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Star Words: Episode IV, Part 26
Sep. 12th, 2019 02:06 pmWe'll get back to the wacky hijinks in the prison block, but first we have a brief interlude with Vader and Tarkin. As always, I'm struck by the facile editing that keeps the pacing fast but not so rushed that we have no time to breathe. I tend to forget the little quiet moments like this when I'm thinking of the next line to cover. But this is a very intriguing scene for all its brevity.
Vader knows Obi-Wan is on the Death Star; he sensed his presence immediately. He says as much to Tarkin, but the Grand Moff doubts. Surely he must be dead by now. Nute Gunray says something very similar when they attempt to poison the Jedi ambassadors. Such assumptions are, as Vader retorts, an underestimation of the powers of the Force. Tarkin remains unconvinced.
"The Jedi are extinct. Their fire has gone out of the universe. You, my friend, are all that's left of their religion."
I'm very interested in his particular word choice here. Why the fire metaphor? Did he seem them as a destructive flame needing to be extinguished? Fire can be a great tool, but if uncontrolled, it is ruthless. Perhaps that was the problem, as Tarkin saw it -- the Jedi would not be controlled.
There are skeptics among the Imperial officers, as we see in the "lack of faith" scene, but I don't think Tarkin is one of them. He's present at the end of Episode III, and he's old enough that we can reasonably assume he held some sort of leadership role in the latter days of the old Republic. He would have seen the Jedi at the height of their powers. And he would have witnessed their fall and the rise of the Empire. I doubt he's simply a political opportunist who claims allegiance to whoever happens to be in charge -- when he speaks about ruling by fear, you get the sense that he truly adheres to the tyrannical precepts of the Emperor's reign.
Then he calls Vader friend. I've always wondered what exactly is the nature of their relationship. In later installments, Vader answers to no one but the Emperor. Here, he seems to be under Tarkin's command to one degree or another. I could speculate all sorts of reasons why this is the case, but it certainly shows that Tarkin has attained a great deal of authority and influence.
How much does he know about Vader?
He refers to him as the only one left of "their religion," so he must know that he's a former Jedi. Did he ever encounter Anakin before his fall? I believe that's touched upon in the Clone Wars cartoon, though I never followed it closely. Tarkin doesn't seem like the sort of person Anakin would like very much....but it's possible he had a way of ingratiating himself much like Palpatine did. Whether or not Tarkin knows the full extent of Vader's history, he seems more familiar with it than the average Imperial. Basically, there's a wealth of opportunity for fan fiction here.
Next we return to our intrepid heroes and those blaster-bolt one-liners....
Vader knows Obi-Wan is on the Death Star; he sensed his presence immediately. He says as much to Tarkin, but the Grand Moff doubts. Surely he must be dead by now. Nute Gunray says something very similar when they attempt to poison the Jedi ambassadors. Such assumptions are, as Vader retorts, an underestimation of the powers of the Force. Tarkin remains unconvinced.
"The Jedi are extinct. Their fire has gone out of the universe. You, my friend, are all that's left of their religion."
I'm very interested in his particular word choice here. Why the fire metaphor? Did he seem them as a destructive flame needing to be extinguished? Fire can be a great tool, but if uncontrolled, it is ruthless. Perhaps that was the problem, as Tarkin saw it -- the Jedi would not be controlled.
There are skeptics among the Imperial officers, as we see in the "lack of faith" scene, but I don't think Tarkin is one of them. He's present at the end of Episode III, and he's old enough that we can reasonably assume he held some sort of leadership role in the latter days of the old Republic. He would have seen the Jedi at the height of their powers. And he would have witnessed their fall and the rise of the Empire. I doubt he's simply a political opportunist who claims allegiance to whoever happens to be in charge -- when he speaks about ruling by fear, you get the sense that he truly adheres to the tyrannical precepts of the Emperor's reign.
Then he calls Vader friend. I've always wondered what exactly is the nature of their relationship. In later installments, Vader answers to no one but the Emperor. Here, he seems to be under Tarkin's command to one degree or another. I could speculate all sorts of reasons why this is the case, but it certainly shows that Tarkin has attained a great deal of authority and influence.
How much does he know about Vader?
He refers to him as the only one left of "their religion," so he must know that he's a former Jedi. Did he ever encounter Anakin before his fall? I believe that's touched upon in the Clone Wars cartoon, though I never followed it closely. Tarkin doesn't seem like the sort of person Anakin would like very much....but it's possible he had a way of ingratiating himself much like Palpatine did. Whether or not Tarkin knows the full extent of Vader's history, he seems more familiar with it than the average Imperial. Basically, there's a wealth of opportunity for fan fiction here.
Next we return to our intrepid heroes and those blaster-bolt one-liners....
