During their time at the top of the Galaxy, the Empire were a force to be reckoned with. Ruled by Emperor Palpatine, who had obtained the position by slaughtering the Jedi and any Jedi sympathizers, the planets around the solar system were subjected to terror, imprisonment, torture and much, much more.
The Empire, and Palpatine’s lapdog Darth Vader, were the antagonists for the first three Star Wars movies - as well as playing a role in Rogue One and Solo: A Star Wars Story. We now take a look at the 10 worst things they did during their time on the big screen.
Form Without Democracy
Before the Empire rose, the galaxy was governed by the Republic with the Jedi Knights helping them make the universe a much more peaceful place. However, both were disbanded by Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith with the villain announcing the creation of the Empire - without anybody having a say in it.
They take it by force, with Palpatine then being able to rule the galaxy with nobody stopping him. “So this is how liberty dies? With thunderous applause,” says Padme Amidala. And she was right. The senate didn’t know it yet - but they were set for years of being stifled by such a vindictive and ruthless regime.
Order 66
Upon announcing the creation of the Empire, Palpatine also called on his stormtroopers to execute Order 66. Not content with throwing Mace Windu to his death, with a bit of help from Anakin Skywalker, the Sith Lord makes it clear that he wants no Jedi to survive to try and jeopardize his chances of ruling the galaxy.
Almost every Jedi is killed immediately, with Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda only managing to survive due to some skilled force work and sheer luck. Windu’s death was only the start with Revenge of the Sith also showing the deaths of Ki-Adi Mundi, Plo Koon, Adi Gallia, and Aayla Secura. Darth Vader would then hunt down the few survivors in the years that followed.
Create A Technological Terror
The Empire knew that there would be both individuals and star systems that would oppose their rule. But Palpatine had spent years planning this and ordered the creation of the Death Star to ensure that fear, and the prospect of having your planet destroyed, would keep civilians in check.
The plans for the Death Star are first fleetingly seen in Attack of the Clones during a conversation between Count Dooku and Poggle the Lesser. By the end of Revenge of the Sith it’s close to being finalized, with Grand Moff Tarkin showing its progress to Lords Sidious and Vader. Eventually, it was to be destroyed by Luke Skywalker in the epic finale to A New Hope.
Recreating A Technological Terror
How the Rebel Alliance celebrated when they had learned they’d destroyed the Death Star. Unlikely heroes Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Chewbacca were all rewarded for their heroism with Leia Organa ensuring they all receive medals during a celebratory ceremony on Yavin IV.
However, they weren’t to know that the Empire had plans to rebuild. Palpatine had prepared for such an event and sanctioned a second space station of terror to be created. One Death Star was bad, but another? Thankfully Lando Calrissian is able to trigger its destruction during the frantic finale to Return of the Jedi.
Enslavement
As the Empire set about rubberstamping its place at the top of the galaxy, the evil organization started to enslave anybody or anything they perceived to be a threat. That meant the Wookies were deemed as possible dangers and were, consequently, enslaved to prevent them from rising up and opposing their rule.
This is shown fleetingly in Revenge of the Sith, where the species are taken by stormtroopers to an unknown location. And it’s hammered home in Solo: A Star Wars Story. Fortunately, on that occasion, Chewbacca is able to come to his species’ rescue, sharing a touching moment with one Wookie before sending them on their way.
Military Occupation
If the people of the galaxy weren’t being rounded up and imprisoned, they’d have to contend with the Empire moving into their planet and restricting what they could do. They occupy many places throughout the saga, acting with ruthlessness and without conscience as they set out to extinguish any potential threats.
In Rogue One, Jedah is subjected to their presence. In the original trilogy, iconic planets such as Bespin and Tatooine also have to face the same. This all contributed to everybody in the galaxy feeling under threat - and boosted their reputation as a fearful organization in the process.
Dish Out Death Sentences Without Trial
Solo tells the story of how the loveable rogue that is Han Solo came to be. And, in the process, they also highlight how just vile the Empire are. A prime example of this is when they sentence Han, who had been denounced as a traitor, to death at the hands of Chewbacca. Without even granting him a trial.
To Han’s amazement and luck, he’s able to convince Chewbacca into not only not killing him, but teaming up with him as well. That’s the start of their amazing story with the duo then playing a vital role in the organization’s destruction on Endor in Return Of The Jedi. They had it coming...
Destroy Alderaan
Audiences first meet the Empire in 1977’s A New Hope. And what better way for a franchise to establish how evil an organization is than by having it destroy a planet with one, cruel, crude flash of a laser beam.
That’s what happens to Alderaan. The Empire had already tested the weapon on Jeddah - but that was just a test run. This time, they go full throttle by channeling the Death Star’s horrendous destructive capabilities and having them destroy the planet as a means of revenge on Leia Organa. Leia would get the last laugh, though, laying the foundations for their successful attempt to destroy the space station.
Partnering Up With Criminals
Not content with having the powerful Sith Lord Emperor Palpatine as their leader, or having Darth Vader take what he wants through sheer, brutal force, the Empire also chooses to associate with some of the Galaxy’s worst people: from smugglers to Bounty Hunters.
In The Empire Strikes Back, Vader puts a huge bounty on Luke Skywalker’s head as he bids to turn his son to the dark side. He does this by calling the likes of Boba Fett, Bossk and Dengar to his Star Destroyer. While he insists he needs Luke alive, it’s not what you’d want your leaders to do. And it’s proof that they’ll stop at nothing to achieve their dastardly goals.
Killing Their Own
While the Empire treated the galaxy’s inhabitants with nothing but contempt, they also show similarly vile feelings towards those within their own organization. Darth Vader is particularly brutal, slaughtering any Admiral that fails him during the events of the original trilogy with no sign of remorse.
And he’s not the only one. Grand Moff Tarkin is more than happy to murder Orson Krennic using the same Death Star that the latter had helped build. And in the expanded material, they hammer this home even more with many dying at the hands of their colleagues. This, perhaps above anything, is what makes them so terrifying. If that’s how they treat their own workers, what chance do the rest of the galaxy have?