Mon Mothma

Biography

Early life

Around 48 BBY, Mon Mothma was born into a political family. Her father served as an arbiter-general within the Galactic Republic, while her mother held the position of governor on their homeworld of Chandrila. She also had at least one cousin, Vel Sartha.

At fifteen, during a Chandrilan winter, Mothma experienced her first love, discovered smashball, and recognized her parents' flaws. Consequently, she resolved to abandon her family's political legacy and pursue a career as a historian. To dissuade her, her parents arranged a tour, accompanied by her tutor, to the remote ruins on the sparsely populated planet Phothrell, hoping she would become bored. Instead, she spent a full day exploring the theaters within the Palace of the High Games Masters, imagining the holographic game pieces and the crowds, and posing numerous questions to her tutor, which he was neither equipped nor interested in answering.

Around 33 BBY, Mothma married Perrin Fertha, also a Chandrilan. By the following summer, her rebellious phase had passed, and she returned to politics, driven by both family expectations and a genuine passion for governance. Around 32 BBY, she entered the Republic's Galactic Senate, becoming one of the youngest senators ever. At sixteen, Mothma and Perrin, married for about a year, relocated to Coruscant, where Mothma began her senatorial duties.

Their romance, passionate and fraught, continued for months after their wedding. At twenty, Fertha and Mothma had a disagreement, leading to an agreement of no children, separate beds, and no personal questions. By twenty-four, their relationship had evolved, marked by periods of closeness and distance, eventually reaching an equilibrium by 19 BBY, where they maintained separate lives while still communicating to some extent.

In 28 BBY, Mothma spoke at the first senate meeting attended by Senator Padmé Amidala of the Chommell sector, along with other new senators. Initially, Mothma was skeptical of Amidala due to her decision to call a vote of no confidence against former Chancellor Finis Valorum during the Invasion of Naboo, prioritizing her homeworld Naboo over the needs of the galaxy. Despite her dedication to the Republic, Mothma recognized its flaws and the threats it faced. Around this time, she grew suspicious of Senator Mina Bonteri from Onderon and hosted a party. During the party, Mothma created a distraction to discuss her concerns with allies Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan and Senator Onaconda Farr of Rodia in Mothma's gardens, unaware that Senator Amidala was observing them.

Mothma served on Organa's committee for transportation of construction materials alongside Amidala and Farr. Following her eventual alliance with Amidala, she used her influence to prevent TriNebulon News from publishing negative stories about her. Mothma eventually became one of Amidala's closest allies, though not initially one of her closest friends. Over time, Mothma became a friend and mentor to Amidala, believing she held great promise for preserving the Republic. A steadfast advocate for peace, Mothma was widely respected throughout the Republic.

The Clone Wars and the death of the Republic

An advocate for peace

Mothma's entry into the senate coincided with the escalation of the Separatist Crisis to the brink of war. As part of Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine's Loyalist Committee, Mothma continued her close collaboration with Senators Amidala and Organa. Together, they opposed the Republic's militarization and the growing calls for war against the newly formed Confederacy of Independent Systems. As members of the Loyalists, Mothma and her colleagues were tasked with maintaining the Republic's integrity. When an investigation by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi on Geonosis revealed the Confederacy's large droid military force, and a clone army was discovered on Kamino, secretly commissioned by a Jedi, the galaxy plunged into the Clone Wars, beginning with the First Battle of Geonosis.

Despite the Loyalist Committee's seemingly outdated stance amidst the conflict, they continued to pursue a peaceful resolution. Mothma became a vocal critic of the war against the Separatists, fearing that the Republic's focus on defeating them blinded it to the war's devastating consequences. She cautioned that wartime measures, such as the expansion of emergency powers granted to the chancellor, threatened democracy. Mothma and her allies sought a peaceful resolution to the Clone Wars, and she mentored Amidala, who became a leading advocate for peace within the Republic.

During the Battle of Malastare, the Grand Army of the Republic discovered the Zillo Beast beneath Malastare. The bombardments during the battle allowed the Zillo Beast to surface, where it battled the Republic Army. It was discovered that the creature was nearly indestructible. Hoping to replicate this indestructibility for clone trooper armor, Chancellor Palpatine approved its relocation to Coruscant, the Republic's capital. The Zillo Beast escaped captivity and headed towards the Senate Office Building to find the chancellor, who had ordered its destruction to extract its indestructible scales for testing. The creature attacked the Senate Office Building, where Mothma and Senator Organa were present. The Republic and the Jedi ultimately eliminated the creature, ending the threat to the Senate.

The neutrality of Mandalore, led by Duchess Satine Kryze, was challenged when the Mandalorian splinter group Death Watch threatened the pacifist New Mandalorian government. The Senate debated military assistance to Mandalore, opposed by the duchess, but favored by the Separatists who believed the people of Mandalore would welcome Death Watch as liberators against a Republic occupation. The Senate initially voted to send an occupation force, based on doctored evidence suggesting that Mandalore's Deputy Minister Jerec had requested a Republic presence. The full recording of Jerec revealed his strong opposition to military occupation. Mothma attended the Senate session where Jerec's true words were broadcast, leading the Senate to reject sending Republic forces to Mandalore.

In response to the growing refugee crisis caused by the war, Amidala and Organa organized a conference on Alderaan to discuss and resolve the issue. Mothma attended, greeting Amidala and escorting her to her quarters. The conference was briefly interrupted by a bounty hunter, Aurra Sing, who attempted to assassinate Amidala on behalf of the imprisoned crime lord Ziro the Hutt. However, the conference continued after Padawan Ahsoka Tano saved Amidala. Soon after, Senator Mothma attended a party thrown by Amidala in her apartment in honor of Senator Aang, a member of the Military Oversight Committee who was persuaded to vote in favor of reducing military spending.

Military funding debate

The Galactic Senate was deeply divided over the financial burden of the Clone Wars. A particularly contentious issue was whether to fund the creation of more clone troopers, even as the Republic faced bankruptcy. Senator Gume Saam advocated for a bill that would open new lines of credit to fund the Republic's war effort. Mothma opposed the measure, arguing it would deregulate the banks. At Organa's urging, the Senate postponed any decision until the matter could be further examined. After an attack by Separatist demolition droids destroyed Coruscant's central power distribution grid, the Senate voted to deregulate the banks to secure additional funding for the war.

Despite the bank deregulation, the debate over military funding persisted. Senator Halle Burtoni of Kamino, the source of the clone troopers, proposed legislation to create five million more clone soldiers. Organa planned to speak against the bill before the Senate, but he was injured in an attack by Separatist-aligned bounty hunters Chata Hyoki and Robonino. As the Senate awaited his address, supporters of Burtoni's bill urged a vote, while Mothma insisted that the bill's opponents, including herself, be allowed to speak. With Organa unable to speak, Amidala addressed the Senate on his behalf, passionately arguing against increased military funding to protect vital social services.

As the Senate prepared to vote, the bill's opponents continued to lobby against the military spending increase. Mothma worked with Amidala, Organa, and Farr, and Amidala delivered another speech on their behalf. The speech was enthusiastically received, and Mothma and the other opposition senators celebrated Amidala's address. Mothma praised her former protégé, though Amidala remained cautious until Burtoni's bill was defeated. Burtoni interrupted their conversation, accusing the opposition of Separatist sympathies. Mothma urged them to end the argument, and Farr forced Burtoni to leave. The senator from Chandrila then praised Farr for his leadership against the bill, and Farr expressed regret for his past alliance with the Separatists. Mothma assured him that he was now doing the right thing. Farr unexpectedly collapsed after his drink was unknowingly poisoned, and Mothma sought help for the dying senator. After his death, Mothma attended a memorial service for Farr on a Coruscant landing platform before his body was returned home.

After the service, Mothma attended a meeting in Chancellor Palpatine's office, where Lieutenant Tan Divo of the Coruscant Security Force shared his theory that Farr had been murdered. After the meeting, Mothma spoke with Amidala, Organa, and Farr's aide Lolo Purs. Mothma wondered who would want to harm Farr, and Purs suggested that the assassination was due to Farr's opposition to the spending bill, despite Divo's theory about a secret from Farr's past. Organa urged them to focus on defeating the bill, but Amidala insisted on delaying the vote until Farr's murderer was found, fearing that senators would vote in favor of the bill to avoid harm. Organa agreed to put a delay motion before the Senate, while Amidala would conduct her own investigation. Mothma questioned her decision, as Divo had asked them not to interfere, but Amidala was confident they could solve the case better than Divo. Organa worried that the investigation could disrupt the coalition against the bill, a concern Mothma shared. Knowing Amidala would proceed regardless, Mothma suggested she bring her head of security, Captain Gregar Typho, but Amidala preferred to handle it alone. At Mothma's insistence, however, Amidala agreed to work with Senator Organa on her investigation.

During their investigation, Amidala and Organa were targeted by the assassin. They were discovered by Lieutenant Divo, who later met with the opposition group, including Mothma, and theorized that the killer was targeting the opposition leadership. Divo placed the group under his protection, though Purs left, objecting to being kept in one room as an easy target. Purs soon returned, claiming Burtoni had attacked her, which Burtoni denied. She also denied involvement in Farr's assassination. Despite suspicion towards Burtoni, Amidala realized that Purs was the assassin; the poison targeted Rodians, so Purs would have died if she had taken a drink. Exposed, Purs admitted to killing Farr due to his brief allegiance to the Separatist Alliance, and she was arrested. Soon after, the Senate voted on the funding bill and passed the measure, despite the opposition efforts of Mothma and the others, leading to the production of more clone troopers.

The war continues

As the war progressed, a peace conference was held between the Republic and the Separatists on the neutral planet of Mandalore, overseen by Duchess Satine. Mothma, Amidala, and Organa represented the Republic in the conference, while three members of the Separatist Senate represented the interests of the Separatist Alliance. The Separatists demanded that the three senators, as representatives for Chancellor Palpatine, recognize the legitimacy of the Separatist Alliance's existence, a stance that the senators were reluctant to take. The talks were disrupted by Lux Bonteri, son of the assassinated Separatist Senator Mina Bonteri, and asserted that Count Dooku, the leader of the Separatist Alliance, was behind his mother's death. Bonteri was removed from the talks by Commando Droid Diplomats, but the talks did not result in peace between the two sides.

The Jedi soon learned that a criminal named Moralo Eval had hatched a plot to kidnap Chancellor Palpatine. In order to infiltrate the conspiracy, led by Count Dooku himself, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi faked his death so his face could be surgically altered to look like the bounty hunter Rako Hardeen, who had fired the shot that supposedly killed the Jedi Master. Believing that Kenobi was dead, Mothma attended the funeral held for the Jedi Master in the Jedi Temple. Kenobi ultimately disrupted the plot to kidnap the Chancellor, and Palpatine was left unharmed.

Some time later, Mothma attended yet another funeral in the Jedi Temple, this one for the victims of the bombing that killed several Jedi and civilians alike. Mothma was a member of the court that would decide the fate of Ahsoka Tano, who was arrested and charged with being the mastermind of the temple attack. Tano was prosecuted by Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin and defended by Senator Amidala. Ultimately, it was discovered that Jedi Knight Barriss Offee, who had grown disillusioned with the Jedi High Council for their leadership in the continuing Clone Wars, was responsible for the plot and had framed her friend and former fellow Padawan for the attack. Tano was freed from Republic custody and chose not to return to the Jedi Order, as she was unwilling to return after the Jedi Council did not trust her innocence.

Later in the war, former Senator Rush Clovis was installed as the leader of the InterGalactic Banking Clan. He was merely a pawn of Count Dooku, however, and his installation as leader led to a Separatist invasion of Scipio, the headquarters of the Banking Clan. The Senate voted to authorize a Republic military strike against the Separatist invasion force, and the Republic was able to repel the Separatists. In response to the actions of the Separatist Alliance, and following the death of Rush Clovis, the Banking Clan senator Nix Card ceded control of the banks, save one branch, to Chancellor Palpatine, a move that Mothma reacted to with disapproval. Palpatine promised to reinstate private control of the banks when the Clone Wars were over but urged that it was necessary to ensure financial stability in the interim, a stance that most of the Senate greeted with enthusiastic approval, since the Republic was saved from bankruptcy. Shortly thereafter, Mothma was present in a Senate session in which Queen Julia of the neutral planet Bardotta spoke via hologram and requested the Republic's assistance in uncovering why Bardottan spiritual leaders were disappearing. At the queen's request, the Republic sent Gungan representative Jar Jar Binks, as well as Jedi Master Mace Windu, to help resolve the situation.

Ahsoka Tano's trial

Mothma was present during the funeral of the six Jedi killed in the bombing of the Jedi Temple hangar. She also attended the trial of Ahsoka Tano, who was represented by Amidala, and was seated alongside Riyo Chuchi, Organa, and Kin Robb as the former Padawan was accused of masterminding the bombing. Tano was ultimately cleared of all charges when Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker arrived with another Jedi Padwan Barriss Offee, who was the real culprit.

Mothma witnessed Offee's confess to her crimes as she explained she, like many others, had come to realize that the Jedi were responsible for the war and they had lost their way becoming the villains in the conflict saying that they should be the ones on trial and that her attack on the Temple was an attack on what the Jedi had become, an army fighting for the dark side, having fallen from the light which they had once held so dear. Offee then stated that the Republic was falling and that it was only a matter of time, before she was pulled back by Skywalker. She was then taken away on the orders of Palpatine.

Final days of the war

In the final days of the Clone Wars, the Chancellor continued to amass more executive powers. However, in 19 BBY, he was captured by General Grievous and taken hostage aboard his ship. As a battle broke out between the Republic and the Confederacy, Skywalker and Kenobi rushed to Palpatine's rescue. They managed to retrieve their kidnapped Chancellor, killing Count Dooku in the process. In the wake of the rescue and subsequent battle, Organa gathered outside the Senate Building with the Loyalist Committee, and they all greeted Palpatine.

Palpatine was soon given control of the Jedi Council, and he soon began appointing regional governors to oversee all star systems in the Republic. Alarmed by these abrupt chain of events, a small group of concerned senators, such as Organa, Amidala, Mothma, and Meena Tills, met in Organa's office at Cantham House. Throughout these events, Mothma and Senator Organa met in secret, even from their allies, to discuss basic plans for an organized and armed rebellion against the possibility that Palpatine may become a tyrant. These meetings eventually set the spark for a highly secret Rebellion movement.

Later, Mothma and the rest of the senators met in Padmé Amidala's apartment, where Mothma told them that they were forming an alliance to stop Palpatine. However, Padmé suggested bringing the plan to the one Jedi she trusts, but Mothma and the group agreed with Organa to appeal to the Senate first.

The Clone Wars came to a close following the deaths of Count Dooku and the droid General Grievous. Skywalker discovered that Palpatine was secretly Darth Sidious, a Dark Lord of the Sith who had manipulated the entire conflict to gain power over the Republic. Mace Windu and three other Jedi Masters attempted to arrest the chancellor, but the Dark Lord killed them all and seduced Skywalker to the dark side of the Force, anointing him as the Sith Lord Darth Vader. Having found justification to eliminate his enemies, Palpatine declared the Jedi Order to be enemies of the Republic and ordered Darth Vader and clone troopers across the galaxy to destroy the Jedi. A disfigured Chancellor, injured in his confrontation with Master Windu, spoke to the Senate about the so-called Jedi betrayal and proclaimed that, in the interest of stability and security, the Republic would be reorganized into the Galactic Empire. The worst fears of Mothma and her allies were confirmed, and Amidala died soon thereafter on the asteroid Polis Massa. Mothma soon met with Bail, and together they attended Padmé's funeral on Theed alongside thousands of others.

During the senatorial arrests, Mothma was among the senators charged with colluding with the Jedi Order and treason, yet she, like Bail Organa, was released after publicly claiming to be a loyal Imperial. Amidala's death was blamed on the Jedi Rebellion, but Mothma, who attended her close friend's funeral, knew who was really at fault — Palpatine. Vowing to return democracy to the galaxy, Mothma and Organa continued to prepare for resistance to the Emperor's rule.

An attempt to restore democracy

In 19 BBY, in order to try to curb Emperor Palpatine's executive power, Mothma drafted the Imperial Rebirth Act. She sought political support for the bill among the members of the Delegation of the 2,000, former Separatists worlds under the leadership of Tychon Nulvolio, and powerful magnates Arvik Cornade, Baron Shkan-Shkan Yew, and Hasalia Prederiko. During that time, Mothma had her apartment broken into by Thalvus Agyomenidus, a radicalized member of the pro-Imperial activist group 4040s, who killed her aide and Imperial spy Zhuna. Mothma and her husband were relocated to a temporary apartment by Senate Security, which also was broken into sometime later.

In the context of the Empire's spying on Senator Bail Organa during his investigation into the framing of the Jedi, Mothma was again imprisoned and interrogated over her association with Organa, and released sometime after.

As a precondition for Organa's support for her bill, she agreed to meet up with former Separatist operative Soujen Vak-Nhalis and share his evidence with the Senate of the falsification of records that were used as justification for branding the Jedi traitors. Mothma and Vak-Nhalis, whose true plan was to kill the Emperor, headed to the Imperial Executive Building. Mothma had previously learned from Nulvolio that, amidst the modifications Vak-Nhalis underwent, a self-destruction mechanism was also added, triggered by the sound of the words "oubliette" and "sublime." Fearing that Vak-Nhalis's attempt on Palpatine's life would make it politically impossible to pass her bill, she activated the detonation, killing Vak-Nhalis and wounding herself in the process.

In the aftermath of the explosion, Mothma spent over a week at a medcenter in recovery, during which the Imperial Rebirth Act passed in the Senate. Sometime thereafter, Grand Vizier Mas Amedda met with Mothma, and revealed that Palpatine was to veto provisions of her bill that limited the Emperor's powers, citing his century plan for the galaxy. Amedda took her to see to the reeducation camp Center One, where political prisoners were jailed, in an attempt to keep Mothma in line.

Mothma continued serving in the Senate by 7 BBY, where she and Senator Organa spent a lot of time pleading with their fellow senators to recognize the state of the Empire, but their speeches were dismissed without further consideration.

The Rebel Alliance

Rebellion from within

Though Mothma and Organa remained members of the Imperial Senate, they understood that the political group was now irrelevant, and that the time came for rebellion. While Organa dealt with the military aspects of building a rebellion and grew its network of intelligence agents, Mothma further developed political alliances that were made during the final moments of the Republic. Mothma understood that those alliances would be key for any future galactic governance after either the defeat or the reform of the Empire. Before Amidala died, she secretly gave birth to twins: Luke Skywalker and Leia Organa, the latter of whom was adopted by Organa and his wife, Queen Breha Organa. Mothma knew the adopted Princess from an early age and watched as she grew to become a politician in her own right. Mothma became the princess' political tutor, teaching her before she took her father's place in the Imperial Senate, and watched as the princess became a leader in the emerging rebellion against the Empire.

Around 18 BBY, Mothma and Perrin had a child, a daughter named Leida Mothma. Mon and Leida had a distant relationship, with Mon also hiding her rebellious activities from her daughter and husband. While there were times she wanted to tell Leida about the hidden part of her career, Mon decided that keeping Leida out of the loop kept her safe.

While continuing her work in the Imperial Senate, Mothma continued to expand on the loose network of rebel cells she began calling "the Alliance." These groups included organizations such as the Atrivis Resistance Group, which joined Mothma's network in 5 BBY. In 5 BBY, Mothma visited Luthen Rael's Galactic Antiquities and Objects of Interest on Coruscant, claiming to buy a present for her husband for his Day of Days. In reality, however, Mothma had come to speak with Rael, whom she was trying to smuggle money to in order to feed the rebel network he was running. By this time, the Empire had begun sending spies after Mothma, including her new driver, Kloris, meaning she was unable to transfer the money. Upon her arrival, Rael led the senator to the back of the gallery, feigning to show her military artifacts her husband would enjoy. She told Rael that she was looking to lean Perrin's interest from ancient weapons, to other objects. He then brought her to the back to show her other items. Once in the back, Mothma informed Rael that she had found someone who they could bring into their circle, but Luthen dismissed this as they were vulnerable enough. Mothma, however, told him not to lecture her on vulnerability, as if they were discovered, she would be the first to fall. Mothma then left the gallery and quietly observed Coruscant on her way home.

Familial and senatorial challenges

When Mothma returned to her apartment, she found Fertha preparing for a dinner party for his regimental friend, the governor of Hanna, about which he had told his wife about a month prior. Mothma asked who else Fertha had invited, and was upset to learn that he had invited several of her political enemies, including Ars Dangor and Sly Moore, who, the day before, had cut off the Ghorman shipping lanes. Mothma protested that she be seated away from them, with Perrin asserting that she would be seated at the "boring side of the table." Annoyed and frustrated, Mothma stormed away.

The next morning, Mothma had breakfast with Fertha and the thirteen-year-old Leida. At the last minute, Leida cancelled plans she had had with her mother to take Leida to her classes, asking her father to take her instead. The two then got into an argument as Leida claimed that Mothma only took her to show off that she was involved somehow. When Mothma told her how hurtful that was, Leida said that it just proved her point that everything was all about Mothma. Fertha remained mostly silent during the exchange. Mothma then sarcastically thanked her husband for his help in the disagreement.

Later that night, Mothma and Fertha attended an event together. On the way back in a speeder, driven by Kloris, Fertha mentioned how Mothma had watched his conversation with Gar Tafeed whom he claimed knew more about what she was up to than he did. He also asked Mothma why he had not made mention of her new foundation, to which Mothma responded that she assumed that Fertha would not be interested as it was charitable. Fertha then asked Mothma, for the second time that day, for their driver's name which she told him was Kloris before he asked him to take the Expressway.

The next day, Mothma appeared before the Imperial Senate, although the senate chamber was almost empty. Mothma showed her support for Senator Dhow's proposal, calling it both temperate and timely, and putting in place a fact-finding commission for the session that would prove that the opposition to Dhow's proposal would cause further harm to the Ghormans. Mothma attempted to pass her own bill which would also provide aid to the Ghormans. Mothma was disappointed however to see that most of the Senate weren't paying attention to her with many looking at their datapads before exiting their pods. She then picked up her own datapad, as an alarm had gone off, as news broke on Coruscant about how rebels had stolen eighty million credits on Aldhani.

A delicate conversation with an old friend

Shortly after Mothma returned to Rael's store claiming that she wanted to switch out Fertha's gift for another one, though in reality she wanted to confront Rael about the attack on Aldhani. Rael claimed that he needed credits which Mothma could no longer give, but Mothma was angered by Rael's actions as it would lead to more suffering as the Empire would crack down on other planets. Rael expected this, but saw the suffering of others, due to the Empire's paranoia, as necessary to defeating the Empire. Mothma then said she would not be taking either of the items and left to return to her vehicle.

Later that night, Mothma hosted a party at her apartment, where she talked with her school friend, the banker Tay Kolma. Mothma reintroduced Kolma to Leida, whom he had met when she was young. Leida did not remember, however, and mostly ignored Kolma as she asked her mother's permission to be excused from the party like Fertha had told her to do. After Leida left, Mothma inquired if she could ask Kolma for a political favor, but Kolma advised against it, warning that his political opinions were getting stronger as he had been continually growing less and less fond of the Empire. Kolma did not approve of Mothma spending so much time with those inside the Empire and how interlinked she had become with the Empire.

Mothma then took Kolma aside into the living room to tell him that her image of a deferential Senator who continually fails to achieve her goals of opposing Empire overreach was a lie. Mothma revealed to Kolma that the Grand Vizier had infiltrated her Separatist Coalition meetings and her driver was a member of the Imperial Security Bureau who reported on her secret humanitarian programs. She wanted the Empire to watch her because if everyone thought of her as an "irritation," that meant there was a good chance they would miss what she was really doing. Kolma then asked what Mothma was "really doing" to which Mothma responded that she was raising money and that she could no longer freely access her family accounts. Kolma asked what she was raising money for, but Mothma ignored him and said that she was was forming a Chandrilan charitable outreach program of which she would ask Kolma to be the chairman, which would involve a lot of trips to Coruscant and would appear to be another of her benevolent and bothersome actions. When Kolma pointed out that she hadn't answered his question, Mothma told him that she would not as he was better off not knowing.

The pair were then interrupted by Fertha who assumed that they were reminiscing about their school days and reminded the pair of an upcoming reunion. Mothma then left the living room with Fertha to talk to some of the other guests.

Opposition to authoritarian measures

Mothma was a prominent opponent of the new authoritarian laws that Emperor Palpatine introduced to the Imperial Senate following a rebel attack in Aldhani, specifically the Imperial Emergency Act and the Public Order Resentencing Directive. Mothma hosted a banquet on Coruscant with the ulterior motive of attempting to muster enough votes to stop the legislation, deciding to present the argument of saving the Empire from the Emperor. Once Fertha left Mothma's side, Kolma, who was attending the party, warned Mothma that the Empire's new banking laws would hinder their operations. After speaking with many senators and giving a speech about how young she and Fertha were when they came to Coruscant, Fertha revealed that Kolma left early.

Mothma was particularly critical of the PORD legislation, which she voiced opposition to in the Senate and called "the next step of an all too predictable march toward complete unchallenged authority". Her opposition raised a certain amount of debate, but the acts were eventually passed nonetheless. Later that day, Mothma's cousin Vel Sartha arrived at the embassy with a dress as a gift for Leida. While Mothma pressed Sartha to figure out why she had been gone for so long, Sartha kept her activities vague and avoided discussing Rael's activities by reminding Mothma of their vow of secrecy. Unbeknownst to Mothma, Sartha had been one of the rebels who performed the heist on Aldhani. The next day, Mothma encouraged Sartha to keep playing of the part of spoiled rich girl to hide her true actions before Sartha left for Chandrila.

Financing Rebellion

Kolma approached Mothma with concerns that the large sums of money Mothma was moving would be noticed by the Empire soon. Deciding that she needed a loan, Kolma suggested going to wealthy criminal banker Davo Sculdun for help. Kolma noted that Sculdun would not concern himself with what Mothma was doing with her money, but Mothma was still hesitant to work with Sculdun. Eventually, Kolma arranged a meeting between him, Mothma, and Sculdun. Sculdun offered solutions to make Mothma's transactions harder to detect by increased Imperial scrutiny, and initially indicated that he would do it for free. However, Sculdun revealed that his price was an introduction between his son Stekan Sculdun and Leida, suggesting the Chandrilan betrothal tradition that Mothma had taken part in as a teenager and thus resented. When Sculdun confirmed that was his only offer, Mothma said she would not consider it, but Sculdun stated that he knew she was lying and was actually considering it.

Later, Mothma and Sartha watched Leida participate in a traditional Chandrilan courtship ritual involving other young girls and an elder, that Leida had decided to participate in of her own volition, both realizing that Leida is actually supportive of traditions that they consider archaic. While they watch, Mothma explained her financial situation to Sartha, including her plans with Kolma that were jeopardized by the missing credits on her ledger. She revealed that she had kept the extent of the situation hidden from Rael, but suggested she may have found a solution.

Mothma's desperation to avoid her rebel activities from being exposed via her banking records led to her agreeing to Davo Sculdun's proposal. Mothma introduced Leida to his son, Stekan Sculdun, putting both on the road to an arranged marriage.

Leia's Day of Demand

In 3 BBY, Mothma attended Leia Organa's Day of Demand at the Royal Palace of Alderaan, where she smiled wider as Leia passed, along with several dinner parties hosted at the palace which actually served as strategy meetings for the growing rebellion. By that time, with Mothma serving as the Senior Senator of Chandrila, she was joined in her Chandrilian delegation of the Senate by Senator Winmey Lenz.

Before one of these dinner parties, Mothma talked with Princess Leia about her time in the Apprentice Legislature. Leia confessed her guilt to Mothma about falling for a trick planted by the Empire as she had recommended Arreyel to be chosen for the location of a new Imperial Academy which allowed the Empire to run scans that showed the existence of a powerful radiation source under under the planet's crust. The Empire then began plans to use the source in planet-wide factories and gave the population six weeks to evacuate with no compensation. Mothma reassured Leia that Palpatine and his higher ups were skilled at those things and that even she herself had fallen for them a few times. Mothma moved into the banquet hall for the dinner party, shortly after, where they discussed the recent assassination of Moff Panaka and the idea of implementing further violence into their plans. Mothma pointed out that at some point refusing to fight stopped being nonviolence and instead of being objectors they became bystanders. Like Breha Organa, Mothma tried to get Bail to recognize that a large scale military rebellion was the only way to rife the galaxy of Palpatine and the Empire.

The next day, Leia visited Mothma in her office with proof of the Empire's actions towards the planet Chasmeene, having punished them for failing to meet the Imperial quota by irradiation of vast swaths of its farmland, which led to planet wide famine. Mothma told Leia that there was very little that could be done with the evidence that she'd gathered. Mothma explained to Leia that worlds such as Chasmeene weren't subject to as much propaganda and that it wasn't ignorance, but rather tyranny and fear, that kept worlds within the Empire. Mothma did reassure Leia, however, that evidence, such as the one she gathered, would be useful for when Palpatine fell and they would need to "rewrite their false history to reflect the truth". Mothma also told Leia that she was honoured that Leia had trusted her with this as the Empire had worked hard to destroy peoples faith in each other and that it was only by reaching out that they would be able to make the allies they needed. When Leia hoped that one day she would be one of those allies, Mothma reassured her that she already was.

At another one of the dinner parties, Grand Moff Tarkin unexpectedly attended and in order to hide the true purpose of the gathering Queen Breha pretended to drunkenly accuse her husband and Mothma of having an affair resulting in Princess Leia bursting into tears and Tarkin stomping out. The Organas' allies then realized that Leia was aware of their dangerous and illegal activities and were greatly angered that Bail and Breha had allowed their child to know about it. Mothma then told everyone that Leia Organa wasn't a child as she had had her Day of Demand and was on the verge of becoming an adult. Mothma said that Leia was growing into a "representative of the next generation", a generation she said would do most of the fighting and dying in what was to come.

Later, Mothma attended the ceremony where Leia was officially invested as crown princess of Alderaan. The young Organa would go onto join the Imperial Senate. Like Leia, Mothma would support a refugee rights bill in the Senate that kept refugees safe from exploitation. After it passed, it cost a chief operating officer on Coruscant billions, which eventually led to her putting a bounty out on both Mothma and Leia.

Resigning for the Rebellion

Following the Ghorman Massacre in 2 BBY, Senator Dasi Oran was arrested without a warrant or charges levied against him in the Senate Building, in front of a wide range of senators, including Mothma and Bail Organa. Following the arrest, Mothma appealed to Organa's significant power and seniority in the senate with the hope that she could be included in the next session's order of business. The scale of the misinformation campaign against the Ghorman people had reached extreme levels, but Mon asserted that the lies were obvious and felt it was important to speak up even when the Empire's significant control over the senate meant that it would be hard for her to get time on the floor. However, she and Organa both agreed the speech would be potent enough to cause retaliation, and based the decision to speak upon the idea that Mon would flee Coruscant and forfeit her position as senator immediately thereafter. Organa informed her that he would organise a team to extract her, but that he would stay within the senate for a longer period as to keep the Empire's anxieties at bay.

Following this discussion, Mon spent a whole night in the senate writing and preparing her speech, but also checking, with the help of Erskin Semaj - her senatorial attaché, for listening devices in her office following Organa's assertion that Senator Ton had found a listening device in her own. Upon its discovery, she destroyed it, provoking the interests of ISB agents. Under the incorrect impression that more listening devices may exist, she left her office to practice her speech in a plaza of the Senate, where she was approached by Luthen Rael, who revealed Semaj was one of his agents and had been since the wedding of Mon's daughter, Leida. Luthen also revealed that there was a mole within the extraction team provided by Bail Organa, information he was given by ISB Supervisor Lonni Jung. He offered an alternative solution to Organa's team: extraction by Cassian Andor using the code phrase 'I have friends everywhere'. This meeting was the final time that the two would encounter.

The following day the senate session started with the ISB, senators, and the press under the impression that Mothma would not be speaking - ISB Supervisor Lagret informed one of his officers that he had received the senate's agenda and Mon was not on it. However, Senator Erveen, the senator from Hodi and a respected figure as well as a close ally of Bail Organa's, was on the agenda, and she chose to yield some of her time to Organa due to an 'important point of order'. Organa then invoked Article 17-252, a piece of legislation proposed by the Emperor's Council directly that "a senior senator, in the case of emergency, may yield the floor freely without interruption to another senior senator." Given that all three - Erveen, Organa, and Mothma, were all senior senators, they were free to yield this time, and as article 17-252 was in effect the speaker did not have the power to override Mothma's speech. The ISB, however, did attempt to shut down the public broadcast of Mothma's speech.

The speech, aimed at both elected officials in the Senate and the galaxy's diverse inhabitants, was met with loud jeering and rejection on the Senate floor, as well as the end of the current session due to the shutdown of the public broadcast.

Immediately following the speech, ISB forces ordered her arrest and that authorities prevent her from leaving the senate building. With her driver an ISB double agent, her office was raided and the building was shut down with the ISB believing she would not use deadly force to escape. Meanwhile, she met Cassian Andor, who communicated his identity through the code phrase 'I have friends everywhere' as well as revealing to Mon that he and Mon's cousin, Vel, were the last survivors of the heist on Aldhani. They headed at first towards the loading bay, where Luthen and Kleya were waiting with a ship, but after the ISB agent managed by Lonni Jung in Organa's extraction team tried to intervene and arrest Mothma, the Imperial Navy had time to lock down that part of the building. Instead, Mothma lead Andor back to her parked private car, where Andor killed the vehicle's driver - ISB-paid Kloris - taking control of the vehicle and escaping to a safehouse of Luthen's.

At the safehouse, Mothma thanked Andor, before he left to return to Yavin IV with an injured Wilmon Paak and Dreena of the Ghorman Front. Kleya Marki, Rael's associate, revealed to Mothma that Rael was safe. Marki then handed Mothma, along with Erskin Semaj, over to the Gold Squadron, a bomber squad associated with Bail Organa that, for publicity purposes, was encharged with delivering Mothma to Dantooine and then to Yavin as well as rally the current formation of the Rebel Alliance with the message that it was they who had broken Mothma out of the senate.

Following the escape, ISB agents also visited Cantham House on Coruscant, the meeting place of the Cantham House meetings, based on suspicions they had, and questioned Leia and several others there. After being picked up by Gold Squadron, Mothma delivered another speech in which she denounced the Emperor as a "lying executioner."

Mothma traveled aboard her freighter the Chandrila Mistress with Semaj and her Gold Squadron escort, intending to arrive at Dantooine before a meeting there and broadcast a third speech that would be shown throughout the galaxy, specifically targeting rebel factions that could come together to form the next chapter of the alliance. Phoenix Leader Hera Syndulla's crew, who were members of the Lothal sector-based Phoenix Cell, was dispatched by Bail Organa to rendezvous with the Chandrila Mistress and provide them with fuel. When Syndulla's crew, known as the Spectres, docked their ship, the Ghost, with Mothma's ship and started refueling, Semaj kept them in the dark about who the ship was delivering. After the Chandrila Mistress was attacked by Imperial forces, she and her crew abandoned their ship and sought refuge aboard the Ghost. Mothma helped Syndulla's droid Chopper to detach the Ghost from her stricken freighter.

After escaping into hyperspace, Hera introduced her crew to Mothma. Mothma praised both Ezra Bridger, who was flying Gold Two's Y-wing starfighter, and the Lasat Captain Garazeb Orrelios for their services to the rebellion. Ezra thanked Mothma for her speech criticizing the Emperor. When Erskin counseled her to abandon her planned mission to Dantooine, Mothma refused and argued that she had to be present at the meeting. Mothma then informed the Spectres that she was planning to build an alliance of rebel cells to challenge the Empire and unify the rebellion. After Erskin warned them that the Empire was trying to intercept any ship leaving the system, Hera decided they would travel through the dangerous Archeon pass.

During the journey, the rebels came under attack from Grand Admiral Thrawn's prototype TIE Defender starfighter and two TIE Interceptors. Three Y-wings were lost during the skirmish but the rebels also managed to destroy the two TIE interceptors. While Gold Leader Captain Jon Vander and Ezra distracted the TIE Defender, Hera flew the Ghost out of the Archeon Nebula only to find their way blocked by two Star Destroyers commanded by Governor Arihnda Pryce and Admiral Kassius Konstantine.

While Hera and Chopper readied the Ghost's hyperdrive, Mothma tried to stall Governor Pryce with a list of demands. Pryce however rejected her demands and ordered Konstantine to activate the Star Destroyer's tractor beam projector. Before the Ghost could be drawn inside the Star Destroyer, Vander and Ezra emerged from the Archeon Nebula. Under Hera's orders, they fired their proton torpedoes into the nebula. This caused an explosion which badly damaged the two Star Destroyers and allowed the rebels to flee to Dantooine.

Above Dantooine, Mon Mothma gave a speech stating that she had resigned from the Imperial Senate since it had been corrupted by the Emperor. With the Senate no longer able to protect the rights and freedom of the galaxy's citizens, she advocated the formation of an Alliance to Restore the Republic. This speech was witnessed by Senator Organa, General Jan Dodonna, and members of Ryder Azadi's Lothal resistance group and Phoenix Squadron. Shortly later, the rebel fleet emerged from hyperspace above Dantooine and the Alliance was formed, officially beginning the Galactic Civil War. Members of the Alliance Military would nickname Mothma "Double-M." Mothma was then eventually delivered to Yavin, as Gold Squadron had originally intended.

Pragmatism

After escaping Grand Admiral Thrawn's siege of Atollon, Ezra contacted Mon Mothma via hologram and tried to solicit her help in sending reinforcements to aid the besieged Phoenix Squadron and General Dodonna's Massassi Group. However, the rebel leader was unwilling to expose the true strength of the Rebel Alliance to Thrawn and admitted that the Alliance was not yet ready for open warfare against the Empire. When Mothma promised to negotiate fair treatment for the prisoners, Ezra warned that Thrawn might not take prisoners. Before exiting the conversation, Mothma complimented Ezra for his courage and wished that the Force would be with him. Ultimately, the rebels managed to escape Atollon with the help of Mandalorians from Clan Wren.

Mission to Jalindi

In the aftermath of Atollon, the full Rebel Alliance relocated to the Yavin rebel base on Yavin 4. Around 1 BBY, following Phoenix squadron's return from a failed supply mission, Mothma welcomed Hera Syndulla at the subsequent meeting, commending her bravery. After Bail Organa attributed their faulty intelligence to a new Imperial satellite relay on Jalindi, Ezra remarked on Saw Gerrera's more extreme methods of acquiring the information, to which Mothma was quick to remind him the rest of the Rebellion does not torture prisoners. When Alexsandr Kallus suggested intercepting the satellite relay, Mothma agreed to the plan and placed Hera in charge of the mission. At the meeting's conclusion, Ezra once again pleaded for Mothma's help in liberating Lothal. Though sympathetic to the planet's plight as much as other worlds under Imperial control, Mothma reminded Ezra the Rebellion was not yet strong enough to do so.

That night, Saw appeared via hologram from an astromech droid, denouncing the leaders of the Alliance. Mothma was quick to respond, demanding to know his reasons for contacting them. When Gerrera reminded her of her refusal to destroy the Jalindi relay, Mothma in turn refused to fall to his level, reminding Saw of his numerous war crimes. Reminding her that the Empire viewed them both as criminals, Gerrera warned that playing by the rules would be the death of the Rebellion. Despite their conversation, the relay was inevitably destroyed by Gerrera and the Ghost crew following the unexpected arrival of Brom Titus.

Raid on Lothal

Weeks later, Mothma informed Ezra of a message from Azadi concerning a new development of the TIE Defender. Having witnessed the ships in action firsthand, Mothma asked for Ezra's help in gathering intelligence on Lothal. Bridger and the rest of the Ghost crew readily agreed, though Mothma could not guarantee their extraction due to the Empire's massive blockade. After Hera and Chopper acquired the TIE/D Defender Elite's flight data recorder and returned to Yavin 4, Mothma and Erskin Semaj greeted the two rebels.

Mon Mothma later attended a briefing with General Dodonna, Senator Organa, Semaj, and Syndulla to discuss the flight data recorder. During the meeting, Hera urged Mothma to launch a strike on the Imperial TIE Defender factories on Lothal and added that she had a ground strike team. Mothma responded by asking her and Chopper to wait outside while she discussed the matter. In private, Mothma and the others discussed Protocol 13. Hera re-entered the meeting and urged the rebel leadership to launch the strike. Mothma was swayed and authorized Syndulla's strike. However, Syndulla's squadron of X-wing starfighters was intercepted and largely wiped out by Thrawn's Seventh Fleet.

The Mustafar operation

Before or during 1 BBY, Mon Mothma assigned a group of operatives to an intelligence mission to Mustafar, which she deemed critical to the Rebellion's survival.

Death Star plans

By 1 BBY, Mon Mothma had become Chancellor and Commander-in-Chief of the Rebel Alliance. As leader of the Alliance, Mothma was privy to Operation Fracture, a secret operation to extract the scientist Galen Erso so that he could testify to the Imperial Senate regarding the existence of a planet-destroying superweapon called the Death Star. The Alliance had learned about the existence of the Death Star from the defecting Imperial pilot Bodhi Rook, who had been captured by Gerrera's Partisans.

Operation Fracture involved the Alliance rescuing Galen's daughter Jyn Erso so that the Alliance could make contact with Gerrera and question Rook about the Death Star and Galen's location. The Alliance also needed Jyn to verify Galen's identity. When General Davits Draven objected to Jyn's presence on the Operation Fraction team due to her criminal and violent tendencies, Mothma countered that Jyn was essential to identifying Galen and persuading him to testify in the Senate about the Death Star. While recognizing Jyn's criminal tendencies, Mothma argued that everybody including criminals and outcasts deserved a second chance.

Mothma also supported General Draven's recommendation that Captain Cassian Andor be assigned to Operation Fracture. While describing him as one of the best and brightest rebel operatives, Mothma expressed concerns that rebel fighters like Andor had to grapple with doing terrible things in the course of their services to the Rebellion. In addition, Mon Mothma was also briefed about several topics including Galen Erso's expertise on crystal science and energy generation, suspected Imperial disinformation, speculation about the Empire's planned weapons test, Grand Moff Tarkin, and Alliance military assets by various colleagues including General Draven, Senator Nower Jebel, Advisor Hostis Ij, General Jan Dodonna, and Admiral Raddus.

Jyn convinced Saw to show her the message, which detailed the superweapon's destructive power and a weakness that Galen had deliberately set in the station. He also explained that a copy of the weapon's technical readouts were kept in the Citadel Tower on Scarif. Jyn was unable to deliver the holographic recording to the Alliance due the Destruction of Jedha City. Erso and Andor were able to escape Jedha, and set course for Eadu. En route, Andor relayed news of Jedha's destruction, while General Draven confirmed his orders to kill Galen Erso.

Andor's U-wing crashed on Eadu because of the planet's foul weather. The loss of contact with Andor and his team forced Draven to launch a mission to Eadu, which succeeded at killing Galen Erso. Following the return of Andor's team to the Massassi base, Mothma led a discussion among the Alliance's leaders regarding the future of the rebellion. Despite knowing that full-scale war against the Empire was inevitable and wanting to escalate the fight, Mothma followed the recommendations of the council and denied Jyn Erso permission to launch a mission to retrieve the Death Star plans. Mothma and Organa knew that war was unavoidable, and sought to bring as many allies to their cause as they could. While Mothma remained on Base One, Organa tasked his subordinates and Leia to prepare to go to Tatooine. Erso, Andor, and their crew disobeyed her orders and formed the Rogue One squad, which fired the opening shots of the Galactic Civil War at the Battle of Scarif. When Base One intercepted communications that there were rebel actions on Scarif, Mothma was walking with Generals Dravin and Antoc Merrick when informed. Mothma requested to speak with Admiral Raddus, but was told that he's gone to his vessel, the Profundity and that they were going to fight. Rogue One's actions led to the intervention of the Alliance Fleet, which allowed the successful theft and transmissions of the plans to the Profundity and Leia's ship, the Tantive IV.

Shortly thereafter, the Empire used the Death Star to destroy Alderaan, killing Bail and Breha Organa with it. Mothma became the sole political leader of the Rebel Alliance, serving as its own chancellor throughout the Galactic Civil War. As the Rebel Alliance awaited Leia Organa's success or failure in delivering the Death Star plans, Mothma prepared multiple contingency plans and gathered intelligence resources. Due to the possibility that a rebel assault on the Death Star would end in defeat, Mothma's survival would ensure the rebellion lived on. Her aide Cianne accompanied her as she departed in a shuttle. Mothma was in the process of writing a surrender speech she may have to deliver to Emperor Palpatine and his Empire when she received the news that the rebels had won.

After Yavin

After the Battle of Yavin, in which Luke Skywalker, who had become a Rebel pilot, destroyed the Death Star and prevented the annihilation of the Rebel Alliance, the Alliance debated trying to convince the Chekkoo clan of Rodia to join the Rebellion. Mothma was unsure of the idea, but Ackbar and Leia Organa agreed with it, and it was eventually decided they would send Skywalker on the mission. Mothma later sent Skywalker on a mission to retrieve logs of Imperial communications that were intercepted by several rebel cells along the Shipwrights' Trace.

At some point later, the Alliance High Command met in the Alliance Fleet to discuss what actions to take next. Organa, who had just completed a successful assault on Weapons Factory Alpha on Cymoon 1, urged the leadership to allow her team to continue pressing the Alliance's advantage against the Empire. Admiral Gial Ackbar told the princess that they could not maintain such an offensive due to still being on the run, a stance that Mothma agreed with. The chancellor said that the few resources that they had must be put towards keeping the fleet moving so the Empire could not find them. Only by establishing a new base, Mothma said, would they be able to change that stance. Concerned for the well-being of her old friend, Mothma also reminded the princess that she could not afford to continue pushing herself or her team so hard in the fight against the Empire.

High Command later received word that Skywalker had been captured by Grakkus, a Hutt crime lord, on the moon of Nar Shaddaa. Despite Skywalker's value to the Alliance and his status as the hero of the Battle of Yavin, Mothma made the difficult choice to decide against using any large amount of Alliance resources to rescue him, knowing that the Rebellion could not move against a Hutt stronghold. She also believed that sending a covert team would be a suicide mission. Nonetheless, Skywalker's Wookiee friend Chewbacca and protocol droid C-3PO agreed to travel to Nar Shaddaa to help the captive Rebel. With help from Organa, the smuggler-turned-Rebel Han Solo, and astromech droid R2-D2, who rendezvoused with them on Nar Shaddaa, Chewbacca and Threepio successfully rescued Skywalker. Despite the valuable victory at Yavin, the Alliance remained on the back foot as the Empire's full fury was brought down on the rebels. Offensives in the Mid Rim turned into retreat, and the personal toll on Mothma throughout the war was heavy, but she remained steadfast.

After Alliance forces managed to shoot down Darth Vader onto the planet Vrogas Vas during the battle, Mothma approved of Leia's request for a coordinated Alliance strike on the Sith Lord, stating that his capture was preferable but eliminating him was acceptable. Later, Mothma attended an Alliance High Command meeting in which Skywalker and Organa suggested that the Alliance attempt to hijack an Imperial-class Star Destroyer in order to break the Siege on Tureen VII. Mothma was skeptical of the plan, but ultimately approved it due to Skywalker and Organa's reputation.

Battle of Hoth and aftermath

As the Alliance focused on building their new Alliance High Command headquarters in Echo Base on Hoth, Chancellor Mon Mothma was present on the Home One alongside Admiral Gial Ackbar, General Crix Madine, and others when bounty hunter Beilert Valance provided the Rebellion with the plans for a shield generator that could withstand orbital bombardment. When questioned about the engineer who was supposed to bring them the plans, Valance informed them that he didn't make it, and expected to be paid half of the credits he was owed. Mothma asked about him being paid half, to which Valance said that the other half would be for the ransom for the engineer's family that was held by the Empire. By this time, General Madine had quickly become a valued advisor to Mothma.

One night at Echo Base, General Carlist Rieekan was off-world with Mothma, leaving General Leia Organa in command of the base. At that time, the heaters failed and Leia had to place everyone in starships as a temporary measure and evacuate the base when the reactor was briefly compromised. Echo Base was eventually discovered by the Galactic Empire, commencing the Battle of Hoth when the Imperial Death Squadron arrived and landed Blizzard Force. Generals Rieekan and Leia Organa commanded the Alliance forces, which at the time of the battle, had more than 7,500 personnel at the base. The Alliance command staff, including Chancellor Mothma, had not yet arrived when the battle began.

Following the battle, Mothma met Lieutenant Thane Kyrell, an Imperial-turned-Rebel, after he had become intoxicated following a night of drinking. Though he did not know who she was, Mothma helped find a chair so he could sit down, and he told her all about how he had defected from the Empire but still loved Ciena Ree, a childhood friend turned lover who served in the Imperial Navy. Mothma listened to his story, including how he was afraid that he might shoot Ree down in battle someday and that he did not want to let his fellow Rebels down for fear of killing the woman he loved. The next morning, Mothma briefed Kyrell and other pilots on a mission they were to carry out for the Alliance. At the end of the briefing, Mothma spoke to Kyrell, who apologized for his actions the previous night. Mothma told him that she did not drum anyone out of the Alliance for getting intoxicated once in a while, lest there be no Rebellion left to fight the Empire, but she did want to know he was capable of doing his duty. He assured her that he was, and he took heed of her words that it was acceptable to love someone on the other side of the war so long as he loved the cause of the Rebel Alliance more.

In the aftermath of their defeat at Hoth, the Alliance Navy split into naval divisions. After she spent a time with the Seventh Division aboard the rebel flagship Home One, Mon Mothma, along with Admiral Ackbar and the Eleventh Division, found herself blockaded by the Galactic Empire on Ab Dalis when they were discovered. During the Battle of Ab Dalis, Colonel Chouch and the Ground Defense Command protected Mothma and the Eleventh Division's ships until Starlight Squadron from the Fourth Division arrived to reinforce them. After destroying the Ultima II, Mothma thanked the pilots of Starlight Squadron, and that now they would be able to join the fight.

The Death Star II

Eventually, Luke Skywalker decided to pursue a distress call from two individuals, Bevelyn and Jon Melton who claimed to be former Imperials. After rescuing them and their children, Skywalker learned that they had worked as double agents for the Empire-antagonistic Crimson Dawn criminal syndicate, and revealed that they had been stationed on a second Death Star that the Empire was building. Skywalker then met with Mothma, General Syndulla, and Admiral Ackbar and told them who the Meltons were. Ackbar was concerned about Crimson Dawn having spies within the Alliance, but Mothma was more interested in the news Skywalker had brought. When the Jedi-in-training revealed that the Empire was building another Death Star, a shocked Mothma declared that they had defeated the first Death Star, and would defeat the new one as well.

Three years after the Battle of Yavin, Mothma depressingly passed on the information provided to her from the Bothan Spynet to her senior commanders and advisors, and that what she told them had to remain secret as she knew that after the defeat at Hoth, news of the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station could shatter the Alliance. Knowing that the information leak was likely a trap, Mothma and her military advisors had no choice but to fully commit the Alliance in destroying the station and the Emperor. The Alliance learned that the battle station was in the orbit of the Forest Moon of Endor and under construction. Mothma met with the Alliance High Command to discuss strategy for how to deal with the threat of a new Death Star, and it was agreed that the battle station had to be destroyed before it was fully operational. The leadership began planning for an assault on the Death Star II over Endor, but first the Alliance Fleet, which had broken up following the Rebellion's defeat during the Battle of Hoth—Mothma insisted that it break into smaller groups to avoid another disaster that the Empire could celebrate—would have to regroup near Sullust. Organa volunteered to lead an operation, codenamed Operation Yellow Moon, to distract Imperial forces while the Alliance Fleet gathered together. Mothma was opposed to the idea at first, and she spoke with the princess about her concerns—concerns stemming from Organa's willingness to sacrifice herself for the Alliance. Although Madine provided the idea of training commando infiltration teams to sabotage the station from within, Mothma did not want to delay as she feared that entire worlds would be destroyed before they were ready.

The chancellor knew that Organa was in love with Captain Solo, who had been taken captive by Jabba the Hutt months earlier, and worried that Organa was willing to sacrifice happiness to die for the Rebel cause. Mothma also knew that Organa blamed herself for the destruction of Alderaan, so she told the princess a piece of intelligence: the Emperor intended to use the new Death Star to destroy worlds such as Mon Cala and even Chandrila, all to eliminate opposition to his rule. Mothma knew that if she allowed herself to be ruled by such fears, she would not be able to serve the Alliance. The chancellor approved Operation Yellow Moon, and urged her young friend not to deny herself an opportunity for love—a love denied because of total devotion to the Alliance—because of what happened to her parents and to Alderaan. Operation Yellow Moon was successful and the Alliance Fleet gathered near Sullust.

The Battle of Endor

When it was assembled, the High Command addressed Rebel forces aboard Home One, the Rebel command ship, and shared the existence of the second Death Star. Mothma also revealed that the Emperor himself was personally overseeing the completion of the station's construction. During the briefing, Admiral Ackbar and General Crix Madine outlined the plan of attack. General Solo was picked to lead a ground assault to destroy the shield generator protecting the Death Star, while Organa, Chewbacca, and Skywalker volunteered to accompany him. After the briefing, Mothma spoke to Organa and expressed concern that the princess had volunteered for the mission. As with Operation Yellow Moon and the rescue of General Solo from Jabba the Hutt, Mothma feared that Organa was putting herself, a valuable member of the Alliance and the future republic that they hoped to build, at too great a risk. Mothma shared a story of how, after the Empire's massacre on the Wookiee homeworld of Kashyyyk, she thought that diplomacy was dead and she trained as a starfighter pilot in order to fight against the Empire. She realized, however, that while she could have helped win a battle, she could contribute more as the leader of the Alliance. Despite Mothma's concerns, which the princess understood, Organa felt it was her destiny to be part of the Battle of Endor and chose to accompany the Rebel forces to the Forest Moon.

Before the Alliance Fleet left for Endor, Mothma's ship departed so she could be taken to a safe location. Mothma considered traveling to the rebel-friendly planet Durkteel to help distract from the attack on the Death Star, but her closest aide, Hendri Underholt, convinced her not to take the risk: as Underholt reasoned, she could go with a detachment and, being Mothma's closest aide, it would look like the rebel leader was present without needing to personally arrive. In what would end up being Mothma's final message to Underholt, she thanked her aide for her friendship and the leadership she displayed. Underholt's proposal to Mothma ultimately saved the rebel leader's life: the Empire dispatched three Star Destroyers to Durkteel and bombarded the planet, with Underholt dying in the attack. Meanwhile, the Battle of Endor commenced once the Rebel forces arrived over the Forest Moon. Unknown to the Rebellion was that the Emperor had allowed them to learn of the station's existence to lure the Rebels into a trap meant to destroy them once and for all. However, the Alliance emerged victorious: the second Death Star was destroyed, the Emperor was killed, and the Empire was left leaderless and in chaos. The tide had turned in the war against the Empire.

New Republic

Creating a new order

Twenty days after the Battle of Endor, Mothma tasked Organa with traveling to Naboo in order to gather support for the formation of a New Republic. Organa was reluctant to leave her other duties and recommended that Mothma send diplomats in her place, but the chancellor believed that Organa's skill and reputation were essential for the mission as the princess represented the best that the Rebel Alliance had to offer. Organa, along with her assigned pilot, Lieutenant Shara Bey, departed for the mission. Their time there coincided with the Empire launching an attack against the planet, as part of Operation: Cinder, but Organa and Bey fought alongside Queen Sosha Soruna to repel the Imperial attack. The Alliance continued fighting back against other strikes in Operation: Cinder for months.

The Alliance formed the New Republic in the months following the Battle of Endor. The Galactic Senate was reestablished and headquartered on Chandrila, as the New Republic felt that Chandrila represented a planet with big ideas that the Republic would need in order to be successful. Mothma was elected as the first chancellor of the New Republic Senate, and, to her great reluctance, the charter of the chancellor included the emergency powers that had once been given to Palpatine during the Clone Wars. It was Mothma's intention to do away with those powers, believing them to be a poison to democracy. Mothma also planned to propose a massive military disarmament once the Galactic Civil War came to end, hoping to cut the size of the New Republic Defense Fleet by ninety percent. The other ten percent would go towards training and supporting local militias, which would be responsible for the defense of their worlds. She proposed to put these ideas on the agenda of the first meeting of the reconstituted Senate.

Later, Chancellor Mothma corresponded via hologram with Admiral Ackbar, General Crix Madine, Commander Kyrsta Agate, and Captain Saff Melor. The New Republic officers discussed the disappearance of Captain Wedge Antilles during a mission to Akiva and the reliability of an Imperial informant known as the Operator. When Melor advocated sending military ships to Akiva as a show of force, Mothma cautioned against it because she did not want to promote an aggressive image of the New Republic in the Outer Rim Territories.

Captain Melor disagreed with the Chancellor and argued that Akiva was a marginal world whose government were allies of the Empire. In response, Mothma countered that the people outweighed strategic and political considerations. Mothma revealed she had intelligence of a rebellion on Akiva; which she attributed to the success of the New Republic's messaging campaign. Admiral Ackbar agreed with the Chancellor's assessment. As a compromise, he proposed sending a small strike team of New Republic Special Forces to Akiva. The group agreed to Ackbar's proposal. As a result, Akiva became one of the first Outer Rim worlds to join the New Republic.

Juggling ideals and reality

In 5 ABY, Chancellor Mon Mothma continued to preside over the New Republic's war against the Galactic Empire. The New Republic liberated more worlds from the Empire including Akiva and Arkanis. Chancellor Mothma and Princess Leia later traveled to the oceanic planet of Velusia to meet with Grand Vizier Mas Amedda, who was still struggling to rule the Imperial capital of Coruscant; which was in the throes of a civil war. On the atoll Kolo-ha, the Grand Vizier tried to surrender but the Chancellor refused to accept his surrender and ordered him to find a way to secure the Empire's surrender. If he tried to walk away, Mothma and Leia threatened to have him tried for war crimes.

Later, Chancellor Mothma presided over a meeting to discuss the state of the New Republic. During the meeting, Mothma urged her fellow leaders to focus on winning more member worlds. When her adviser Hostis Ij advocated finding new lines of food, fuel and other vital supplies, Auxi Kray Korbin interjected that a stronger military was not the solution. When Leia entered the room, Chancellor Mothma greeted her and apologized for not inviting her. Mothma was aware that Leia was under stress since her husband Han Solo had embarked on a mission to rescue Chewbacca.

When Leia tried to lobby for ships and resources to be sent to liberate Kashyyyk, Mothma praised her for her idealism but warned her that the New Republic was preoccupied with trying to govern the galaxy. Despite Leia's pleas, Mothma reasoned that the New Republic lacked sufficient resources and manpower to liberate Kashyyyk. Frustrated, Leia stormed off.

The faux peace offer

Following Admiral Ackbar's successful liberation of Kuat and the vital Kuat Drive Yards, Chancellor Mothma used a hologram to contact the Admiral and Princess Leia. She informed them that she had received a communication request. The request came from the Operator, an enigmatic Imperial agent who had been providing Admiral Ackbar with crucial intelligence regarding Imperial troop movements. Subsequently, Grand Admiral Rae Sloane, the supreme commander of the Empire, joined the discussion, asserting that she was the Operator. Despite the reservations expressed by Leia and Commodore Kyrsta Agate, Mothma and other New Republic leaders were intrigued by Sloane's proposition to engage in peace discussions with the New Republic.

Mon Mothma, convinced that triumph was near, consented to present Sloane's proposition to the Senate. As a sign of good faith, Sloane proposed that the Imperial–Republic peace talks be conducted on Chandrila with a minimal security presence. Mothma accepted Sloane's proposal and committed to maintaining contact through a secure communication channel. Later, Chancellor Mothma and Senator Organa welcomed a hundred prisoners who had been freed from Ashmead's Lock prison on Kashyyyk by the former New Republic pilot Norra Wexley and her team, with assistance from Han Solo. Unbeknownst to Mothma and her fellow leaders, the true Operator was Fleet Admiral Gallius Rax, who was secretly controlling the Empire. Rax was secretly plotting an attack on Chandrila, intending to use the freed Ashmead's Lock prisoners to assassinate the New Republic's leadership. He employed inorganic bio-chip implants to manipulate the former prisoners.

One month after the Ashmead's Lock prisoners were rescued, the Galactic Senate gave its approval for Sloane's peace talk proposal. Mothma scheduled the peace talks to occur after the Liberation Day celebrations, commemorating the liberation of the Ashmead's Lock prisoners. To ensure the peace talks proceeded without disruption, the Chancellor instructed the New Republic military to refrain from undertaking any incursions into Kashyyyk. To appease Leia, Mothma agreed to bring up the subject of Kashyyyk's liberation during her meeting with Sloane. Her pragmatism failed to sway the idealistic Leia, who firmly believed that the Wookiees' freedom and dignity were non-negotiable.

Upon Grand Admiral Sloane's arrival at the spaceport in her shuttle, Chancellor Mon Mothma, accompanied by New Republic soldiers, guards, and officials, greeted the Grand Admiral and her delegation. Mothma then escorted her Imperial guests to the Old Gather-House and the Senate Plaza to witness the Liberation Day festivities, which showcased artistic and musical performances by various member worlds and species of the New Republic. When Sloane made a derogatory remark about Gabdorin music, Mothma retorted that the New Republic represented all beings in the galaxy.

Following the parade, Chancellor Mothma began a speech commending the liberated Ashmead's Lock prisoners for their contributions to the Rebellion. Before she could finish her speech, the prisoner Brentin Lore Wexley attempted to shoot her, but his wife Norra intervened. The other prisoners also began firing upon the New Republic officials present. Mothma survived the attack due to Norra's swift action but sustained serious injuries. Commodore Agate was severely scarred, while General Madine and Adviser Hostis Ij were rumored to have died. The attack brought an end to any possibility of resolving the Galactic Civil War through diplomatic means. In response, Fleet Admiral Rax commanded the Imperial fleets to converge at Jakku.

Navigating the Political Landscape

In the months following the attack on Chandrila, Chancellor Mon Mothma presided over a meeting of the Committee for Imperial Reallocation, which was responsible for redistributing the resources of the fallen Empire. Feeling fatigued, Mothma suggested adjourning the meeting early and postponing it until the following month. Mothma was primarily focused on relocating the Senate and her office to the Mid Rim world of Nakadia. Despite Senator Ashmin Ek's objections, Auxi Kray Korbin reiterated the Chancellor's position and adjourned the meeting.

Before departing, the Hosnian Prime councilman Sondiv Sella inquired about Mothma's arm. Mothma replied that her arm was still healing and that she was undergoing physical therapy. Sella also pledged to lobby the committees to achieve results and to support her in the upcoming election. After the senators had left, Mothma and Auxi discussed her approval ratings and the appointment of a new adviser to replace the deceased Hostis Ij, who had perished during the attack on Chandrila. After contemplating her strained relationship with the Orishen Senator Tolwar Wartol, Mon asked Auxi how she could secure the Senate's vote in the upcoming election.

Auxi assured Mothma that she was making the right decisions by allocating resources and infrastructure to worlds affected by the Empire and the power vacuum. While Mothma had maintained a strong military, she had refrained from imposing her will on a weakened galaxy. When Auxi mentioned the liberation of Kashyyyk, Mon responded that Kashyyyk had been a complex issue since the Senate had resisted their involvement, but Leia had intervened. Mothma had approved the covert operation because it had been successful.

When Auxi suggested that Kashyyyk was a victory for them, Mothma reminded her that they had achieved this victory by defying the Senate's will. Auxi responded that leadership could entail defiance, but Mothma countered that Palpatine was also defiant. Auxi reminded her that Princess Leia was defiant but was not Palpatine. Auxi then brought up the issue of law and order. Before Mothma could respond, one of the Chancellor's protocol droids, R-K77, informed her of an urgent meeting request from Princess Leia. The droid added that the request was a Code K-one-zero request, indicating a matter of utmost importance.

News Arriving from Jakku

Princess Leia had received information from Temmin Wexley and Sinjir Rath Velus that the Imperial remnants had relocated to the Inner Rim world of Jakku. Upon arriving at Leia's residence, she asked Temmin to recount everything he had told Leia. Temmin explained that the Empire was on Jakku and that numerous ships were in orbit, including at least one Super Star Destroyer. Sinjir then added that his friends Norra Wexley and Jas Emari were on Jakku. When Chancellor Mothma commented that the situation was precarious, Sinjir implored her to send military forces to rescue his friends and Temmin's mother.

Chancellor Mothma pointed out that their mission to Jakku had been unauthorized. When Leia responded that she had authorized the mission, Mothma countered that she lacked the Senate's authority and that pursuing Rae Sloane was the responsibility of the Senate. When Leia urged Chancellor Mothma to seize the opportunity to attack, the Chancellor responded that they needed to ensure they had all the facts before proceeding to Jakku. The Chancellor then explained that she could not authorize the deployment of military forces to Jakku without consulting the Senate. She also cautioned the others against discussing their meeting.

Unbeknownst to Chancellor Mothma and the others, their conversations were being monitored by Senator Tolwar Wartol, who had planted a listening device in Leia's nanny droid, T-2LC. Wartol leaked the news of the Imperial presence on Jakku to HoloNet News and seized the opportunity to criticize Mothma for being secretive and indecisive. After watching the HoloNet news broadcast, Chancellor Mothma consulted with her adviser Auxi and Admiral Ackbar. Ackbar supported her by noting that she had acted wisely by not immediately disclosing the information, as she had only possessed it for less than a standard day.

Mon Mothma then realized that Senator Wartol had a source of information or a spy. After considering the situation, Mothma commented that her setback was one of the "necessary bumps and scratches of a growing democracy." In response to Wartol's leak, she instructed Auxi to contact HoloNet News to provide her statement. Admiral Ackbar also agreed to dispatch a probe droid and a scout ship to the Jakku system to gather intelligence on the Imperial presence. Leia urged her advisers to remain vigilant for traitors in their midst.

Resolution Derailed

Later, Chancellor Mothma met with the HoloNet News journalist Tracene Kane and the Sullustan cam-operator Birt to deliver her statement to the press. In her speech, Mothma reiterated that she had become aware of reports that the Empire had retreated to Jakku. She assured the public that the military had sent a scout ship and a probe droid to confirm this information. While acknowledging rumors that the Imperial remnants had relocated to Jakku, she announced that she had convened an emergency session of the Senate to mobilize the armed forces. After giving her press statement, Mon chatted with Tracene. When Tracene expressed sympathy for her predicament, Mon responded that the New Republic would persevere like the Rebel Alliance.

That night, Chancellor Mothma addressed the Galactic Senate, urging them to authorize military intervention on Jakku. She presented data from the probe droids and the scout ship Oculus as evidence that the bulk of Imperial forces had relocated to Jakku. Following the speech, Mothma retreated to her office to rest. While conversing with Auxi, Admiral Ackbar entered the office to inform her that the vote had failed. Unbeknownst to Mothma and her advisers, the Black Sun and Red Key crime syndicates were plotting to prolong the conflict. They had coerced or bribed five senators into voting against Mothma's motion. At the request of Princess Leia, Sinjir enlisted the services of his slicer friend Conder Kyl. Conder discovered Wartol's listening device in T-2LC. After learning about the listening device, Chancellor Mothma decided to pay Senator Wartol a visit.

Encountering a Political Adversary

Chancellor Mothma made an appearance on Senator Wartol's Ganoidian tri-deck cruiser just as he was preparing to depart for Nakadia. When Wartol's Orishen guards attempted to stop her, Mothma warned them that turning her away with the threat of violence would reflect poorly on the Senator. Chancellor Mothma managed to persuade Senator Wartol to allow her to accompany him on his trip to Nakadia under the guise of meeting with him. While the two shared a meal of roasted Nektods, Wartol inquired about the purpose of her visit, given their political differences. Mothma replied that they both had shared interests and desired what was best for the galaxy.

In private, Chancellor Mothma questioned Wartol about her failed resolution to attack the Empire's fleet on Jakku, which had failed by a margin of five votes. Wartol attempted to deny his involvement, but Chancellor Mothma pointed out that the five dissenting senators Ashmin Ek, Rethalow, Dor Wieedo, Grelka Sorka, and Nim Tar had consistently voted with him in the past and collaborated with him in various councils and caucuses. While Wartol had voted in favor of military intervention, Mothma observed that the five senators had historically taken their cues from him.

As the conversation continued, Mothma speculated that Wartol had influenced the five other senators to oppose the resolution while simultaneously voting for it himself. When Mothma accused Wartol of compromising his principles, the Orishen responded that his people understood the meaning of sacrificing their world to prevent the Empire from subjugating them. Despite Wartol's rhetoric about sacrifice, Mothma pointed out that he was sacrificing the New Republic's war efforts to facilitate his own conquest of the New Republic. She added that by manipulating the five senators, Wartol was jeopardizing the safety of the galaxy.

When Wartol accused her of being a weak and indulgent leader, Mothma insinuated that he had sabotaged the vote. Wartol reiterated his denial and accused her of indulging in conspiracy theories. In response, Mothma presented the listening device that Conder had extracted from T-2LC. When Wartol denied planting the bug, Mothma countered that he knew that the Empire was on Jakku and that he had instructed the guards to prevent Sinjir and Temmin from departing on the Millennium Falcon. When Wartol reiterated his denial, Mothma vowed to challenge him in the next election.

Intrigue unfolding on Nakadia

Wartol countered that her re-vote was scheduled to take place on Nakadia in less than twelve hours and that she had limited time to secure the necessary votes. However, Mothma then revealed a hidden advantage; she had smuggled in a small pta fruit. Given that Nakadia was an agrarian world, it was classified as a Class A protected planet by the New Republic. Senator Wartol's yacht was prevented from landing by the Nakadian authorities because the pta fruit was considered a biosecurity risk. Consequently, Mothma successfully delayed the re-vote.

This provided her allies Han Solo, Sinjir, Temmin, Conder Kyl, and the former New Republic soldier Jom Barell with sufficient time to locate the five senators. Despite Conder's abduction by the Red Key syndicate, Jom managed to capture Rethalow. Rethalow revealed that the Black Sun and Red Key syndicates had coerced and bribed the senators into opposing Mothma's resolution. Sinjir and his team successfully thwarted the criminal syndicate's plot by rescuing Conder and Senator Nim Tar's child. Posing as the Chancellor's adviser, Sinjir managed to convince the five senators to change their votes by offering to pardon them.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Mothma and Senator Wartol finally cleared the Nakadian customs and addressed the press. To stall the proceedings, Mothma feigned a limp as they entered the Quarrow Senate house. During the session, Mothma delivered a brief but impassioned speech, urging the senators to vote in favor of intervention on Jakku. She implored them not to hesitate in ending the Empire. While Mothma feared that she sounded like Palpatine, Auxi reassured her that it was a powerful speech. Mothma was relieved when Auxi later informed her that her vote had passed.

A New Advisor Joins

Following the Galactic Senate's decision to deploy military forces to Jakku, Chancellor Mothma returned to Chandrila. After learning of Sinjir's accomplishments, she arranged a meeting with the former Imperial loyalty officer–turned New Republic operative. When Sinjir requested to go to Jakku, Mothma countered that he was not a soldier and that his skills were better utilized elsewhere. Mothma offered to hire Sinjir as her new adviser to complement Auxi. She emphasized that she needed a cynic who distrusted the system. After some deliberation, Sinjir accepted her job offer.

Chancellor Mothma then dispatched Sinjir on his first assignment: to deliver a small basket of pta fruits to her political rival Senator Wartol. Sinjir and his partner Conder visited the Orishen senator and caught him in the act of attempting to trigger a remote-controlled bomb. While they were unable to prevent Wartol from detonating the bomb, the two managed to subdue the rogue Senator, who readily confessed to plotting to assassinate the Chancellor. The bomb destroyed Chancellor Mothma's office on Chandrila. While her adviser Auxi was killed, Mothma survived because she was outside the building.

Despite the loss of her friend Auxi, Mothma refused to allow grief to cloud her judgment. With the Battle of Jakku concluding in the New Republic's favor, Chancellor Mothma received news that Grand Vizier Mas Amedda had escaped Imperial captivity and was seeking peace. Chancellor Mothma accepted Amedda's offer and enlisted the assistance of her advisers Sinjir, Sondiv Sella, and Princess Leia. She arranged for the Imperial surrender to take place on Chandrila in the crystal cliffs north of Hanna City beneath an ancient tintolive tree.

Galactic Concordance Formalized

During the meeting, Mas Amedda signed both the Imperial Instruments of Surrender and the Galactic Concordance. According to the terms of the Instrument of Surrender, the Empire and its various splinter factions were ordered to cease hostilities. Mon Mothma also issued a further declaration designating all surviving Imperial military officers as war criminals. Non-combatant functionaries within the Empire were granted conditional pardons, provided they complied with the articles of the Galactic Concordance. Grand Vizier Amedda was pardoned and tasked with leading the Coruscant's provisional government. Following the surrender ceremony, Mothma presented Sinjir with a bottle of expensive lachrymead wine to express her gratitude for his service to the New Republic.

The Galactic Concordance officially ended hostilities between the New Republic and the defeated Galactic Empire. The treaty mandated that the Empire remain confined within predetermined territories within the Core Worlds and the Inner Rim. Mothma urged the Republic to remain vigilant in case the conflict re-emerged, and temporarily maintained the New Republic Starfleet on wartime funding and alert status. Once it became evident that the war was over, the Galactic Senate fulfilled Mothma's objective and passed the Military Disarmament Act. However, the remnants of the Empire vanished into the Unknown Regions. At some point during her tenure, Mothma further reformed the Senate by establishing that member worlds would serve as the Senate's capital on a rotating basis. Rotating the capital, and particularly keeping it off of Coruscant, greatly reassured member worlds that the New Republic would be distinct from its predecessor governments.

Meetings with Syndulla

In 9 ABY, during a period when Coruscant was serving as the capital of the New Republic after Chandrila had previously held the position, Chancellor Mothma and four members of the New Republic Senate, including Hamato Xiono, conducted a holographic meeting with General Syndulla. Syndulla, who had recently been attacked by Imperial loyalists at Santhe Shipyards on Corellia while investigating the activities of the recently-escaped Imperial industrialist Morgan Elsbeth, asserted that the New Republic needed to prepare for the worst and expressed concern about the potential return of Grand Admiral Thrawn, a project that the loyalists at the shipyard had been contributing to.

Retirement from Public Service

At a later time, Mothma fell ill and relinquished her position as Chancellor. Nevertheless, her successors lacked the charisma and ability to forge political consensus that she possessed. In her absence, the New Republic descended into disarray, and the Galactic Senate became divided into two factions: the Populists, who advocated for individual member planets to retain their full sovereignty, and the Centrists, who favored a stronger galactic government and a larger military by 28 ABY. Mothma publicly expressed her support for Organa after it was revealed that she was the daughter of Darth Vader. Her message to Organa suggested that she had suspected the truth for some time prior to the announcement.

Lasting Impact

Mon Mothma's actions, in several respects, contributed to the eventual downfall of the New Republic. Her commitment to ensuring peace and demilitarization ultimately left the New Republic in a weakened state of unpreparedness, lacking the strength to counter the rise of the First Order. The New Republic that she rapidly established fractured without her strong leadership, largely due to the influence of the draconian First Order's growing power, which remained concealed for decades. Nonetheless, decentralized defense forces, fringers who had taken for granted the New Republic's limited enforcement of interstellar law, and ordinary citizens of the galaxy united against the oppression of the First Order. They formed a Citizens' Fleet that joined the Resistance at the Battle of Exegol, ultimately liberating the galaxy from the Sith and inspiring a galaxy-wide uprising against the First Order.

Because of her significance to the rise of the rebellion and the era of the New Republic, Mothma was referenced throughout The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire, a historical document published by the historian and Resistance trooper Beaumont Kin with the intention of guiding the galaxy away from Imperial ideology once and for all. In the text, Kin reflected on Mothma's governmental decisions following the Galactic Civil War and wrote that the consequences of those choices could not be discussed without also considering the rationale behind each decision. Kin contemplated in the text whether Mothma had been scarred by the recent conflict, while also musing that he himself might be scarred by war. He found that he could not bring himself to overly criticize Mothma's choices, reflecting that she had wanted to believe the bloodshed was worth its outcome and noting all the constraints that had existed on the establishment of her new government.

Character Traits and Attributes

Mon Mothma was a human female characterized by auburn hair, pale blue-green eyes, and fair skin. Her opposition to authoritarianism was the driving force behind her involvement in the formation of the Rebel Alliance. She pursued peaceful solutions during the Clone Wars, but she was prepared to fight to restore democracy to the galaxy. Her principles led her to become the first chancellor of the New Republic, where she advocated for avoiding the mistakes that the Galactic Republic had made during the Clone Wars. Despite being granted extensive executive powers, she did not desire them and believed they were detrimental to the democratic process. During her tenure as a Republic senator, Mothma held pacifist views that occasionally caused friction with Amidala, although the two never truly clashed and remained close allies. In fact, Amidala was instrumental in bridging the gap between Mothma and Bail Organa, enabling the two friends to collaborate more effectively. After triggering the self-destruction mechanism of the assassin Soujen Vak-Nhalis to prevent his attack on the Imperial capital, Mothma was caught in the blast and, following surgery, lost her stomach, receiving a cybernetic replacement that required training to operate. Her heart had also been struck by debris, retaining microscopic fragments of metal. However, the awareness that her body was not entirely her own felt authentic, mirroring her feelings after her interrogation during the early years of the Empire.

Mothma came to the realization that her instincts for purity, pacifism, and justice had been tainted in the aftermath of Soujen's death and the failure of the Imperial Rebirth Act; while she had initially convinced herself that she could not condone murder as a political tool, only to kill Soujen to prevent it, she was left with the memory of having ended his life and then finding herself on the path of rebellion to depose Palpatine regardless. Mothma was a brave and outspoken Senator in the Imperial Senate who voiced criticism of the Empire's increasingly authoritarian and oppressive policies. The final tipping point occurred when Mothma publicly denounced the Emperor in a live HoloNet broadcast for his role in the Ghorman Massacre. Despite becoming a fugitive, Mothma refused to remain hidden and was determined to take risks to achieve her goal of establishing the Rebel Alliance. As a leader, Mothma preferred to lead by example to earn the respect of her subordinates. Mothma also made the effort to cultivate friendships with other rebel fighters, such as Hera Syndulla and Garazeb Orrelios. After the Imperial Senate was dissolved and Bail Organa was killed on Alderaan, Mothma fully committed herself to the Rebellion. As its leader, she made difficult decisions, some of which would continue to haunt her. Despite this, she remained resilient due to the individuals she worked with in Alliance High Command.

Mothma's dedication to her ideals did present challenges at times. Following the Empire's massacre on Kashyyyk, she believed that diplomacy was no longer viable and considered becoming a fighter pilot in the war against the Empire, but she realized that she provided greater value to the Rebellion as its leader than as a soldier. When she learned of the existence of the second Death Star, she immediately believed that they could defeat it and resolved to take action. Later, when she discovered that the Emperor intended to destroy Chandrila with the Death Star II as a means of silencing her, Mon Mothma struggled with the fear that her actions would endanger her people. However, she refused to allow herself to be governed by fear and regarded succumbing to fear as equivalent to surrendering to the Empire. Mothma viewed many of the simplistic Chandrilan customs favored by her daughter Leida as being outdated in modern times. Mothma's arranged marriage to Perrin was an unhappy one, which made the prospect of her daughter following a similar path distressing to her. Mothma regarded Leia Organa as akin to a younger sister, almost as a daughter.

Despite her position as Chancellor of the New Republic, Mothma was wary of abusing her powers due to Palpatine's legacy. She was prepared to reduce the powers of her own office and the New Republic military once the threat of the Empire had been ended. As the head of government, Mothma developed a sense of pragmatism since she had to manage a state that was also embroiled in a galactic war. Mothma was aware of the strains on the New Republic's resources and was reluctant to deploy military forces to Kashyyyk. Mothma's pragmatism contrasted with the idealism of Princess Leia, who was unwilling to let obstacles block her goal to liberate the Wookiee species. Believing that the Empire was facing defeat, Mothma agreed to peace talks with Rae Sloane. As a politician, Mothma sought to capitalize on the liberation of the Ashmead's Lock prisoners as an opportunity to win more worlds to the New Republic.

As Chancellor, Mon Mothma was skillful and savvy but strove to keep in touch with her constituents. Despite her powers and privileges, Mothma saw herself as serving the galaxy. She consciously struggled not to become an autocratic dictator like the late Palpatine. Mothma walked a fine balance between keeping the New Republic strong without turning it into a force for oppression. While Chancellor Mothma was sympathetic to the plight of Temmin and Sinjir who had loved ones and friends on Jakku, she was still determined to abide by the rules and norms of the New Republic. As a politician, Mothma preferred to use the system to achieve her goals.

Despite facing low popular ratings (39%) and having to contend with the hawkish Senator Tolwar Wartol, Mothma resolved to continue leading the New Republic. Mothma used her friendly connections and political savvy to outwit Wartol's plot to discredit her leadership. Chancellor Mothma was also a good talent spotter. She recruited the former Imperial loyalty officer Sinjir as one of her new advisers. She admired Sinjir's ingenious plan to convince five dissident senators to change their votes in favor of her resolution to intervene on Jakku. Though Mothma grieved the death of her friend Auxi during Senator Wartol's failed assassination attempt on her life, she remained resolute and led the New Republic's peace negotiations with Grand Vizier Mas Amedda. While presiding over the Empire's surrender, Mothma took care to co-opt non-combatant Imperial functionaries in order to ensure a smooth political transition.

Skills and abilities

In addition to being a keen diplomat, Mon Mothma trained as a fighter pilot, although she never actually saw battle. Mon Mothma was also a skilled speaker who appealed to her listener's hopes, dreams, and values. While Mothma was a politician, she also knew how to detach two docked starships. As a politician, Chancellor Mothma was able to switch from formal talk to plain speaking based on the situation. Despite being wounded in her left arm, Mothma insisted on keeping her arm and took exercises to strengthen it.

Equipment

Mothma wore a white Chandrilan tunic and mantle while serving in the Republic Senate.

Behind the scenes

Development and portrayal

Mon Mothma was first introduced in the 1983 film Star Wars: Episode VI Return of the Jedi, directed by Richard Marquand from a script by George Lucas and Lawrence Kasdan. She was portrayed by Caroline Blakiston, who was cast while working in Manchester, England on a television series. Blakiston met with costume designers in a Manchester hotel room to fit her for a costume and discuss what kind of hairstyle her character would sport, but it was ultimately decided she would use her own red hair. Blakiston was provided with an initial script for her brief part in the film, but, upon arriving on set, she learned that her lines had been changed and she would have to learn an entirely new monologue. This proved somewhat stressful, particularly as a result of the dialogue containing Star Wars terminology like the word "Bothan." While in production, Blakiston came up with her own idea for the character's backstory, hoping to find inspiration in the Star Wars saga's classical underpinnings. She felt that the name "Mon Mothma" bore a similarity to the words "Moon Mother," and as a result she saw her character as someone who would be cool and collected. Blakiston had to re-record her dialogue after it was discovered that pigeons roosting in the set were audible in the original recordings.

A younger version of Mon Mothma appeared in the 2005 film Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith, written and directed by George Lucas. Genevieve O'Reilly was chosen to portray the role due to her resemblance to Blakiston, and she filmed a few scenes for the film that were meant to set up the eventual formation of the Rebel Alliance. Before filming, O'Reilly studied Blakiston's performance, hoping to capture the character's voice and mannerisms. The scenes in which O'Reilly had a speaking role were cut and later included on the film's DVD release though O'Reilly did appear in one scene in the final film in a non-speaking role. Blakiston hoped to have a part in the film, asking Lucas if she could appear as her character's grandmother, but she never received a response from the director.

The character later appeared in an expanded role in the animated television series Star Wars: The Clone Wars. In the three episodes in which the character had a speaking role, she was voiced by actress Kath Soucie. Her role as leader of the Rebel Alliance and New Republic has also been expanded upon in several canonical Star Wars tales. O'Reilly would voice Mothma in the Star Wars Rebels animated television series. Mothma has also proven to be a consistent character in the works of author Alexander Freed, who has described her as a character who makes every story better.

Rogue One: A Star Wars Story

O'Reilly returned to the role for the film Rogue One: A Star Wars Story. According to Alexander Freed, the author of the Rogue One: A Star Wars Story novelization, he would have loved to write more about Mon Mothma in the novel. He later had the opportunity to do so in the story "Contingency Plan" of the 2017 anthology From a Certain Point of View.

Andor television series

O'Reilly reprised her role as Mothma in the Star Wars: Andor television series. Writer and executive producer Tony Gilroy was interested in exploring the mystique surrounding Mothma and presenting her in a surprising light. He also wanted to explore the orthodoxy and constructs Mothma would have to live with due to becoming a senator and getting married at the age of 16. Gilroy called her the "figurehead of liberal democracy that will fail" and compared her to US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Chuck Wendig, author of the 2015–2017 The Aftermath Trilogy, had previously described her as a "fairly centrist leader" who proved the difficulty of good governance. Gilroy realized that there was not much canon information on Mothma, allowing him to make Vel Sartha her cousin. He wanted Mothma and the other legacy characters to not provide fan service. Executive producer Sanne Wohlenberg and her team put much thought into how they would represent Mothma and show her journey, and they stayed aware of where she ended up in Rogue One.

Production designer Luke Hull created a sketch of Mon Mothma exiting a Senate limousine on Coruscant. Costume designer Michael Wilkinson styled Mothma in flowing robes that evoked her sense of style seen in her Revenge of the Sith deleted scene. He knew that Mothma was a senator from Chandrila who was stationed on Coruscant, so he thought about people from different countries that work at the United Nations building in New York. Wilkinson's team intended to bring elements of clothing from Mothma's home, so they came up with a set of colors and textures mainly drawn from other iterations of her. He leaned into pale neutral tones, and Mothma was given slightly shimmery organic textures with hints of metals.

The crew tried to show Mothma's public face and the private woman within it. O'Reilly was delighted to have an opportunity to better understand her character. She also wanted to explore Mothma as a Rebel leader and as a woman, which included showing the private face of someone who navigates through systems of oppression. O'Reilly tried to understand the pain and personal cost felt by Caroline Blakiston in Return of the Jedi, and she enjoyed learning more about Mothma's life. She was excited for the audience to see Mothma's journey of becoming the Rebel leader that she is in Rogue One. O'Reilly wanted her character's new look in the show to reflect her new stage as a successful member of high society. Scenes in the Chandrilan embassy were filmed in a practically built set that had a wraparound LED screen that used StageCraft technology.

Composer Nicholas Britell created a musical signature for Mothma. For Season Two, Michael Wilkinson worked on costumes that would evolve Mothma into the leader of the Rebellion. In an interview with Tech Radar, O'Reilly and Faye Marsay—who played Mothma's cousin Vel Sartha in the series—reflected on their characters, with Marsay saying that, to Sartha, their relationship was not difficult and instead was one of tough circumstances: while Sartha acted on the frontlines of rebellion, Mothma was more in the shadows. Factoring in Mothma's mother in regards to Leida's wedding, O'Reilly mentioned how "within the dialogue" there were "three generations of women," which turned the scene into a very "interconnected, intergenerational story." Further, she had pushed Gilroy to give Mothma a scene in which she gave Leida an out of the wedding, which culminated in the scene where Mothma does, but Leida gives what O'Reilly reflected to be a "pretty brutal" response. After the conclusion of Andor, O'Reilly reflected on the wonderful surprise that returning to Star Wars had been and how Andor revealed more about Mothma to her. While she was unsure if it was possible to push Mothma's character further, she was open to the idea of returning once again.

Discrepancies

According to Star Wars: The Rebel Files, Mothma was elected senator in "8 BFE," i.e. 8 years before the proclamation of the Galactic Empire in 19 BBY, which would place her election in 27 BBY. However, in the novel Queen's Shadow, Mon Mothma says that she was "very new to the Senate when [Padmé Amidala] made [her] speech as Queen of Naboo," referring to a scene of the movie Star Wars: Episode I The Phantom Menace. According to Star Wars: Galactic Atlas, the events of the movie took place in 32 BBY, which would place Mothma's election that year or earlier. In Reign of the Empire: The Mask of Fear, the novel's events taking place in 19 BBY, Mothma stated that she joined the Senate nearly thirteen years ago, also placing her election circa 32 BBY.

In the novel Leia, Princess of Alderaan, both Mothma and Winmey Lenz are identified as the Senior Senator of Chandrila. "Welcome to the Rebellion" went onto corroborate that it was Mothma who served as Senior Senator. As such, this article assumes Mothma acted as Senior Senator, not Lenz.

Role in Star Wars Legends

Mon Mothma appeared in numerous stories in the Expanded Universe of books, comics, and games, which have since become non-canon and rebranded as Star Wars Legends. These stories saw her role in the Rebellion fleshed out, showing her as the leader of the Rebel Alliance. The 1991 novel Heir to the Empire, written by Timothy Zahn, showed her becoming Chief of State of the New Republic, setting the stage for her canonical counterpart to become the first chancellor of the New Republic. The 2005 reference book The New Essential Chronology established that the Legends version of Mon Mothma died in her sleep twenty years after the Battle of Endor. After the character continued appearing in Legends stories, Blakiston became aware of her character's prolific appearances. She was intrigued by this fact and credited it to what she saw as Mothma's strong personality. Blakiston stated that, despite the character's limited screentime in Return of the Jedi, she saw Mothma as an archetypal figure not unlike Darth Vader and Obi-Wan Kenobi.