Do you wish Tarkin had a larger presence?

Do you wish that Tarkin had a stronger presence in the prequels? Considering he is one of the central villians in A New Hope and really the man behind the Death Star, it would make sense for him to have a larger prequel role.

I feel like the character would have much more of an impact in ANH if he was present throughout the whole prequel trilogy, or at least in AOTC and ROTS.

I was particularly disappointed that the Death Star plans have been introduced already, and Tarkin has not.

Do you think it would have made sense for him to play a part in AOTC, and to be even perhaps a central villian in the forming of the Empire in ROTS? This could even make his death more dramatic. If watching the films in order, the audience would already have a hatred for Tarkin by the time the begin watching ANH, perhaps making his death a "FINALLY! I HATED that guy!" moment.


Removed possible ROTS spoiler.

 

Tarkin was a good character, well acted. But I'm glad he didn't have more time, because his position is incongruous with the rest of the trilogy. He seems to be commanding Vader, an impression strengthened by Leia's line: "Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash."

Mabye Lucas could fill this gap in during the prequel, but I don't see how he could do it nicely.

 

No, I'm glad that Tarkin wasn't in the rest of the OT. He is a good character and well-acted, but he doesn't really serve any other purpose but being another bad guy with Vader. Having him in ESB wouldn't be necessary, we are watching Vader's pursuit of Luke and him getting rid of officers. Tarkin wouldn't figure into the stoy, IMO.

 

In my opinion Peter Cushing is Tarkin and no one else could really pull it off well. If I want to see old Tarkin, I will put the ANH DVD in, I don't think there is a need for him in the prequels, just as I don't see the reason why Boba Fett or Chewie (possible) is in the prequels. It just seems like they are putting these characters in to remind us of characters from other films which should have nothing to do with the actual plot of the PT. I like Tarkin where he is and don't see any reason why he would be in the PT films.

He probably rises to power in the era between ROTS and ANH, anyway.

-Seldon

 

Tarkin is an ancillary character who, in my opinion, does not require an added degree of prominence in the saga (although I suppose the same could be said of Boba Fett). Peter Cushing played him well, imbuing the character with a palpable sense of, uh, menace. At this point, I am not terribly bothered by matters of Tarkin's role in the films.

 

I think Lucas can?t explain Tarkin and his role.

"Governor Tarkin, I should have expected to find you holding Vader's leash." Has always bothered me.

With the amount of scheming the Emperor has devoted to turning Anakin why would he one up him with Tarkin??

 

With the amount of scheming the Emperor has devoted to turning Anakin why would he one up him with Tarkin??

You just kind of answered your own question.

It took Palpatine years and years of subtle and blatant schemes to turn Anakin....whereas it took him absolutely zilch to recruit Tarkin to his cause.

Especially with the new ESB-Vader/Palpy scene, those two are obviously clear on "who's the boss", yet there's an incredible strong sense of treachery flowing between them.

Palpatine knows what Vader wants.

 

The Death Star was Tarkin's project and he was really the top man in the fleet because of that. So next to the Emperor, it was Tarkin who was truly second in command during A New Hope. Palpatine founded the empire but Tarkin's projects were going to consolidate power and keep it together, which gave him his position.

After Tarkin is reduced to floating particles, Vader becomes the number two man.

-Seldon

 

I would have liked to see him survive past ANH and into ESB. What I always pictured was Tarkin being unaware of Vader's plans and trying to command him to return from Bespin, pulling rank and saying the Rebel fleet is more important than any personal agenda Vader has. Vader defies Tarkin and says he will remain on Bespin until Skywalker comes with him, dead or alive. Tarkin responds that if Vader does not return immediately, he'll go to the Emperor and personally have Vader reprimanded for his insolence and insubordination. To which Vader says nothing, but in the holoscreen you see Tarkin holding his throat, Vader finally speaks "A waste of time. The Emperor already knows about my activities...there is more happening than you can possibly imagine. You are no longer of any use to us, we shall have a replacement for you soon worthy of standing at my side, 'Grand' Moff..." With that, Tarkin falls on the floor dead and his screen goes black. Vader turns dramatically and walks off.

 

One of the greatest things about The Empire Strikes Back, in my opinion is that Vader is in complete control of the empire. There is no Emperor, there is no Tarkin. Vader is in command and they must answer to him.

-Seldon

 

For me, one of the aspects that makes Tarkin both cool and scary is that he takes no BS from Vader and Vader respects him. Vader concedes to him because he respects the man. When Tarkin asks Vader to release his choke hold, he simply replies "As you wish." You know he could have just killed the guy and then killed Tarkin as well!

Tarkin was amazing in ANH, but I don't believe there was a need for him anywhere else in the Saga.

 

I agree with Spike on the issue.

Also, if Tarkin had been in TESB as was suggested and Vader did disobey him...then it would really turn into the Anakin/Obi-Wan relationship all over again. What is very interesting is that Anakin never obeyed Anakin yet Vader obeys Tarkin. There is a change in character which is evident in these examples.

In the prequels, young Anakin's disobedience is clear and evident to everyone. In contrast, in the prequels that disobedience is beneath the storm, under the mask. It is not until the later events of Empire and Jedi that the audience can see that he is going back to the inital character.

-Seldon

 

True. I think that Anakin/Vader in a sense respect power and the ability to use that power. Obi-Wan had power, yet he did not use it in the way Anakin wanted. Tarkin has a heck of a lot of power and doesn't hesitate to use it.

Which brings us to why did Anakin turn to the Darkside, because he respects and wants power and the ability to use it.

 

Do you wish Tarkin had a larger presence?

You should hear what Mrs. Tarkin says.



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

It would've been awesome to see Dooku and Tarkin in a scene together somehow, for old times' sake.