Okay. In the originals the Empire already existed. In the prequels we see the politics of how a democracy became the Empire. Basically everyone voted for Hitler sorta plot. Hitler is defeated. Now everything is controlled by the Order? Why are all the other races following a group they didn't vote for? Who is paying for the ships, the soldiers, all the R&D costs?
shareI think there is some back story in the books about Snoke being stupid rich and the First Order still had control over parts of the Galaxy giving them some tax funds after a peace treaty with the new republic. From what I gather the Empire was in disarray after Endor and the Death of the Emperor. They had no central leader and systems were rising up left and right and funding the rebellion until the rebellion came to equal strength and won some keys battles including Jakku that knocked the Empire on it's butt. After that they signed a peace treaty and kinda kept to there part of the Galaxy and ventured into the unknown regions taking over some systems there. That's where we are assuming they found Snoke and worked a plan to take back the galaxy. Leia knew they were plotting to strike back but the republic didn't believe her so she gathered some loyals and formed a force called the resistance. I also think there is some info about Gen Hux SR having a lot to do with training the new army and stealing children at birth or buying them as slaves. Not entirely sure but just that's what I've gathered more or less.
But the real answer is that Disney wanted a retro movie with the TFA so they wanted a lot of the same stuff from the Original trilogy meaning the Empire and Rebels. But the Empire collapsed and Rebels became the republic more or less. So they were like Oh okay um this New Order they are the Bad Guys and they have the Bad Guy ships like star destroyers, storm troopers, and tie fighters and the resistance are the good guys that have the X wings just like the good old days... so audiences wont get confused ya know.
They didn't bother explaining the First Order its just a place holder name for the Empire and the Resistance is just a place holder name for the Rebels. After TFA they were just like screw it let everybody know that the First Order is officially the Empire now and the Resistance are the Rebels again. Why? Because that's what Disney wants simplicity.
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