Serving the Empire

[Konig15]

Recently, I came across a fanfic that really made me think (re)think the Empire, at least a little bit. It's called Star Wars: Galaxy Under Siege and it can be found here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/3646605/1/Star_Wars_Galaxy_Under_Siege

This is what I wrote in part on my review:

I'm impressed you made an Imperial, a Grand Admiral no less, as compassionate yet competent as you have with Thrawn. I hope to see more of a human, perhaps even humane face on the Empire and it's servants. In classic fanfic mode, and maybe even to George Lucas, there's no reason to serve the Empire but out of greed, ambition or fear, but seeing Thrawn like this makes it plausible maybe people are fighting on the wrong side for the right reasons, like the Germans in WWII.

Than this is what he wrote back:
I totally agree with you about the Imperial thing- it just didn't make sense to me that so many people could be pure evil and still have a successful gov't and system. I have a soft spot for Thrawn, but I believe many other Imperials were genuinely good, loyal people who believed in the order and security that the Empire promised...in a place as dangerous as the Star Wars galaxy it's kind of hard to blame them (emphasis mine)

So, I know it's more kosher by far to just stick to the Rebels, the Jedi and such, but what about the rank and file Imperialsespecially when the movies make it quite clear they ar not all clones and the radio dramas state many in the starfleet are conscripts. For that matter I find the old Republican military machine more fascinating (say of the KOTOR days) more interesting than the Jedi. So what do you think guys? What's runnin through their noggins and such?

Thanks in advance.

[Morridini]

Well if you look at the EU comics of Star Wars: Empire we get to see a lot of stories from Stormtroopers and Imp Lieutenant's point of view, and they are clearly not evil at all. They are simply working for their government, and I believe that for those who lived in the core middle to upper class the Empire didn't seem that bad (at least for the humans).

As for the fanfic, I'll read it tomorrow to see what it's like.

[Coyote850]

Look at the EU after RoTJ. Always at war, alot of times in total chaos. Was the Galaxy at war during the reign of the Empire? Only when a few rebels decided to stir things up. Like it or not the Empire brought order to the galaxy. Everything after has been a disaster........

[Dark Helmet]

yeah, its probably just a job to most soldiers in the empires military.

[Darth Nameless]

just a job for most of them....some probley didnt even know what was going on

[Solo]

I do not think everyone working for the empire were pure evil. Some of them were sure going after peace and order. Some of them were just working for the winning side and were ready switch sides as soon as the balance shifted. Finally some were pure evil. I mean in the end empire was the one who built a space station that could destroy a planet.

However, I do not agree with Coyote850. Galaxy was in chaos after Empire was defeated because at that time, there wasn't a single leader who could control every sector with an iron fist as Palpatine used to do. Galaxy was in order under Palpatine's rule, because anyone who was crazy enough question his judgement or act against it was taken care of! in a very short time. IMO this was the reason of the chaos and wars.

However Rebels were trying to control the galaxy by democracy. Democracy always listens, plans and acts. Usually it takes ages for a democratic rule to act. After Palpatine's death, many of his generals started campaigns of their own in order to gain the control of scattered forces of the former empire and rebels could not act in time to prevent this.

[Jonan Mephi]

While the leadership behind the empire certainly had their own agenda, I cannot say they were evil. Surely not all in their employ were. What of the mere technicians who fixed up the destroyers or tie's after battles? They were just people with jobs. As for the military personel, the same applies, just following orders.

Now to the main idea. The leadership. Evil or not? I'd say it's a matter of perspective. It seemed to me their primary goals were to unify the galaxy. One could debate further the methods used, and any personal agendas as well. But overall, not evil. Just aggressive.

[Edgeomatic]

I'm sure that the rank-and-file Imperial workers weren't even aware how evil the Emperor and other higher ups were in the Empire other then what they've personally seen or heard.