The Partisans, alternatively called Saw's guerrillas, constituted a militant group of insurgents. They launched armed brutal campaigns directed against the Galactic Empire throughout the Imperial Era. Saw Gerrera established and commanded the Partisans starting in 19 BBY. The group was instrumental in destabilizing Gerrera's homeworld, Onderon, liberating it from the Empire's occupying forces. Eventually, they evolved into a rebel cell associated with the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Nevertheless, certain figures, including Rebel Alliance founders Mon Mothma and Bail Organa, opted to distance themselves from Gerrera's organization due to their readiness to employ drastic measures, such as torture and assaults targeting civilian populations.
By 1 BBY, the militia maintained minimal contact with the main Alliance. Gerrera's militia besieged the sacred moon of Jedha, aiming to eradicate the Imperial presence. However, the campaign suffered a significant setback with the destruction of the Holy City by the Galactic Empire's Death Star battle station's superlaser, along with Saw Gerrera's own demise.
The Partisans were also responsible for numerous attacks that resulted in civilian casualties. In response, the Galactic Empire created a propaganda poster that denounced the Rebel Alliance as a terrorist organization. New Republic Senator Ransolm Casterfo later cited the Partisans' campaigns as an illustration of the Rebels' alleged terrorist strategies during the war. He also questioned Leia Organa about whether she endorsed these tactics. Leia responded by stating that Gerrera did what he believed was necessary, without explicitly expressing her own views on the matter.
As one of the earliest rebel cells to emerge after the establishment of the Galactic Empire, the Partisan fighters gained recognition as formidable warriors, known for their ruthlessness, effectiveness in accomplishing missions, and eagerness to oppose the Empire by any means required. Due to their more radical approach and employment of methods such as torture and targeting civilians, the rebel cell was frequently deemed excessively extreme and eventually detrimental to the rebellion. Despite this, the rebellion sustained communication and collaboration with the Partisans until Mon Mothma's official censure around the time of the public, official formation of the Alliance to Restore the Republic.
The Partisans primarily operated in the Outer Rim region, in proximity to the Corellian Run. They maintained multiple headquarters throughout the galaxy, a strategic decision made by Saw Gerrera who believed that having several outposts and headquarters would prevent the Empire from crippling his operations if one base were discovered.
Some unaffiliated individuals, seeking to capitalize on the Partisans' reputation, imitated their violent methods and falsely claimed to be Partisans. This created confusion within both Imperial and rebel intelligence circles. Gerrera approved of such imitation if it proved effective.
Following the Onderon's Civil War and the Galactic Republic's transformation into the Galactic Empire, Saw Gerrera reorganized the Onderon rebels into the Partisans. Governor Wilhuff Tarkin dispatched Clone Force 99 to eliminate them, falsely alleging that they were a remnant of the Separatist movement. However, they defied these orders and chose to desert upon discovering the truth. Subsequently, a new squadron led by Crosshair, who had abandoned Clone Force 99 due to their defection from the Empire, arrived to complete the mission of eliminating Saw and his militia. However, Saw had already departed, leaving behind only some militia members and civilians. All were killed, including the Elite Squad Trooper ES-01, who refused to execute the civilians, an act Crosshair deemed treasonous. When the Empire deployed ISB Agent Kallus and his squad to restore order on Onderon, Gerrera and a Lasat mercenary ambushed them. The Lasat then mercilessly executed the squad and left Kallus alive.
In 14 BBY, the Partisans launched an incursion on Kashyyyk to weaken the Empire and liberate imprisoned Wookiees. They aided the Jedi Padawan Cal Kestis and the crew of the Stinger Mantis in locating Wookiee Chieftain Tarfful. After finding him, they were overwhelmed by Imperial forces, which forced the majority of them to retreat from the planet. Saw offered Kestis a position within the Partisans, but Kestis declined, as he was focused on his own mission. Saw assured him that the invitation remained open. Over the following years, Kestis maintained contact with Gerrera, and the two collaborated on missions against the Empire.
In 13 BBY, Gerrera took Jyn Erso and accepted her into the partisans. By 5 BBY, Erso had become one of the most skilled fighters among the partisans. However, Gerrera was forced to abandon her due to her father, Galen Walton Erso, being an Imperial collaborator.
At a later time, Gerrera and his Partisans were contracted by Arane Oreida and her group of partisans to infiltrate the Sakoola blossom festival on Inusagi. Employing flechette launchers, the partisans massacred the festival, resulting in the deaths of Maia, the Inusagi chieftess, numerous Imperials including governor Cor Tophervin, and many Inusagi civilians. Some of Gerrera's members left the Partisans for less extreme rebel groups.
In 9 BBY, Gerrera received Imperial military informations obtained by Kestis, who stole it from Imperial Senator Daho Sejan's private starship on Coruscant when he faked capture to be taken to the senator. At some point, the Partisans undertook a raid within the Ryloth capital of Lessu City, where they encountered and freed the Twi'lek rebel Beezer Fortuna, who joined the Partisans as a strategist.
In 3 BBY, a member of Saw's Partisans planted a bomb in the chalet of Moff Quarsh Panaka, governor of Naboo, on the moon Onoam. The explosion destroyed the building and killed Panaka, but also nearly killed Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan, fellow rebel Bail Organa's adopted daughter, and Naboo's reigning Queen [Dalné](/article/daln%c3%a9], both of whom escaped death by mere moments. Panaka's assassination caused a full lockdown of the sector and infuriated Bail, both because Panaka had been one of the select few Imperials who was neither corrupt nor cruel and because his daughter was very nearly killed.
By 1 BBY, Saw Gerrera found himself in disagreement with Senator Mon Mothma, the leader of the Alliance to Restore the Republic, concerning the strategies to be employed in the war. The Partisans, while affiliated with the Alliance, diverged from the rest of the rebellion due to their fewer reservations and willingness to undertake any action deemed necessary in their struggle, including openly attacking and killing civilians. The Partisan leader made an attempt to persuade the Spectres to align with his cause. Shortly thereafter, he provided assistance to the rebels in their mission to the Jalindi Station, with he and Benthic in their U-wing. Gerrera deployed proton bombs on the relay to destroy it, and rescued the Spectres from their mission.
Sometime later, the Partisans untertook a mission to the Imperial Metal Factory on Dooma 4 after learning that the factory provided components for an secret Imperial project.
As his campaigns against the Empire grew increasingly violent, the Alliance High Command, prompted by Mon Mothma, formally condemned Gerrera and severed all official connections with the Partisans. Gerrera then relocated his militia to Jedha, a small desert moon orbiting the planet NaJedha, considering it a suitable location to base his rebellion, as it held sacred significance for numerous galactic religions.
Operating from his new base in the Catacombs of Cadera, Gerrera initiated the recruitment and organization of local insurgencies under the umbrella of his Partisans. Over the course of several months, the Partisans launched attacks against the Imperial occupiers, leading to progressively harsher retaliations from the Empire. Joali Andit and Jalice Andit maintained informal ties with the Partisans, fighting alongside them.
Following Gerrera's death, the remaining Partisans, under the leadership of Benthic, carried on his extremist legacy, striving to thwart the Empire at any cost. Meanwhile, another cell of Partisan survivors began operating as the Dreamers. After the theft of the Death Star plans and the battle station's destruction, the newly formed Inferno Squad received orders to infiltrate and eliminate the Dreamers, which they successfully executed.
When the rebellion began searching for a new base, another group of surviving Partisans were then approached by Leia, Jedi Luke Skywalker, Captain Han Solo, and Chewbacca after rescuing Partisan Ubin Des and Chulco Gi from the Imperials. The Partisans were attempting to prevent the Empire from extracting additional kyber crystals from the remnants of Jedha. Des and Gi then transported the Millennium Falcon to the Partisans' new base on Jedha. There, they were brought before Benthic, who initially advocated for killing the Rebels but ultimately agreed to listen to Leia. He then consented to accept her supplies and discussed the possibility of rejoining the Alliance. Skywalker and Benthic then boarded the drill citadel. Benthic forced one of the technicians to lower the shields so that the Partisans and the Falcon could attack the citadel.
After the mission, the Falcon dropped off the surviving Partisans and refugees on NaJedha. Benthic pledged that he and his partisans would guard Jedha until it was gone. Leia agreed to have the Partisans work with the Alliance once again. Ubin Des was then given the Medal of Bravery by Solo in recognition for her actions. Following their joint effort with the Rebel Alliance in the mission to Shu-Torun, Benthic and his fellow partisans went to Salobea.
More than two decades after the conclusion of the Galactic Civil War and the establishment of the New Republic in 28 ABY, both Saw Gerrera and the Partisans were mentioned by junior senator Ransolm Casterfo of the Centrist faction. He recalled them as political extremists who embodied the worst aspects of the Rebel Alliance and cited Saw's actions as evidence of alleged atrocities committed by the rebels during a discussion with his political rival, senior senator Leia Organa of the Populists.