That reads like someone came up with Bananakin but couldn’t think of a good setup for it to me.
Man, I completely disagree with this take on things. The Empire was shit, and it was designed to be shit. Remember: the same story that introduces those Force Storms also explicitly tells us that Palpy's goal is to maximise suffering and ultimately consume all life in the galaxy. The stupid meme that authoritarianism is efficient simply isn't true, and Palpatine was much worse than regular authoritarianism.
Two years ago, almost to the day, I wrote a pretty lengthy article in which I outlined how and why the Empire would probably be crushingly defeated by the Vong. (Spoilers: Thrawn in charge wouldn't do much good, either. His record is far less impressive than his fanboys think it is.)
My point isn't that there's a magical "shoot here and blow up the whole ship" type flaw, but more that (deliberately!) byzantine bureaucracies like those of the Empire lead to shitty outcomes. Like guidance systems designed by that total hack who is crony of the Director of Naval Appropriations, and who has it done on the cheap by corrupt incompetents -- rather than having them designed by someone who ought to be doing it.I think there are a few shakey points there. For example, you cite the fanous EU conversation about Imperial over use of superweapons, but then also speculate that by the time the invasion stated, underlying design flaws in the star destroy design would come to light and the Vong would have the edge ship to ship. To my knowledge, that never actually happened. Star Destroyers were established as being inefficient designs compared to something like a Republic Nebula Class, yes, but the rebels never found a "shoot here and blow up the whole ship" type flaw, Star Destroyers always worked just fine and held their own in fights.
This reveals the underlying problem. The Empire is entirely geared towards oppressing the populace. That's not at all the same as defeating a real enemy. In fact, historically speaking, military (or militarised) forces good at one of those two things have typically been shit at doing the other one.Even the superweapon point is a bit off as well, because I think it misunderstands what the empire was doing. Imperial doctrine (at least Tarkin era doctrine) wasn't about controlling the galaxy with superweapons, it was about controlling the galaxy with fear, specifically the fear of any resistance being crushed by overwhelming force. And they regularly proved that they could in fact respond with that kind of firepower in or to make that threat credible and those fears well founded.
Not an apt comparison at all.Russia's "performance" in the Ukraine war right now should serve as an indication of how the Empire would do in a real war. Their gear would be ill-maintained, loads of their supplies would only exist on paper (having been illegally sold on the black mrket by corrupt officials), morale would be shit, and there would be constant looting and raping, turning the entire populace against the Empire and in favour of anyone else.
My point isn't that there's a magical "shoot here and blow up the whole ship" type flaw, but more that (deliberately!) byzantine bureaucracies like those of the Empire lead to shitty outcomes. Like guidance systems designed by that total hack who is crony of the Director of Naval Appropriations, and who has it done on the cheap by corrupt incompetents -- rather than having them designed by someone who ought to be doing it.
Russia's "performance" in the Ukraine war right now should serve as an indication of how the Empire would do in a real war. Their gear would be ill-maintained, loads of their supplies would only exist on paper (having been illegally sold on the black mrket by corrupt officials), morale would be shit, and there would be constant looting and raping, turning the entire populace against the Empire and in favour of anyone else.
This reveals the underlying problem. The Empire is entirely geared towards oppressing the populace. That's not at all the same as defeating a real enemy. In fact, historically speaking, military (or militarised) forces good at one of those two things have typically been shit at doing the other one.
.....
Tarkin was basically one of those morons who selectively quote Machiavelli, and miss his point completely.
Thing is, they wont be able to respond with Overwhelming force against uprisings because the Vong are here. Once the boot is lifted off just a little, the Rebellion will rise with a fury and align with the vong? Is this Bad? Well, No, because Palpatine is a evil space wizard who wishes to become a dark god with the entire population of the galaxy as his meat puppets. You can make a argument that Vong slavery is just as bad, you cant make an argument that it is worse than that...
At the end of it all, the New Republic was just as bureaucratic and corruption-ridden as the Galactic Empire was.
And the Empire would have unhesitantly done the things the NR were scared to do until the war was in full swing.Not to mention the New Republic wasn't even all that effective against the Vong. If it wasn't for the Jedi, the Vong would have just steamrolled the New Republic instead of having to fight a bloody slog all the way to Coruscant. In fact, the Vong did the galaxy a favor by discrediting the new generation of politicians that had replaced the Alliance Old Guard over the years preceding the invasion, and giving the new Galactic Federation proper leadership by putting that Old Guard back in power.
"The New Republic? Are you blind? There is no New Republic! It died before the Yuuzhan Vong came!"
- Leia Organa-Solo, 27 ABY
At the end of it all, the New Republic was just as bureaucratic and corruption-ridden as the Galactic Empire was.
Thought I'd share this. Penny for everyone's thoughts.
Is this going to become a thing? What if Anakin had fallen for various characters instead of Padme?
We all know where this leads.Is this going to become a thing? What if Anakin had fallen for various characters instead of Padme?
We all know where this leads.
Anakin's galactic harem