A series of deleted scenes from Return of the Jedi prove that not every Imperial officer was always wholly loyal to, or even in agreement with, Emperor Palpatine’s and Darth Vader’s rule. Narratively speaking, the Empire has always been an interesting Star Wars faction – while the Empire itself may have had more of a looming presence in the galaxy, the real threat were the Sith, with Palpatine and Vader controlling the Empire behind the scenes. The Empire was enormous, however – it’s statistically impossible that all Imperials, even higher-ranking officers, were constantly in agreement with Palpatine’s plans.

Though we know that plenty of Imperials defected in Star Wars, either leaving the war entirely or joining the Rebellion instead – Sabine Wren, Wedge Antilles, Agent Kallus, Thane Kyrell, Galen Erso, Bodhi Rook, and even Han Solo come to mind – a series of deleted scenes from Return of the Jedi indicate that even those who chose to remain with the Empire didn’t necessarily do so out of faith or an agreement with Palpatine’s tactics. One easily overlooked character even seemed to openly despise Palpatine and his apprentice.

Moff Jerjerrod Seems To Delight In Disrespecting Darth Vader

Though plenty of Return of the Jedi scenes were left on the cutting room floor, one minor character’s deleted arc spoke volumes about the Empire’s dictatorial reign and leadership. A sequence of deleted scenes was focused on Moff Jerjerrod, who, after the destruction of the first Death Star, was elevated to station commander on the second Death Star above the forest moon of Endor.

In the first of Jerjerrod’s deleted scenes, he comes face to face with Vader. Though most who encounter Vader cower in terror, Jerjerrod seems unusually nonchalant. In fact, he seems almost giddy at the prospect of disrespecting Vader and putting him in his place, a smirk gracing his features as he tells the Sith Lord, “You may not enter.” Of course, that smug expression is soon wiped off his face when Vader Force chokes him, but that doesn’t change the fact that Jerjerrod openly “mocked” Vader.

One could argue that Jerjerrod was simply reckless, high on his authority, and narcissistic enough to test Lord Vader’s patience. It feels like there’s more to it than that, though. What if Jerjerrod just didn’t agree with Vader’s – and, by extension, Palpatine’s – rule? What if this was his way of defying orders?

Return Of The Jedi Even Hints The Emperor Himself Was Unloved

The rest of Jerjerrod’s deleted scenes – and even some scenes in the completed film – hint that Emperor Palpatine wasn’t exactly a beloved leader. And how could he be, truly, when Palpatine hid in the shadows, letting the Imperial machine and his Sith lapdog do his bidding for him? Palpatine was a cunning strategist, but that doesn’t mean he was a good leader.

Though Palpatine’s significant absence from the first Star Wars movie (later reтιтled A New Hope) and The Empire Strikes Back demonstrated the fact that Palpatine wasn’t truly the main antagonist in the original trilogy – that honor belongs to Vader, as he was Luke’s true adversary – it also reflects his behind-the-scenes role in the Empire’s day-to-day operations. He hardly ever showed his face. He hardly ever interacted with his officers.

If the Imperials barely ever saw their leader and were still forced to blindly carry out his commands, no matter the cost, how could they ever be expected to remain loyal to him? What were they getting in return? The Empire wasn’t everything.

After the Darth Vader scene, Jerjerrod’s deleted scenes switch over to the final battle of Endor. His orders come through, commanding Jerjerrod to destroy the moon if the Rebels succeed in blowing up the shield generator. Though Palpatine doesn’t relay the order himself, it’s certainly his plan, as he’s simultaneously taunting Luke with the potential destruction of Endor and the death of his friends.

You can physically see Jerjerrod hesitating. He voices his objection, stating that there are still Imperial battalions stationed on the moon, and even looks around at his fellow officers as if evaluating their reaction. In the next scene, he looks physically pained when the news comes through that the Rebels managed to disarm the shield generator. Surely, he wasn’t the only Imperial present during the battle of Endor who felt that way.

What Do Return Of The Jedi’s Deleted Scenes Mean For The Empire?

So, what can we infer from these deleted Return of the Jedi scenes? Of course, there’s a reason they were stripped from the final film, though I’d wager that had more to do with pacing rather than issues with narrative. Jerjerrod’s deleted scenes are quite illuminating. Not only was he not afraid of Darth Vader, but he openly seemed to despise him, and he found it difficult to follow Palpatine’s orders because he knew that there were still other Imperial officers on Endor who would simply become collateral damage.

Perhaps this means that some Imperial officers weren’t quite as violent and dark as Palpatine and Vader believed. Yes, many Imperials actively participated in genocide, warmongering, and enforcing fascist rule, but clearly, for some like Jerjerrod, there was a line to be drawn as well. Why shouldn’t Jerjerrod hesitate at the thought of killing several stormtrooper battalions? They’re Imperial officers, too, after all.

I’d argue that many less-outright-evil Imperials had a problem with Palpatine’s excessive violence, his wastefulness, and the ease with which he sacrificed his troops and military ships to get his way. Palpatine is not an inspirational leader – he’s one who ruled with fear and an iron fist, and sooner or later, that’s the kind of leadership people will start to fight back against. Jerjerrod’s deleted scenes in Return of the Jedi are a perfect example of how being overly fanatical can change everything.