Race

The Last Command shows a rather sharp—but not absolute—divide between the Empire and the New Republic over race prejudice, not among the racial strains within the species homo sapiens, but between homo sapiens and non-humans, including various hominids. The Rebel Alliance, now the "New Republic," has always been egalitarian. This is best seen in Admiral Ackbar, the fish-headed supreme commander of the Rebel forces, who is temporarily deposed not because of his race but because of unfounded allegations of fraud and treachery, notably filed by another non-human, Fey'lya. Wearied, Ackbar is restored to command when exonerated. It is important but underplayed that his counterpart commanding Imperial forces, Grand Admiral Thrawn, is not a homo sapien. The exception proves the rule.

The late Emperor and Darth Vader, both born homo sapiens, systematically enslave all races, creating all the animosity that colonialism on Earth engenders in...