CT The great evil Grand Moff Tarken.

Interview with Cushing about Star Wars

 

In the first draft, Tarkin is called Crispin Hoedaack and there's two separate characters who would later be combined to form the Vader character we all know. In the second draft, Hoedaack and the two proto-Vader characters are combined to form the Vader we all know. In the fourth draft, Vader looses the ability to remove his mask and Hoedaack returns as Tarkin because GL wasn't sure that the audience would accept dialogue from a character who's face they can't see.

 

Did you guys know that Lucas initially created Grand Moff Tarkin to off set Vader because Lucas thought Vader would be received as a huge joke and tried to salvage "the situation" by adding Tarkin. I'm not 100% sure this is the case, but I have heard it a lot. A wonderful accident though, we got two legendary, incredible villains instead of just one

What a classy fellow! Carrie said he was so kind on set she had trouble saying mean lines to him. Thanks for sharing, this was incredible, I never knew he wore slippers on set!

 

Yes. But Cushing still would have crushed it!

 

That's disgusting and he used to be in horror movies.

 

His look and demeanor was just menacing. He was just 100 percent cold blooded and ruthless. No wonder he was high ranking Imperial officer. Yikes

 

Tarkin seems to represent "the establishment." A white man with a British accent in a military uniform, crushing all resistance to his rule through force.

 

Notice how Vader is following and later standing behind Tarkin. This gives the impression that Vader is Tarkin's "muscle".

 

^^ Although, IIRC, one chair in the conference room was unoccupied and probably reserved for Vader.

 

Most likely. Vader preferred to hover and intimidate the Imperial officers. He and Tarkin obviously respected each other, even though neither one fully trusted the other. As we learned in the EU, I think that that is the best way to rationalize Vader not being in charge in the movie in hindsight. A lot of people don't like that, but I like it. Tarkin is obviously very speciesist and more than willing to destroy entire worlds, but he is not without dignity and honor in a few ways. He honestly believed that the Rebellion was a terrorist organization that could inflict damage to what he saw as the natural order of things, and he sought to do what he felt was right. He also appears to be all but fearless, as has often been stated due to his refusal to evacuate the Death Star when he was informed of the potential danger. Tarkin had lost his son, according to The Lost Command, many years ago, through Palpatine's machinations, and this made him even colder and more inhuman than he was prior to this. I wouldn't describe Tarkin as evil. I think that what he does is evil, but, to me, he is blank. He's a bureaucrat, and some of the worst crimes in history are committed by bureaucrats, as we learned from the First World War.

 

I agree in general, but I see that as MORE evil though, not less. It's the banality of evil (a phrase I've frequently dropped discussing dear old Willie T.) that makes him more scary and vile in many ways. The likes of Vader and Sidious have some kind of ideology and belief in their ways, as twisted as it is. Tarkin on the other hand blew up Alderaan not for strategic reasons or for practical effect but essentially out of spite, and because it happened to be there.

He either doesn't comprehend what he's doing is evil, or does but just sees that as a job to be done. Either way that's pretty damn scary. And in many ways more realistic than cartoon supervillains like Sidious...

 

how do you guys think Gen Hux compares to Tarkin ?

 

He's interesting. He's portrayed by a good actor. But I want to know more about him. With Tarkin, I appreciated learning more about him through the EU--The Lost Command and Luceno's Tarkin. But one doesn't necessarily need to know more about Tarkin if they just watch ANH. With Hux, I'm more curious about his background and why he joined the First Order.

 

I was a bit underwhelmed with Hux, TBH.
I see Hux & Kylo as young pups, youthful versions of Tarkin & Vader.
I liked the scene with Snoke where they were competing for his praise.

 

Makes sense. I imagine that they will be more frightening in the next film.