ME: Time to see how the Empire recruits citizens. Inspired by a PM conversation I had much earlier with ForFutureReference, including the Agents of SHIELD quotes.
Lord Darth Vader (though most Imperials simply knew him as Lord Vader) addressed the Pau'an Inquisitor via a secure HoloNet frequency and issued him his latest orders; hunt down and either turn or eliminate any Jedi, active or potential. "This is my Master's command," Vader finished. "And the same for any rebels without Force sensitivity; as Order Sixty-Six showed, even the Jedi could and were nearly wiped out by soldiers with no control over the Force."
"Oh," the Inquisitor smiled, "this will be easy, Master! I'll just show them our recruitment commercial!"
Meanwhile at Old Jho's Pit Stop, a cantina and repair facility, the crew of the Ghost watching the local HoloNet News channel. The reason for this was to hopefully find some truth in the lies spouted by the Empire's state-owned media.
"And now a special message from Brigadier General Kallus, an Agent of the Imperial Security Bureau!" Alton Kastle announced.
It cut to Kallus in some kind of commercial. "I want you to join the Empire!" The ISB Agent said.
"Me?" An eighteen-year old patron asked.
"Yes, you!" Kallus snapped, as if having predicted that response. "Don't you want to be something more? Don't you want to be part of something bigger?" The Imperial rolled his eyes before saying, "Do you want to meet hot chicks who may or may not be in uniform and/or capable of kicking your ass and get laid?"
Instantly the patron leaped to his feet. "Hell yeah, Agent Kallus!"
"Then join the Empire!" Kallus went on. "In the Empire, you'll be able to move around in a pimped out ride, send political prisoners to slave away-I mean, send misguided criminals to Reeducation Planet Kessel to be rehabilitated-confiscate the private property of farmers without just compensation, and earn college money! Legal disclaimer: The Empire does not guarantee attractive members of the opposite gender."
As the Imperial officer spoke, a video of TIE fighters, Star Destroyers, and speeder bikes played. This was followed by Wookiees being herded into spice mines by Trandoshans and Stormtroopers armed with whips and blasters, a family of farmers being forced off their land at gunpoint, and an honorably discharged veteran attending college.
"Hell yeah," Sabine yelled, "I love speeder bikes!"
"Even accounting for eminent domain and legalized slavery?" Zeb snarked.
The Mandalorian girl blushed. "Reflex reaction, sorry. I just love speeder bikes-why do you guys think I even attended the Imperial Academy back on Mandalore in the first place? It wasn't so I couldn't dye my hair or anything!"
"Ooh!" Ezra said. "Kanan, I could get college money!"
The man once known as Caleb Dume slapped his forehead. "Did you even go to middle school whenever you weren't stealing food from struggling fruit vendors?"
ME: A/N: This is how the Empire was initially popular; the possibility of sex (uniforms help), speeder bikes, and college money.