What did the Empire do with the Tantive?

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2005-06-16 07:58pm

The ship served for over twenty years as a transport for the Royal Family of Alderaan, carried Senator Bail Organa and his daughter after him on various missions for the Senate and Alderaan.

In ANH, the Stardestroyer Devistator captures and boards her and many Alderanian troops were taken prisoner along with the Princese of Alderaan.

Lord Vader orders the Imperial officer to 'send a distress signal and inform the Senate that all aboard were killed.' So what happened to the ship? If Alderaan bought the whole 'all were killed' bit, did they try to get the Tantive out of impound before the Deathstar showed up?

Was she taken to a ship yard and dismantled and decommissioned? Or did the SD just release her and blast her to pieces for shits and giggles after they caught Leia?

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2005-06-16 08:00pm

They probably blasted it. Make up a story about political opponents of the Alderaan political family carrying out an assassination attempt. Or hell, leave it unexplained. I mean they destroyed Alderaan to make a point... what's one crummy little transport ship?

Techno_Union · Post by **Techno_Union** » 2005-06-16 08:20pm

I remember some book saying that they simply destroyed it.

Admiral Bravo · Post by **Admiral Bravo** » 2005-06-16 08:25pm

The Essential Guide states that it was destroyed. It didn't say why but it did mention that Vader said it was destroyed in a deep space accident to cover up it's actual fate.

HemlockGrey · Post by **HemlockGrey** » 2005-06-16 09:05pm

Er....why bother? I mean, they blow up the whole fucking planet just a short time later, why do they concern themselves with having a cover story for the Tantive?

Stofsk · Post by **Stofsk** » 2005-06-16 09:09pm

HemlockGrey wrote:Er....why bother? I mean, they blow up the whole fucking planet just a short time later, why do they concern themselves with having a cover story for the Tantive?

It's in the movie. Vader tells a commander to send a distress signal, then inform the senate all aboard were killed. This requires a cover story of some kind. At that point, Alderaan was still spinning and the Senate was still convening. Vader didn't know both were about to become defunct in a few days/hours time.

Trooper TK12746 · Post by **Trooper TK12746** » 2005-06-16 09:53pm

Given Leia's escape and survival, the whole cover story is blown anyway.

Quadlok · Post by **Quadlok** » 2005-06-16 10:29pm

The novelisation says that the Tantive is to be blown to bits after being thoroughly searched. It also expands on the cover story, saying that a hail of meteorites hulled the Tantive to such extent that it lost all atmosphere. Not real believable, if you ask me.

Knife · Post by **Knife** » 2005-06-16 10:31pm

Admiral Bravo wrote:The Essential Guide states that it was destroyed. It didn't say why but it did mention that Vader said it was destroyed in a deep space accident to cover up it's actual fate.

Hmm, you'd assume that they might take it back to some base or port and pick it apart or something, looking for intell. Maybe not, perhaps having it still exsist might have been inflamatory if the Senate was still around or still inflamatory for ex-Senators and their worlds.

Molyneux · Post by **Molyneux** » 2005-06-17 01:57am

Farewell, Tantive IV...y'were a good ship, with a snazzy design and lots of cool glowy things onboard. We'll miss you.

*plays Taps*

Trooper TK12746 · Post by **Trooper TK12746** » 2005-06-17 08:08am

The Tantive was a slightly modified Corellian Corvette, nothing particularly interesting about it other than it was Leia's personal ship. And the Empire wanted to recover the DS plans and learn the location of the rebel base, which only (on the ship) Leia appeared to know. They would have no reason to try and continue picking it apart.

Cal Wright · Post by **Cal Wright** » 2005-06-17 10:42am

Essential Guide, I believe the ANH novelisation states it was to be destroyed, and even the radio drama makes some mention. It could also be implied that Vader wanted as such with his command about all aboard being killed.

Trooper TK12746 · Post by **Trooper TK12746** » 2005-06-17 11:00am

Does the Tantive IV have any appearances other than ROTS and ANH (including in the EU)?

Elheru Aran · Post by **Elheru Aran** » 2005-06-17 03:11pm

Trooper TK12746 wrote:Does the Tantive IV have any appearances other than ROTS and ANH (including in the EU)?

There are a few Corellian Corvettes in ROTJ, but I doubt those are what you're thinking of. As for the ship itself, unsure. Probably it'll get some mention in the upcoming post-ROTS, pre-ANH EU though.

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2005-06-17 03:56pm

Changed the VI numbers and put up for the sheriff's auction, perhaps?

wilfulton · Post by **wilfulton** » 2005-06-17 09:20pm

Tantive IV paperweights maybe?

Authentic fragments of the ship used by the rebellion to strike against the new Imperial Order?

Own an authentic piece of history, limited edition offer?

Hell merchandising is where it's at!

Trooper TK12746 · Post by **Trooper TK12746** » 2005-06-18 10:56am

I doubt it, most of it probably ended up as a heavy turbolaser turret on some newly built ISD.