| As commander of the Rebel Fleet, Ackbar has one of the most important and demanding jobs in the Alliance. The fleet is the Rebellion's most valuable asset and its most important tool to challenge the overwhelming might of the Empire. Beyond the qualifications of his great skills and character, Ackbar is a symbol to the rest of the galaxy: a symbol that the Alliance is fighting for everyone, no matter what their background or origin. The Empire has made discrimination against non-humans a longstanding policy. A case in point is the Battle of Endor. When the Death Star surprisingly went operational and began systematically destroying the Rebel Fleet's most powerful vessels, Ackbar's first instinct was to call off the attack. But Lando Calrissian pleaded with him to continue by engaging the Imperial Star Destroyers, in the hope that the Death Star wouldn't be able to open up on them without hitting Imperial ships. For all of his conservatism, Ackbar saw the logic in Calrissian' radical plan and acted accordingly. The gamble paid off. The battle over Endor proved to everyone Mon Motha’s choice for command of the fleet was perfect. It was the Alliance's shining moment, and Ackbar deserves much of the credit. |
