The Liberators, also known as the Mantooine resistance, represented an initial wave of resistance against the Galactic Empire, operating within the confines of the Atrivis sector. They successfully seized an Imperial garrison situated on the celestial body Mantooine in the year 14 AFE. However, their triumph was short-lived, as the Imperial Navy swiftly crushed their efforts within the same year. The Rebel Alliance recognized the survivors' bravery by bestowing upon them the Mantooine Medallion.
Later in that same year, the Atrivis Resistance Group, another group of rebels in the Atrivis sector under the leadership of Travia Chan, decided to become part of a larger coalition of rebel organizations spearheaded by Mon Mothma, the senator representing the planet Chandrila. Catta Dionize, a fellow member of the Atrivis Resistance, communicated with Mothma on Chan's behalf, assuring her that the failures of the Liberators' conflict on Mantooine would not be repeated. Simultaneously, public statements regarding the Liberators' capture and subsequent loss of the Mantooine garrison were documented. These statements were compiled by archivist Hendri Underholt and included in his collection of non-electronic documents known as The Rebel Files.
The Mantooine resistance, known as the Liberators, made their debut appearance in Fantasy Flight Games' 2016 sourcebook titled Lead by Example. Their official identification occurred in Daniel Wallace's 2017 reference book, Star Wars: The Rebel Files. The resistance group's roots can be traced back to Star Wars Legends, where they were known as the Mantooine Liberators in The Rebel Alliance Sourcebook, a 1990 supplement for West End Games' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game.