Final Order
The Final Order, also known by names such as the Final Order fleet, the Sith Eternal fleet, the Sith fleet, the Sith armada, the New Order, the New Empire, or even the Sith Empire, represented a truly colossal fleet composed of _Xyston_-class Star Destroyers. These formidable warships were secretly manufactured by Sith cultists under the command of the Sith Lord Darth Sidious on the planet Exegol. In conjunction with a massive army of Sith troopers beyond counting, the Final Order embodied the culmination of an agenda spanning over a thousand years and a conspiracy that had been decades in the making. Each Star Destroyer was armed with a devastating axial superlaser capable of obliterating entire worlds, and the Final Order's ultimate goal was to subject the galaxy to the eternal dominion of a resurgent Sith Empire achieved through overwhelming military might.
As the Resistance engaged in combat against the First Order, which mirrored the Galactic Empire in nearly every aspect, the Sith Eternal, devout followers of the Sith religion, toiled tirelessly to construct the most immense armada ever witnessed in galactic history. The existence of the Final Order was unveiled to Supreme Leader Kylo Ren by the reborn Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Sidious, who implored Darth Vader's successor to seize control of the fleet and govern the entire galaxy as the new Galactic Emperor.
Despite Ren's rejection of the dark side of the Force, Sidious' schemes progressed unabated with the assistance of Allegiant General Enric Pryde. The Derriphan, just one of the numerous Star Destroyers that comprised the Final Order, showcased its destructive capacity to the galaxy by annihilating the planet Kijimi. In a desperate attempt to thwart Sidious from realizing his ambition of establishing a new Sith Empire, the Resistance navy deployed to the Unknown Regions in a final effort to prevent the launch of the Final Order.
In the end, the Battle of Exegol resulted in a definitive defeat for Sidious and his adherents, with the Final Order being utterly decimated by the combined forces of the Resistance and a Citizens' Fleet. Consequently, the First Order military found itself under attack from widespread uprisings across numerous worlds throughout the galaxy, spanning from Bespin, Jakku, and Endor, to Naboo, Corellia, and even Coruscant.
Description
Composition
The world-destroying fleet known as the Final Order was the creation of the Sith Eternal cult, commanded by the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. It consisted of 1,080 Xyston-class Star Destroyers, whose design was largely inspired by the Imperial I-class Star Destroyers used by the Imperial Navy of the Galactic Empire. The Final Order also included AAL-2100/9.5 atmospheric assault landers and TIE/dg starfighters. However, the Xyston-class Star Destroyers were larger, featured red highlights along the hull of their vessels, and were armed with a massive axial superlaser capable of obliterating entire planets. This superlaser replaced the standard hangar space found on Imperial-class Star Destroyers. These Star Destroyers carried TIE/dg starfighters, distinguished by their triangular wings and red accents, designed for ship-to-ship combat. They also transported Sith troopers, including Sith Jetpack Troopers, deployed via AAL-2100/9.5 atmospheric assault landers. These troopers were organized into traditional Sith legions, each named after deceased Sith Lords and composed of five thousand soldiers.
Organization
The Final Order's ranks included Petty Officers, lieutenants, and captains, and it was staffed by Fleet technicians and Sith Eternal officers.
History
Emerging from the shadows
The Final Order was the brainchild of Sith cultists and served as the final component of Darth Sidious's Contingency. Sidious, the Dark Lord of the Sith and Galactic Emperor, sought to establish an eternal Sith reign across the galaxy. As the First Order gained prominence under Darth Vader's grandson, Supreme Leader Kylo Ren, the Emperor broadcast his threat of vengeance throughout the galaxy, prompting Ren to seek him out and attempt to kill him in 35 ABY. Using a Sith wayfinder that had once belonged to his grandfather, Ren located the mythical world of Exegol, the base of Sidious and the Sith Eternal. Within the Sith Citadel, he uncovered numerous secrets, including the origins of his predecessor, Supreme Leader Snoke, Sidious's resurrection in a cloned body, and the hidden lineage of the Jedi apprentice Rey. Furthermore, Ren discovered that he was destined to inherit the new Sith Empire envisioned by the cultists and their master.
Snoke had fulfilled his purpose by dying at his apprentice's hand, the Sith Eternal having engineered his existence to ensure Ren's worthiness as a successor to the Sith legacy. Upon Ren's arrival on Exegol, Sidious revealed the Final Order, a vast armada poised to conquer the galaxy under Ren's command as the new Emperor, supported by an army of countless Sith troopers. However, Sidious imposed a condition: Ren had to eliminate the Jedi Order by killing Rey before the Final Order would be placed under his authority.
Launch of the Final Order
Despite Sidious's intentions for Ren, the Skywalker heir abandoned the dark side and the First Order, embracing the light side as Ben Solo. Allegiant General Enric Pryde, aboard his Resurgent-class Star Destroyer Steadfast, reaffirmed his allegiance to the Emperor he had previously served. With Pryde's support, Sidious decided that the time was right to launch the Final Order from Exegol. Although the First Order and the Sith Eternal both stemmed from the Emperor's Contingency, pragmatic First Order officers struggled to cooperate with the fanatical Sith Eternal cultists but had no choice to avoid incurring Darth Sidious's wrath.
Following the Emperor's instructions, General Pryde deployed a Xyston-class Star Destroyer, the Derriphan, from Exegol to demonstrate their power by destroying a planet close to the Resistance with its axial superlaser. They chose Kijimi as their target, and the capital ship's superlaser unleashed a red beam that struck the planet's surface, using red bolts of energy to hit the planet. Enormous shockwaves rippled across Kijimi as the laser beam pierced through the planet's core, tearing it apart. The destruction of Kijimi was broadcast throughout the galaxy by the Sith Eternal, who proclaimed the Resistance's demise and the imminent reign of the Sith, demanding the surrender of all worlds.
Downfall
The warships of the fleet were too numerous to simultaneously exit Exegol without a guiding navigational beacon. Therefore, they relied on a navigation signal to initiate their launch from the Sith world. A navigation tower on the planet was built for this purpose, although other ships could fulfill the same function in emergencies.
Despite the decades of effort invested in constructing this immense force, the Final Order's goal of retribution was never realized. It was confronted by a small contingent of the Resistance fleet, led by Generals Poe Dameron and Finn. Although this initial force was nearly wiped out, a "Citizens' Fleet" consisting of thousands of armed civilian vessels led by General Lando Calrissian emerged from hyperspace above the destroyers. Exploiting a design flaw in the Xyston-class where their planet-killer cannons served as a weak point, the reinforced Resistance fleet swiftly routed the Sith fleet. The flagship of the armada, the Steadfast, was also destroyed, preventing any of the destroyers from escaping the battle.
Consequently, the Final Order suffered a decisive defeat at the Battle of Exegol, its warships reduced to wreckage on Exegol's surface. With the Sith fleet destroyed, the First Order faced widespread revolts across the galaxy.
Behind the scenes
The Final Order made its debut in the 2019 film Star Wars: Episode IX The Rise of Skywalker, the concluding chapter of the Star Wars sequel trilogy.
While the Final Order is considered part of Star Wars Canon, the Dark Empire from Tom Veitch's Star Wars: Dark Empire comic book series in Star Wars Legends shares several similarities. Like the Final Order, the Dark Empire was led by a resurrected Emperor Palpatine and aimed to dominate the galaxy like its predecessor, the Galactic Empire, and reestablish Sith rule. Both organizations featured dark side warriors (Knights of Ren/Dark Side Elite), had alternate names incorporating "Empire" (Sith Empire and New Empire for the Final Order, and the Empire Reborn for the Dark Empire), possessed starships equipped with superlasers, and a fleet tasked with retaking control of the galaxy from a secret Sith planet (Exegol/Byss. Both also attempted to lure a Jedi to the dark side (Rey/Luke Skywalker).