Alderaan

In Episode III, we finally get a glimpse of Alderaan's surface, a beautiful, mountainous landscape with cities of natural colour and ambience with flowing, patterned buildings.

In Episode IV, the planet appears again, only to be blow up by the Death Star.

Anyway, the point of this thread is to discuss all things Alderaan in the EU. For example, what is Alderaan's population and exanct relationship to the Rebel Alliance. What is it's government, and people like? Does it have a defence force, was it involved in the Clone Wars?

 

Alderaan does not have a defense force. Leia states this in episode 4, and i think bail states it at soem point also. Perhaps in the rots novelisation.

 

It was my understanding that Alderaan operated a huge military machine during the Clone Wars, although following such disbanded its military and outlawed weapons, sending defence machinery away in hyperspace on random jumps although on alert in case of emergency. The RoTS novel points out Alderaan has a "Civil Fleet". This suggests a peaceful intention although possible some military affiliation.

Leia states they have no weapons in Episode IV because of the above reasons.

 

this is what we knew about Alderaan...
[image=http://www.cswu.cz/planets/images/alderaan2.jpg]

 

It is also resident to one of the most powerful shield generators in the known galaxy.

 

Too bad that shield didn't help against the death star.