SPOILER My Aftermath Notes (interesting tidbits/speculation)

Overall the book was a good read, and I enjoyed what it's added to the SW universe.

Here are things I noted in reading order, whenever I thought something was interesting or consequential outside of the book's story line that could contribute to the overall saga. Also included quotes from the Book where I could save them. Note: some of the early ones are obvious if you've been reading the comics...

(I read though it pretty fast, so guarantees I observed everything; I also intentionally skipped a Han Solo/Chewie interlude, which is more fun that it was informative to me).

Interested in any other inside hints / allusions that I missed... Hope you enjoy.



Part One Observations

Luke is apparently known as the rebellion's golden boy inside the Empire
"Her new pilot friend ducked out the back. Would’ve been a considerable jump. Jedi? No. Couldn’t be. Only one of those out there—and zero chance the rebels would send their golden boy, Skywalker."

Leia engages in broad propaganda to ensure everyone knows the destruction of Death Star and the Emperor.
“This is Leia Organa, last princess of Alderaan, former member of the Galactic Senate, and a leader in the Alliance to Restore the Republic. I have a message for the galaxy. The grip of the Galactic Empire on our galaxy and its citizens is relinquished. The Death Star outside the forest moon of Endor is gone, and with it the Imperial leadership.”

A new Senate is started on Chandrila.. Mon Mothma is a key part of setting this up.
"new Galactic Senate here on Chandrila…"

Wedge, at some point, got tips from Ahsoka (but he only ever knows her as Fulcrum).
"at the urging of a friend—a rebel agent known only as Fulcrum"

Wedge is captured after surveying a series of planets for the new republic (and describes himself as being of the New Republic)
“This is Captain Wedge Antilles of the New Republic. Repeat: This is Wedge Antilles of the New Republic. I am trapped on the Star Destroyer Vigilance in the space above Akiva, ...."


The main plot centers around a group of scattered Imperial leaders that are jockeying for power. During their secret meeting they name themselves the Imperial Future Council, or the IFC, but this is short lived based on the ending of the book. We learn some other interesting things...

The new republic has done a lot more than what's happen on Endor, and the Empire views themselves as being on the defensive.
"The so-called New Republic has led attacks on a number of our freighters and transports—successful attacks, I will add. Thus diminishing our numbers. We are, to be frank, on the defensive"

Moreover, the empire has only one super star destroyer left a few months after the battle of Endor, led by one named Admiral Sloane. (We later learn there's actually two, but still shows us the Empire has somehow lost a number of their assets)
"Little Rae Sloane, manning an entire Super Star Destroyer all by herself. Our last, isn’t it?”"

A onetime adviser to Palpatine, Yupe Tashu, continues to be involved with the flailing Imperial leadership

There is a self proclaimed grand moff, named Pandion. Spoiler is he dies, but it's likely true this isn't the only Moff to self-appoint to fill in the leadership vacuum.

Mon Mothma becomes chancellor of new republic (this doesn't appear to be in dispute)

She honors the powers given to the chancellorship during the Clone Wars, but wants to vote them way as soon as possible (I.e they are anti democratic)
"The charter of Chancellor maintains the emergency powers granted by Palpatine, and they can persist no longer"

Mon Mothma also wants to demilitarize the gov, and rule the military direction through a council. But she also wants to dramatically reduce their military to ~10% as a peacekeeping force to train other worlds.
"It is vital we demilitarize our government"

"keep that ten percent. A peacekeeping force. The rest of our efforts will go toward training the militaries of other worlds."

Part Two Observations

At this secret meeting, there's a POV that an offshoot empire should exists with the new republic to create a cold war scenario (perhaps this is a First Order setup?)
Crassus “I told you already, the best way forward is to establish a formal splinter Empire. Set up a truce with these New Republic slime-dogs, allow them to go their way, and we go ours."

But others in the empire believe a cold war won't happen, they'll be overpowered by the New Republic in time.
There is no truce to be had. The New Republic will not abide us taking our toys to the Outer Rim. They will hunt us down. They will try us as war criminals. They will jail some of us, and execute others.”

Grand moff specifically shares that he thinks the Death Star was "arrogant "waste of time
"Not just that the Death Star was our greatest mistake, but also that no truce will suffice"

Tashu, Palpatine's advisor, explains some interesting things about the dark side and the empire's goals... (which could be linked to the TFA "I'll finish what you started" rumor from Kylo)

The Emperor setup efforts to understand where the force came from. (also mentions that the dark side is important thing for empire to to continue to have domain over..
"Palpatine felt that the universe beyond the edges of our maps was where his power came from."

Tashu describes himself as a Sith historian, learned from Palpatine. Shares philosophy was always "total control", under the banner of law and order. And the ability for them to resurface is a constant.
"It’s about total control. We will always come back for it. No matter how hard you work to beat us back, we are an infection inside the galaxy’s bones. And we will always surge forth when you least expect it.”

The book is clear to point out the void created by empire, and it allowed criminal elements to thrive, rebels didn't have enough resources and organization to keep things stable. (gangs and pirates in the TFA suggest this persists for several decades)

"Now the Imperials are gone. The Empire was cruel. But at least there was order! We had food and water. Things worked. Now the rebels have gone. And the gangs have come. The pirates,,,,"


Part Three

Acolytes of the Beyond are described in an interesting interlude as worshipers of Darth Vader and the Dark Side.

Specifically, a "rat faced, dark robed girl and her apprentice" Vermia (are they night sisters?) buy a red bladed lightsaber on the black market. The claim is the saber is Vader's. The thief doesn't know if it is his, assumes because it's red. He asks why they want it...

The acolytes say they plan to destroy it so it can be with the master (Vader) in the beyond... very interesting.
"So that it can be returned to its master in death."

Mister Bones is a fun take on inept battle droids from the Clone Wars

Temmin, son of a rebel pilot who was part of the Battle of Endor, supes up this clone wars era battle droid and make it into a better assassin/protector droid. It sounds awesome in this book, complete with Roger Roger dialog, except the droid is a bad-ass.

Most interesting is Mister bones somehow had programming taken from a "cyborg general"... perhaps this was Grevious?

In an interlude, Cloud city is recaptured! Lando paid bounty hunters to overthrow the imperial administration there.
"Tell Lobot to make sure he’s standing by with the intrusion team. And get a message to Calrissian. Tell him we’re almost in and that he can transfer the credits—"


Part Four / Epilogue

So the Rebels stop the secret meeting in the end, and Admiral Sloane escapes. Self-appointed Grand Moff Pandion confirmed dead. And the Palpatine advisor/historian is captured.


In the epilogue, the twist is there's in fact a real admiral for the remaining big fleet of Star destroyers, and Sloane reports to him. We don't get his name.

The mystery admiral doesn't want the empire brought back together. He sees a future going at it alone, to build something better.
"This is how it must be. The Empire became this…ugly, inelegant machine. Crude and inefficient. We needed to be broken into pieces. We needed to get rid of those who want to see that old machine churning ineluctably forward. It’s time for something better. Something new. An Empire worthy of the galaxy it will rule.”