Name: Captain Wilhuff Tarkin (as of The Clone Wars)
Homeworld: Eriadu
Born: 64 BBY, Eriadu
Died: 0 BBY, Death Star, Yavin system
Species: Human
Gender: Male
Height: 1.82 meters
Hair color: Auburn
Eye color: Gray-blue
Skin color: Light
MOVE - 10
DEXTERITY: 3D
Blaster: 5D
Dodge: 6D+1
Melee Combat: 4D+2
Melee Parry: 5D=1
PERCEPTION: 3D+1
Bargain: 6D
Command: 8D
Con: 5D
Gambling: 5D
Search: 5D
KNOWLEDGE: 4D
Alien Species: 6D
Bereaucracy: 8D
Cultures: 6D
Intimidation: 5D+2
Languages: 5D+1
Law Enforcement: 5D
Planetary Systems: 5D
Tactics: 5D
Tactics; Fleets: 8D
Tactics; Sieges: 7D
Value: 5D
STRENGTH: 2D
Brawling: 4D+1
Stamina: 5D
Swimming: 5D
MECHANICAL: 3D+2
Astrogation: 5D
Beast Riding: 5D
Capital Ship Gunnery: 4D
Capital Ship Piloting: 5D
Capital Ship Shields: 4D+1
Repulsorlift Operation: 3D+1
Space Transports: 4D+1
Starship Gunnery: 4D
Starship Shields: 4D+1
TECHNICAL: 2D
Computer Programming/Repair: 3D
First Aid: 3D
Repulsorlift Repair: 5D+1
Security: 5D
EQUIPMENT
Credits: Vast Personal Wealth
Republic Officers Uniform, Comlink, (rarely) DC-17 hand blaster (4D)
FORCE SENSITIVE - N
FORCE POINTS 3
DARK SIDE POINTS 0
CHARACTER POINTS 10
Description: Wilhuff Tarkin was a human male who served the Galactic Republic and later the Galactic Empire. During the Clone Wars, Tarkin served as a Republic captain under Jedi Master Even Piell and was taken prisoner by the Confederacy of Independent Systems, before escaping with the help of a Jedi and clone trooper strike team. During the incident Piell was killed and Tarkin was later promoted to Admiral and served as prosecutor in the trial of Ahsoka Tano, who was framed for the bombing of the Jedi Temple hangar.
Biography
Early life
Wilhuff Tarkin was born on the planet Eriadu into the wealthy Tarkin family. He lived with his family in the family compound, where the Tarkins had lived for over a millennium. Wilhuff's father and mother taught him that Eriadu hadn't always been the safe environment that it seemedâ€â€the entire planet had once been an untamed wilderness. The jungle and predators had been more of a threat than pirates and marauders. The early Tarkins had helped settle Eriadu; they had been their own police force. Later a militia had been formedâ€â€under Tarkin leadership. Wilhuff took these history lessons to heart. Wilhuff's parents made sure that he knew that respect, discipline and obedience were of the utmost importance. Because of this Wilhuff thought of himself as a product of a military upbringing. One night while at supper Tarkin's father ordered a servant to take Wilhuff's plate before he could eatâ€â€teaching him how easy it is to lose something.
Following family tradition, Wilhuff's grand-uncle Jova Tarkin, along with two other relatives and two Rodian guides, took him on trips to the Carrion Plateau, on which he taught the young survival skills and lessons on the savage wilderness that his ancestors had tamed. After passing a test in which he outwitted a pack of predators at the Carrion Spike, sixteen year-old Tarkin was deemed to have completed his testing on the plateau. Six months after passing this test, Wilhuff's training shifted to space combat. More family members and hired trainers taught him tactics and piloting skills, while admonishing him to apply the lessons he learned as a hunter to control the pirates and lawbreakers of the Outer Rim.
Early military career
Tarkin joined the Outland Regions Security Force, a force dedicated to protecting Eriadu and the Greater Seswenna sector in the absence of a Republic Military. As part of this organization's anti-pirate taskforce, he made a name for himself by outwitting and brutally suppressing a group of pirates known as Q'anah's Marauders during the Greater Seswenna raids. After decoding the pattern in the pirate leader Q'anah's attacks, Tarkin captured her ship, launching her and her crew on a slow course into a sun. The Outland ships broadcast the suffering of Q'anah's crew on her group's comm network, and destroyed any ships that came to her rescue. At the age of nineteen, Tarkin was even designing new ships for the Outland Security Force.
After working with the Outland Regions Security Force, Tarkin attended the Sullust Sector Spacefarers Academy to join the Judicial Department's forces. While training there, he met Sheev Palpatine, then a Senator from Naboo. Palpatine offered to help him secure a place in the Republic's Judicial Academy, but asked him to consider a career in politics. Tarkin did not follow the Senator's advice at the time, but did take his help in admission to the Academy. Following an overly dramatic entrance at the head of an Outland delegation, Tarkin had a hard time fitting in, often brawling with other students.
A mission to the world Halcyon alongside a group of Jedi gave him a chance to prove his worth, when the officer leading his team disobeyed Jedi orders and set off on a march to attack their target from another angle. The other Judicials quickly proved to be out of their depth in the wilderness, and came to rely on Tarkin's skills and leadership as he brought them safely to the objective, where the Jedi had just completed the mission. Tarkin was credited with saving their lives. Stories began to circulate within the Judicial Department of his exploits. As he continued to build a name for himself, Tarkin saw that conflicts throughout the galaxy were increasing, and turned his mind to Palpatine's advice to enter politics.
Governor of Eriadu
With Palpatine's backing, Tarkin became Governor of Eriadu. He aided Palpatine during the Eriadu Conference by preventing Supreme Chancellor Finis Valorum from investigating, which contributed to Valorum's fall from grace. During this time, he briefly met with Orson Callan Krennic. During the Separatist Crisis, Count Dooku attempted to convince Tarkin to pledge Eriadu to the Separatist cause, but Tarkin remained loyal to Palpatine. In truth, Palpatine, as his alter ego Darth Sidious, had sent Dooku to sway him as a test of his loyalty.
The Clone Wars
Early in the war
When the Clone Wars began, Tarkin became an officer in the newly-formed and militarized Republic Navy, where he stayed in contact with now-chancellor Palpatine. Despite his departure from the role of governor, the title remained with him. During the early stages of the war, in 21 BBY, Tarkin was a captain and commanded the battle of Murkhana, an assault against the Confederacy of Independent Systems. He also participated in the Battle of Kamino.
Captured by the Confederacy
Sometime after the Battle of Murkhana, in 20 BBY, Tarkin served under Jedi Master Even Piell as the captain of his flagship. Tarkin and Piell undertook a mission to secure the Nexus Route, a strategically important hyperspace route that led into both the heart of the Confederacy of Independent Systems and the Galactic Republic. Before Tarkin and Piell were able to return to Republic space and secure the information for the Republic, they were attacked by the Confederacy navy. Before they were boarded Piell and Tarkin memorized half of the information regarding the Nexus Route, they then erased it from the ship's computer. Shortly after, they and several clone troopers were captured and taken to the Separatist controlled planet Lola Sayu, a volcanic world home to the Citadel, a prison built hundreds of years before that was designed to hold renegade Jedi if any had lost their way, where Tarkin was repeatedly tortured.
Escape from Lola Sayu
Later, Piell was rescued by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker, Skywalker's Padawan Ahsoka Tano, and several clone troopers that made up the rest of the rescue team. Piell informed Skywalker that Tarkin possessed the other half of the Nexus Route and that he and several clone troopers were being held in a separate cell. Skywalker and his team made their way to Tarkin's cell, destroying several battle droids along the way. They then freed the Republic officers and began their escape from the Citadel.
Tarkin was at first surprised to see Piell again, and elated to be freed from capture. Tarkin despaired about their current situation for they were still deep in enemy territory. General Kenobi worked out a plan to escape, but Tarkin disagreed with it, stating it would be better to stay together to bring strength in numbers, providing the already small group with better protection to escape the Citadel and protect the Nexus Route information. Piell and the others rejected Captain Tarkin's plan. They then split up into two groups, Tarkin still trying to convince them that greater strength would be found in greater numbers. Piell agreed with Kenobi and ordered Tarkin to accompany Skywalker's group. Tarkin was annoyed that his seemingly superior plan was rejected, but still did as commanded and followed Skywalker into the old tunnels under the Citadel.
As they began moving through the tunnels, Skywalker noted that everything was going according to Kenobi's plan so far. Tarkin again voiced his opinion of the matter, questioning as to what would happen if Kenobi's plan began to fail. In response, Skywalker asked Tarkin to trust them, stating Jedi worked at their best when they had to improvise. Tarkin then told the Jedi he only trusted those who took action. Skywalker retorted that he only trusted those who understood gratitude, reminding Tarkin he would have still been a prisoner if not for the efforts of the Jedi.
After Skywalker's Padawan Ahsoka Tano took lead of the group, Tarkin expressed his lack of faith in the girl, despite Clone Captain "Rex's" attempts to persuade him otherwise, by Rex telling him he had served under her many times before, and she had never failed him. Tarkin was unconvinced and dismissed the clone's thoughts with silence. While the group made their way through the old tunnel system towards the rendezvous point, Tarkin became increasingly impressed with the layout and structure of the Citadel. Tano grew frustrated at this, asking Tarkin how he could admire such a monstrosity. Tarkin then claimed to Tano that their entire ordeal only proved his claim, and that he wished the Citadel had been claimed by the Republic and not the Separatists. Although Tano still disagreed with Tarkin, her master agreed with his philosophy.
Tarkin then admitted to Skywalker that he had earned his trust, but not the rest of the Jedi Order, for in Tarkin's experience the Jedi's tactics had proved ineffective. The Jedi Code prevented them from going far enough to defeat the Confederacy and end the Clone War. Skywalker, rather than being offended by Tarkin's opinion, agreed with him, stating that their tactics did keep them from going far enough to achieve victory at times. Tarkin and Skywalker came to a mutual respect for one another.
They soon reached the shuttle's location, but before they could board they were attacked by a Separatist droid garrison and several laser cannons. Tarkin reached the conclusion that to take the shuttle and escape they would have to attack in a full forward assault, but before a decision could be made the shuttle was destroyed by the droids. The group was then forced to retreat from the superior numbers of their enemies.
Soon they were provided a set of coordinates where they would be picked up by a Jedi led rescue team. Tarkin questioned what would become of them if the Jedi failed to rescue them, much to Piell's annoyance. Skywalker warned Tarkin that arguing with Piell was ill-fated, although Tarkin stated he stood by his principles without compromise, as his career was sound due to his relationship with Chancellor Sheev Palpatine. Skywalker retorted that he had also fallen into favor with the Chancellor, causing the pair to grow a further sense of respect for one another.
Soon the group was attacked by more droids and several anoobas, the group reached a cliff face, unable to climb down they locked in their ascension gun cables, Tarkin climbed onto Skywalker's back and rappelled down the cliff. Tarkin then engaged the droids in combat, shooting down at least one STAP and several commando droids, Tarkin was saved by a clone navy trooper who sacrificed himself by pushing Tarkin out of a blaster bolt's path by taking it himself. After the battle Tarkin informed the group that more squads would soon be on their way. General Piell fell in battle, mortally wounded by an anooba, but before he died he passed on his half of the information to Ahsoka Tano, much to Tarkin's annoyance. The Jedi held a short funeral for Master Piell before moving on.
Soon the group made their way to the coordinates and were attacked by more battle droids and the Citadel's sadistic caretaker Osi Sobeck. After a brief battle with his entourage of droids, Sobeck was all who remained. He found himself cornered by Tarkin, who fired at him with his blaster rifle, wounding Sobeck. However, he didn't manage to kill the Phindian, who charged Tarkin, lifting him over his head. Sobeck was about to throw Tarkin into a river of lava when Ahsoka Tano stabbed Sobeck through the back with her lightsaber. After Tarkin recovered, he briefly thanked Tano and then told Skywalker he had trained his Padawan well. They were then picked up by the rescue team and were taken to the safety of Coruscant. When Master Yoda suggested debriefing both Tarkin and Tano on the intel they possessed, Tarkin insisted that his intel be taken directly to the Supreme Chancellor, in contrast to Tano's resolution to share the information only with the Jedi High Council. Following this debate, Tarkin commended Skywalker on his efforts, while subtly insulting Kenobi by expressing a desire to see more Jedi with Skywalker's military sensibilities.
Following the Citadel incident, Tarkin recommended that the Jedi be gradually phased out from military command, as he feared their code could be responsible for the Republic losing the war.
Personality and traits
Wilhuff Tarkin was a human male who stood 1.85 meters tall and had blue eyes. During the Clone Wars, he had auburn hair which later turned gray by the time of the rebellion. As a child, his parents instilled a sense of ruthlessness in their son by sending him into the untamed Carrion Plateau at the age of eleven. Through this experience, Tarkin came to believe that the strong and intelligent remained in power by maintaining control over those beneath themâ€â€that life was a constant struggle for survival. The lessons of Tarkin's childhood continued to influence him throughout his adolescent years, particularly in space combat where he killed a band of pirates while serving with the Outland Regions Security Force. Tarkin's body was also covered in scarred wounds from blasterfire, claws of predators, and falls, collected throughout his life. The ambitious Naboo politician Sheev Palpatine had a strong influence on Tarkin as well. Through Palpatine's influence, Tarkin pursued career paths in both law enforcement and government, serving first with the Judicial Department. During this time, it became known that he flew boldly into adversity. Tarkin would go onto gain the governorship of his homeworld on the advice of his mentor.
With the outbreak of the Clone Wars, Tarkin opted for renewed military service following his tenure as governor of Eriadu. As a captain in the Republic Navy, he served under the command of the Jedi Generals due to their appointment as leaders of the Grand Army of the Republic. However, he resented the Jedi Order for its independence from the bureaucracy and military hierarchy, and for the fact that their moral code prevented them from assisting the Republic with the full extent of their power. Furthermore, he believed that the Jedi were ill-suited to lead the Galactic Republic's war effort due to their traditional role as peacekeepers, although this view did not apply to all members of the Orderâ€â€having developed a grudging respect for the hardened warrior Even Piell and admiration for Anakin Skywalker. As an admiral, Tarkin remained resentful of the Jedi's independence and used the deaths of clone troopers in the bombing of the Jedi Temple to argue that the incident was a Republic military matter rather than an internal affair of the Order. Having made his case to the Jedi High Council, Tarkin sought to prosecute the defendant Ahsoka Tano to the full extent of Republic law, which included the penalty of death. While Tarkin ultimately failed to achieve his goal due to the confession of Barriss Offee, he listened with great interest as the fallen Jedi publicly denounced the Jedi Order and the Republic for their role in the Clone Wars.
As a loyal protégé of Palpatine, Tarkin became one of the strongest supporters of the New Order in the aftermath of the Republic's reorganization as the Galactic Empire. His tireless efforts to root out resistance to Palpatine's rule as Emperor was rewarded with a promotion to the rank of Grand Moff of the Outer Rim Territories. Over the course of his career under the Empire, Tarkin helped to consolidate the Empire's control of the galaxy through the use of ruthless tactics, overseeing mass arrests and executions of both Separatists and Republic loyalists on Antar 4. As Grand Moff, he did not tolerate failure and was keen on making examples of ineffectual officers by having them summarily executed. With the completion of the Death Star, Tarkin developed a simple and brutal philosophyâ€â€fear of the battle station's planet-killing superweapon would henceforth suppress all resistance to Imperial power.
In addition to his reputation as an ambitious and ruthless proponent of military power, Tarkin was known for his sharp memory. He never forgot a favor or a slight and was capable of recalling people from meetings that took place over a decade before, even if he had only met them once. For example, when Ciena Ree greeted him via hologram, he recognized her from their encounter that took place when she was a child. Although at times ruthless, Tarkin wasn't always uncaring. Upon learning that the citizens of Salient II had burnt their houses and fled the system, he told his adjutant he hoped they had taken their pets with them. Although he was kind to both Ciena Ree and Thane Kyrell on Jelucan, this was only a deception to prove a point to Firmus Piett. Additionally, he had an almost spiritual attachment to the wilderness of his homeworld, and felt a deep appreciation to the land for having provided him with so many critical life lessons. He also held his uncle Jova in high esteem for similar reasons.
Equipment
While serving the Galactic Republic, Wilhuff Tarkin wore the standard uniform worn by Republic officers, with a rank insignia plaque with three red squares over two blue, which showed his rank of Captain, and later Admiral.
Although Tarkin didn't normally carry a blaster, he was proficient with the weapons, such as the DC-17 hand blaster.
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