A Memory Called Empire interrogates imperialism and cultural assimilation. While the novel depicts the reach of the Teixcalaanli Empire as almost infinite, not all territories and peoples it subsumes become citizens. By depicting citizenship as almost impossible for those born outside the Empire, Arkady Martine demonstrates both the insatiable hunger of imperialism and the often uneven trade of annexation. The Lsel Station councilors know citizenship and annexation are to be feared, as it means the loss of their heritage, nurtured through imago technology for 14 generations. These fears highlight the paradox at the heart of imperialism: The Empire actively conquers native cultures, but doesn’t necessarily repay them with citizenship, resources, or protection. Instead, the Empire alludes to a promise of belonging.

The assassination of Yskandr by Teixcalaanli powers and the Empire’s overall treatment of Lsel Station reinforce the danger of imperialism. The Lsel Station councilors understand the destruction of culture by annexation, seeking to weaponize the Empire’s instinct to destroy an alien threat and end itself in the process. As Dekakel Onchu discusses the threat posed by alien civilizations, she asks Darj Tarats what he wants, and he responds, “An end to empires.