Originally posted by: TheCassidy
I'm kidding tcb20. Chalk it up to political beareaucracy where everyone thinks they're in control...

Tarkin really was in control. Look at the way he orders Vader around -- he's the boss in ANH. Look at the "Revenge of the Jedi" script -- a Grand Moff outranks Vader (formally, if not in a de facto sense as well). Look at Revenge of the Sith -- Vader is a whiny, depressed widower and a newly-minted Junior Sith, while Tarkin is already a highly-placed member of the Imperial military-political complex. It is apparent from both the canonical films and our evidence of the auteur's intent that Vader is subordinate to Grand Moff Tarkin in ANH.

I think people confuse Vader's stature as a villain with his his role in the Galactic Empire. Just because he was the big bad guy to our heroes doesn't mean he was the big bad guy in the Empire. Granted, the EU sometimes designates him Supreme Commander of the Imperial forces or Dark Side Executor, but

a) his elevation to those ranks probably took place after Yavin, when it was proven that he was smarter than every Moff, General, and Admiral on the Death Star combined,

b) "Supreme Commander" of Imperial military forces may refer only to those forces under central Imperial control, rather than the bulk of Imperial forces which remained under regional control (such as Regional Governor Tarkin's Death Star),

c) the title may not have conferred operational control[1],

d) even a highly-ranked member of the military establishment may have little political clout; Grand Moffs have both.

I like Vader. He was an excellent villain for the "insignificant rebellion," and his star rose with that of the Rebel Alliance. But he never attained the prominence, stature, or authority of Grand Moff Tarkin.

[1] C.f. the highest ranked member of the United States Armed Forces, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He is absent from the operational chain of command, which flows from the National Command Authorities to the Combatant Commanders (analogous to the Emperor and the Regional Governors, respectively).