The Case for the Empire

Everything you think you know about Star Wars is wrong

Jonathan V. Last
Weekly Standard

16 May 2002

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STAR WARS RETURNS today with its fifth installment, "Attack of the Clones." There will be talk of the Force and the Dark Side and the epic morality of George Lucas's series. But the truth is that from the beginning, Lucas confused the good guys with the bad. The deep lesson of Star Wars is that the Empire is good.

It's a difficult leap to make--embracing Darth Vader and the Emperor over the plucky and attractive Luke Skywalker and Princess Leia--but a careful examination of the facts, sorted apart from Lucas's off-the-shelf moral cues, makes a quite convincing case.

First, an aside: For the sake of this discussion, I've considered only the history gleaned from the actual Star Wars

"It is clear to me now that the Republic no longer functions."

films, not the Expanded Universe. If you know what the Expanded Universe is and want to argue that no discussion of Star Wars can be complete without considering material outside the canon, that's fine. However, it's always been my view that the comic books and novels largely serve to clean up Lucas's narrative and philosophical messes. Therefore, discussions of intrinsic intent must necessarily revolve around the movies alone. You may disagree, but please don't e-mail me about it.

If you don't know what the Expanded Universe is, well, uh, neither do I.

I. The Problems with the Galactic Republic

At the beginning of the Star Wars saga, the known universe is governed by the Galactic Republic. The Republic is controlled by a Senate, which is, in turn, run by an elected chancellor who's in charge of procedure, but has little real power.

Scores of thousands of planets are represented in the Galactic Senate, and as we first encounter it, it is sclerotic and ineffectual. The Republic has grown over many millennia to the point where there are so many factions and disparate interests, that it is simply too big to be governable. Even the Republic's staunchest supporters recognize this failing: In "The Phantom Menace," Queen Amidala admits, "It is clear to me now that the Republic no longer functions." In "Attack of the Clones," young Anakin Skywalker observes that it simply "doesn't work."

... the Jedi (is) not a democratic militia, but a royalist Swiss guard.

The Senate moves so slowly that it is powerless to stop aggression between member states. In "The Phantom Menace" a supra-planetary alliance, the Trade Federation (think of it as OPEC to the Galactic Republic's United Nations), invades a planet and all the Senate can agree to do is call for an investigation.

Like the United Nations, the Republic has no armed forces of its own, but instead relies on a group of warriors, the Jedi knights, to "keep the peace." The Jedi, while autonomous, often work in tandem with the Senate, trying to smooth over quarrels and avoid conflicts. But the Jedi number only in the thousands--they cannot protect everyone.

What's more, it's not clear that they should be "protecting" anyone. The Jedi are Lucas's great heroes, full of Zen wisdom and righteous power. They encourage people to "use the Force"--the mystical energy which is the source of their power--but the truth, revealed in "The Phantom Menace," is that the Force isn't available to the rabble. The Force comes from midi-chlorians, tiny symbiotic organisms in people's blood, like mitochondria. The Force, it turns out, is an inherited, genetic trait. If you don't have the blood, you don't get the Force. Which makes the Jedi not a democratic militia, but a royalist Swiss guard.

And an arrogant royalist Swiss guard, at that. With one or two notable exceptions, the Jedi we meet in Star Wars are full of themselves. They ignore the counsel of others (often with terrible consequences), and seem honestly to believe that they are at the center of the universe. When the chief Jedi record-keeper is asked in "Attack of the Clones" about a planet she has never heard of, she replies that if it's not in the Jedi archives, it doesn't exist. (The planet in question does exist, again, with terrible consequences.)

the separatists ... genuinely want to make a fresh start with a government that isn't bloated and dysfunctional

In "Attack of the Clones," a mysterious figure, Count Dooku, leads a separatist movement of planets that want to secede from the Republic. Dooku promises these confederates smaller government, unlimited free trade, and an "absolute commitment to capitalism." Dooku's motives are suspect--it's not clear whether or not he believes in these causes. However, there's no reason to doubt the motives of the other separatists--they seem genuinely to want to make a fresh start with a government that isn't bloated and dysfunctional.

The Republic, of course, is eager to quash these separatists, but they never make a compelling case--or any case, for that matter--as to why, if they are such a freedom-loving regime, these planets should not be allowed to check out of the Republic and take control of their own destinies.

II. The Empire

We do not yet know the exact how's and why's, but we do know this: At some point between the end of Episode II and the beginning of Episode IV, the Republic is replaced by an Empire. The first hint comes in "Attack of the Clones," when the Senate's Chancellor Palpatine is granted emergency powers to deal with the separatists. It spoils very little to tell you that Palpatine eventually becomes the Emperor. For a time, he keeps the Senate in place, functioning as a rubber-stamp, much like the Roman imperial senate, but a few minutes into Episode IV, we are informed that the he has dissolved the Senate, and that "the last remnants of the Old Republic have been swept away."

Lucas wants the Empire to stand for evil, so he tells us that the Emperor and Darth Vader have gone over to the Dark Side and dresses them in black.

The Republic is eager to quash these separatists, but they never make any case as to why

But look closer. When Palpatine is still a senator, he says, "The Republic is not what it once was. The Senate is full of greedy, squabbling delegates. There is no interest in the common good." At one point he laments that "the bureaucrats are in charge now."

Palpatine believes that the political order must be manipulated to produce peace and stability. When he mutters, "There is no civility, there is only politics," we see that at heart, he's an esoteric Straussian.

Make no mistake, as emperor, Palpatine is a dictator--but a relatively benign one, like Pinochet. It's a dictatorship people can do business with. They collect taxes and patrol the skies. They try to stop organized crime (in the form of the smuggling rings run by the Hutts). The Empire has virtually no effect on the daily life of the average, law-abiding citizen.

Also, unlike the divine-right Jedi, the Empire is a meritocracy. The Empire runs academies throughout the galaxy (Han Solo begins his career at an Imperial academy), and those who show promise are promoted, often rapidly. In "The Empire Strikes Back" Captain Piett is quickly promoted to admiral when his predecessor "falls down on the job."

And while it's a small point, the Empire's manners and decorum speak well of it. When Darth Vader is forced to employ bounty hunters to track down Han Solo, he refuses to address them by name. Even Boba Fett, the greatest of all trackers, is referred to icily as "bounty hunter." And yet Fett understands the protocol. When he captures Solo, he calls him "Captain Solo." (Whether this is in deference to Han's former rank in the Imperial starfleet, or simply because Han owns and pilots his own ship, we don't know. I suspect it's the former.)

The Empire doesn't want slaves or destruction or "evil." It wants order.

But the most compelling evidence that the Empire isn't evil comes in "The Empire Strikes Back" when Darth Vader is battling Luke Skywalker. After an exhausting fight, Vader is poised to finish Luke off, but he stays his hand. He tries to convert Luke to the Dark Side with this simple plea: "There is no escape. Don't make me destroy you. . . . Join me, and I will complete your training. With our combined strength, we can end this destructive conflict and bring order to the galaxy." It is here we find the real controlling impulse for the Dark Side and the Empire. The Empire doesn't want slaves or destruction or "evil." It wants order.

None of which is to say that the Empire isn't sometimes brutal. In Episode IV, Imperial stormtroopers kill Luke's aunt and uncle and Grand Moff Tarkin orders the destruction of an entire planet, Alderaan. But viewed in context, these acts are less brutal than they initially appear. Poor Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen reach a grisly end, but only after they aid the rebellion by hiding Luke and harboring two fugitive droids. They aren't given due process, but they are traitors.

the Empire is ... engaged in a fight for the survival of its regime against a violent group of rebels who are committed to its destruction

The destruction of Alderaan is often cited as ipso facto proof of the Empire's "evilness" because it seems like mass murder--planeticide, even. As Tarkin prepares to fire the Death Star, Princess Leia implores him to spare the planet, saying, "Alderaan is peaceful. We have no weapons." Her plea is important, if true.

But the audience has no reason to believe that Leia is telling the truth. In Episode IV, every bit of information she gives the Empire is willfully untrue. In the opening, she tells Darth Vader that she is on a diplomatic mission of mercy, when in fact she is on a spy mission, trying to deliver schematics of the Death Star to the Rebel Alliance. When asked where the Alliance is headquartered, she lies again.

Leia's lies are perfectly defensible--she thinks she's serving the greater good--but they make her wholly unreliable on the question of whether or not Alderaan really is peaceful and defenseless. If anything, since Leia is a high-ranking member of the rebellion and the princess of Alderaan, it would be reasonable to suspect that Alderaan is a front for Rebel activity or at least home to many more spies and insurgents like Leia.

Whatever the case, the important thing to recognize is that the Empire is not committing random acts of terror. It is engaged in a fight for the survival of its regime against a violent group of rebels who are committed to its destruction.

III. After the Rebellion

As we all know from the final Star Wars installment, "Return of the Jedi," the rebellion is eventually successful. The Emperor is assassinated, Darth Vader abdicates his post and dies, the central governing apparatus of the Empire is destroyed in a spectacular space battle, and the rebels rejoice with their small, annoying Ewok friends. But what happens next?

Their victory over the Empire doesn't liberate the galaxy--it turns the galaxy into Somalia writ large: dominated by local warlords who are answerable to no one

(There is a raft of literature on this point, but, as I said at the beginning, I'm going to ignore it because it doesn't speak to Lucas's original intent.)

In Episode IV, after Grand Moff Tarkin announces that the Imperial Senate has been abolished, he's asked how the Emperor can possibly hope to keep control of the galaxy. "The regional governors now have direct control over territories," he says. "Fear will keep the local systems in line."

So under Imperial rule, a large group of regional potentates, each with access to a sizable army and star destroyers, runs local affairs. These governors owe their fealty to the Emperor. And once the Emperor is dead, the galaxy will be plunged into chaos.

In all of the time we spend observing the Rebel Alliance, we never hear of their governing strategy or their plans for a post-Imperial universe. All we see are plots and fighting. Their victory over the Empire doesn't liberate the galaxy--it turns the galaxy into Somalia writ large: dominated by local warlords who are answerable to no one.

Which makes the rebels--Lucas's heroes--an unimpressive crew of anarchic royals who wreck the galaxy so that Princess Leia can have her tiara back.

I'll take the Empire.

(Jonathan V. Last is online editor of The Weekly Standard)

The original article appeared here

Last 25 Visitor Comments

Name Email Subject Date

Blake superdrocher_at_mail.ru Blake 6/24/2007
I found your site very informative and helpful, thank you.
jack jackloon_at_yahoo.com WTF 2/26/2006
Don't you guys have better things to do than write huge articles about STAR WARS
Lawrence law1_ca_at_hotmail.com The Article Does Make Sense 7/17/2005
I have to admit that when you look at it the Empire doesn't really change the life of law abiding citizens. I mean really, if you are smuggling or doing other illegal activities then yeah the Empire will try and really crack down hard. I'm also worried about how the rebel forces will govern the galaxy. First off, do they intend to return the government to the old republic's galactic senate? If so, then prepare for the return of a huge, bloated, inefficient and overly corrupt government, because that's what happened to the old Republic, which became really awful during its last decade or so of life. In a sense the Rebels have no idea on how to properly run a galaxy and honestly I would NOT want to live in a galaxy run by the rebel alliance, because for one thing crime would explode. With no authority and order smuggling, slavery, and other underground syndicates would flourish due to the rebel's inability to govern effectively. Take away all of the "evil" images of the Emperor and Darth Vader and what do you have? You have a strong, powerful, effective if sometimes aggressive government, which seeks to maintain order and peace throughout the galaxy. As far as I can tell, the average person who pays taxes and lives a relatively ordinary life will not be affected by the Empire in most situations. In closing, I would like to say that you might think the Galactic Empire is bad and sometimes harsh; however, a government run by the Rebel leaders would be chaotic, inefficient, weak (when it comes to stamping out resistance against them and crime), and in general far, more dangerous for the average person. In this case, the Empire is actually the lesser of two "evils", if you want to call it that. :)
Brian random_rogue_at_hotmail.com Empire is good 6/16/2005
I couldn't agree more with this artical. To call the Empire evil is to Call the Old Republic Evil, which in turn your call the Rebels evil since thats what they're fighting for. The only true loyal people to the republic was the Seprtists when they split and did their own thing. Well not Loyal to the Republic, but the its ideas. The only change between the Empire and the old republic was A> A shift of power from the Light side to the Dark side. This does not effect average joe citizen one bit. His life continues as normal just as it did when any chancelor took over from the Senate. B> Local leaders were given more control of their districts. This works a lot smoothers as local leaders deal their own issues. -- I would also like to point out that it took 20 years (From Ep3 to Ep4) for the Emperor to disolve the senate. The Rebels should have fought in the senate to have things changed rather then on the battle field. It would have saved Aldaronn from destruction. So much for Padme's belief that things should be handled in the Senate.
Tautalos Anonymous Yes and No. 5/25/2005
The Empire is wrong, not for advocating �evil� (anyway, NO doctrine or regime ever standed for �evil�, the worst tyrants always claim to be �good� and �liberators�), but for being totalitarian and enemy of freedom. It's not a pawn of the devil, obviously; but it's downfall is more good than bad. As for the Jedi, yes, they are pretty arrogant and dogmatic, quite irritating, similar to the most impositive religious missionaries of some religions.
the scourge blalal_at_yahoo.com hehe 5/18/2005
join the dark side,i love it ,a good article,you anti's are all brainwashed
mess with me Robert (Lucifer) davidsonprince_at_yahoo.com what are your plans 5/10/2005
for once forget about earth and tell me what are your plans you can email me i'm not dumb enough to fall for this if they've made movies about jesus i think i know you exist that is all
Neil neildonovan_at_comcast.net WOA 3/12/2005
WOA WOA WOA!!!!!Back up BACK UP!! Ok, I have quite a few comments about this. Yes, I do agree with the expanded-universe and all, but OMGosh! Ok, this is A LOAD A' CROCK!!!! Well, since no. 3 hasn't come out, this is probably how it goes. The Separatists are squashed, and Palpatine is shocked at the victory and turns the Republic into an Empire, turning the clone troopers into stormtroopers and uses them to eradicate all of the Jedi. And then probably the cloning station on Kamino is destroyed by the Rebels, so the Emperor, a big turd, gets Imperial Academies to recruit troops. I do agree with the jedi being a Royalist Swiss Guard but they ain't arrogant. The Republic does supposedly want to squish the separatists into the manure, because they don't want "this Republic that has stood for so long be split in two". Well, the EMPIRE IS EVIL!! Basically, they want to blast anyone in their way to get what they want! It's like fighting to the death over a piece of gum! The Dark Side is bad, not just because it is dark, but also because it encourages people to do bad things, like Temptation does! And, um, the destruction of Alderann actually proves that piece-of-gum war. It proves that vthey will do anything to have thier way, including mudering billions of people! Ok, about the comments. First, Chad, this is nothing like the Nazis. You can't just compare Stalin to Yoda just because you hate the Rebels. Jacob is just as guilty. Ok, Benny thank you for informing us of whatever was on Alderann and all. Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd Sean. ok, Leia is a lier, but she lied to the Empire. And Luke isn't a fake. He is fighting for a cause that many other people believe in, but I am not going to get into that right now. About the lightning and bla bla, I don't think that you actually would have used Mind Trick, cause a jedi seeks peace, not mass destruction. Fil, uh, hmm... i'll go to Rog. Ok, the Jedi aren't stone-headed zen workers. Every Star Wars fan knows that. About Kerry, uh, if you don't like the Rebels, just say so. BillY, well, i think Drew fits the comparison to the Empire and BushCo. Carrie, well, he is not so right. Drew, APPLAUSE SIGN GOES UP! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I toast to Drew, thanks.
Chad frederickbarbarossa_at_msn.com Darth Vader is Adolf Hitler 2/19/2005
The parallels become ever to clear and I agree with Johnathon, wholeheartedly. I would add that Adolf Hitler trying to Unite all Europe into an Aryan Reich(Kingdom) gave His whole life to this effort, in the end to be defeated by Mongolian like clones from Red Russia, bungling Americans, who knew nothing of the situation, and a British Empire that was too greedy. Now note, that in the world's eyes the Third Reich lost WWII, but in actuallity it did not. To sacrifice oneself for the Good, is to gain a Millenial Kingdom soon to come. The highest thing a man can do is to lay down their life for their people's future. So Stormtroopers will be returning from outer space, Hitler will be coming back. While Yoda is Koba(Joseph Stalin), Stalin also had a top man called Yagoda, as for Palpatine, he is a Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Obi-wan Kenobi is a Winston Churchill. As for the Empire, it goes to show you that the world of heathens and chaos, fought against Hitler's Reich of Order based on Race and Blood Purity. Whereas Luke, and Han fight with Yoda, Ewoks, Chewbacca, and a thousand other weird looking creatures, which represent the different primitive races of earth. As for the Sand People, they killed Luke's uncle and aunt, not Vader. These same Sand people, had killed Anikan's mother, on that same planet. Alas, Obi-Wan wants Luke to think Anikan did it. Obi-Wan has sided with Yoda(Stalin-Communism). Vader could have blasted many of their planets and bases right out of the galaxy but did not. He could have killed Leiah, and Luke many times but did not. He tells Luke that he was right about him, for the last time Luke spoke to Leiah, he told her that his father was good. The Dark force that Vader speaks of is really good. To hate evil is good, yet it is the Dark part of the Force. There is no turn the other cheek attitude here. If people are evil and will not submit to Rule by Christ, then they shall be killed. This is the attitude. So in WWII Waffen SS in the Totenkopf division wore a Death's Head on their Helmets for they were to execute judgment on the evil. This is the Dark side of the force, yet it is Good. Now their is a Dark side which is evil also. There is also a group of people that say peace peace, but in reality want destruction. This is Yoda. Lucas, writes the script from the minds of our generation how it is viewed. In WWI, Adolf Hitler was a Trench runner, the best there was. And was on the front 4 years. He was seen as the Christ, which He is, and millions of His people joined Him. Yet the heathens, and deceived America, and Britian joined together to destroy Europe. If you look at a Map, most of Europe joined with Hitler. As for Palpatine F.D.R., the movie is made to look like Vader is with F.D.R., or the same as F.D.R., yet Lucas shows this is not the case, for Vader destroys F.D.R. and his Melting Pot Kingdom. Whereas the Mongolian Clones clearly represent the Communist Reds of Stalin with Yoda commanding. Winston Churchill was jealous of Adolf Hitler for the love His people gave Him. As for the colors Red, Black, and White of Darth Vaders Empire, they are the colors of Deutschland in WWI and WWII. It is quite clear that when Hitler is killed by His own Aryan peoples Hate, as Vader said only there hate can kill me, or make me go away. For Luke was really hating the good and not the evil. As America has now become ever corrupt, and filled with materialism, and loves evil and hates good. Only their love for what is good can bring Christ back. Indeed when thousands of Aryans pray for Hitler return He will return. While Stalin killed over 70 million Aryans. Hitler killed the people who were killing the Aryans. May the Force be with you. The Dark side of the Force, which seeks good, by executing judgment, is the Force that will bring Light.
Jacob secretofevermore_at_hotmail.com Yes... 2/12/2005
Righto... HITLER!
Benny mastakenobi_at_hotmail.co.uk The facts of Alderaan 2/10/2005
The Rebels claim that Alderaan was a peaceful and defenceless world, but in reality it was quite different. The Alderaan Royal Engineers (ARE) were part of a secret rearmament program that was initiated on Alderaan (by the Royal House of Alderaan), but they ceased operations since the Empire stopped them by destroying the planet. Viceroy and First Chairman Bail Organa gave up his seat in the Imperial Senate and returned to Alderaan. From there he worked hard to convince his people to renounce their pacifist ways. And before Alderaan could fully prepare its military might and officially join the Rebellion the planet was destroyed. Viceroy and First Chairman Bail Organa, working with Mon Mothma diverted weapons and funds into the hands of organizations opposed to the Empire (the early form of the Rebels) after the Ghorman Incident. More so, Bail Organa supplied highly classified military data to Rebel leaders, which allowed them to conduct surprise attacks against Imperial shipping and troops. Bail Organa made Alderaan a centre for dissent and resistance. A quotation that came from the Rebels' own propaganda pamphlet "A Call to Reason". Alderaan was conducting major sums of secret Rebel activities. Sections of the Alderaanian palace were constructed of mono-molecular plates which allowed so much of the palace itself to survive the destruction of Alderaan. Underground portions of the palace were hardened to protect the Royal Family from attack, and those portions of the palace also survived. The Council of Elders were going to give the Rebel Alliance the Alderaanian War Frigate Another Chance, which was filled with weapons. Alderaan secretly maintained one Alderaanian War Frigate (Another Chance) and three Thranta-class War Cruisers (Courage, Valiant and Fidelity) [which were slave rigged to the Another Chance]. Alderaan supplied large numbers of troops to the Rebels, including the training, uniforms, weapons and equipment for those troops. The uniform of the troops are Alderaanian. Note that the Rebel Trooper wears the Alderaanian uniform.
Sean crazykiwi_lives_at_hotmail.com Empire 1/18/2005
I agree with Jonathan actually, Leia is a liar Luke is a fake, the Empire WILL do alot better than the old republics and besides, lets face it the Dark side is alot more powerful than the light side. If i was stuck in the middle of a battle with blaster loving rebels I would rather Force Lightning through the battlefield than use Force Mind Trick and convince them to buy a stack of Barbie Dolls. And compare Bush to Vader? HELL NO! Vader has a saber and Bush does not. Simple as that
Fil philip.rechnitzer_at_hurlburt.af.mil Princess or Emporers 1/10/2005
Seems like there wasn't a choice for freedom regardless. Wasn't "brother kissing" Leia a PRINCESS? At what point does anyone assume that a Rebellion win means freedom for the galaxy? In the end, were I this galaxy, I'd be pretty sick and tired of the Skywalker line...its just like the Kennedys, and they have wrecked everything and continue to do so (hello Teddy)....
Rog halphoenix_at_comcast.net Jedis. 8/19/2004
Finally! Someone other than me sees the Jedi for what they are, Stone headed zen wonkers that bring about their own destruction by being completely unmalleble. Oh yeah, I think the Rebels were led by Kerry. "Anyone but Palpatine!"
BillY wyundt_at_hotmail.com Empire 8/19/2004
Sorry Drew but trying to equate Bush with the Empire doesn't wash.Bush is Elected and rule by the Senate(Congress) is about as effectual as the UN.Lucas' parallels to government today and in this world is frightening as we see the flaws in both.Until we come up with a better way(even the Nazis thought they were right,ditto the Communists) we have to survive in this one.Someone will always be hurt by any govrnment because as Lincoln said ,"You can't be all things to all people."
Carrie Easley carrie.easley_at_ingrambook.com Empire 8/18/2004
You are so right. While I might be emotionally tempted to sympathize with the anarchic goals of the elitists, I have to admit that their lack of planning is disastrously short-sighted.
Drew keyboardreplacement@hotmail.com You can have the Empire 10/22/2003
I'm sorry, this is a load of crock. The destruction of Alderaan isn't as brutal as it appears? The Dark Side isn't bad, it just wants order? I'm not going to go through this step by step. I will note that there are several paralells to be seen between the "order loving" empire and the current BushCo administration. Sheesh.

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Last 25 Visitor Comments
Name	Email	Subject	Date
Blake	superdrocher_at_mail.ru	Blake	6/24/2007
I found your site very informative and helpful, thank you.
jack	jackloon_at_yahoo.com	WTF	2/26/2006
Don't you guys have better things to do than write huge articles about STAR WARS
Lawrence	law1_ca_at_hotmail.com	The Article Does Make Sense	7/17/2005
I have to admit that when you look at it the Empire doesn't really change the life of law abiding citizens. I mean really, if you are smuggling or doing other illegal activities then yeah the Empire will try and really crack down hard. I'm also worried about how the rebel forces will govern the galaxy. First off, do they intend to return the government to the old republic's galactic senate? If so, then prepare for the return of a huge, bloated, inefficient and overly corrupt government, because that's what happened to the old Republic, which became really awful during its last decade or so of life. In a sense the Rebels have no idea on how to properly run a galaxy and honestly I would NOT want to live in a galaxy run by the rebel alliance, because for one thing crime would explode. With no authority and order smuggling, slavery, and other underground syndicates would flourish due to the rebel's inability to govern effectively. Take away all of the "evil" images of the Emperor and Darth Vader and what do you have? You have a strong, powerful, effective if sometimes aggressive government, which seeks to maintain order and peace throughout the galaxy. As far as I can tell, the average person who pays taxes and lives a relatively ordinary life will not be affected by the Empire in most situations. In closing, I would like to say that you might think the Galactic Empire is bad and sometimes harsh; however, a government run by the Rebel leaders would be chaotic, inefficient, weak (when it comes to stamping out resistance against them and crime), and in general far, more dangerous for the average person. In this case, the Empire is actually the lesser of two "evils", if you want to call it that. :)
Brian	random_rogue_at_hotmail.com	Empire is good	6/16/2005
I couldn't agree more with this artical. To call the Empire evil is to Call the Old Republic Evil, which in turn your call the Rebels evil since thats what they're fighting for. The only true loyal people to the republic was the Seprtists when they split and did their own thing. Well not Loyal to the Republic, but the its ideas. The only change between the Empire and the old republic was A> A shift of power from the Light side to the Dark side. This does not effect average joe citizen one bit. His life continues as normal just as it did when any chancelor took over from the Senate. B> Local leaders were given more control of their districts. This works a lot smoothers as local leaders deal their own issues. -- I would also like to point out that it took 20 years (From Ep3 to Ep4) for the Emperor to disolve the senate. The Rebels should have fought in the senate to have things changed rather then on the battle field. It would have saved Aldaronn from destruction. So much for Padme's belief that things should be handled in the Senate.
Tautalos	Anonymous	Yes and No.	5/25/2005
The Empire is wrong, not for advocating �evil� (anyway, NO doctrine or regime ever standed for �evil�, the worst tyrants always claim to be �good� and �liberators�), but for being totalitarian and enemy of freedom. It's not a pawn of the devil, obviously; but it's downfall is more good than bad. As for the Jedi, yes, they are pretty arrogant and dogmatic, quite irritating, similar to the most impositive religious missionaries of some religions.
the scourge	blalal_at_yahoo.com	hehe	5/18/2005
join the dark side,i love it ,a good article,you anti's are all brainwashed
mess with me Robert (Lucifer)	davidsonprince_at_yahoo.com	what are your plans	5/10/2005
for once forget about earth and tell me what are your plans you can email me i'm not dumb enough to fall for this if they've made movies about jesus i think i know you exist that is all
Neil	neildonovan_at_comcast.net	WOA	3/12/2005
WOA WOA WOA!!!!!Back up BACK UP!! Ok, I have quite a few comments about this. Yes, I do agree with the expanded-universe and all, but OMGosh! Ok, this is A LOAD A' CROCK!!!! Well, since no. 3 hasn't come out, this is probably how it goes. The Separatists are squashed, and Palpatine is shocked at the victory and turns the Republic into an Empire, turning the clone troopers into stormtroopers and uses them to eradicate all of the Jedi. And then probably the cloning station on Kamino is destroyed by the Rebels, so the Emperor, a big turd, gets Imperial Academies to recruit troops. I do agree with the jedi being a Royalist Swiss Guard but they ain't arrogant. The Republic does supposedly want to squish the separatists into the manure, because they don't want "this Republic that has stood for so long be split in two". Well, the EMPIRE IS EVIL!! Basically, they want to blast anyone in their way to get what they want! It's like fighting to the death over a piece of gum! The Dark Side is bad, not just because it is dark, but also because it encourages people to do bad things, like Temptation does! And, um, the destruction of Alderann actually proves that piece-of-gum war. It proves that vthey will do anything to have thier way, including mudering billions of people! Ok, about the comments. First, Chad, this is nothing like the Nazis. You can't just compare Stalin to Yoda just because you hate the Rebels. Jacob is just as guilty. Ok, Benny thank you for informing us of whatever was on Alderann and all. Annnnnnnnnnnnnnnnd Sean. ok, Leia is a lier, but she lied to the Empire. And Luke isn't a fake. He is fighting for a cause that many other people believe in, but I am not going to get into that right now. About the lightning and bla bla, I don't think that you actually would have used Mind Trick, cause a jedi seeks peace, not mass destruction. Fil, uh, hmm... i'll go to Rog. Ok, the Jedi aren't stone-headed zen workers. Every Star Wars fan knows that. About Kerry, uh, if you don't like the Rebels, just say so. BillY, well, i think Drew fits the comparison to the Empire and BushCo. Carrie, well, he is not so right. Drew, APPLAUSE SIGN GOES UP! YEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! I toast to Drew, thanks.
Chad	frederickbarbarossa_at_msn.com	Darth Vader is Adolf Hitler	2/19/2005
The parallels become ever to clear and I agree with Johnathon, wholeheartedly. I would add that Adolf Hitler trying to Unite all Europe into an Aryan Reich(Kingdom) gave His whole life to this effort, in the end to be defeated by Mongolian like clones from Red Russia, bungling Americans, who knew nothing of the situation, and a British Empire that was too greedy. Now note, that in the world's eyes the Third Reich lost WWII, but in actuallity it did not. To sacrifice oneself for the Good, is to gain a Millenial Kingdom soon to come. The highest thing a man can do is to lay down their life for their people's future. So Stormtroopers will be returning from outer space, Hitler will be coming back. While Yoda is Koba(Joseph Stalin), Stalin also had a top man called Yagoda, as for Palpatine, he is a Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Obi-wan Kenobi is a Winston Churchill. As for the Empire, it goes to show you that the world of heathens and chaos, fought against Hitler's Reich of Order based on Race and Blood Purity. Whereas Luke, and Han fight with Yoda, Ewoks, Chewbacca, and a thousand other weird looking creatures, which represent the different primitive races of earth. As for the Sand People, they killed Luke's uncle and aunt, not Vader. These same Sand people, had killed Anikan's mother, on that same planet. Alas, Obi-Wan wants Luke to think Anikan did it. Obi-Wan has sided with Yoda(Stalin-Communism). Vader could have blasted many of their planets and bases right out of the galaxy but did not. He could have killed Leiah, and Luke many times but did not. He tells Luke that he was right about him, for the last time Luke spoke to Leiah, he told her that his father was good. The Dark force that Vader speaks of is really good. To hate evil is good, yet it is the Dark part of the Force. There is no turn the other cheek attitude here. If people are evil and will not submit to Rule by Christ, then they shall be killed. This is the attitude. So in WWII Waffen SS in the Totenkopf division wore a Death's Head on their Helmets for they were to execute judgment on the evil. This is the Dark side of the force, yet it is Good. Now their is a Dark side which is evil also. There is also a group of people that say peace peace, but in reality want destruction. This is Yoda. Lucas, writes the script from the minds of our generation how it is viewed. In WWI, Adolf Hitler was a Trench runner, the best there was. And was on the front 4 years. He was seen as the Christ, which He is, and millions of His people joined Him. Yet the heathens, and deceived America, and Britian joined together to destroy Europe. If you look at a Map, most of Europe joined with Hitler. As for Palpatine F.D.R., the movie is made to look like Vader is with F.D.R., or the same as F.D.R., yet Lucas shows this is not the case, for Vader destroys F.D.R. and his Melting Pot Kingdom. Whereas the Mongolian Clones clearly represent the Communist Reds of Stalin with Yoda commanding. Winston Churchill was jealous of Adolf Hitler for the love His people gave Him. As for the colors Red, Black, and White of Darth Vaders Empire, they are the colors of Deutschland in WWI and WWII. It is quite clear that when Hitler is killed by His own Aryan peoples Hate, as Vader said only there hate can kill me, or make me go away. For Luke was really hating the good and not the evil. As America has now become ever corrupt, and filled with materialism, and loves evil and hates good. Only their love for what is good can bring Christ back. Indeed when thousands of Aryans pray for Hitler return He will return. While Stalin killed over 70 million Aryans. Hitler killed the people who were killing the Aryans. May the Force be with you. The Dark side of the Force, which seeks good, by executing judgment, is the Force that will bring Light.
Jacob	secretofevermore_at_hotmail.com	Yes...	2/12/2005
Righto... HITLER!
Benny	mastakenobi_at_hotmail.co.uk	The facts of Alderaan	2/10/2005
The Rebels claim that Alderaan was a peaceful and defenceless world, but in reality it was quite different. The Alderaan Royal Engineers (ARE) were part of a secret rearmament program that was initiated on Alderaan (by the Royal House of Alderaan), but they ceased operations since the Empire stopped them by destroying the planet. Viceroy and First Chairman Bail Organa gave up his seat in the Imperial Senate and returned to Alderaan. From there he worked hard to convince his people to renounce their pacifist ways. And before Alderaan could fully prepare its military might and officially join the Rebellion the planet was destroyed. Viceroy and First Chairman Bail Organa, working with Mon Mothma diverted weapons and funds into the hands of organizations opposed to the Empire (the early form of the Rebels) after the Ghorman Incident. More so, Bail Organa supplied highly classified military data to Rebel leaders, which allowed them to conduct surprise attacks against Imperial shipping and troops. Bail Organa made Alderaan a centre for dissent and resistance. A quotation that came from the Rebels' own propaganda pamphlet "A Call to Reason". Alderaan was conducting major sums of secret Rebel activities. Sections of the Alderaanian palace were constructed of mono-molecular plates which allowed so much of the palace itself to survive the destruction of Alderaan. Underground portions of the palace were hardened to protect the Royal Family from attack, and those portions of the palace also survived. The Council of Elders were going to give the Rebel Alliance the Alderaanian War Frigate Another Chance, which was filled with weapons. Alderaan secretly maintained one Alderaanian War Frigate (Another Chance) and three Thranta-class War Cruisers (Courage, Valiant and Fidelity) [which were slave rigged to the Another Chance]. Alderaan supplied large numbers of troops to the Rebels, including the training, uniforms, weapons and equipment for those troops. The uniform of the troops are Alderaanian. Note that the Rebel Trooper wears the Alderaanian uniform.
Sean	crazykiwi_lives_at_hotmail.com	Empire	1/18/2005
I agree with Jonathan actually, Leia is a liar Luke is a fake, the Empire WILL do alot better than the old republics and besides, lets face it the Dark side is alot more powerful than the light side. If i was stuck in the middle of a battle with blaster loving rebels I would rather Force Lightning through the battlefield than use Force Mind Trick and convince them to buy a stack of Barbie Dolls. And compare Bush to Vader? HELL NO! Vader has a saber and Bush does not. Simple as that
Fil	philip.rechnitzer_at_hurlburt.af.mil	Princess or Emporers	1/10/2005
Seems like there wasn't a choice for freedom regardless. Wasn't "brother kissing" Leia a PRINCESS? At what point does anyone assume that a Rebellion win means freedom for the galaxy? In the end, were I this galaxy, I'd be pretty sick and tired of the Skywalker line...its just like the Kennedys, and they have wrecked everything and continue to do so (hello Teddy)....
Rog	halphoenix_at_comcast.net	Jedis.	8/19/2004
Finally! Someone other than me sees the Jedi for what they are, Stone headed zen wonkers that bring about their own destruction by being completely unmalleble. Oh yeah, I think the Rebels were led by Kerry. "Anyone but Palpatine!"
BillY	wyundt_at_hotmail.com	Empire	8/19/2004
Sorry Drew but trying to equate Bush with the Empire doesn't wash.Bush is Elected and rule by the Senate(Congress) is about as effectual as the UN.Lucas' parallels to government today and in this world is frightening as we see the flaws in both.Until we come up with a better way(even the Nazis thought they were right,ditto the Communists) we have to survive in this one.Someone will always be hurt by any govrnment because as Lincoln said ,"You can't be all things to all people."
Carrie Easley	carrie.easley_at_ingrambook.com	Empire	8/18/2004
You are so right. While I might be emotionally tempted to sympathize with the anarchic goals of the elitists, I have to admit that their lack of planning is disastrously short-sighted.
Drew	keyboardreplacement@hotmail.com	You can have the Empire	10/22/2003
I'm sorry, this is a load of crock. The destruction of Alderaan isn't as brutal as it appears? The Dark Side isn't bad, it just wants order? I'm not going to go through this step by step. I will note that there are several paralells to be seen between the "order loving" empire and the current BushCo administration. Sheesh.

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