I’ve just been thinking about this today because I’m a huge nerd, but isn’t the Galactic Empire in Star Wars kind of a lousy empire? If we accept that the prequel movies exist, then the beginning of the Empire, the transformation of Anakin into Darth Vader, and the birth of Luke and Leia all happen at about the same time. That gives what? Twenty years or less before Luke joins the Rebel Alliance in Episode IV? Now supposedly Return of the Jedi takes place approximately four years after A New Hope, so at most that means this all-powerful “Galactic Empire” existed for about twenty-five years. I’m older than the entire reign of Emperor Palpatine, who must have the most difficult job in the galaxy because it ages him what appears to be five hundred years during his brief time in power.
For reference the Roman Empire lasted hundreds of years. The Byzantine Empire lasted a thousand. I mean as far as dictators go, Castro’s had a better run than Palpatine, but I guess he’s had a much smaller area to rule.
By the way, I suspect the Empire fell because the stormtroopers were all such lousy shots.
I guess this is just another reason why we were probably better off without the prequels.
The problem is empires tend to be dynastic and it does help matters when patricide occurs and the son doesn’t assume power. So really it’s all Luke’s fault. Never trust an empire to sister kissers, just look at the ptolmies.
I think “Never trust an empire to sister kissers…” is an old Roman proverb.