Wilhuff Tarkin

Wilhuff Tarkin was an Eriaduan bureaucrat, military officer, and politician whose career spanned the waning years of the Galactic Republic into the Imperial Era. A member of Eriadu's prominent Tarkin family, the man served the Republic's Judicial Department before returning to his homeworld to serve as its governor. When the Clone Wars began between the Republic and its splinter state, the Confederacy of Independent Systems, Tarkin enlisted in the Republic Navy. He served under Jedi General Even Piell until his death on Lola Sayu, where the two were held as prisoners by the Confederacy for having memorized half of the Nexus Route. Saved by a Jedi-led rescue team, Tarkin grew to respect Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, who agreed with the captain's belief that the Jedi Code conflicted with their wartime duties.

Tarkin staunchly opposed the Jedi Order's role as leaders in the Grand Army of the Republic, believing that peacekeepers should not direct the Republic war effort. A favorite of Supreme Chancellor Sheev Palpatine, Tarkin served on the Strategic Advisory Cell and was promoted to the rank of admiral. Less than a year after his promotion, Tarkin led the military's investigation into the bombing of the Jedi Temple. At the conclusion of the investigation, Tarkin was promoted to Adjutant General of the Grand Army of the Republic, allowing him to act as the prosecutor in the trial of Ahsoka Tano, accusing her of treason. Tarkin continued to rise in power with the proclamation of a new regime, the Galactic Empire, ruled by the self-appointed Emperor Palpatine.

Joining the ranks of the New Order's regional governors, Tarkin oversaw the needs of the new Imperial Army and, alongside Vice Admiral Edmon Rampart, administered Project War-Mantle to transition the clone trooper army into an army of conscripted soldiers. As the Empire's first Grand Moff, he oversaw the Outer Rim Territories and was involved in the secret construction of the DS-1 Death Star Mobile Battle Station. By then, Tarkin was seen as the third member of the unofficial triumvirate that led the Empire, including the Emperor himself and Darth Vader, whom he once knew as Anakin Skywalker. As provincial administrator of the regions of space along the galactic frontier, Grand Moff Tarkin sought to enforce Imperial rule on restive worlds such as Lothal, where rebel cells grew increasingly bold in their opposition to the Empire.

A proponent of the doctrine of fear, Grand Moff Tarkin believed that the Death Star battle station and its planet-killing superweapon would terrify the galaxy into total submission. At his command, the Death Star destroyed Alderaan, instantly killing billions of Alderaanians. He was confident in wiping out the Rebellion by targeting their headquarters on Yavin 4, but he perished when the Death Star was destroyed by Luke Skywalker at the Battle of Yavin. As a result, Tarkin's memory was tarnished in the views of some Imperial officers, such as Grand General Cassio Tagge, who referred to the Death Star as "Tarkin's folly." The First Order, having risen to power as the old Empire's successor opposing the New Republic, commemorated the Grand Moff in an effort to portray Imperial leaders in a more heroic light.

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