Sorry Jahled, have to agree with GAT, Stellar Magic and Mad on this one. The faces behind the masks are individuals in my humble opinion. Your hypothesis taken to its logical conclusion is that 'people' would not serve the Empire because it is 'perceived' as 'evil'. Human nature would certainly prove otherwise if percieved through a historical 'lense'. Many of the Empires personnel do indeed wear facial headgear/helmets etc but I do think that is done for aesthetics rather than than any ulterior motive. For a start, people with their faces obscured or hidden are 'more scary', and although one could argue they are concealing a hidden agenda, the truth of the matter is far more boring and ordinary than we care to think. Obscured faces induce fear and submission into populations, as they take away individuality and portray no human emotion whatsoever. A small but important psychological tool used throughout our history for starters. It also emotionally detatches the audience from the characters whose face they cannot see, ergo they don't care what happens to them as they are in a sense using your arguement 'faceless clones'. One can bond with a character like Wedge, Luke, or Han because the audience can begin to identify with them. A small point but one which undermines ( unfortunately) your whole hypothesis. Don't know if this makes any sense as I've just come back from the pub, but I hope you can 'get my drift' , to use an old nautical term.......'mumble.....gibber.......THEY'RE IN THE TREE'S MOTHER'.......Arrrgggh.....time for bed