Darth Vader is Naieve! "What do you mean?"

In ANH, when Tarkin suggests an alternative method for getting the princess to reveal the hidden rebel base, Vader responds "What do you mean?"

I alwasy thought that sounded funny, like, Darth Vader is so naieve, and slow on the update.

Also, in ROTJ his naievity comes into play again, when he says "HE will come to ME?" to the emperor.

The only time Vader seemed like he was ahead of the game, so to speak, was in ESB. When he seemed to be calling the shots, and not asking any questions for clarification. He was definatley a cool customer in ESB.

Imagine if the scene in ESB went like this:

EMPEROR: "yes...yes...he would be a great asset. Can it be done?"

VADER: "WHat do you mean?"

EMPEROR: (sighs deeply, putting his hand over his brow) "Why do i surround myself with morons?"

 

It's spelled "naive". And perhaps Lord Vader's feeling on the matter were not clear.

 

Also, in ROTJ his naievity comes into play again, when he says "HE will come to ME?" to the emperor

I wouldn't say he was naive. I would say he was skeptical.



Rick McCallum loves you!

 

I wouldn't say he was naive. I would say he was skeptical.

Ok, I can buy that. But the ANH one sounds out of character.

I myself am naive cuz i can't spell naive

 

Vader knows what's going on. He just asks to make it more clear.

 

Here's my reasoning for the ANH line:

1. we, the audience, don't know what Tarkin means and Vader is asking the question for us

2. the idea of actually destroying a planet didn't occur to Vader first because Anakin is not completely evil

3. Vader is not particularly impressed with the Death Star and doesn't think to use it because he's not a man who hides behind technology and big guns (he prefers to destroy the rebels "ship to ship" and dogfights in his tie fighter rather than sit on the Death Star and let the stormtroopers do all the work)

 

the idea of actually destroying a planet didn't occur to Vader first because Anakin is not completely evil

I like this reason. Vader is also a Force-user, and dark side or no, we have to assume massive destruction of life hurts the Force and him as well. He's obviously not thrilled with the idea of the Death Star, anyway.

I wonder if he knew from the outset it would be intended as a terrorist weapon for destroying entire planets? Maybe the DS had originally been billed as a military tool for use in battles, like at Endor.

 

I just don't think Vader trusts weapons of war to be the end-all of the galaxy. After all, it was the power of the Dark Side of the Force that brought the Republic to the Emperor's feet, not some fancy weapon of destruction.

Whereas Palpy might see them as a great way to maintain control, Vader knows better. Any ship can be destroyed by a hotshot pilot with a little luck (he's seen it done twice). The Force is a much more powerful adversary.

 

Yet Vader will kill whenever he sees fit?

The only reason why I don't think Vader liked the death star is it gave "mortals" a feeling of power. What is the power of deflecting blaster bolts, absorbing blaster fire when compared to the ability to blow up a planet?

I'm sure the destruction of Alderaan fazed him, but I don't think it was as much as it did Ben.

 

The only reason why I don't think Vader liked the death star is it gave "mortals" a feeling of power. What is the power of deflecting blaster bolts, absorbing blaster fire when compared to the ability to blow up a planet?
The ability to control hundreds of Senators who run the Galaxy is much more powerful than the ability to destroy a planet.

 

>The only reason why I don't think Vader liked the death star is it gave "mortals" a feeling of power. What is the power of deflecting blaster bolts, absorbing blaster fire when compared to the ability to blow up a planet?

I like this. I'm sure Darth Vader feels he's earned his power. It's an extention of himself, not some fancy toy he has.

Besides, Vader's interested in bringing order to the galaxy, not blowing it up. Of course he's ready to kill anyone that gets in the way, but he's probably not nearly as gun-happy as the military guys he's surrounded by.

 

I think Vader doesn't see the point in murdering millions of innocents just to find the location of the Rebel base.
Possibly a bit of wounded pride, too. By that time he had interrogated Leia, yes? Vader seems to take pride in what he does; for Tarkin to succeed where he had failed, after giving the "don't-be-too-proud-of-this-technological-terror" lecture would really hurt people's respect for him.

 

"Also, in ROTJ his naievity comes into play again, when he says "HE will come to ME?" to the emperor."


I don't think he's being naive (not knowing what's going), he's just very skeptical of what the Emperor is saying. It doesn't sound believable to Vader, that's all.

 

" Besides, Vader's interested in bringing order to the galaxy, not blowing it up. Of course he's ready to kill anyone that gets in the way, but he's probably not nearly as gun-happy as the military guys he's surrounded by."

Excellent point. The novelizations talk a great deal about Vader's distain for the military as well as Palpatine's small group of personal advisors. Vader clearly sees himself (and rightly) so, as very isolated and alone in the Empire.

"he's just very skeptical of what the Emperor is saying. It doesn't sound believable to Vader, that's all."

Agreed. Luke would seemingly serve the rebellion better by repeating his Death-Star busting routine from ANH, but Luke decides to make this personal, and on the Emperor's home turf, no less. Pretty ballsy, even for a Skywalker (sorry, Leia. )

 

EMPEROR: (sighs deeply, putting his hand over his brow) "Why do i surround myself with morons?"

LOL! Spaceballs reference. Nice! Although, I'm sure we all know that the original dialogue had a different word other than "morons"

 

2. the idea of actually destroying a planet didn't occur to Vader first because Anakin is not completely evil
Vadar asks Tarkin, "What do you mean," in ANH because Tarkin is the administrator. Vadar leaves the thinking and planning to Tarkin, and then carries out his plans.
He isn't quite naive and he doesn't care whose lives will be lost in the process. Remember, until the "I sense something..." line, Vadar has completely repressed any concept of 'Anakin.'

 

i think he was just asking Tarkin to elaborate on his ambiguous statement "...alternative form of persuasion".

 

^True.