Oathkeeper

This article is about the role. You may be looking for the alien individual who held it.

"Upon my life and honor…"
"Life and honor…"
"For the peace and bounty of all beings…"
"Peace and bounty…"
"My full allegiance…"
"Full allegiance…"
"A galaxy of worlds…"
"A galaxy of worlds…"
"A galaxy assembled…"
"A galaxy assembled…"
"An Empire!"

―An Oathkeeper leads the Senate in an oath — 20?cb=20250116042720

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Oathkeeper was a role in the Galactic Empire's Imperial Senate. Each session of the senate was brought to order by an Oathkeeper or the Speaker, with the Oathkeeper also able to act as chair of the session. During the Senate Investiture week, an Oathkeeper led new senators in an oath of loyalty, as occurred in 3 BBY. In 2 BBY, an alien Oathkeeper acted as chair for a senate session where Senior Senator Mon Mothma gave a speech denouncing the Ghorman Massacre and Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine.

Description

"The Senate is called to Chamber. Make your presence known. Stewards, you may count the quorum."

―An Oathkeeper calls the Senate to order — 20?cb=20250116042720

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An alien oathkeeper in bright red and gold robes stands in the Chancellor's Podium in the Senate Building surrounded by a circle of repulsorpods carrying senators. — The Oathkeeper led new Imperial senators in an oath of loyalty to the Empire during Senate Investiture week.

Oathkeeper was a role within the Imperial Senate of the Galactic Empire^[1] with powers confered upon it by Galactic Emperor^[3] Sheev Palpatine. Per ancient tradition, each session of the senate was brought to order by either the Oathkeeper or the Speaker, a role held by Grand Vizier Mas Amedda.^[1] This involved calling for senators to make themselves known as the session began and then having stewards take a quorum and confirming it once complete. Once the session was underway, the Oathkeeper acted as chair and could recognize senators to speak.^[3] The Oathkeeper also led new senators in their oath of loyalty during Senate Investiture week.^[2]

History

"The Chair recognizes the Senior Senator from Hodi."
"Graciously accepted, thank you."

―An Oathkeeper and Senior Senator Erveen — 20?cb=20250116042720

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During the Investiture week^[2] in 3 BBY,^[4] an alien Oathkeeper led a session of the senate from^[2] the Chancellor's Podium in the Senate Building on the planet Coruscant^[5] in chanting an oath of allegiance to the Empire.^[2] In 2 BBY,^[6] the same Oathkeeper called to order a senate session from the podium, asking senators to make themselves known and asking stewards to count the quorum before confirming when it was complete. The Oathkeeper then called the session to order and acted as chair during it. A day earlier, the Empire had carried out a massacre on the planet Ghorman, but the Oathkeeper had no intention of allowing any senators who might challenge the Imperial narrative on the event to speak during the session's set agenda. They did however recognize Senior Senator Erveen of Hodi when^[3] she^[7] was due to speak.^[3]

Mon Mothma, wearing a bright blue robe, stands in a repulsorpod speaking before the Senate Chamber as an alien Oathkeeper watches from the Chancellor's Podium. — An Oathkeeper chaired the Imperial Senate session where Mon Mothma denounced Emperor Palpatine.

Erveen yielded her time to Senior Senator Bail Organa, who invoked Article 17-252 to yield his time to Senior Senator Mon Mothma, a senator that was not scheduled to speak. Mothma subsequently spoke out against the massacre of the Ghorman people and denounced Emperor Palpatine before the live feed was cut off and she fled from Coruscant.^[3] During both sessions, the alien wore brown and golden robes and a piece of golden headwear.^[2]^[3]

Behind the scenes

The Oathkeeper was mentioned in the 2023 reference book Star Wars: Dawn of Rebellion: The Visual Guide,^[1] within a section written by Pablo Hidalgo.^[8] An Oathkeeper then first appeared in "What a Festive Evening," the sixth episode of the second season of the Disney+ live-action series Star Wars: Andor,^[2] which aired on April 29, 2025.^[9] Prior to the episode's release, some of the shots including the Oathkeeper were teased in Andor Season 2: A Special Look, a promo video for the season^[10] released on March 4, 2025.^[11] A track on the season's score, composed by Brandon Roberts and Nicholas Britell, is named after the role.^[12]