Calamarian Revolt The Calamarian Revolt , also known as the Great Revolt , was the uprising in 1 BBY which saw the Mon Calamari species rise up against the Galactic Empire who had been occupying their homeworld for nearly two decades and drove the Empire offworld . The resulting battle liberated the Mon Calamari and Quarren from the Empire and led to their eventually joining in the Alliance to Restore the Republic . It was notably one of the few successes of the Rebellion ' s otherwise - disastrous first campaign , Operation Domino . History . 19 BBY – 1 BBY . During the nearly two decades of Imperial control of the planet , the Mon Calamari and Quarren maintained a low scale resistance . One of the founders of the resistance , the Mon Calamarian Gial Ackbar , had spent the preceding years working with other like minded people to oppose the Imperial control of their homeworld . The techniques of the early resistance were not openly violent or apparent - ranging from industrial slowdowns , acts of sabotage , and defiant protests . The Empire struck back - though with propaganda rather than force . Imperial xenobiologist Obo Rin published several works claiming that the Empire had first discovered Mon Calamari , in an effort to erase the worlds past history and connection to the Galactic Republic . Still , the Mon Calamari and Quarren refused to submit to Imperial rule . Even the long animosity between the Quarren and the Mon Calamari was set aside , as Quarren leaders rallied their people beside their " planet - brothers . " Ironically , one of these Quarren leaders was Seggor Tels , who had been led by jealousy of the Mon Calamari to sabotage Calamari ' s planetary shields to pave the way for the Imperial conquest of the planet . Tiring of the acts of defiance , the Empire decided to make an example by executing an orbital bombardment of three floating cities . The attacks were swift and severe , incinerating the cities and their inhabitants . It was believed that this show of force would cow the world ’ s population . In reality , it provided the catalyst for open rebellion to Imperial rule . Battle . Imperial occupation forces were caught off guard by the reaction of the Mon Calamari and Quarren . Across the planet Dac the long oppressed fought back . At first , many fought Imperial forces with nothing more than kitchen utensils or hand tools fashioned into weapons . Yet , thanks to early efforts of resistance leaders like Ackbar , numerous secret weapons caches that had been secreted away over the previous two decades were deployed against Imperial forces . Secret ship construction sites located beneath the seas of Calamari outfitted privateer craft which plagued Imperial forces in the Calamari sector . Workers in the Mon Calamari Shipyards sabotaged Imperial warships in dock and diverted captured materials to the resistance . Caught completely by surprise by the ferocity of the rebellion , Imperial forces abandoned the sector entirely . The united peoples of Mon Calamari had finally achieved their long sought goal of freedom from enslavement by the Empire . Their victory became a beacon of hope for the downtrodden peoples of the galaxy , garnering the attention of the Rebel Alliance . Imperial pilot DS - 61 - 4 distinguished himself in the battle . Aftermath . The Revolt was one of the few successes of Operation Domino , the Rebel Alliance ' s earliest campaign against the Empire : on nearly every other world where the Alliance Military stoked revolt , the uprisings were swiftly crushed by the Galactic Empire . The Calamari swiftly fortified their sector in the aftermath of the Revolt , and it became a potent redoubt and essential source of warships for the Rebellion . The Mon Calamari and Quarren realized that Imperial forces could return at any moment . After securing their sector , the Mon Calamari Shipyards began modifying various exploration cruisers into combat ready capital warships . These new MC80 Star Cruiser s defended the Calamari Sector , ever vigilant for reprisal . Shortly after the signing of the Corellian Treaty , Alliance leader Mon Mothma negotiated a treaty with the Mon Calamari Council to supply warships to the Rebel Alliance . Immediately , Rebel warships were dispatched to the sector , while numerous technicians arrived to work with the Mon Calamari in developing warships . The Council approved , though it did not vote to fully join the Alliance , in part due to Quarren fears of an alliance with another Human dominated group . Still , a fleet of Mon Calamari Star Cruiser s were donated to the Alliance . Ackbar , recently freed from Imperial enslavement during a Rebel attack on Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin ’ s shuttle , became a member of the Alliance . Following the Rebel victory at the Battle of Yavin , Mon Calamari voted to become a full member of the Alliance . Their native son Ackbar was promoted to full admiral and the position of Supreme Commander of the Alliance Fleet . With the support of Mon Calamari , the Rebel Alliance gained the cruisers to challenge Imperial fleets , as well as a secure base and construction site . Following the battle , the Calamari Defense Force was established . An Imperial fleet later tried to reconquer the system , but it was defeated by Admiral Ackbar . Behind the scenes . The release of the game " " has caused some continuity problems in regards to the liberation of Mon Calamari . A level on the Imperial campaign of the game shows a much different version of the battle , set right before the Battle of Yavin . The battle itself contradicts numerous previously established sources , including the " Rebel Alliance Sourcebook " , " Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds " , and " The New Essential Guide to Characters " . The mission is most likely only designed for game play , not to represent the actual historical liberation of Calamari . Until a continuity VIP clarifies the role of the game ' s campaign levels in regards to canon , this entry will refrain from adding specifics from that level .