Bail Prestor Organa was Princess Leia Organa's adoptive father and a friend of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. He was married to Queen Breha Organa of Alderaan and as Prince Consort, head of the royal house and ruler of Alderaan. In the Rebel Alliance and its successor states, the New Republic and Galactic Alliance, he was respected as a martyr who died for his cause.
Bail Organa served the Galactic Republic as a Senator during its final days, having succeeded Senator Bail Antilles, his father-in-law. Though a new senator, he quickly gained the ear of Chancellor Palpatine, agreeing with his view on bureaucratic stagnation. He also established political relationships with other like minded senators, including Garm Bel Iblis of Corellia, Padmé Amidala of Naboo, and Mon Mothma of Chandrila, with whom he had a very good personal friendship. Organa also became close friends with former Chancellor Valorum.
During the Great Jedi Purge, after witnessing Clone troopers gun down Padawan Zett Jukassa, he was determined to intercept any surviving Jedi before they "walked into this catastrophe." Organa managed to locate and rescue Masters Yoda and Obi-Wan Kenobi. When he took them back to Coruscant, he sat with Padmé Amidala as Palpatine declared himself Galactic Emperor. Despite his revulsion at the concept, Amidala told him to vote in favor of Palpatine, both being outnumbered and realizing the added benefits that time and access to Imperial knowledge would have on a resistance movement.
After Amidala's death and her husband's fall to the dark side, Organa took their daughter Leia as his own. He also took the droids R2-D2 and C-3PO into his service, placing them in the care of his brother-in-law Raymus Antilles. Organa continued to serve in the Senate well into the days of the Galactic Empire, where he remained a representative for Alderaan until his adopted daughter Leia took over one year before the Battle of Yavin.
