In our continuing series of Forum User generated editorials, we’d like to feature MrNomAnor’s recent post  The Senate will not sit still for this! Looking at GFFA politics post-NJO. To read it, please click on the link, and then feel free to add to the discussion by going to the forum.

The Senate will not sit still for this! Looking at GFFA politics post-NJO by MrNomAnor

A fundamental aspect of Star Wars has always been politics. The strengths and weaknesses of politics, how people utilise politics for selfish motivations or for the good of a galaxy, how different species interpret politics, how politics can be used to create or destroy, harm or uplift.

We’ve seen scores of politicians in all different guises from Leia Solo and Borsk Fey’lya to Padme Amidala, Palpatine, Fyor Rodan, Ta’a Chume, Viqi Shesh, Puffers Gavrisom, Gilad Pellaeon, Nyna Calixte, Gar Stazi, etc etc etc

Politics has always been a cornerstone of Star Wars, whether it is examined under the microscope of a dictatorship Empire, a democratic star-spanning republic, the unity of a multi-tiered legislative federation, we’ve seen alien politics, human politics, politics of both humans and aliens dealing with one another.

We’ve seen the galaxy far, far away through the eyes of freedom fighters, terrorists, senators, presidential aides, galactic leaders, and we’ve seen governments that are responsible and representative; democratic; we’ve seen monarchies and civil liberties stripped away; we’ve seen people giving consent to changes of government and we’ve seen all manner of committees and senates and governing bodies.

But then I looked at Legacy of the Force. I’m looking at Fate of the Jedi.

What happened to all the politics?

I find it alarming that after The Unifying Force not one mention has ever been made of a Galactic Alliance Minister of State.

Think about that a moment. No one has ever referenced a second-in-command of the largest interstellar government that the galaxy (and we) have thus far seen in the Star Wars mythos.

This alarms me.

Apart from a few cameo-ed scenes in Traviss’ Sacrifice and earlier, in Bloodlines, the body of the Galactic Senate has not been seen or really, heard of, since Force Heretic Remnant. This is unforgiveble.

That out of the entire galaxy and its billions of politicians, the only person, the ONE PERSON, that apparently most people could agree upon for Galactic Alliance Chief of State, is one Natasi Daala. She who launched multiple attacks on the very worlds she now leads, she who is quite certifiably a beserker kamaikaze bitch monster of death, is now in charge of the free galaxy. Yes, there was some hyperbole in my statement, but seriously? There is no one else inb the ENTIRE FRAKKING GALAXY that was physically and mentally able to become the new Chief of State?

Um, no, authors. Just no. If you really want Natasi Daala as CoS, that’s FINE, but don’t lie to me and the readers and say, “She was the only person everyone could agree upon.” Maybe everyone in your little book-writing committee, but not everyone in the GFFA, thank you very much.

Then I look at Jagged Fel. He’s a badass to be sure, but that’s not my issue here. My issue is this. In Outcast, Jagged Fel shows up to Coruscant for the Unification Summit and also for hanky-panky time with Jaina Solo. That’s fine. No issue there. But not only does Jag come along, but he apprently has a sizeable faction of the Moff Council there as well. That’s also fine. These dudes need to represent the interests of the Galactic Empire at the Summit, and pursue their (the Empire’s) interests on a galactic stage. This is also fine.

Yet…. remind me again… who’s back on Bastion and Muunilinst running the Galactic Empire? That’s right, you can’t tell me.

The Unification Summit and Outcast in general also raised another issue. The Confederation. Apparently, unlike the assumption we were given in Invincible (though maybe that’s my fault for assuming, it makes an ass out of you and me) the Confederation states were not dissolved or re-admitted into the GA. They’re apparently a SEPARATE STATE. Which is all manner of strange given that all their members have apparently LEFT the Confederation in the aftermath of the war: Bothawui/Bothan worlds and Commenor went back into the GA, the Empire officially set itself back up independently of any other galactic government and so just who is Turr Phennir left to represent? The Hutts? I mean… just what exactly is the state of the Confederation? Who is left in it? Corellia too, the actual founding member of the Confederation is, once again, back in the GA.

And talking about Corellia… The entire length of LOTF, the entire shitstorm that launched the series focused on Corellia. And the Corellian system. And the Corellian Sector. Yet why upon why did no one ever tell us what the Selonians and Drall were doing? When all these blockades and military assaults and occupations and destructions of WMD that sit in the Corellian system were happening, just what the hell were the Selonian and Drall doing? The word “Selonian” itself is at best found only once or twice in the entire length of LOTF. Does. Not. Compute.

And then we get back to Daala. Look at how she operates as a Chief of State. Thank goodness Outcast (and to a lesser extent, Omen) followed up on Cal Omas’ promise and SHOWED US the GA legislation and justice system in action and that the courts do indeed have more powers than they did in the New Republic, as the court system seems to be basically the only check and balance that Daala has, since the Minister of State, the Judiciary Branch and virtually the entire governing body of the Senate all went AWOL.

Leia, during her time as CoS couldn’t even sneeze with her mouth uncovered without some random Senator or military personnel almost tackling her to the ground and double-checking her motives and actions.

Daala can basically just do whatever she wants.

And I’m sorry, but I’m finding all these claims of “Daala has the support of the military and… everyone else important” in relation to her anti-Jedi activities. Last time I checked, many Jedi from the NJO HAVE served in the military and not every single person who ever served in the GA armed forces has a big hate on for the Jedi. Whatever happened to the Garm Bel Iblises of the fleet? Where is Syal Antilles, the fracking GA Armed Forces liason TO the Jedi Order? Where are the Gavin Darklighters, the Nek Bwua’tus, the Traest Kre’feys, the military personages who HAVE worked with the Jedi on military operations and such? And just why is no one listening to people like Wedge Antilles or Tycho Celchu who ARE respected in military circles and would undoubtedly be offering up positive arguments about the Jedi?

Where are all the politicians who support Jedi? Where are the Triebakks and the Releqy A’Klas and the Elegos A’Klas and the Mon Mothmas and Admirals Ackbars and Cal Omases? They can’t all be dead or too wimpy to speak up.

I’m fine with having a storyline where the government is persecuting the Jedi and they have heaps of support and legitimate arguments. Really, I’m fine with it. But what pisses me off is that there IS NO COUNTER-ARGUMENT. Daala herself raises all these good points about why Jedi are perceived as law-breakers and whatever else and people like Luke just SIT THERE WITH NO COUNTER-ARGUMENT. It’s atrocious. It’s like all the honest people are kept in silence omn purpose so that the plot can make Daala and people like her all the more awesome and unchallenged. Um… no.

Politics aren’t one-dimensional. Where is the Jedi support? Where is the counter-argument?

Where is the entire goddamned Senate?

Where is…. where is the politics? I’m not asking that this be Star Wars: West Wing, but geez all they have to do to improve this situation even slightly is look at Black Fleet Crisis as a Star Wars Politics Bible. Heck, even The New Rebellion (I know many people dislike this book, but I don’t, and even its politics are scores ahead of what we’ve been getting).

Am I beating a dead eopie? Is this a subject that gets people’s knickers in a nexu like it does for me? Or do you all not care?

I’m interested in what you all think. Do you even like politics in Star Wars? Are there ways of fixing this? Or should we just leave it?