Who knew Vader used to be Anakin Skywalker?

I was thinking about this the other day. I suppose we'll have more idea after ROTS. I get the idea that after the duel, Vader will surface without explanation from Palpy. But presumably at least someone guesses.

Also, how come in ANH, Tarkin seems to have so much power over Vader? It strikes me that if Tarkin knew Vader's identity, he wouldn't hesitate to use it to control him.

 

There were likely few who knew Vader's true indentity. The emperor, yes, Ben, yes...but few others, and if they did, they weren't going to come forward about it or are already dead (Padme, Yoda, etc.). Give his age, Tarkin may have known, but he's hardly petty enough to do something like that. Especially since Vader generally allows him to have his way anyway - he doesn't have a reason to.

I think Tarkin's control over Vader has less to do with indentity and more with his station. Tarkin is very high in the Imperial hiearchy, and it seemed he was given supreme control over the Death Star. Vader was on HIS battle station, whereas on the Executor, it might be a different situation. It was his to control and do as he pleased with. It appeared to me initially that the emperor may have sent Vader there as more of a medium than with any true authority over Tarkin. Thus, Tarkin didn't see a reason to be overly smarmy to Vader. It's just part of his harsh, clipped personality.

Also...don't forget that, at that point, Jedi were nearly extinct. Very few people knew about the practice, much less respected it's power. Just look at how the one general scorns Vader for it. He learns the hard way, of course, but I'm sure his attitude reflects the sentiments of most. Vader's existence as a life-supported cyborg may also disgust them or make him seem less impressive than he is, especially if some lived through the Clone Wars. I've heard speculation that Vader himself may have fallen out of favor with the emperor due to his lack of influence and use to Palpatine...but with the reemergence of Luke Skywalker, a Jedi in training, Vader became all too important again. (Following the destruction of the Death Star, too, I think Vader would probably be highest in the hiearchy after the emperor.)

Finally, keep in mind that both Tarkin and Vader are on the emperor's leash. What affects one negatively does the same to the other, which means if they both screw up, it's a major problem. It didn't hurt that Vader seems to have more than a slight modicum of respect for Tarkin and his methods, even if he sometimes disagrees.

 

Vader just does as Tarkin says, he doesnt have to do. Tarkin told him to stop choacking that guy and Vader said "as you wish" but he could, if he wanted to said "no. I am going to kill him now"
Vader did come up with the plan to track the Falcon, a plan Tarkin wasn't to happy with

 

According to the EU, a lot of people knew. Prince Xizor knew. Damn, Kitser and Wald even knew.

 

In the Empire (disregarding EU here BTW), I think only the Emperor knew. I doubt Tarkin did as there was no need for him to. I always thought of Vaders true identity to be a sort of need-to-know sort of thing. Vader even says that the name Anakin Skywalker has no meaning to him anymore, so why would other people need to know if even Vader doesn't care?

 

I actually like the idea that Tarkin knew who Vader was. He at least seems to know that Vader was a Jedi.
I would like it if they met in the Clone Wars before Anakin became Vader.

But that's not the reason why Vader obeys Tarkin. In my opinion, Vader could never give Tarkin orders, no matter the curcumstances. As a Grand Moff, Tarkin was a direct subordinate of the Emperor and took orders only from him. Tarkin isn't Vader's boss either it's just that it's his political sphere of influence (his oversector, not just his battle station).

But if Vader disobeyed Tarkin, he could do nothing. But then Vader would probably be in trouble with the Emperor. Think of Tarkin and Vader as equals in rank (even thou Tarkin has more power). The only person who could punnish or expose of them is the Emperor.

 

Maybe I'm just biased - I think Tarkin is the most fascinating bad guy in the saga - he's more human than either Vader or the Emperor, and I get the feeling he made a <i>choice</i> to be evil, making him somehow <i>more</i> evil.

Hmm, new thought . . . (in itself cause for celebration ) Vader has loads of power, but he's ultimately Palpy's slave. Presumably after twenty years of obeying him, there's something in him that responds to authority greater than his, and submits to. Tarkin seems to have absolute control over himself, and to assume that that means he has control over everyone else, too . . . and since he believes it so strongly, it happens. Having said that, Vader wouldn't give in to Tarkin automatically. I think they've fought all their power battles, and Tarkin's won.

 

Vader is just sort of "hanging out" on the Death Star. It is Tarkin's battle station, he is in charge of it. So it makes perfect sense that Vader would take orders from him. I don't think Vader really cares about his true identity being revealed. It's not like anyone could really use it against him.

 

There's mention of this on the ANH DVD commentary - GL says that in the context of the saga, Vader is quite a pathetic figure in ANH - considering how powerful he's going to be in RotS, what a great Jedi and (maybe) Sith he once was, he now finds himself on the same level as beaurocrats. By ANH, he's totally under the subjugation of the Emperor - but the discovery of Luke at the end gives Vader the hope that he can gain the power he wants by killing the Emperor. But for ANH, Vader doesn't have the power he always hoped he'd have.

 

Lets see here.

1. Obi-Wan Kenobi

2. Yoda

3. Luke Skywalker

4. Grand Moff Tarkin

5. Emperor Palpatine

 

I would like it if they met in the Clone Wars before Anakin became Vader.

Actually, in the book Rogue Planet, which took place a few years after TPM, they met on Zonama Sekot, but were on opposite sides. I can't remember very much about it...

In the new book of characters, it says there was also an Dark Woman "who'd known Anakin when he was still an uncorrupted boy". (p. 156)

JS

 

1.Obi-Wan
2.Yoda
3.Palpatine
4.Luke

 

A. Obi-Wan Kenobi

B. Master Yoda

C. The Emperor

D. Tarkin

E. Luke Skywalker

F. Beru Lars

D. Owen Lars

 

What makes you think Owen and Beru know that Vader was once Anakin? I always figured that they thought he died.

 

I think it's the exchange of

"He has too much of his father in him."

"That's what I'm afraid of."

that hints that Owen and Beru might have known that Anakin became Vader.

 

Wasn't that another Tarkin in Rogue Planet....