Darth Vader is often seen as Darth Sidious’ right-hand man, the Emperor’s second-in-command, in both canon and non-canon depictions.
However, during Star Wars: A New Hope, Darth Vader was seen reporting to Grand Moff Tarkin as his superior.
This scene alone suggests that perhaps Darth Vader was not as powerful as previously thought, and that perhaps there were some within the Empire that outranked him – such as Tarkin.
This has led to great speculation as to who was more powerful out of the two leaders, producing many theories involving the power balance of the Empire.
Here’s what you need to know about Tarkin and Vader’s power balance.
Did Tarkin Outrank Vader?
At a first glance, both Darth Vader and Tarkin appear to at least be equals in terms of power, but in different ways.
However, perhaps Tarkin had more power than we think!
Grand Moff Tarkin primarily ruled over the military aspects of the Death Star – whenever Vader is overruled or combatted by Tarkin, it is usually for strategic or militaristic importance that would benefit the Empire.
Although Darth Vader may be second in command to the Emperor, Tarkin is second in command of the Death Star. This led to Tarkin taking full control of its military operations and holding full power over its actions.
You can find out more about why Vader was so feared here.
The best example of this can be seen through Tarkin’s demonstration of the Death Star on Alderaan to coerce and scare Princess Leia, where Tarkin’s plans for the Princess were put in higher priority than Darth Vader’s.
It is also important to note that Tarkin was a high-ranking Moff, in addition to being a Regional Governor of the Outer Rim and the commander of the Death Star. This can be seen in Star Wars: Rogue One, where Tarkin has total control of all operations on the Death Star in the name of the Emperor.
If we take this into account, alongside interactions during Star Wars: The Clone Wars, there is a high likelihood that Anakin Skywalker held a lot of respect for Tarkin and his ideals, which most likely carried over with Vader.
This could suggest that Vader respected Tarkin’s leadership in regards to the military and was happy to oblige on that front.
Perhaps Tarkin had greater control over the military to ensure that Darth Vader did not consolidate too much power within the Empire.
As Darth Sidious favoured the Rule of One, it would make sense as to why he would like to limit Vader’s strength.
We know that Vader had a deliberately limited extent of power, ranging from the abilities of his cybernetic suit and the loss of limbs as seen at the end of Star Wars: Revenge Of The Sith, so it would make sense to further limit this power by restricting Vader’s access to the Empire’s military power.
Why Did Vader Report To Tarkin?
Darth Vader reported to Tarkin as, in a military sense, he was his superior. Especially in regards to the Death Star, where Tarkin ruled supreme, Vader was required to act through Tarkin to put the Empire’s wishes before his own.
However, although Vader was required to report to Tarkin, that does not necessarily mean that he took orders from Tarkin. In Star Wars: A New Hope, Vader can be seen reporting to Tarkin in regards to Obi-Wan Kenobi’s presence on the Death Star, but also telling Tarkin with authority that he will fight him alone.
This suggests that although Tarkin may have outranked Darth Vader, there is a mutual understanding and even respect between the two that allows more fluidity in their roles and jurisdictions as they are both working to help the Empire and the Emperor.
After all, Vader is an agent of the Emperor, as is Tarkin; and although Vader is not entwined with the ranking system in the Empire, he was still one of its most powerful assets.
This would make it hard for Tarkin to oppose Vader even if he wished to, essentially forcing some partnership to operate.
Regardless, Vader reported to Tarkin as Tarkin officially outranked him, as designed by the Emperor to limit his power within the Empire.
You can find out why Tarkin decided to destroy these 3 planets here.
Are you passionate about Star Wars and want to earn some flexible income?