main
side
curve
  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Lit Vader's Hobby of "YOU HAVE FAILED ME"

Discussion in 'Literature' started by Slowpokeking, Feb 28, 2014.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. Slowpokeking

    Slowpokeking Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2012
    When he was Anakin he was quite nice to his soldiers, even when he became Vader in EP III he didn't seem to have interest in execute his servants because their failure. Why did he love to choke the imperial officers so much after he became a cyborg?
     
    VanishingReality likes this.
  2. DarthBarrister

    DarthBarrister Jedi Knight star 1

    Registered:
    Jan 16, 2014
    19+ years of dark side fun?
     
  3. Vthuil

    Vthuil Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 3, 2013
    It's possible that this is actually one of those things the EU kind of blew out of proportion, by assuming that Vader did it all the time. Onscreen, he strangles three people - Tagge (or Motti? Never been sure who's who in that scene) for insulting him, Ozzel, and Needa. He doesn't kill Tagge and specifically says that Ozzel had failed him multiple times before. Needa and his reaction when the Falcon escapes are really the only things to suggest that choking people to death was Vader's standard response to failure.
     
  4. The_Phantom_Calamari

    The_Phantom_Calamari Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 10, 2011
    Well, if you choke two of your employees to death within a few days of each other, you should expect to earn a reputation. Fair or not.
     
  5. Slowpokeking

    Slowpokeking Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2012
    How many officers did he kill through the movies and EU overall?
     
  6. DigitalMessiah

    DigitalMessiah Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Feb 17, 2004
    I always saw it as an indication of Vader's obsession, rather than ordinary behavior, and TBH I think that interpretation is more insightful to Vader's character.
     
    Vthuil likes this.
  7. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    I think it was Marvel Star Wars that first decided it was something of a signature trait of Vader's.

    To the extent that he killed so many officers, that there was a conspiracy to assassinate him. Which failed.

    It isn't always strangling though. In Splinter of the Mind's Eye- from the same publishing era, he chops Grammel in half with his lightsaber - and in a Marvel story, he Mind Tricks an officer into going into an airlock and spacing themselves.

    Novelization said Tagge, all other sources, including the Marvel version of ANH, said Motti. The novelization scene is rather different from the movie version.
     
    Starkeiller likes this.
  8. Reveen

    Reveen Jedi Knight star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 2012
    Remember that it's usually the officers he goes Homer Simpson on, and not the rank and file soldiers themselves.

    By the time of the Empire, I think there's a far wider gulf between the two than between clone officers and soldiers.
     
  9. Nobody145

    Nobody145 Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Feb 9, 2007
    Yeah, Vader is much different than even late Episode III Anakin. By the OT, he's lost the only person he really cared about (dead by his own hands as far as he knows), so either he doesn't care about anybody else or he takes his anger out on them. He usually doesn't show it, but there's still a lot of rage there. Also, arguably, as mentioned, being nice with fellow troops is one thing, as Jedi fought on the frontlines. Vader dealing with officers and uppity bureaucrats... well, if they show a lack of faith in the Force, he'll give them a demonstration. Basically, troopers just go out and win or die. Officers are supposed to be able to handle things, and when they don't, that's why he kills both Ozzel and Needa.

    Although in ESB its a bit of a special case as there Vader is obsessed with finding Luke, and capturing Luke's close friends is the key to luring Luke into his trap. So he's particularly grumpy there.

    I think even the Warfare noted how Piett surviving the Falcon's escape at Bespin was unusual, but of course the Navy has no idea what's going on in Vader's head. At that point, Vader was more reflective on his first father to son conversation than looking for a target to take his anger out on. (Before anyone nitpicks, I mean Vader finally had the chance to reveal the truth to Luke and try to recruit him, not counting their earlier encounters).

    I remember Robot Chicken did this hilarious skit about Vader killing (or thinking he could kill) Imperial officers with his mind. That was entertaining.
     
    Revanfan1 and Iron_lord like this.
  10. anakinfansince1983

    anakinfansince1983 Skywalker Saga/LFL/YJCC Manager star 10 Staff Member Manager

    Registered:
    Mar 4, 2011
    I'm cracking up at "going all Homer Simpson." [face_laugh]

    Now imagining Vader saying "Why you little...!" to Ozzel.
     
  11. stung4ever

    stung4ever Jedi Grand Master star 3

    Registered:
    May 17, 2002
     
    AdmiralWesJanson, Gorefiend and Sarge like this.
  12. Ackbar's Fishsticks

    Ackbar's Fishsticks Jedi Grand Master star 4

    Registered:
    Aug 25, 2013
    At least he's not killing them with a tray.
     
    Draconarius likes this.
  13. MercenaryAce

    MercenaryAce Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 10, 2005
    Also, if I remember correctly, he particularly hate Ozzel because Ozzel has a constant screw up that only got his rank because of his family connections, whereas he liked Piett because Piett worked his way from a backwater command in the Rim and did a good job there.
     
    Jedi Merkurian and Revanfan1 like this.
  14. Slowpokeking

    Slowpokeking Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2012
    But Needa's death is a bit cruel.
     
    CT-867-5309 likes this.
  15. The_Phantom_Calamari

    The_Phantom_Calamari Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Nov 10, 2011

    I kind of hated how the EU made Piett kind of a conniving suck-up who constantly deflected blame onto others. I prefer to think of him as just being a highly competent officer who Vader legitimately respects, like Daine Jir.

    Although next time he's trying to disable a renegade starship, I'd recommend he order his mechanics do something a little more involved than just flipping a switch to the "off" position.

    At the very least I doubt he does it as often as he does in ESB. Otherwise he'd deplete the entire officer corps within the space of a month.
     
    Iron_lord, Vthuil and Revanfan1 like this.
  16. Revanfan1

    Revanfan1 Force Ghost star 6

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2013
    Me too. It doesn't really fit with his characterization in ESB or ROTJ. I always liked Piett in the movies because he was just doing his job.

    When was this established?
     
  17. VadersLaMent

    VadersLaMent Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Apr 3, 2002
    Vader probably watches holonet fail vids.
     
  18. BigAl6ft6

    BigAl6ft6 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Nov 12, 2012
    I totally buy how kill-crazy Vader is in the EU to his officers if only, as mentioned, the guy has been Sith-lording it up for almost 2 decades (over 2 by the time ESB hits!) so I'm sure the sense of comradery Anakin had with the military had long faded by that point. Also, Anakin seemed cool with the rank-and-file soldiers but never exactly got along with the other generals, ie. the other Jedi, so the Imp officers that Vader keeps strangling are sort similar to the higher-up military pencil pushers and not the "on the ground" stormtroopers (who Vader literally storms Echo Base with).
     
    Sarge likes this.
  19. Slowpokeking

    Slowpokeking Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2012
    But many other Sith Lords aren't that interested on kill their servants for failure. Even Sidious didn't do it that much (quite a few times of course).
     
  20. BigAl6ft6

    BigAl6ft6 Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Nov 12, 2012
    Well then I think you can assume Vader enjoyed and employed the tactic a bit more than most. Guy was oddly temperamental, even by Sith standards.
     
  21. Slowpokeking

    Slowpokeking Jedi Master star 5

    Registered:
    Sep 21, 2012
    Many Sith Lords love "YOU HAVE OUTLIVED YOUR USEFULNESS" than "YOU HAVE FAILED ME", did Vader do it many times?
     
  22. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012
    A period of rapidly depleted officer corps would explain why the survivors tried to assassinate him - in the Resurrection of Evil/To Take The Tarkin arc of Marvel Star Wars:

    "I was just restating our position: we have of late seen too many of our fellow officers fall to Vader's sorcerous ways -- it appears that any human mistake may well lead to an inhuman end at the Sith Lord's hand! Therefore a plan has been formulated and approved, abd we are all in agreement ... that before this day is over ... Darth Vader must DIE!"

    "Too many of our fellow officers have died at the Dark Lord's whim, all for making mistakes that anyone human could have understood. And any of us might be next -- unless we stop Vader first!"
     
  23. Vthuil

    Vthuil Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jan 3, 2013
    I really liked that subplot.
     
    Jedi Merkurian and Iron_lord like this.
  24. MercenaryAce

    MercenaryAce Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 10, 2005
    "The Emperor is not as forgiving as I am."

    Sure, Palpatine didn't personally choke people, but had fifty different assassin organizations and...well, just look what he did the guy who designed the Death Star.
     
  25. Iron_lord

    Iron_lord Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Sep 2, 2012

    In Tales of the Bounty Hunters, when Vader's talking to Dengar:

    "I'm not the Emperor," Vader said ominously. "I don't kill for amusement - only when it serves my purposes."

     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.