The Republic becomes the Empire. The Empire does not become the New Republic, it becomes the First Order.
I was under the impression that the Empire capitulated to the New Republic for the most part, with only a few holdouts retreating to the Unknown Regions to rebuild. It may seem like a small difference, but I think it’s actually pretty substantial. If the entirety of the Empire or at least a large portion if it retreated, then I could understand how they reappear in such strength.
The Rebels form the New Republic, and later the Resistance.
I understand that people really hated the non-stop politics of the prequels, but I really wish this stuff was explained better in TFA.
It would be very strange if these teams swapped uniforms, so to speak.
Why is that? The Resistance is directly (or indirectly?) supported by the New Republic, the First Order is a fringe Empire loyalist group that’s been relegated to the ass end of the Galaxy.
The First Order’s stuff is new and spiffy because so are they. That doesn’t make them in charge, and they’re not. The Resistance is scrappy because they aren’t in charge either, they’re a separate group created by members of the New Republic.
Again, I wish this was better explained in TFA.
As to whether or not they should have armor is a legitimate question but in my mind it would make no sense whatsoever for them to look like stormtroopers.
I don’t want them to look exactly like Stormtroopers, it totally makes sense for them to want to distance themselves from that. What I’m trying to say is that I like the idea of the OT’s Empire becoming the ST’s “Rebels” in the sense that they’re the underdog trying to take down the the big and powerful Republic.