Shanicus said:
Dude...
The Empire has a super weapon that can freeze planets solid. They've already established that they've got a weapon capable of blowing up planets, now they're just screwing around with new and different ways to commit genocide.
While the whole ideology argument might work for other stories, when you start inventing new ways to commit mass-murder on a global scale, you've officially crossed into the 'evil' side of things.
And seriously, after you blow up a planet as an example to the rest of the governments who think you're a bit of a wanker that you shouldn't be fucked with, you're not exactly presenting yourself as a good, positive Empire now, are you?
That argument falls pretty flat.
A group within the government is not satisfied about the actions of a duly elected representative government at the urging of Jedi whispering in their ears form the Rebel alliance, and begin the process of forced rebellion and secession from the government,(Wow, kinda prophetic) turning former friends and allies in a 2500 year old system of government into enemies with the rebels fixated on impeding the will of the republic to suit their own ends. This results in after waging perhaps the largest war in its history having to immediately turn around and begin defending itself against its own people.
Then years later that government struggles to put the peices of itself back together with constant failed attempts at reunification. Being large and widespread makes its actions sluggish and ineffectual to defend against the incessant guerrilla terrorist war being waged by the Rebel alliance. Knowing this prolonged siege campaign is failing, a conscious effort is made to make a demonstration of power and bring unity and peace back within reach. So Billions are sacrificed in order to save thousands of systems and billions upon trillions of lives. (Just like the aforementioned US Atomic strike strategy)
See... the reason the argument that the empire is evil ... cause genocide.... falls flat. History is written by the victor, and honestly there are really no "good" or "bad" guys with everything being colored in grey. Where are the tales of all the death and destruction caused on innocents at the hands of the Rebels in all this? How many loyalists did they destroy along the way in their fight that they justified as simply "part of the problem"
So with the Rebels winning when it is all said and done we are told their story, and their victory. However one countries victorious fight is anothers campaign of terror. Look at the facts that didnt get covered up. Most the planets in the empire were not subjugated or oppressed. And what did happen usually occurred in the pursuit of the greater goal of reunifying the galaxy. Those who retained loyalty were rewarded and given opportunity to remain as valued allies. Ewoks seemed to be doing pretty OK as did the wookies and little changed for the Hutts. But of the former everything was going good until silver tongued rebels started making promises, manipulated the simple ewoks and tricked them into betrayal.
The story is clearly biased in that respect because the victors painted history to show them to be the valiant crusaders, and that divine right was on their side. See... its all simply a matter of perspective. As I said, history is written by the victor. As this is a story from a long time ago in a galaxy far far away, of course the historical recount of the story would portray its paragons as the Virtuous Paladin, The honorable rogue cowboy, The noble savage and the stalwart princess
As I said Good is rarely good. Evil is rarely evil. Its all a matter of perspective.
LOL, damn yer hide for making me talk about Star Wars on this deep of a level... I loathe Star Wars.
