The Galactic Empire's Imperial Army designated Grand General as its highest military rank. This rank was established in response to the Imperial Navy's creation of the rank Grand Admiral, and those who attained the rank of Grand General were typically individuals with a combination of military skill and political influence. Notable Grand Generals included Supreme Commander Cassio Tagge, Levinous, Kenner Loring, and Ormeddon.
The Imperial Army of the Galactic Empire utilized the senior military rank of Grand General, which represented the highest echelon within the service. Its inception occurred after the Imperial Navy introduced the rank of Grand Admiral. Those officers who were promoted to this new rank often possessed both demonstrated military capabilities and significant political connections. A Grand General possessed the power to issue a most wanted bounty.
Some Imperial officers who achieved the rank of Grand General were:
- Levinous – Reportedly promoted to Grand General because of his connections to Grand Vizier Mas Amedda. [4]
- Kenner Loring – Achieved the rank of Grand General over General Hodnar Borrum towards the end of the Galactic Civil War.
- Ormeddon – Elevated to Grand General [6] by 10 BBY [7] and often tasked with resolving disruptions in supply lines. [4]
- Cassio Tagge – Following the Battle of Yavin, he was promoted to Grand General and simultaneously appointed as supreme commander of the Imperial military. He was later removed from this position by Emperor's Fist Darth Vader. [4]
After the Battle of Yavin, Emperor Sheev Palpatine promoted General Cassio Tagge to Grand General, granting him overall command of the Imperial Military and authority over the Sith Lord Darth Vader. However, following Doctor Cylo's attempt to hijacking the Executor, Tagge was demoted back to the rank of general. Vader assumed all of Tagge's authority and used the Force choke on the Imperial officer.
During the Imperial Era, Imperial officers such as Ormeddon and Levinous also held the rank of Grand General. Levinous even declared himself Galactic Emperor after the apparent death of Darth Sidious, but was subsequently arrested by his own forces. Towards the conclusion of the Galactic Civil War, Kenner Loring held the rank, although Grand Admiral Rae Sloane and others questioned why Loring was chosen over Hodnar Borrum.
Grand General initially appeared in Star Wars: Force Commander, a Star Wars Legends video game released in 2000. It became part of canon with its inclusion in Darth Vader (2015) 2, a comic book penned by Kieron Gillen and released in 2015. Leland Chee, the Holocron continuity database keeper, is credited with the decision to assign the rank of Grand General to Cassio Tagge in Gillen's comic.