, Celly and Tia Organa.[15]
Father of the Rebellion
Bail Organa was instrumental to the creation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, together with Senators Mothma and Bel Iblis.
Several months after the foundation of the Empire, Organa met with the crew of the Banshee on Alderaan, to discuss resistance to the new regime. In the Grand Hall of the Royal Palace of Alderaan, Organa received the rebel agents, and sent them on a mission to Felucia to rescue the disillusioned Imperial Admiral Gilder Varth from the detention facility on that planet.[37]
Small, covert operations like this were typical during the first decade of the Empire. Organized resistance did not come until later. A significant event that spurred Organa and his allies to discuss open rebellion was the Ghorman Massacre in circa 18 BBY: during a protest against Imperial taxation on the planet Ghorman in the Sern sector, Wilhuff Tarkin landed his ship right on the protesters, injuring and killing hundreds. This horrified many, but the Emperor was pleased and gave Tarkin a promotion. In secret, Organa and Mothma, sometimes accompanied by Bel Iblis, began having regular meetings in Organa's Coruscant residence to discuss organized resistance.
Despite these ties to the Rebellion, Organa was outwardly one of the most loyal of Imperial Senators, and greatly respected by many. This could be why Emperor Palpatine never attempted to kill him, while showing no such restraint with his fellow Alliance co-founders.
A historical moment for the Rebellion was the signing of the Corellian Treaty in circa 2 BBY. Signed by Organa, Mothma, and Bel Iblis, with Marek and Kota also present, the document formalized the relationship between the Corellian, Alderaanian and Chandrilan resistance forces, respectively, from a loose coalition to an organized rebellion—the Alliance to Restore the Republic. However, Darth Vader arrived moments later and his stormtroopers arrested Bail and everyone else. Bail ordered the holodroid PROXY to cut off Leia's transmission so that Vader would not know she was involved. Marek was really Vader's secret apprentice, and had lured the Senators willing to rebel against Emperor Palpatine into the open. Bail and the other Senators were taken to the under construction Death Star I, and it seemed that the Rebellion was doomed before it even began.[10]
Mothma and Bel Iblis often clashed on strategy and policy, and it was usually Organa that kept the new Alliance from splitting apart.
In 1 BBY, leaders of the Alliance decided to set their new secret headquarters on the fourth moon of Yavin Prime after being forced to secretly abandon their former base on Dantooine.[source?] Should that base ever be discovered by the Empire, Organa created a holocron encased in near-indestructible phrik, which contained a list of possible replacement planets. The former senator kept that precious holocron with him on Alderaan.[38]
Death
- "It was night in our palace—were you awake or asleep, with mother... or alone?"
- ―Leia Organa ponders what Bail's last moments of life were like
In 0 BBY, after acquiring Imperial plans to the Death Star, Organa sent his daughter, Leia, on a mission to recruit exiled Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi for the Rebel cause. However, Leia was arrested above Tatooine by Darth Vader himself. Back on Alderaan, her father received a falsified report stating that the Tantive IV had encountered an unexpected meteorite field it could not avoid, and had gone down with all hands on board.[40] Princess Leia and Obi-Wan Kenobi never made it to Alderaan, and the planet was about to face certain doom.[3] On a warm evening late in the spring,[15] Bail Organa perished when Wilhuff Tarkin, now a Grand Moff, ordered the destruction of Alderaan using the Death Star's superlaser, annihilating its population. Organa was among the 2 billion people who died instantly.[3]
Personality and traits
- "Do not expect to be applauded when you do the right thing, and do not expect to be forgiven when you err. But even your enemies will respect commitment—and a conscience at peace is worth more than a thousand tainted victories."
- ―Bail Organa, to young Mon Mothma
Bail Organa was a tall, dark-haired Human with tan skin and brown eyes,[8] whose traits were regarded as aesthetically pleasing by other members of his species. He was known for wearing elegant and meticulous clothes in the style of the Republic Classic era.[31] A self-aware politician, Bail Organa always appeared neatly presented. But the senator's rigor was not only about appearance; unlike many self-absorbed and corrupt delegates, Organa took his senatorial duties seriously. He spent much of his free time working on both legislative and domestic matters.[6] In the ancient times, his professionalism would have been considered with respect. However, amid the moral decay of the dying Republic, Organa's impassioned defense of the civic virtue was often derided by his corrupted peers.[42] However, despite his undeniable diplomatic skills and usually reserved behavior, Organa could appear casual to the point that Obi-Wan Kenobi once compared him to a Corellian bartender—except for the profanities.[6]
Organa was very devoted to preserving peace throughout the galaxy and was one of the few Senators who was not corrupted by power or by Chancellor Palpatine. He was very loyal to the Republic and the Jedi Order and did everything he could to help the Jedi during Order 66 and the Jedi Purge. He believed that without the Republic, the galaxy would fall into chaos and without the Jedi Order there would be no peacekeepers to help bring an end to chaos. Organa was strong minded and refused to submit to the rule of Emperor Palpatine. He also displayed enough courage to stand up to the Emperor himself telling him that if he and his allies were to die the Emperor would only cause more people to hate him.[10]
Although an intelligent man and an innovative strategist, Organa tended to act on faith instead of playing safe. He was not afraid to take risks if the benefits justified the costs, and he would learn quickly from his mistakes. For a politician, Organa had unusual skills such as the ability to pilot a starship by himself.[6] A polyglot, Organa could speak not only Galactic Basic Standard, but also Shyriiwook, Mon Calamarian,[43] and Gran.[4]
As a private man, Organa was also a loving husband to his wife Breha, whom he called "my dove." During the time of the Republic, his Senatorial duties kept him away from Alderaan, and Bail Organa could rarely spend much time with his wife in Aldera. Although he qualified himself as a "neglectful husband", he paid the Queen lightning visits whenever possible.[44] Later in life, the Viceroy Organa also became a loving father to Leia, his adopted daughter.[36] When the opportunity arose, Organa enjoyed a good drink. He was known to favor Blackmoon ale with a twist of blue sarsata peel and white wine produced by the House of Organa's own vineyard;[6] Algarine wines were his favorite vintage.[15]
Behind the scenes
Origins
- "I am Bail Antilles... I serve THE FORCE OF OTHERS... We are agents of the Starkiller... He has been expecting you..."
- ―An early incarnation of Bail Organa, in a rough draft of Star Wars
The origins of the character of Bail Organa can be found in the early drafts of the original Star Wars film. George Lucas's 132-page rough draft of "The Star Wars", completed in May 1974, includes a character named Bail Antilles who is a galactic trader and a confederate of the Aquillian Ranger Clieg Whitsun.[45] In 1975's Adventures of the Starkiller, Episode I: The Star Wars, Antilles is himself an Aquillian Ranger and an agent of the Starkiller;[46] later drafts cemented the character as the father of Princess Leia of Ogana Major.[47] When Ogana Major was renamed Alderaan, the word "Ogana" became Leia's last name, albeit slightly respelled.[48] Bail Antilles was accordingly renamed Bail Organa, and went on to be mentioned by name in both the script and novelization of the original Star Wars film,[1] although he was referred to simply as Leia's father in the film itself.[3] An issue of the film's comic book adaptation erroneously calls Leia's father Bail Antilles.[49] Organa first appeared in 1981's Star Wars radio drama, where he was called "Prestor" in the closing credits. Taking the cue that "Bail" might be a title, A. C. Crispin named the character "Bail Prestor Organa" in her 1997 novel The Paradise Snare.[1]
Non-canon history
Aidan Hennessy, author of the StarWars.com Databank What's The Story? entry on Pello Scrambas, has stated that Scrambas's entry was originally written as indicating that Organa's marriage to Queen Breha was arranged by Jedi Master Jorus C'baoth in order to end the Alderaan Ascendancy Contention. The idea was omitted from the published entry, however.[50]
Appearances
Sources
Notes and references
External links
Bail Organa on Wikipedia
"Mistaken Identities" – Keeper of the Holocron's Blog, Leland Chee's StarWars.com Blog (content now obsolete; archived from the original)
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