Rogue One Tarkin & Krennic's Relationship (Spoilers)

Tarkin totally defanged Krennic throughout the film, and while I realize this was the narrative objective, making the new villain largely ineffectual hurt the film.

 

Krennic is there as are the Rebels who are trying to get the data plans out - nuke them both = two birds,one stone.

 

Tarkin was still very much a supporting character. The story still revolved around Galen's daughter and Director Krennic was instrumental in that character arc. Her absent father and abandonment about the Alliance was down to Director Krennic. It was Moff Tarkin who came in at the end and stole his thunder.

 

Until I read Catalyst, I figured Krennic would get along great with Tarkin. I suppose it is their many similarities that cause them to go at each other's throats. Both are trying to outdo the other. I was surprised that Krennic would shout at Tarkin, as Tarkin has more authority as a Grand Moff than Krennic has as a Military Director.

 

Much of that backstory between the Ersos and Krennic comes courtesy of Catalyst though, and is only implied in the film. From Tarkin's first scene only 30 min in, it's clear that he has no qualms in belittling Krennic. The butting of heads between both could have been interesting, but there's never a point in which Krennic has the upper hand on Tarkin. What of this photo, which seems to be an alternate take on the scene in which Tarkin takes the credit of Jedha's destruction over Krennic?



Having Krennic point his blaster at one of the iconic villains of the OT would have been a ballsy story decision, and would have characterized Krennic as a man willing to take extreme measures to rise up the ranks. As it stands in the film, Krennic is largely ineffectual, his only standout scenes being in the prologue and Eadu. Everywhere else, he's out of control of the situation, be it answering to Vader or Tarkin, or disastrously handling the Battle of Scarif. Granted, he's meant to have a downfall, but the fact that he rarely seems to exert power and malevolence makes his demise underwhelming.

 

True the film was focusing on Vader & Tarkin emerging as the future stars of the Empire. Director Krennic was more overall in charge of the development of the Death Star. He had his very own Death Troopers which i like to see as being part of construction security. Krennic handled the workforce on the Death Star, supervised the slave labour inmates. Ensured the droids were working efficiently and complying with Imperial standards. He was suitable in this role as the petulant commander of the Death Star. We don't need to see him as the aggressive type. He is always giving the orders. He is unfamiliar with the disrespect that Tarkin shows towards him.

 

On a simpler level though, there's not a single moment afforded to Krennic that makes him intimidating or even memorable. Perhaps his decision to kill the scientists on Eadu comes close, but it seems like every key Star Wars villain has been given a scene or two to truly carve out their evil identity. Krennic was set up to join the ranks of these villains, but Rogue One makes him a mere footnote, dutifully making way for Tarkin and Vader.

 

It would have been a ridiculous scene, IMO, as it would/should result in Krennic being thrown in jail/ executed for threatening a superior (Grand Moff). His open defiance of Tarkin was already dangerous enough. Pulling a gun on him would have been an immediate death sentence, and a very stupid move.

As to your specific point about Krennic being out of control of situations, that's true. But that would have been punctuated further if he pulled a gun on Tarkin. Indeed, such a scene would have constituted the apex of Krennic's loss of control.

 

It would have been shocking no doubt, but having Krennic pull a drastic move like that would have added some much needed flavor to his character.

 

Disagree. I think his outburst at Tarkin, when Tarkin took over control of the DS, was more than enough flavor (and a mistake, as I believe he was aware). It sets up his visit to Vader, where he tries to outmaneuver Tarkin, and loses.

Him pulling a gun on Tarkin would have been the end of his character arc. He'd be done at that point.

I think it was a bold and refreshing choice by Edwards to give us a bureaucratic ladder-climber as a central antagonist. It was new for the franchise, and in a good way.

And for that same reason, his character will have a lot of detractors among those who want their villains to be mostly "badass."

 

Tarkin had Krennic's number right from the start, and I think that's the point. The likes of Luke Skywalker are the ones who bring down the Tarkins and Vaders of the GFFA. People like Jyn and Cassian are just not on that level, and as such neither are the villains they go up against. If they'd been up against Tarkin directly from the beginning I don't think they'd even have got as far as Scarif in the first place.

As to Krennic pulling a gun on Tarkin, I think that whilst it would take Krennic in a slightly different direction Tarkin would simply use it as proof of why Krennic can't be trusted with the Death Star - he's far too impulsive and unstable (or at least, that's how Tarkin would spin it.)

 

He doesn't need to be badass, but I would have preferred to see an example of the bureaucratic maneuvering and hierarchy manipulation working to Krennic's advantage, and ultimately contrast his failure on Scarif. Even in the third act it would have been nice to have at least one scene in which it appears that he has the upper hand in the battle, but because he stumbles his way through everything prior, there's no surprise that Krennic is completely ineffective on Scarif.

 

Krennic is not a badass that's what he has manipulate and connive to get to where he is. The main story of Catalyst is how he continually manipulate Galen and Lyra Erso until ultimately Galen realizes that the work he's doing to harness the energy of kyber crystals will be weaponized.

Tarkin knows that all Krennic wants is for the Emperor to know his name and uses that to his advantage ultimately dismissing him from the project and basically telling Krennic that the Emperor will never know his name or the work he did. At that point Vader manipulates him even further to get him to look into Galen's transmissions and communication. Vader's joke about Krennics aspirations clearly shows that he can Tarkin knew the game Krennic was playing and were one step ahead of him.

 

I just found it funny and ironic how Tarkin vaporized Krennic, mere seconds after he found out about the Death Star flaw from Jyn. The only one from the Empire who knew about the DS weakness died with that secret.

I still love Krennic as a villain, though. He was a manipulative son of a **** and that's his charisma and what makes him a bad*ss for me.

 

I particularly like the Death Troopers that accompanied him everywhere he went.

 

This is a very unexplored point. And not just because Krennic knew about the flaw. But also because Krennic had ordered the Scarif HQ to look into every one of Galen's transmissions. Had they completed that assessment, they would have found the flaw in the reactor, and tried to correct for it.

But Tarkin blew them all up.

Therefore, Tarkin is directly responsible for his own demise in ANH.

 

Yeah, in hindsight, he kinda was. But it worked out Krennic was never afforded that time. Also, I think Tarkin had become slightly intoxicated with this superweapon and its power. Add to that he quickly seized on the opportunity to rid himself of Krennic once and for all, by obliterating the rebels at the same time

 

As Thrawn said in Rebels, "They will be the architects of their own demise." The irony is that this statement applied to the Empire, and specifically Tarkin and the Emperor.

 

I appreciate the poetic justice of Krennic being destroyed by the super laser he worked so hard to create, but how does Tarkin have the authority to destroy the Imperial installation on Scarif? Yes, he orders the eventual destruction of Alderaan, and I'm also sure that the Imperial archives are backed up on other planets, but wouldn't the Emperor be infuriated that Tarkin destroyed an Imperial base on his own authority?

 

I sure wonder what would happen if Krennic survived as commander of the Death Star, with Tarkin somehow dying. How would he have handled Tarkin's situations in ANH?

 

He doesn't possess the calm and tactical mind that Tarkin does. Don't think it's too much of a stretch to say he might've just had Death Troopers kill Leia on the spot along with annihilating Alderaan.

 

Which would have probably been a good idea, in hindsight.

 

La Calavera agreed!