Alderaan--not a planet of traitors

[Simon_Jester]

Vader was standing literally right there when Tarkin gave the order- presumably Palpatine had given Tarkin enough authority to decide to destroy Alderaan specifically, if not just whatever planets he wanted.

Alderaan isn't vital to the Imperial military-industrial complex, is politically annoying to the Empire... you know what? I bet the Emperor just said "you have an open hunting license on the planets that are already on my shit list. Blow up any other planets and you die horribly."

[Havok]

Palpatine initiated a galaxy wide war. Why would he care if Tarkin blew up any planet as long as he wasn't on it?

[FaxModem1]

Palpatine initiated a galaxy wide war. Why would he care if Tarkin blew up any planet as long as he wasn't on it?

Presumably, so he wouldn't have to deal with the shit-storm of everyone reacting to how much of a loose cannon Tarkin and the Death Star is. It's like if there was an American dictator, and one of his generals nuked Philadelphia. There would suddenly be a lot of people calling out for blood. He wouldn't care about the people killed, but it would give him trouble he didn't need.

[Captain Seafort]

It's like if there was an American dictator, and one of his generals nuked Philadelphia. There would suddenly be a lot of people calling out for blood.

If someone nuked Philadelphia, would you really want to so much as look cross-eyed at them?

[Havok]

For fucking real.

"Hey this douchebag just blew up Alderaan! Lets go get him!"

Man, it's like people just not only miss the point sometimes, but don't even realize there is one to miss.

[FaxModem1]

I'd be wondering if my town was next, and since it came out of nowhere, I'd assume there's a mad man involved. We're not talking getting rid of rebel spies or insurgents or whatever, we're talking completely random blowing up of a major place, for no justifiable reason.

Heck, isn't that why the Mon Calamari joined up in the first place?

[amigocabal]

Palpatine initiated a galaxy wide war. Why would he care if Tarkin blew up any planet as long as he wasn't on it?

Because it was his Death Star, with a one-of-a-kind superweapon. You don't plot for well over a decade to take over the galaxy and build a moon-sized space station capable of delivering an Earth-shattering kaboom just so that some lackey who would not know the Force from a bad acid trip can blow up planets behind your back. At the very least, you decide which planets get blown up.

[Connor MacLeod]

Well baring any EU garbage, and my bad memory of the ANH Novelization, Tarken clearly came up with the idea on his own. I seems clear he had the authority to use the DS as he saw fit. He also clearly was out to make a statement as he referred to "an effective demonstration" in regards to Alderaan vs Dantooine. Someone important was gonna get toasted, that much is certain.

Honestly, even obliterating Coruscant, ignoring for the sake of argument, the galactic government being centered there, would have been only a minor drop in the bucket as far as population goes in the entire galaxy.

From my equally bad memory of the Radio drama, you're kind of right, although I think one of Tarkin's advisors (Motti, I think?) was pushing Tarkin towards eventual treason, and this action was just one step on that road (he starts taking action without consulting the Emperor, etc.) Hell I think Vader even said 'we should consult the Emperor.." or something along that line.

Not that I think Palpy would have given a crap if they'd blown up Alderaan.

Palpatine initiated a galaxy wide war. Why would he care if Tarkin blew up any planet as long as he wasn't on it?

Hypermatter doesn't just grow on trees, ya know. how many trillions of credits does that deprive him of for Evil Sith Scientist plotting if he keeps having to refuel the damn thing every three planets? Not to mention all the wear and tear on hyperdrive hauling that giant testicle across the galaxy and back... He's a galactic emperor but he's not made of money dammit!