Anghraine

Hey, I'm all death-of-the-author with regard to the Nature of the Dark Side, in ways we've discussed before, so I am totally cool with that!

I also love your assessment of Tarkin/Leia, and especially what it means in terms of Vader's reactions--- that he, as you say, is contemptuous of Tarkin and respectful of Leia in that scenario just makes me like Vader even more than I already do. Though I had always read Tarkin's attitude toward Leia as merely nastily sexually-charged intimidating social banter, that he was simply using sexual innuendo like he was flirting with her at a party while there are stormtroopers with guns and a freaking Sithlord helping him to keep her prisoner on a humongous battlestation that he's planning to use to blow up people who matter to her. But yours is much deeper and more complex and so more interesting!