Warning! SPOILERS for Star Wars Resistance season 2 ahead.
It seems the New Republic wasn't entirely destroyed and will still be around by the time Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker begins. In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Starkiller Base destroys the Hosnian System, eradicating the New Republic's capital and senate in one fell swoop. However, Star Wars Resistance season 2 reveals that at least one senator was off-world when Hosnian Prime was destroyed, hinting that the New Republic may not be as eradicated as it seems come Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
Star Wars Resistance is an animated series taking place right alongside the major events of the Star Wars sequel trilogy. A few characters from the films, like Oscar Isaac's Poe Dameron and Gwendoline Christie's Captain Phasma, have appeared in the series, but Resistance's main characters are typically doing their own thing while the big screen's Resistance and First Order fight for control of the galaxy. Still, the events from the films do have an impact on the series and vice versa, and a recent development in Star Wars Resistance season 2 suggests the New Republic could have some presence in The Rise of Skywalker.
Star Wars Resistance follows a young Resistance spy, Kazuda "Kaz" Xiono, who was originally serving as a pilot in the New Republic Defense Fleet before being recruited by Poe for the Resistance. Kaz's father, Hamato, is a senator for the New Republic, and when Kaz witnesses the Hosnian Cataclysm, he fears that his father and whole family have been killed in the devastating attack. However, in the latest episode of Resistance season 2, "A Quick Salvage Run", Kaz receives a transmission from his father explaining that their family was not on Hosnian Prime when Starkiller Base attacked. This confirms that at least one New Republic senator survives the Hosnian Cataclysm, making it all the more likely that others have survived as well.
In addition to revealing that Hamato and his family survive the Hosnian Cataclysm, Stars Wars Resistance also uses his message to establish the state of the galaxy. War has officially broken out, and Kaz has been publicly named a member of the Resistance, putting his family at risk. Hamato wasn't in favor of his son joining up with the Resistance to begin with, so having Kaz wanted by the First Order is far from an ideal situation.
When Kaz asks his father to meet him at the Resistance base on D'Qar, Hamato warns his son not to go there. And while this may just be fatherly concern, it might also be suggesting that Hamato has prior knowledge of the First Order's imminent attack. Given that he's already not a fan of the Resistance, it wouldn't be entirely out of the question for Hamato to align himself with the First Order. He may have even already been a First Order sympathizer prior to the Hosnian Cataclysm, which is why he knew to take his family off-world before the attack.
Then again, Kaz's father may have just been as skeptical of the Resistance as so many other senators, and even now, may have his doubts about their ability to fight the First Order. If that's the case, Hamato may only join up with the Resistance following the events of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. That film implies the legend of Luke Skywalker taking on the First Order is what sparks the fires of rebellion, helping to regrow the Resistance. And if Hamato isn't the only senator to survive, there may be others who join the fight, possibly even regrouping as some version of the New Republic's governing body by The Rise of Skywalker.
Star Wars Resistance season 2 continues next Sunday, October 20th with "Live Fire" at 10pm/11c on Disney.
