Imperial Commando forthcoming

[Mange]

Karen Traviss has revealed in an interview that the Republic Commando series will be continued in the Imperial Commando series. The author also revealed that a Boba Fett novel is going to be published.

Random House

[Galvatron]

I'm more interested in her forthcoming spread in Playboy.

[Darth Hoth]

Karen Traviss has revealed in an interview that the Republic Commando series will be continued in the Imperial Commando series. The author also revealed that a Boba Fett novel is going to be published.

Random House

NOOOOOOOOO!!![Computer, cell phone and digital camera crushed by uncontrolled Dark Side surge]

[Darth Hoth]

Having recovered somewhat and injected battle stimulants, I am prepared to actually examine what she has to say.

Author Q & A

A Conversation with Karen Traviss

Question: Your new novel, The Clone Wars, is an adaptation of the animated film set for release in August. What's it like to write an adaptation? How do you turn the script into a novel, and do you have any freedom at all in terms of plot and characters?

Karen Traviss: The words "based on" mean just that — in fact, the phrase "very loosely based" would probably comply better with the UK's Trades Descriptions Act!

It's an animated feature film, and this is a novel, so the book can't be the same as the movie; there's already a gulf between what works in movies and what works in books anyway; you have two completely different products. Readers expect (and need) much more complexity and much deeper characterisation, and they're more demanding of plot logic - you have to tweak plots, because what is convincing to people watching a visual spectacle in a cinema very often doesn't work at all in print. And, inevitably, there's only so much movies can ever cover — they can never, ever see inside a character's head like a novel can. They have what's known as an omniscient viewpoint, and my books are all very tight third-person POV. So it's as different as chalk and cheese.

I'm pretty process-driven when I tackle a job like this, so I read the script, noted the main plot points, then worked out how I was going to cover the ground so that it started and ended in the same place as the movie and hit the same plot beats. Then I just...wrote it.

Now that movies are available on DVD, people buy books to get an experience that's different from what they can see on screen. They don't need or want a print version of the movie. They want something extra. It's my job to see they get it.

Much more style than substance there, along with new examples of her smug perceived superiority (A Traviss book with "complexity and deep characterisation"? LMAO! ). What primarily appears to be of consequence is her looking down on the films. Apparently, she does not feel too bound by their content. Is anyone willing to bet against "something extra" being a heavy dose of Fandowank?

Q: The animated film is kicking off the new Clone Wars animated TV series. Does this new series pick up where the old Clone Wars series left off?

KT: No, it doesn't. It covers the same ground, although some of the continuity in the movie has changed from that in the last CW animated series. Because this is such familiar territory to SW fans —- I wanted to give them some things they'd never seen before. So they'll see the characters from a whole new perspective. Jabba, Ventress and Dooku may be a big surprise for some readers, as will some of the droids.

Translation: "I'm gonna piss so hard all over established canon it's not even funny."

Q: Are you going to be involved in the new series–perhaps more novels set in this era of the Star Wars universe?

KT: I'm doing three of the five books from this series, with the other two being written by my good friend Karen Miller. It's a lot of fun to work with a buddy, and especially with someone who has the same take on fiction — that it's about character, character, and more character. We spend hours on the phone having debates about the psychology of the characters — often at weird hours, because she's in Australia and I'm in the UK.

More than likely, we can expect Miller's works to integrate seamlessly with Traviss's, then. This will of course also mean that they will integrate poorly with almost anything else around.

Q: Can you set the stage for us? Where does this novel fit in the Star Wars chronology, and what do readers coming to the book with little or no knowledge of the Clone Wars need to know?

KT: The movie starts soon after the Battle of Geonosis, and Anakin has already been made a Knight -- and then he gets a Padawan he doesn't want. Any reader can pick up the books and dive right in. I believe in making books accessible to the casual reader. You shouldn't have to pass an exam in SW trivia before you can get into a book. And as I say, the power of a story isn't about dates, the length of star destroyers, or lightsaber colours- it's all about the characters. You just sit back and see where they take you...

(Emphasis added)

Translation: "I'm too damn lazy to do my research, this is a polite way of saying so (together with making a crack about the dozen of Talifans out there, of course)."

The next one is easier to comment on if taken apart:

Q: As in your other Star Wars books, you have a real affinity for fleshing out dark characters, getting inside their heads and portraying them as more than stereotypical baddies. Here you get to work with some juicy ones: Darth Sidious, Count Dooku, Jabba the Hutt, and the renegade, Asajj Ventress–not to mention Anakin Skywalker, the future Darth Vader. What is it that draws you to the dark side?

"More than stereotypical baddies"? More LMAO! Does anyone still remember Darth Emo from her part of LotF? Evil for the hell of it and portrayed inconsistently as hell. Well, all right, perhaps schizophrenic villains are not that common in Star Wars...

KT: It's because I'm still a reporter at heart, and therefore I don't take sides; I just present different points of view. It's also because I despise and fear simplistic binary thinking — good or evil, right or wrong, us or them, this dangerous desire for fast and easy answers about complex issues. That thinking is responsible for most of the suffering, bigotry, and violence in this world, and I don't want to add to it. I certainly don't want it in books read by youngsters. Like it or not, fiction subtly shapes how people see the world — trust me on that, I was a journalist and a political spin doctor, so I know it has more power to sway than hard news ever has — and anyone who reads my stuff has to confront the fact that there are at least two sides to any story, and usually many more.

Translation: "I'm an elitist, pseudo-egalitarian, moralist PC twerp with an exaggerated self-image who can't keep from harping on that I'm a "journo" and therefore better than everyone else. I can probably fill a blimp with all the hot air I produce."

The idea that Jedi are all saints and the dark siders are all irredeemably evil doesn't fit with what real people are like, and so it makes for bad fiction, quite apart from being a dangerous mindset for folks to be lulled into.

Translation: "In addition to admitting to having completely missed the point of SW, I reiterate my overinflated view of the importance of the novels I write."

It's not moral relativism; it's simply presenting the facts for the reader to draw their own conclusions. I don't give the answers, and I usually don't have them anyway. I know what I believe in, but I'm also old enough to know that I might need to hear the other guy's point of view too. Because I've had to change my mind about ethical issues a lot in my lifetime. Life just isn't that simple.

Translation: "I'm Fair And Balanced. Fox News should hire me." [Entirely bereft of irony]

Q: There is one other type of character that you seem to really enjoy–and that is the soldier, the grunt. In this book, that role belongs to Clone Captain Rex and Torrent Company of the 501st Legion. How much of your own experiences in the military do you draw on in your portrayals of soldiers like Rex?

KT: I grew up in a naval port in a family where nearly everyone had either been in uniform or had worked in defense at some time. Later in life, I was a defense correspondent, and I was in the reserves for a while. Some of my dearest friends are in uniform, and currently fighting a very bloody war. So, yes, I understand how service personnel think and feel. I also regard it as my duty to tell the truth in fiction, given its power to create stereotypes for good or ill, so I show the fighting man and woman as honestly and as accurately as I can. There's been way too much nonsense peddled in fiction (and the media) over the years about soldiers and how they feel. I respect servicemen and women far too much to give them anything less than a fair portrayal. I have a lot of military readers, and what matters to me more than anything else — absolutely anything - is that I do right by them. They're the people I do this job for.

More bullshitting about her supposed military qualifications. It shall be a sad day indeed when anyone remotely military finds her wanking an accurate portrayal.

Q: Tell us a bit more about Captain Rex. Is he going to be a recurring character in the series?

KT: I'll be using him in my books in the series, yes; I don't know yet if Karen is making much use of him, because we're trying not to cover the same ground. Rex is a good solid commander, learning fast about the outside world he's been thrown into, and — like all the clones — he's learned to find his own private space in his thoughts, a place where he isn't regarded as subhuman and expendable. He's got a bit of an edge to him; and he has a sharp sense of black humour with the banter to match. He likes Anakin and is loyal to him because he sees him as a soldier's soldier — Anakin treats his men with respect, not as droids, and leads from the front. Discipline and loyalty is not the same as blind obedience. When push comes to shove, the 501st are loyal to Anakin, and they go on being loyal to him when he becomes Vader — and you understand exactly why they'd follow him anywhere.

More whining about how unfairly the clones are treated. The specific statements are rather hilarious, though. Vader being a soldiers' general? The same man who chokes his subordinates to death for every perceived slight or failing? And what Jedi, apart from Quinlan Wank, does not "lead from the front"? They all do it with moronic consistency.

The real gem, though: Clones are not blindly obedient! I suppose Traviss did not watch the Battle of Geonosis scene in AotC, where the clones marched straight into the meat grinder on parade like so many clockwork toys. That is not discipline, but suicide. They would fill a canyon with their own bodies if a Jedi told them to.

Rex is a typical soldier; he does heroic things without seeing himself as a hero. He does it for his buddies, not for ideology. He's scared, like any normal human being would be in combat, but he still does the business. And he grieves for his comrades. He's a man like any other.

Anyone who's seen the epic 60s movie ZULU will, I hope, recognise a certain scene and have a quiet smile about the discussion between the clone troopers ...

Q: Ahsoka is a fascinating addition to the Star Wars universe. Anakin is obviously a difficult person to be around, but she gives as good as she gets. Is she going to be a recurring character in the series?

KT: She'll be back in later books. But because her backstory is off limits, there's a limit to what I can do with her. I can't write a character's point of view if I don't know where they've come from. It's absolutely fundamental to my approach to characterisation, which is psych profiling. I'm right inside the character's head when I write; and unless a character has amnesia, they'll be aware of their past and that past will shape every thought and action in the present. (And if they do have amnesia, it's a whole new story!) So I'll only ever be showing Ahsoka in the various ways that others see her. But that works better sometimes than I imagined possible: I've just done another novel for a game where I couldn't use the main character's POV, and it actually helped create the sense of his being a closed book to most people.

This all must be why her characters all feel blandly the same and use the same kind of dark, "gritty" humour. Oh, wait...

I based my characterisation of Ahsoka on the fact that her species — Togrutas - evolved from a cat-like predator, and so I saw her as a carnivore, a hunter, with all a hunter's instincts and sometimes skittish and unpleasantly violent reactions. She's rough around the edges because she's a child, and it's as much Rex as Anakin who helps her mature. As Rex ribs her about her eating habits. Rodent jokes abound.

Wait - a perfect humanoid, except for the head-tails, has evolved from a cat? With human lips, irises, fingers et cetera ad nauseum? Wookiee mentions nothing of this; has she made it up herself, or is it official already? I would not be surprised if it was her idea, but then again she is sadly far from the only example of such rampant stupidity in the franchise, merely the worst.

Q: One of the elements of this novel that I really enjoyed was seeing the bond between Anakin, Rex, and the other soldiers of Torrent Company–a bond forged in battle and strengthened by loyalty and trust. Anakin, unlike many others, sees the clones as human beings and treats them as such. He even sees machines as more than just lifeless automatons. Normally we think of empathy as a virtue, but sometimes it seems to me that Anakin feels too much, that his powerful empathy is as much a curse as a blessing.

KT: Yes, Anakin fell because he loved too much. He's passionate and compassionate, but he's also had so much taken from him that he's damaged and dangerously afraid of loss. That makes him ripe for manipulation by Palpatine, the greatest psy-ops maven and spin doc of all time. Anakin has been messed up and treated badly, and as Dooku says in the book, the Jedi make their own nemesis there.

A Jedi with that much empathy is also a dangerous threat to the Yoda school of thought, even if he never turns dark. Empathy makes you question everything. And after centuries of having things his way, Yoda's not up for gut-level back-to-basics questioning like that. He's great on the philosophical theory of compassion, but lousy on its day-to-day application to flesh and blood beings — like so many in the real world who talk a good game about decency and morality but never practice it.

Yoda has no compassion? The guy who negotiated a truce with the Witches of Dathomir and pardoned multiple-counts murderer Quinlan Vos merely because he repented? The guy who has such rapport with the Jedi children? I am beginning to run out of LMAOs. He does come across that way in one instance in RotS, yes, but this hardly warrants such an off-hand sweeping generalisation.

Q: What other projects are you working on, both Star Wars—related and in your own fictional universe?

KT: I'm concentrating wholly on military and political fiction for the foreseeable future. I'm having a wonderful time working on Gears of War, which is a profoundly intelligent and well-created universe about a squad of soldiers in a post-apocalyptic world — yes, there are chainsaw rifles, but it's also very smart stuff - and I'm continuing the Republic Commando series in Imperial Commando books. There are a few other SW books in the pipeline too, including a Boba Fett one. In my creator-owned work, I'm writing a political thriller series about mercenaries, set in the very near future . I'll also be doing some comics work, which is something I've wanted to do for a long time. So, no vacation for a few years....or sleep....!

Oh, poor, poor Expanded Universe...

[Darth Culator]

I'm more interested in her forthcoming spread in Playboy.

You're going to hell for that, you know. If nothing else, just for that. It's that evil.

[Swindle1984]

Oh joy, now she's going to piss all over one of my favorite movies (Zulu) with a "tribute" (read: direct rip-off) that, in all likelihood, will entirely miss the actual point of the scene she's copying.

Would somebody PLEASE fuck-start that woman's head?

[Karmic Knight]

Oh, poor, poor Expanded Universe...

Today is a sad day for an EU fan.

[skies]

Arrogant, clueless, self-satisfied, dumps on continuity... good lord, she's the Brannon Braga of SW.

[PainRack]

Just to play devil advocate, some of what she does say "is" true from a certain point of view.

Yoda school of though which tries to divorce "normal" and natural emotions in favour for discipline is unnatural. Of course, the truth remains, Vader turned dark not because he was empathic. It was because he was a selfish bastard who suffered a great loss and refused to let anything hurt him that way again, while not understanding how his very actions are hurting the ones he claims to love.

Furthermore, there is a trend to treat clones as expendable by the non clone commanders, and Anakin and Obiwan were part of those who led the movement to "humanise" clone commanders. Of course, in this, they were joined by the majority of Jedi, indeed, Obiwan revulsion at them being called "units" and "products" clearly shows that the Jedi don't see them as being inhuman objects.

Frankly, I won't mind if she does create a book accessible to the casual reader and focuses on the characters. The problem is......... she doesn't. The later novels she wrote are utterly inaccessible even to the hardcore fan, requiring DEEP research into the Mando language and Fettwank.

[Vympel]

KT: It's because I'm still a reporter at heart, and therefore I don't take sides; I just present different points of view. It's also because I despise and fear simplistic binary thinking — good or evil, right or wrong, us or them, this dangerous desire for fast and easy answers about complex issues. That thinking is responsible for most of the suffering, bigotry, and violence in this world, and I don't want to add to it. I certainly don't want it in books read by youngsters. Like it or not, fiction subtly shapes how people see the world — trust me on that, I was a journalist and a political spin doctor, so I know it has more power to sway than hard news ever has — and anyone who reads my stuff has to confront the fact that there are at least two sides to any story, and usually many more.

Oh yes, because her pathetically received recent LotF novel didn't take sides at all. Oh no.

[TK-984]

Fuck, I'd rather have an Imperial Commando game. Republic Commando was fun as hell. I personally don't have a huge problem with Traviss, but Imperial Commandos uttering Mando really, REALLY does not rest well with me.

(also, hope she doesn't cause the need to retcon these guys: http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Imperial_commandos)

[CDiehl]

Yes, Anakin fell because he loved too much.

God, she's a fucking idiot. Does she really think ANakin became a Sith lord to help Padme? He didn't give a shit about her. He sided with Palpatine because Palpatine offered him what he really wanted, power. All he cared about was being the most powerful Force-user in existence. Hell, when Padme confronted him on Mustafar, Mr. Chosen One here couldn't be bothered to read her thoughts, which would have revealed she was as surprised to see Obi-Wan there as he was. He just jumped right to assuming she tricked him and choked her.

He's passionate and compassionate

Oh yes, he's so compassionate that he murdered younglings to suck up to Palpatine so he could have power. He knew damn well that the Jedi weren't plotting against the Republic, and that the younglings definitely weren't, but he went over and killed them anyway. He was so compassionate, he eagerly hunted the Jedi across the galaxy, knowing they did nothing wrong, and massacred them in the name of the man who started a galactic war just so he could seize power. He was so noble and wonderful that he stood by and let Tarkin waste an entire planet full of innocent people without a word of protest. He cared so much he tortured Han Solo to draw Luke out, then handed him over to Boba Fett, knowing he'd take him to Jabba to have who-knows-what done to him. The only half-decent thing we see him do in the OT is saving Luke, but I'd bet if Luke wasn't his son, he'd have let Palpatine fry him without lifting a finger.

[Darth Hoth]

Yes, Anakin fell because he loved too much.

God, she's a fucking idiot. Does she really think ANakin became a Sith lord to help Padme? He didn't give a shit about her. He sided with Palpatine because Palpatine offered him what he really wanted, power. All he cared about was being the most powerful Force-user in existence. Hell, when Padme confronted him on Mustafar, Mr. Chosen One here couldn't be bothered to read her thoughts, which would have revealed she was as surprised to see Obi-Wan there as he was. He just jumped right to assuming she tricked him and choked her.

I should think it is safe to say that Anakin's fall was because of his feelings for her. However, those where not healthy love, but obsession and possessiveness. With that, and his quasi-schizophrenic megalomania/paranoia, I would not be surprised if, given time, he would turn out to be an abusive husband. So yes, she is still an idiot.

He's passionate and compassionate

Oh yes, he's so compassionate that he murdered younglings to suck up to Palpatine so he could have power.

Indeed.

He knew damn well that the Jedi weren't plotting against the Republic, and that the younglings definitely weren't, but he went over and killed them anyway. He was so compassionate, he eagerly hunted the Jedi across the galaxy, knowing they did nothing wrong, and massacred them in the name of the man who started a galactic war just so he could seize power.

In point of fact, no; he hunted them down because he was ordered to do so by legitimate authority, because he genuinely believed (and justifiedly, at that) that Windu and the Council did indeed try to coup the Republic, and that he genuinely believed (again, with justification) that unless they were wiped out, they would throw the Empire into a devastating civil war. Whatever one's opinion of Skywalker/Vader is (and mine, assuredly, is a low one), one cannot readily fault his larger reasoning there.

The murder of the Younglings, however, was a war crime, and thus unforgivable, given that they were unarmed and helpless. The Jedi did train them as child soldiers, but in this case that is beside the point.

He was so noble and wonderful that he stood by and let Tarkin waste an entire planet full of innocent people without a word of protest.

Untrue: Vader's objection to Tarkin's orders were noted, though overruled, in the official radio dramatisation. However, Tarkin being his superior, he could not take matters into his own hands.

He cared so much he tortured Han Solo to draw Luke out, then handed him over to Boba Fett, knowing he'd take him to Jabba to have who-knows-what done to him.

Solo was a criminal, and frankly there is no reason why Vader would not turn him over (the rough equivalent of a deportation, perhaps, given the Hutt Clans' quasi-independence within the Imperial structure). The torture is, of course, not so easily defended.

The only half-decent thing we see him do in the OT is saving Luke, but I'd bet if Luke wasn't his son, he'd have let Palpatine fry him without lifting a finger.

Exactly; this is Vader in a nutshell. A martinet, cowering before his superiors but punishing his underlings with extreme harshness for the slightest infraction, whatever mercy he can feel being a matter of personal attachment rather than general principle. He overall obeys the law, though he takes full advantage of the privileged position it confers him. These traits allow him to thrive in the authoritarian environment that is the Empire.

So, although the specific examples are not always correct, yes, Traviss is still an idiot.

[Illuminatus Primus]

Her wannabe faux-journalistic credentials and pretentions of profundity and professionalism are by far the most irritating and disgusting things about her.

[Tiriol]

He was so noble and wonderful that he stood by and let Tarkin waste an entire planet full of innocent people without a word of protest.

Untrue: Vader's objection to Tarkin's orders were noted, though overruled, in the official radio dramatisation. However, Tarkin being his superior, he could not take matters into his own hands.

Actually, the Death Star novel states that

a) Tarkin was definetely not Vader's superior. The Dark Lord was not part of the military hierarchy but rather the Emperor's direct free agent. It was made clear that he only humored Tarkin (and Tarkin also knew that Vader was in the position to remove him should the Dark Lord suspect him of anything). The two shared respect for each other (not a fond one, certainly) and Vader didn't have any particular need to go against Tarkin. Tarkin even asked whether Vader approved of his decision to destroy Alderaan (although he had already contacted the Emperor about it).

and b) Vader didn't offer much of a protestation to Alderaan's fate when Tarkin told him about it, although he apparently didn't have much enthusiasm for it, either.

About Ms. Traviss:

her glorification of the violent mercenary and quasi-Spartan culture of the Mandalorians continues to grate on my nerves and as such I fear that she will include that in the up-coming work. Furthermore, even though I and member Darth Hoth have our differences in opinion about the Jedi Order, his objections to the Order are based on facts; hers, on the other hand, seem to be built upon the fact that the Jedi have a history of defeating Mandalorians time after time. Calling the Jedi "spoon-benders" is nothing short of spiteful, especially since the Force powers are an objective and very much real pheomenon of the Star Wars universe (whereas the psychics and mystics of our world have the track record of being frauds, mentally unstable or overly gullible) and considerably powerful ones at that. I do not trust her to portray the Clone Wars in any meaningful manner; I do not trust her to keep within the novelization's bounds; and most certainly I do not trust her to do her research (which will lead to her creating material that conflicts with other sources).

In short, I'm not looking forward to this.

[Illuminatus Primus]

Neither were each other's clear superior. Vader was aboard the Death Star as Palpatine's personal representative and favorite, but he was to abstain from deliberate interference on Tarkin's turf. He was not there to command Tarkin, only to supervise and liase with him. Killing members of his command staff certainly qualifies as turf-stomping.

[Big Phil]

How well do Karen Traviss' books sell? Anybody know?

[Sarevok]

"Scorch get me an explosive solution !"

"Deltas, stand by for radical renovations..."

Damn it. I was expecting it to be announcement for the sequel to Republic Commando video games not same lame Traviss book.

[Darth Hoth]

Actually, the Death Star novel states that

a) Tarkin was definetely not Vader's superior. The Dark Lord was not part of the military hierarchy but rather the Emperor's direct free agent. It was made clear that he only humored Tarkin (and Tarkin also knew that Vader was in the position to remove him should the Dark Lord suspect him of anything). The two shared respect for each other (not a fond one, certainly) and Vader didn't have any particular need to go against Tarkin. Tarkin even asked whether Vader approved of his decision to destroy Alderaan (although he had already contacted the Emperor about it).

and b) Vader didn't offer much of a protestation to Alderaan's fate when Tarkin told him about it, although he apparently didn't have much enthusiasm for it, either.

Illuminatus dealt with objection a, I believe. As for b, is that not going against the radio drama, a higher-canon source? Could you post a full quote?

[Tiriol]

Neither were each other's clear superior. Vader was aboard the Death Star as Palpatine's personal representative and favorite, but he was to abstain from deliberate interference on Tarkin's turf. He was not there to command Tarkin, only to supervise and liase with him. Killing members of his command staff certainly qualifies as turf-stomping.

Nor did I mean to imply that the Dark Lord would be superior to Tarkin (although Tarkin had fears that Vader could, given a reason, remove him from office permanently after a scandalous sabotage). If it came out as I'd say so, I have expressed myself poorly and apologize.

Illuminatus dealt with objection a, I believe. As for b, is that not going against the radio drama, a higher-canon source? Could you post a full quote?

Certainly.

"What do you mean?" Vader said.
"I think it's time we demonstrated the full power of this station." He looked back at his officer. "Set your course for Alderaan."
The man mumbled something and left, but Tarkin was already thinking ahaid. If Princess Leia Organa was a thorn in the Empire's side, then Alderaan was a forest of thorns.
Well, it was time to purge that forest. With fire.
Tagge started to say something but apparently thought better of it. Tarkin smiled almost benignly and said, "I understand your concerns, General. Rest assured I've spoken with Emperor Palpatine recently about demonstrating his battle station's range and strength. He has assured me that I have full rein to do so." He looked at Vader. "You disapprove, Lord Vader?"
"Not at all, Governor."

I had misremembered one crucial detail - Tarkin didn't specifically ask his Emperor to give authorization to destroy Alderaan, but rather he was given free rein to test it in whatever manner he would deem fit.

[Darth Hoth]

I see. The relevant quote from the radio drama, then. Vader has just reported on his failure to extract the location of the main Rebel base from Princess Leia, with Tarkin suggesting an alternate approach:

TARKIN: You see, Vader? Our third parties, whom we'll threaten, are the entire population of her home planet.

VADER: Alderaan is one of the foremost of the inner systems. The Emperor should be consulted.

TARKIN: Do not think to challenge me! You're not confronting Tagge or Motti now! The Emperor has placed me in charge of this affair with a free hand, and the decision is mine! And you will have your information that much sooner.

As can be seen, this version is quite different. Vader obviously cautions against the destruction of Alderaan and suggests that the Emperor should be given final say. Which likely would not result in approval, given the great effort that the Empire put up later on to conceal the deed or divert blame for it. Tarkin's policy of blowing up a major Core World in order to facilitate a climate for "ruling by fear" was clearly not supported by the Imperial government, and Vader attempted as best he could (without stepping out of line) to stall it. However, he could not interfere with the disastrously broad perimeters that Palpatine somewhat naïvely had set for the Grand Moff's authority, and his efforts were beaten down.

[Illuminatus Primus]

The big issue here is that Tarkin clearly has the legal and administrative authority to destroy Alderaan. Vader thinks that they should consult Palpatine ANYWAY, but its clear that Tarkin's able to have his way because he technically doesn't have to. This is why TNOiP assigns Tarkin as the HIM Plenipotentiary for the Suppression of Rebellion and Insurrection. Its clear here that Palpatine gave him legal role to act as his direct deputy in issues of coordinating and directing policy of the Imperial State against the Rebellion. It seems that Vader likely succeeded to this responsibility after Tarkin's death, in conjunction with his tenure as Supreme Commander.

[Joe Momma]

He's passionate and compassionate

Oh yes, he's so compassionate that he murdered younglings

No, he didn't. He secretly smuggled them out of the temple and sent them to join the young Boba Fett so they could renounce the evil and inferior Jedi way by becoming Mando warriors. They go on to demonstrate their honorable ways by selling themselves as mercs and enforcers to mob bosses and warlords whilst occasionally celebrating Mando heritage of eras past by indulging in pillaging runs where they murder helpless farmers.

One of them even stops the evil Empire in a never-before-revealed sequence of events. It was one of Fett's disciples, hiding out as a commando and assassin on the Death Star II that helped Vader throw Palpatine into the Death Star reactor (you just couldn't see him before because he standing behind Vader, helping him lift his arms with Palpatine in hand). This Mando warrior even helps Luke get Vader to the shuttle, but Luke then kills him to keep all the credit. Poor innocent Anakin is unconscious during all of this and thus never learns what an evil, despicable monster his son is or how Luke's perfidy keeps the Mandos from assuming their place as the true heroes of the Rebellion.

All of this and more in "Fellating Fett", coming to your local bookstore soon and promising to be the "sloppy mandblowjob fanwank hagiography" that undiscriminating fanboys have demanded!

[Pelranius]

The big issue here is that Tarkin clearly has the legal and administrative authority to destroy Alderaan. Vader thinks that they should consult Palpatine ANYWAY, but its clear that Tarkin's able to have his way because he technically doesn't have to. This is why TNOiP assigns Tarkin as the HIM Plenipotentiary for the Suppression of Rebellion and Insurrection. Its clear here that Palpatine gave him legal role to act as his direct deputy in issues of coordinating and directing policy of the Imperial State against the Rebellion. It seems that Vader likely succeeded to this responsibility after Tarkin's death, in conjunction with his tenure as Supreme Commander.

What canonical sources state that Tarkin had any powers beyond that of being Grand Moff of the Outer Rim?

[Darth Hoth]

The big issue here is that Tarkin clearly has the legal and administrative authority to destroy Alderaan. Vader thinks that they should consult Palpatine ANYWAY, but its clear that Tarkin's able to have his way because he technically doesn't have to. This is why TNOiP assigns Tarkin as the HIM Plenipotentiary for the Suppression of Rebellion and Insurrection. Its clear here that Palpatine gave him legal role to act as his direct deputy in issues of coordinating and directing policy of the Imperial State against the Rebellion. It seems that Vader likely succeeded to this responsibility after Tarkin's death, in conjunction with his tenure as Supreme Commander.

What canonical sources state that Tarkin had any powers beyond that of being Grand Moff of the Outer Rim?

As far as I know, Palpatine gave him extraordinary powers, something supported by the radio drama, Death Star &c. It is a matter of interpretation how far those should be taken to have stretched.