Why Does Governor Tarkin Destroy the Empire’s Central Archive in Rogue One? It’s a Major Asset of the Empire

Why does Tarkin destroy the Empire’s own Central Archive in Rogue One? I can’t stop thinking about it. The Rebels were outnumbered, the TIE fighters had the skies locked down, and Imperial ships were already chasing the stolen plans. 

It feels like the Empire had the situation under control. So why would Tarkin blow up such an important asset? 

Honestly, it’s like he did the Rebels’ job for them. I’ve got some thoughts on why he made that call.

Scarif Was Lost Anyway

Tarkin’s decision to destroy Scarif with the Death Star comes from the realization that the military base is no longer secure. 

If you recall the scene, it’s clear that Scarif is falling to the Rebellion. The planetary shield is down, leaving the base vulnerable to further Rebel infiltration. Without the shield, the Rebels can easily access and steal additional project plans from the Empire.

As Jyn Erso retrieves the Death Star plans, she also discovers and names other classified projects like “War-Mantle,” “Cluster-Prism,” and “Black-Saber.” 

From Tarkin’s perspective, the only way to stop the Rebels from seizing more vital information is to eliminate the base entirely. 

By using the Death Star to destroy Scarif, he aims to prevent further disasters and protect the Empire’s remaining secrets.

Tarkin’s Ruthless Decision

The moment when Tarkin knows that Scarif is being attacked, he orders to immediately inform Darth Vader. Upon arriving at Scarif, he instructs his officers to prepare for the assault. 

General Hurst Romodi asks, “Sir, shall I begin targeting their fleet?” Tarkin replies, “Lord Vader will handle the fleet. Target the base at Scarif. Single reactor ignition.” 

This interaction reveals that Tarkin has already planned his course of action and is indifferent to the Rebel fleet’s escape attempts. 

His primary objective is to destroy Scarif to prevent any sensitive information about the Empire from being leaked to the Rebels.

Tarkin Testing the Death Star Himself

Another perspective we can consider is that Tarkin wanted to test the Death Star’s power for himself. 

Through Rogue One, we know the Death Star was only just completed, and the first test on Jedha was overseen by Director Krennic while Tarkin was just a spectator. 

So, the moment Tarkin gets control of the Death Star, Scarif seems like the perfect opportunity to test its power with a very reasonable excuse.

If Tarkin had to report back to the Emperor, he could simply say that Scarif was lost, the Rebels had infiltrated the base, and the Death Star plans were already leaked, along with the risk of other critical projects being compromised. Destroying Scarif would seem completely justified.