VILLAIN OF THE DAY: GRAND MOFF TARKIN !

Today's "Villain of the Day" is
GRAND MOFF TARKIN

Imperial Governor.
Grand Moff.
Recognizable Foul Stench.

Tarkin had a reputation as a brutal, cold, and ruthless officer dating to the earliest days of the Empire. A large group of protesters stood on a landing platform directly underneath his transport, protesting the Imperial taxation on the distant planet Ghorman. Tarkin ordered his ship to land anyway, crushing and killing hundreds of Imperial subjects. This incident became known as the "Ghorman Massacre." Rather than punish Tarkin, Emperor Palpatine made him the sector moff for Seswanna, where Eriadu was located. The massacre was the first manifestation of what became known as the Tarkin Doctrine, also known as the "doctrine of fear." Tarkin explained it simply: "Rule through the fear of force, rather than force itself."

The Tarkin Doctrine is a doctrine of state terrorism that its namesake engineered; he was originally responsible for suppressing treasonous activity against the Empire. Rather than spend large amounts of money and resources to bend all the worlds of the Empire to Palpatine's will, the Tarkin Doctrine instead centered around the use of massive displays of force that could be used to discourage and prevent any opposition. It also called for the creation of a superweapon to enforce Imperial order, the result of which was the Death Star. It is cold, efficient, and promotes a understanding of fear, proving to be more powerful than military power alone.

Although Tarkin was killed in the destruction of the first Death Star, the Tarkin Doctrine continued to influence the heartless rulers of the Empire. Palpatine was very attracted to its concepts, and it became the standard operating procedure for the Imperial Navy; among the many superweapons the Empire would develop can be counted the Tarkin battlestation, the Sun Crusher, the Galaxy Gun, and the World Devastators.

"Charming, to the last."