Galactic Empire (Star Wars) Galactic Empire (Star Wars) The Galactic Empire is a fictional autocracy featured in the "Star Wars" franchise. It was first introduced in the 1977 film "Star Wars" and also appears in its two sequels: "The Empire Strikes Back" (1980) and "Return of the Jedi" (1983) and is the main antagonist faction of the original trilogy. By the time of the sequel trilogy, which starts three decades following the events of the original trilogy, the government has since collapsed and has been succeeded by the First Order. The Empire's origins are depicted in the prequel "" (2005), where it replaces the
Star Wars (film) in a riveting tale of suspense and adventure, ornamented with some of the most ingenious special effects ever contrived for film." Each of the subsequent films of the "Star Wars" saga has appeared on the magazine's cover. "Star Wars" was voted the second most popular film by Americans in a 2008 nationwide poll conducted by the market research firm, Harris Interactive. "Star Wars" has also been featured in several high-profile audience polls: in 1997, it ranked as the 10th Greatest American Film on the "Los Angeles Daily News" Readers' Poll; in 2002, the film and its sequel "The Empire Strikes