Grand Moff Tarkin, top imperial officer, villain, stern, dangerous…these ideas may come to mind when we hear his name. We may think along the same lines for Grand Admiral Thrawn and add in cunning, deceptive, and vindictive.
Both leaders strike fear into the Rebellion, but who is the more dangerous and cunning? Read on to find out more.
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The Danger of Tarkin and Thrawn
Both Tarkin and Thrawn have their claims to being dangerous, cunning, and evil. A New Hope, Rebels, and The Clone Wars framed Tarkin as a top-level politician bent on exterminating resistance to the Empire.
From Rebels and Ahsoka, Thrawn is depicted as intelligent, scheming, and ruthless in his efforts to root out the Rebellion.
Tarkin’s creation of the Death Star is front and center as a reflection of his danger to the galaxy and anyone who resists the Empire. Some articles claim that by “overseeing the Death Star,” he has a “far greater capacity for tyranny and bloodshed than any Sith warrior.”
His level of power next to Vader makes him incredibly threatening.
As a “brilliant tactician and strategist,” Thrawn is unconventional and rose in the ranks of the Imperial Navy to present his own set of dangers.
He has been recognized for studying his opponents and exploiting his enemy’s weaknesses.
In the scene below, we see him providing a clear assessment of the Rebels in the Lothal sector and how to outmaneuver them.
So, which of these villains is more dangerous and cunning? Fans may provide an answer.
Who’s More Dangerous/Cunning?
Fans have expressed opinions on this topic and seem split over a verdict.
Some posts here suggest that “both are dangerous and cunning in their own right” with Tarkin being more “politically” threatening while Thrawn is more dangerous in a “military” sense.
What may give Thrawn the advantage is his understanding that “the Tarkin Doctrine is an inefficient means to maintain the Empire.”
That is, Tarkin’s rule of terror aligned well with the Emperor’s wishes but did not ultimately “cow resistance.”
Tarkin has been recognized as a master strategist. In the book Strategy Strikes Back from 2018, the Tarkin Doctrine is explored as “a theory for Imperial supremacy over the entire galaxy.”
Tarkin formulated a strategy of forming “new military districts,” ruling through fear, and creating “a superweapon that would inspire terror in anyone who ever even thought about tolerating a rebellion.”
The problem with this grand strategy, of course, was that it was subverted by those pesky Rebels. So, we could pinpoint a flaw in Tarkin’s cunning.
Yet, even someone of Tarkin’s skills and intellect could not have foreseen the rise of Luke and his one-in-a-million shot, or perhaps we should say one in a billion. Was the strategy flawed from the start or only afterward?
Fans on this discussion board seem to think that Thrawn was actually “the best strategist the Empire has ever seen.” Yet, this status does not necessarily “devalue Tarkin.”
Both villains have with Thrawn skilled as “a battle commander” and Tarkin as “a politician.” Even so, the conclusion here is that “Thrawn stomps Tarkin” as an overall strategist.
While it is difficult to determine which of the two is more dangerous and cunning, fan opinions tend to give an edge to Thrawn.
So do analyses like this one that reflect Thrawn as a “multi-dimensional character” with “tactical prowess” and ultimately an “operational and strategic commander.”
Who’s More Evil/Deceptive?
If we think about related aspects of these leaders like how evil and deceptive they are, we may draw a different conclusion.
Many fans think that Tarkin is clearly more evil with some commenting that his “sadism” and “casual mass murder” contrast him with Thrawn.
We have more in favor of the view that Tarkin is more evil here, stating that he is “pure evil with no standards” and “barely a human being.”
In contrast, Thrawn is “at least capable of showing genuine respect towards his enemies” and has “some empathy.” These differing traits may go back to their strategic differences.
The reasons for his “pure evil” include plotting invasions of planets, enslaving Wookiees, creating a superweapon, and using it against Despayre and Alderaan.
He also planned to execute Princess Leia and was about to fire on Yavin 4. Tarkin was no stranger to mass destruction and casualties.
Thrawn, on the other hand, is usually described as “quite ruthless” but “not pure evil.” He has a tendency to avoid mass harm, if possible, and hates the “corrupt imperial culture” that Tarkin embraced.
Thrawn realizes the true evilness of the Emperor and does not seem to want to follow him down that path.
Tarkin and Thrawn
Both characters are cunning and dangerous and play central roles in the villainy of Star Wars.
Thrawn appears to win out with fans in terms of his strategic military planning which gives him a more dangerous edge. Tarkin seems more bent on evil and surpasses Thrawn in that respect.