FWIW, this is the section on playing Imperials in the 2nd Edition revised and expanded WEG book.
Star Wars is very clearly a story about good versus evil and it's expected that you'll be playing the good guys. Still, there are some people who want to see what it's like on the other side of the war. Imperial character-oriented games can focus on rank-and-file soldiers and pilots, or involve spying on local governments suspected of being disloyal to the Empire, or center around political and court intrigue — imagine trying to survive in the cut-throat environment of the Emperor's court.
If the players want to play "true" Imperials (those who choose to be evil), the gamemaster is strongly encouraged to make sure the characters get what they deserve (and then some) — this is a universe where evil is punished. On the other hand, not everyone who worked for the Empire was a thoroughly despicable person — General Madine was once an Imperial commando and Mara Jade was the Emperor's Hand, a high-level security operative. Some people felt that the best way to reform the Empire was from within, while others believed that they had to work within the Imperial system to protect their homeworlds or families. Still others were so patriotic that they discounted any rumors of atrocities — when confronted by the truth behind the Empire, they had to make difficult choices. All of these themes can make for a memorable Imperial characters game.
Its the kind of "true" Imperials concept. Those guys are all shitheads. So long as the crowd are booing when a "true" Imperial is on stage, everything is fine.
Edited by ErikB