Shortly after the Battle of Starkiller Base, General Leia and the Resistance began evacuating their base when the First Order fleet arrived. Poe Dameron, defying Leia's orders, launched a costly counterattack, managing to destroy one of the First Order’s dreadnoughts. The surviving members of the Resistance escaped into hyperspace, but the First Order used a tracking device to locate them and mounted another assault. Kylo Ren, sensing his mother Leia’s presence, hesitated to open fire. However, his wingman destroyed the bridge, killing most of the Resistance leadership. Leia was pulled into the vacuum of space but used the Force to survive. While Leia recovered, Vice Admiral Holdo assumed command of the Resistance. With dwindling fuel reserves, the remaining fleet found themselves relentlessly pursued by the First Order.