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Because there is a certain element on this board that truly believe the Galactic Empire was a benevolent organization...

Instances of Imperial Slavery:


Amanin (Empire Comics): During a battle with a tribe of Amanin on their homeworld, the Empire entered into an agreement where the local tribe would provide captives as slaves to the Empire in exchange for being left alone. The fact that this is a political agreement approved by the Empire shows that the state is in fact endorsing slavery.

Chromans (Young Jedi Knights): Enslaved by the Empire for their mining skills and put into forced labor. One slave was periodically selected at random for death to serve as an example. The "example" was made by strapping a Chroma to a rock and allowing his body to deteriorate in the sun, not unlike a worm or a slug baking on a hot sidewalk.

Elomins (Multiple Sources including Black Fleet Crisis and Coruscant Nights IIRC): Enslaved on their homeworld and forced to work in mines.

Entymals (SW Encyclopedia and SW Adventure Journal): Enslaved to work in Imperial Gas Mining. It is noted that the Empire worked with at least one Corporation to accomplish this.

Kadri'Ra (Alien Encounters and SW Adventure Journal): This species was enslaved and by the time of the Battle of Yavin had been reduced from around 140 million individuals and 14,000 individuals. I cannot discern at what point the population began declining, with only a Wookieepedia mention saying that they numbered 140 million during the time of the Republic. However, this only calls into question at what point did the Empire take control over this species, and how fast the decline may have been. The Empire is also noted for having declared this species non sentient, and thus suitable for slavery.

Gamandars (SW #74): A near human species enslaved by the Empire, The Wookieepediaa article even provides a PICTURE, scanned from the comic, of these beings in chains and ragged clothes.

Goroth (Goroth: Slave of the Empire): A species whose enslavement is clearly indentified in the title of the first publication to identify them.

Gossam (NEG Alien species): A member of the CIS targeted by Palpatine after the clone wars. Their home planet Castell was still recovering at the time of the Vong War.

Humans (Multiple Sources, Jedi Academy Trilogy as an example): There are multiple examples of humans serving as slaves in various capacities under the Empire. Many of these people were political opponents of the Empire. Some humans were conscripted into the Imperial Armed Forces.

Jenet (Essential Guide to Alien Species IIRC): Enslaved by the empire for use as forced labor in mining endeavours.

Lurrians (Han Solo's Revenge): A species whose enslavement was permitted by the Galactic Empire.

Mon Calamari (Multiple Sources, including Essential Guide to Alien Species): Misrepresented as non-sentient beings by the Empire, and enslaved so that the Empire could co-opt their production capability. Admiral Ackbar himself was a slave to Grand Moff Tarkin.

Nosaurians (Clone Wars Comics/Dark Times Comics): One of the most notorious examples of Imperial Slavery in the aftermath of the Clone War. The Nosaurians were part of the CIS left vulnerable after the surrender of the Confederacy, as the war ended the final vestiges of Nosaurian resistance surrended, and many were summarily executed. Many women and children attempting to escape were captured by the Empire and sold as livestock and the notorious slave markets of Orvax IV. Depicted in this comic are many Nosaurians being kept in large underground pens prior to sale.

Noghri (Thrawn Trilogy): After their world was poisoned during a battle in the Clone Wars, the species was kept in perpetual servitude to Darth Vader as environmental restoration efforts were in actuality sabotaging the environment. Vader would later turn the species over to Thrawn.

Selkath (Manaan: Depths of History): This species which was prominent thousands of years before the Empire, and after Palpatine's rise to power, their homeworld was attacked and occupied by the Empire. The Selkath were forced out of their deep water residences and made to live in floating cities on the surface. Many Selkath were enslaved and used as labor to clean and support the restored Ahto City, which had become an Imperial Resort. Some Selkath were even killed by the Empire and used as FOOD. During this time the Empire completely ravaged the world's oceanic environment.

It is noteworthy that Darth Vader provided additional manipulation of the Selkath. The Force Sensitive Order of the Shasa was corrupted by Darth Vader, and in their Dark Side induced frenzy the Shasa committed many terrible murders. Afterwards, Vader apparently co-opted the Shasha into his master's service.


Sludir (SW Adventure Journal): A technologically primitive society conquered and enslaved by the Empire.

Talz (Truce at Bakura): Enslaved and forced into mining on their homeworld of Alzoc II, where they were intentionally underfed and benevolent attempts to improve their conditions were punished. This was another situation where the Empire attempted to circumvent the rights of a species by declaring them non sentient.

Trunsk (SW Adventure Journals): Designated as legal for enslavement by the Empire. Enslavement was aided by a secretly Imperial-friendly planetary ruler

Ugnaughts (SW Comics): Confirmed enslavement of the Ugnaughts on Bespin by the Empire under Hugo Treece. It is not confirmed if the the species continued to be enslaved on their own planets as they were after they were conquered by Greivous and the CIS.

Wookiees (Dark Lord and other sources): One of the most famous enslaved species under the Empire. Enslavement began in the aftermath of the Clone Wars when a group led by Moff Tarkin and Darth Vader attacked the planet under the pretense of hunting Jedi Fugitives. Trandoshans were permitted by the Empire to hunt and harvest Wookiee pelts, and for a time the Empire maintained a strong militarized presence on the planet. Wookiees were used notably in the building of the Death Star, and were forced into servitude under threat of death for their captive families.

Yevetha (Black Fleet Crisis): Enslaved by the Empire, who exploited the Yevetha as skilled labor. Yevethan females were used as sex slaves, and Yevethans killed by the Empire had their remains publically displayed at places such as schools in order to inhibit dissention. The Yevethans rebelled just before the Empire was to begin a mass execution of its slaves.

Yuzzem (Splinter of the Mind's Eye): A species that, like the Wookiees, were enslaved for their strength and ability to perform heavy labor.


Please feel free to comment with additions or corrections. This first post pertains to enslavement, with massacres to follow. I have not included some species such as the Twi'leks because I have not found any sources that demonstrated that they were enslaved or permitted to be enslaved by the Empire itself.

Its good to see a someone stepping up to provide examples of Imperial atrocities. May the Force be with you.

Really its very conveniant for those of us who are not big readers of the EU to have all these events listed together (provided this is accurate, of course). I look forward to the massacres installment.

List of Imperial Massacres and Atrocities:

Alderaan (ANH): Alderaan was destroyed by the Death Star and it's population with it as Grand Moff Tarkin sought to make an example and test his new weapon.

Toprawa (Wraith Squadron): It's cities bombarded and population redcued to barbarism after a rebel group smuggled the Death Star plans via that world. Survivors were made to humiliate themselves in order to recieve food.

Ghorman Massacre (Multiple sources, including the Hutt Gambit and Rebel Dawn): Wilhuff Tarkin landed his ship atop protestors, killing or injuring hundreds.

Teardrop Massacre (Allegiance): Imperial forces under the command of the Imperial Security Bureau execute citizens during a search for Rebels and Rebel sympathizers.

Ettam Massacre (Empire Comics): Imperial forces destroy a hospital in their hasty attempt to seek and destroy Rebel Forces, no punishment was handed out and the commander responsible praised for his efforts.

Atravis Sector Massacres (Children of the Jedi): A vaguely referred to series of Massacres attributed to Wilhuff Tarkin. No description is given

Despayre (Death Star novel): The prison world of Despayre was destroyed in the first firing of the Death Star, although many of its occupants were criminals, many of those criminals were political prisoners not guilty of any actual crime.

Subjugation of Sulon (Dark Forces: Soldier for the Empire): Imperial forces murdered inhabitants of the planet Sulon, disguising their vehicles with Rebel insignias to implicate the Rebellion in the attack.

Camass (Hand of Thrawn duology): Camaas was destroyed and most of its people murdered when Palpatine ordered an attack on the planet.

Falleen (Shadows of the Empire): Many thousands were destroyed when a biological weapon escaped an Imperial Weapons lab, in order to cover up the incident and to prevent the spread of the disease, Darth Vader destroyed the city with an orbital bombardment.

Order 37 on Bellassa (Last of the Jedi series): Civilians rounded up and arrested under threat of execution unless former Jedi Ferus Olin turned himself in to Imperial Custody. It was suspected by Obi Wan that the Empire would not honor the agreement if Olin turned himself in although this is entirely speculation on his part.

Bombardment of Eluthan (Last of the Jedi Series): After Separatists on Acherin surrended to the Empire, the Imperial commander ordered that the capital city of Eluthan be bombarded in retaliation for the casualties his forces suffered,

Third Battle of Theed/Battle of Naboo (Last of the Jedi Series): The Empire is discovered to be stockpiling illegal explosives on Naboo, later, the Empire would forcibly remove the Queen of Naboo from power.

Bombardment of Haruun Kal (Essential Guide to the Force): The Empire bombarded the planet Haruun Kal, presumably exterminating all Korunnai on the planet.

Battle of ThonBoka (Lando Calrissian and the Starcave of ThonBoka): The Empire attempted to exterminate the Oswaft species via starvation. This failed due to an attack by a large fleet of a previously unknown species, but was nonetheless attempted.

Icarii Campagin (Boba Fett: Enemy of the Empire): After attempts to subdue the Icarii species failed, biological weapons were used to exterminate the species.

Subjugation of the Firrerre (Crystal Star): A hive virus was released on that world by the Imperial Starcrash Brigade and survivors put into stasis for future use.

Jabiim (Empire comics): The Jabiimi were captured, enslaved, and the world bombarded from orbit under orders from Darth Vader.

Agamar (X Wing Strategy Guide): In an attempt to control insurgency on the world, the Empire had at least one city on the planet bombarded. Survivors of the confirmed bombarded city of Tondatha chose to abandon the city rather than rebuild.

Fort Nowhere Massacre (Dark Forces: Jedi Knight - novel) Imperial Forces under Jerec massacre the inhabitants of Fort Nowhere, who, while dissidents, are not actively opposing Imperial rule. Legally, this is probably a renegade action, as Jerec acknowledged the legitimacy of the Reborn Palpatine, who had given him orders to find the planet Ruusan, and report back: Jerec intended to take the power there for himself. Nonetheless, the (loyal) Imperial officers and soldiers acting under his orders do not question this order.

Endor (RotJ): The Emperor ordered the destruction of the inhabited Sanctuary Moon of Endor, should the shield projector be destroyed, in order to punish the few dozen rebels on the planet. Imperial Forces were preparing to carry out this order, but were destroyed by the Rebellion.

Pillaging of Gerrard V by Moff Seerdon (Rogue Squadron, N64 and PC): Imperial forces use orbital bombardment and ground assaults to indiscriminately punish a population in revolt. Moff Seerdon takes the opportunity to use his personal yachts to raid the capital for self enrichment.

Overzealous Police Action #I (Empire Comics) Imperial Soldiers fired into a crowd while trying to enforce a ban on a particular play. The death of one of the stage actors was also a result of this. One Roons Sewell, later a General in the the Rebel Alliance, started the violence by throwing a chair at the officer in charge, but the reaction was entirely disproportionate, especially given that stormtroopers' weapons possess a 'stun' setting they did not deign to use here.

Overzealous Police Action #II (Iron Fist) After the jubilation depicted at the end of Return of the Jedi the Empire restored order by opening fire into the crowds. However, given that we see one Stormtrooper being assaulted (and being held rather close to the edge of one of the platforms of the city), and a massive statue being toppled outside the Imperial Palace, it's possible that the crowd had become violent first here, giving the brutality of the response a measure of justification. Again, no use of easily available non-lethal alternatives.

Consider the Jabiimi represented in the slavery list under the entry for Human.

Wait, there's people who see the Galactic Empire as a benevolent organization? Didn't the power crazy Sith Emperor or the planet-blowing give their evilness away?

In-universe I can see how Imperial propaganda can have people thinking of them as benevolent, but as spectators? Being one of sci-fi's most powerful powers good guys does not make.

Darth Fanboy wrote: Yuzzem (Splinter of the Mind's Eye): A species that, like the Wookiees, were enslaved for their strength and ability to perform heavy labor.


Please feel free to comment with additions or corrections. This first post pertains to enslavement, with massacres to follow. I have not included some species such as the Twi'leks because I have not found any sources that demonstrated that they were enslaved or permitted to be enslaved by the Empire itself.

Splinter of the Mind's Eye also gives us the Coways, whose way of life and entire culture was disrupted by the illegal mining operation the Empire was undertaking on Mimban; and the Mimbanites, Coways' genetic cousins, who were forced to life a life of scavenging and humiliation, paramount to out-right slavery, due to the Imperial presence and the devastating effect alcohol had on their system and their culture. Both species suffered for the Empire's callous disregard for the species' rights (and also the Imperial authorities' disregard for rule of law, considering that the mining operation was considered illegal). Furthermore, the miners themselves were very close to actual slavery, since the Imperial military (and Captain-Supervisor Grammel, the administrator of the mining operation) saw fit to treat them anyway they wished, even if that treatment would result in mutilation and/or death.

The Omwati, of whom the brilliant designer and scientist Qwi Xux was a member, were also mistreated and I dare say enslaved by Imperial authorities, namely Tarkin, who forced young Omwati to study and train in science and if one would fail, one's home village, town or city would be bombarded from orbit. Ten children were taken in, only one survived (Xux herself); we can thus deduce that nine towns met a devastating fate. This "education" also proved an effective mental conditioning for Xux, whose view of reality became extremely distorted.

Palpatine's shadow droids from Dark Empire might also qualify, since I doubt that the Emperor gave much choice to the pilots whose brains were transferred to the droid bodies. This is an arguable case, considering that the pilots were dead or dying to begin with, but now they had no other choice than to continue to serve their Emperor without condition as near-mindless machines of war (it should be noted that Palpatine also showed much interest in the Ssi-Ruuvi technology, which would have produced similar results).

LordOskuro wrote:Wait, there's people who see the Galactic Empire as a benevolent organization? Didn't the power crazy Sith Emperor or the planet-blowing give their evilness away?

In-universe I can see how Imperial propaganda can have people thinking of them as benevolent, but as spectators? Being one of sci-fi's most powerful powers good guys does not make.

Check out the Rogue Jedi thread currently in the Hall of Shame.

Tirriol, thanks for the addition, I had completely forgotten about Qwi Xux and her people.

Darth Fanboy wrote:Subjugation of Sulon (Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight, video game): Imperial forces murdered inhabitants of the planet SUlon, disguising their vehicles with Rebel insignias to implicate the Rebellion in the attack.

From the same source we have the planet of Ruusan, which did have some inhabitants before Jerec and his forces showed up and wiped them out.

Order 37 on Bellassa (Last of the Jedi series): Civilians rounded up and arrested under threat of execution unless former Jedi Ferus Olin turned himself in to Imperial Custody. It was suspected by Obi Wan that the Empire would not honor the agreement if Olin turned himself in although this is entirely speculation on his part.

Later, just after Palpatine's death on Endor, Director Ysanne Isard and her forces round up all those who dared to celebrate the Emperor's death and executed them (as per Mara Jade: By the Emperor's Hand.

Icarii Campagin (Boba Fett: Enemy of the Empire): After attempts to subdue the Icarii species failed, biological weapons were used to exterminate the species.

From the same source: Darth Vader orders the orbital bombardment on the pessimistic monks' enclave to kill them all and thus to ensure that no living being would be a witness of him acquiring the Icari soothsayer's head and battling Boba Fett.

I think it is also good to note that many of the incidents so far mentioned in this thread occurred in the span of the formation of the Empire (19 BBY) to the Battle of Endor (4 ABY). This shows that the Empire did a lot of damage in a relatively short period of time.

Darth Fanboy wrote:Tirriol, thanks for the addition, I had completely forgotten about Qwi Xux and her people.

No problem.

To add to the massacres, in Empire comics (A Model Officer story), Darth Vader orchestrates the orbital bombardment and destruction of a refugee camp/colony of Alderaanians who were off-world when the Death Star destroyed their homeworld. To add to this horrific decision, Vader and his aide, Commander Demmings, made sure that a gunnery officer (who was secretly a Rebel sympathizer and Alderaanian himself) who had turned traitorous made the shot without knowing that he was further exterminating his own people and then coolly informing him afterwards as he was beind dragged away. We do not know how large the colony was, but considering that Vader thought that it could have grown to be a nuisance, it must have had at least a moderate population.

Umm, how does the Third Battle of Theed count? It was more of a police action than anything else (I am assuming that you are talking about the mission in SW Battlefronts?)

Pelranius wrote:Umm, how does the Third Battle of Theed count? It was more of a police action than anything else (I am assuming that you are talking about the mission in SW Battlefronts?)

Third Battle of Theed was in the Last of the Jedi Series, where it is shown that the Empire is stockpiling large amounts of banned explosives on the planet and the Naboo Security Forces and Gungans end up fighting the Empire.

Ah, but you revealed something to me, I attached the Battle of Naboo from SW Battlegrounds to it as a side note without properly mentioning the source, thanks. Regarding that, I believe that the Empire's assasination of the Naboo Queen was a pretty scummy thing to do.

In another atrocity, the Battle of Callos was terminated when the already defeated planet was subjected to bombardment by Juno Eclipse on the direct orders of Darth Vader. The resultant reactor breach rendered the planet all but uninhabitable, and it is assumed that the Callosians remaining on the planet were killed.

I'd remove the Battle of ThonBoka, or at least make some note that this effort at genocide was aborted under threat of destruction by the Silentium. They didn't really succeed, on that occasion, after all.

Darth Fanboy wrote:I have not included some species such as the Twi'leks because I have not found any sources that demonstrated that they were enslaved or permitted to be enslaved by the Empire itself.

Inquisitor Jerec took Boc'aseca from Terrinald Screed, a senior Imperial Admiral once a favourite of Palpatine, upon discovering his force sensativity. He was a slave manservant in Screed's household, who also (I don't have the source on everything past this point, but it's supposedly from 'underworld: a galaxy of scum and villainy) owned two more twi'leks and went so far as to write a report recommending them, for the ISB.

It's not clear if Boc was later manumitted by Jerec, or remained legally a slave while nontheless being a dark jedi.

The Empire certainly enslaved Twi'leks. Of course, so did everyone else, including criminal elements of both republics...

Tiriol wrote:

Darth Fanboy wrote:Subjugation of Sulon (Dark Forces II: Jedi Knight, video game): Imperial forces murdered inhabitants of the planet SUlon, disguising their vehicles with Rebel insignias to implicate the Rebellion in the attack.

From the same source we have the planet of Ruusan, which did have some inhabitants before Jerec and his forces showed up and wiped them out.

In fairness, at this point, Jerec was acting against his sovereign's orders (he was aware of Palpatine in the deep core, and commissioned by him to find Ruusan and report back) making him a renegade.

Though I doubt that town would have done any better when the Emperor arrived.

NecronLord wrote: The Empire certainly enslaved Twi'leks. Of course, so did everyone else, including criminal elements of both republics...

True. I left them off the list because I couldn't find anything where the Empire had enslaved them en masse in an effort that could only have been sanctioned by the military, whereas most Twi'leks you see as slaves in SW are as you said done so by criminal elements or more isolated incidences. I'm sure there is better information on events on Ryloth during the time of the Empire, but I'm unfamiliar with them.

IIRC Dia Passik had a slave background of some sort. I'd have to grab a copy of Iron Fist for the quotes though.

note that in many of these cases that species were enslaved for labor purposes, and Twi'Leks aren't built like Wookiees or Yuzzem. Also, many of these species that were enslaved were done so by the Empire flat out lying about their sentience.

Does anyone other than Darth Hoth have problems with the descriptions of the incidents or the enslaved species on this list? Apparently these are not accurate descriptions of the canon according to him.

Well, as I mentioned, both Jerec and Screed are very senior (Palpatine's second-choice for Sith Apprentice, no less, and one of the first admirals appointed after the declaration of the Empire) and Screed even wrote reports endorsing their use. I'd say it's a fair bet that it's state-sanctioned.

NecronLord wrote:Well, as I mentioned, both Jerec and Screed are very senior (Palpatine's second-choice for Sith Apprentice, no less, and one of the first admirals appointed after the declaration of the Empire) and Screed even wrote reports endorsing their use. I'd say it's a fair bet that it's state-sanctioned.

Oh durr I get it now :p. I hadn't thought about it like that.

And yeah, see above for my comments on ThonBoka. It bears pointing out that it's (fairly uniquely in this list) an attempted atrocity, not one they succeeded in.

Oh yes. Palpatine also ordered the extermination of Endor, a sanctuary moon home to a developing sapient species, in the RotJ novel.

I cannot edit the post, but I'll agree that I should have remove ThonBoka and reclassify it as an attempted atrocity. But the fact that the Empire would attempt to do such a thing is evidence that it is an immoral government I believe.

Darth Fanboy wrote:I cannot edit the post, but I'll agree that I should have remove ThonBoka and reclassify it as an attempted atrocity. But the fact that the Empire would attempt to do such a thing is evidence that it is an immoral government I believe.

I can add things to the list if you wish.

NecronLord wrote:

Darth Fanboy wrote:I cannot edit the post, but I'll agree that I should have remove ThonBoka and reclassify it as an attempted atrocity. But the fact that the Empire would attempt to do such a thing is evidence that it is an immoral government I believe.

I can add things to the list if you wish.

please feel free to edit away.

Miscellaneous Crimes

-Attempted extermination of the Oswaft (LC & the Starcave of Thonboka)
-Pillaging of Gerrard V by Moff Seerdon (Rogue Squadron, N64 and PC)
-Imperial Soldiers shooting inot the crowd while trying to enforce a ban on a particular play, the death of one of the stage actors prompted roons Sewell to join the Rebel Alliance (Empire Comics)

There's also Castin Donn's story in Iron Fist. The Empire's idea of crowd control = open up into the crow with full auto blasterfire.