A YJA Moment - The Empire and the First Order

Text derived from Wookiepedia and Wikipedia

The Galactic Empire, also known as The New Order, was the government that rose to power in the aftermath of The Clone Wars, replacing The Galactic Republic. Central authority was given to Darth Sidious, publicly known as Emperor Palpatine, who was also a Dark Lord of the Sith. For nearly two decades, the legislative body was The Imperial Senate, but it was dissolved by the Emperor shortly before The Battle of Yavin. During the reign of the Empire, countless star systems were conquered and dissident actions ruthlessly stamped out by the rapidly expanding Imperial Army and Navy. The Empire also oversaw the near extermination of the Jedi, with the destruction of the Jedi Temple on Coruscant and its renovation into the newly named Imperial Palace.

After nineteen years of minimal resistance, the Empire would face its first major setback after losing its planet-destroying battle station known as the Death Star to The Rebellion. The following four years would see the Galactic Civil War wage across the galaxy as the Order rapidly attempted to stamp out the growing Rebellion on the galaxy's outer fringes.

Following the death of Galactic Emperor Palpatine and his right hand man Darth Vader in the Battle of Endor, the Empire would be fragmented as the New Republic began the process of liberation.  In order to preserve their government and way of life, the bulk of the Imperial Navy and Army retreated to the systems surrounding the planet of Dromand Kaas.  There they would fortify their positions repeatedly defeated any attempt by the New Republic to free their worlds from tyranny.

For untold centuries the Grand Moff council ruled these worlds as the Galactic Empire in exile.  However, most of the Galaxy simply referred to them as the Imperial Remnant.  Rebuilding their forces, the Remnant made many attempts to annex surrounding systems and rebuild their Empire.  Each time,  however, they were driven back by various other groups, such as the Nova Corp, the Kree Empire, and even the Green Lantern Corp.

From within the Sith Order on Moraband came a powerful Dark Side user known only as Snoke, who rose to power in the Remnant and cast out the Grand Moff Council.  He instituted reforms that evolved the Remnant into The First Order, a new government that yet nonetheless remained influenced by New Order ideology.

Many years after its formation, the First Order continues to be ruled by the seemingly-immortal Snoke.  A fearsome adversary, the Order has slowly grown its holdings, subverting and then annexing neighboring worlds.  As yet they have not attempted a full-scale invasion of the galaxy, but with their military forces growing every day, its only a matter of time.