Why does it sound like Moff Tarkin is ahead of Vader in the food chain in ANH?

Moffy is giving Vader a direct order, please. What gives?

EV Edit: Please use the thread linked to below by JMO

 

Vader is Sidious' personal Kath Hound, nothing more. He doesen't have the authority to give orders to high-ranking officers, and he doesen't run the show. Grand Moff Tarkin a military genius. He was behind the creation of the Death Star, therefore he calls the shots. Kath Hounds have to be caged at times, so does Vader.

 

You're taking Tarkin's words out of context. He isn't talking down to him, he is telling him to stop killing one of his officers.

The pair are equals throughout the movie.

 

Interesting description, kath hound.

Vader is Sids apprentice, this doesn't mean he is more capable, or more trusted than one of the highest ranking military officers. Probably the highest ranked officer.

 

Because people seem to fail to realize that the Sith, and military still aren't full all out powerful by ANH. The Senate still exists, and people like Vader will have to deal with them. In ANH the officer reminds Vader about the Senate. Vader then must strong a set of lies explaining a senator's disappearance. If all-powerful, who not just say 'shove it!' to the Senate and kill anyone who gives ya lip? When Palpatine finally absolves the Senate, that's when the iron grip closes. So, Vader is a powerful Sith, but the bootlickers still have a bit of control enough to get him to heal.

 

I have to disagree there monarch. Having been in the military myself, it seems to me that Vader was clearly given an order by Tarkin, and he obeyed it.

 

Lucas explains in the audio commentary that he deliberately avoided creating a hierarchy. The Emperor is the only true hierarchy, everyone else is his underling. So, Vader and all the high ranking officers that we see are equal in rank. Tarkin, Motti, Tagge, everyone.
Tarkin is in charge of the Death Star, though, so naturally, he has the final word on everything concerning the station.



Tarkin is Vader's equal
/LM

 

They have equal amounts of power. What you see as a "direct order" was actually Tarkin saying "hey man, don't kill him!" Vader obliged because he has respect for Tarkin's desires.

 

I always see it more as Tarkin saying "C'mon Vader let him go" and Vader sarcastically going "Whatever"

 

Moff Tarkin and Anakin (Vader) are on equal footing, although I would categorize Skywalker/Vader as much more of a flunkie of the Emperor's bidding than anything else.

 

Dear Lord if I see another one of these threads I will explode!!!

Politicaly,Tarkin is higher in power,because Vader is just like a body Gaurd to Sidious. He protects him you can say,and uses fear to keep the officers in order,along with tarkin. I believe Tarkin would have treid to use the Death star to overthrow the emperor if it wasnt for Vader.

I personally also believe that 98% of Vader's crew would be killed of a crushed windpipe if he ran the show.

 

Tarkin and Vader's powers run side by side, not above and below. Tarkin was in charge of certain regions in the galaxy (hence Governor)and of the Death Star. While Vader was on the D.S., he had to do as Tarkin wanted. Also, because of the inherent mistrust and deception which characterised the Sith, Sidious didn't want Vader charging around the galaxy without any kind of restraint on his power.

 

I always got teh feeling that Vader is there as the emperor's representative. He's observing what is going on, but has no real authority on the Death Star (Hence, Motti giving him a hard time about the Force, if Vader was equal to Tarkin there's no way Motti would have shot off his mouth. Plus, if Vader was a part of teh heiarachy, he would not have just Force Choked him.)

He's doing the same thing on the Death Star in ANH that he's doing in ROTJ, it's just that Tarkin got it right so there's no need for Vader to open a can of anything on any Grand Moff.

 

that's got to be the best explanation of why Vader is on the Death Star in ANH....

 

Cath Hounds? Someone has been playing too much XBOX! The best I understand this is comparitively. The emperor and Lord Vader would be like President Bush and the Secretary of Defense to us. Tarkin would be like the Chief of staff, a 5 star General. The secretary and the Chief both are equals but answer to the President. Tarkin and Vader can Govern together, Vader more like a politician and Tarkin like a military leader, but both answer to the Emperor. Although I don't know how equal to Vader Tarkin would actually beleive considering Vader could/would death choke him at will! But that is the way of the sith. Later!!

 

And here we go again.

Vader has no millitary rank. Everyone outranks him.

In ANH he answers to Tarkin because it's his ship, and he has actual political/millitary power. Vader is just the Emperor's friend, nothing more.

In ESB he's in charge of the overall mission to capture the rebels, but not the millitary.

In RotJ Vader is sent to the Death Star as an actual emissary of the Emperor. He still has no authority on the DS, or on Endor. The one time we see him give orders he's on the Executor, a ship in his rebel hunting detachment.

 

Ya, my brother saw it that way...I never saw it like that or took it like that... I always kind of saw it as like when 2 guys on the same team start fighting each other and someone else on the team jumps in with the whole "the fights out there" type of arguement that calms everyone down..the voice of reason as opposed to oredering him around..I just never saw it like that....plus, the guy wasn't just talking crap...he was voicing genuine concerns that were not only felt by him... he doesn't stop him from choking anyone else in the movie, just in that case, Vader got carried away and he pointed it out...

 

Why was Darth Vader, Tarkin's Lacky?

 

This is the Sith Empire. "Once more the Sith will rule the galaxy"-Sidious
Vader is the Sith Apprentice, he answers only to his master the Emperor. Vader would have killed Tarkin if Tarkin had gotten in his way. Just as he killed Admiral Ozzel when he upset Vader even though that Star Destroyer was under Ozzels command. Vader also most certainly had power over the military or perhaps you don't remember the scene after Vader kills Ozzell in cold blood VADER single handedly promotes Captain Piett to Admiral Piett. That sounds like a powerful decision to me. Who in the military questioned Vader in the entire trilogy??? Tarkin made ONE comment and thats all it was a COMMENT. Vader choose to listen perhaps he respected Tarkin who knows but Lord Vader is very clearly the No. 2 guy

 

It's the First Galactic Empire, not the Sith Empire. And yes, Vader answeres only to his master, but that's also irrellivant to this discussion.

Vader may have killed anyone, but it doesn't mean he has the right or authority to do so. If he'd killed Tarkin, you can bet the Emperor would have nailed his metal butt to the wall.
Ozzel is totally diffrent. He wasn't removed because he "upset Vader", he was removed because he had failed in his duties once to often.

It's also perfectly in keeping with his mission commander role. He has the right to decide who serves on his mission. And yes he promoted Piett, but guess what? Piett was next in line anyway. Your argument would have more merit if Vader had installed an Admiral that was out of line, like a comm chief or someone.

Who? Lets see, Admiral Motti not only questions him but calls him an incompetent relic.
Tarkin tells him "you'd better be right", implying bad things if he's not.
Ozzel tells him he's totally wrong about the rebels on Hoth.
Fett, though not in the millitary, has no issues mouthing off to him.

Back at ya, why does General Veers not toddle off as soon as Vader tells him to? Why does he wait for Admiral Ozzel to confirm the orders? Because Vader isn't his boss, that's why.

Vader is the Emperor's sidekick with a special side job, nothing else. As a friend to the Emperor, it's wise to show respect, but it isn't required.