The snide Admiral who was just too darn proud of the technological marvel he'd created...

Brash, irreverent, audacious, cheeky - most words describing an overly self-confident, yet disrespectful personage, can describe Admiral Motti. Climbing through the ranks of the vastly growing Empire, Motti quickly earned a name for himself. A name that was not esteemed or cherished throughout the galaxy.

Yet, this overrated officer became one of the Death Star's command triumvirate. Perhaps some saw a characteristic in him that appeared to be promising. However, no amount of promise comes to one without faith.

Darth Vader touched on this fact.

"Don't try and frighten us with your sorcerer's ways, Lord Vader. Your sad devotion to that ancient religion has not helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes, or given you clairvoyance enough to find the Rebel's hidden fort..."

Motti pauses as an unknown power grips his throat, blocking his wind pipe.
"I find your lack of faith disturbing."

Darth Vader saw in Motti what many people fail to recognise toady. Faith is the building-block for success. Without faith, one has nothing. Perhaps Vader foresaw in Motti the Death Star's massive eruption to come. Perhaps Vader knew the Rebels would succeed, that they would succeed as long as a man like Motti was in command.

A man like Motti... A man of no moral restrictions, a man of no honourable background, a man in charge of something so powerful that it could crush a force with one swift stroke, or be crushed by a force more deadly than death itself...

Lack of Faith.

Article:
Myles Mierswa, PoleCat Productions
Star Wars: Imperial Network

A colleague writes,

"Admiral Motti, as chief of military planning and overall commander of the Death Star did not shirk from the mammoth responsibilities that came with his command. Motti was no stranger to tough decisions; his rapid reactions in quelling minor guerilla actions in the early days of the rebellion had not gone unnoticed by the Senate or the Emperor himself.

Motti's sense of duty to the empire and his devotion to the Emperor were well known. His hard line views struck fear in the hearts of the spineless, pusillanimous, appeasers in the Senate and the Foreign Service who wanted to annex star systems by treaties and trade agreements. These snivelling ewoks and pacifying liberals bore direct responsibility for the rebels gaining the upper hand with the technical readouts to the Death Star's defences and its awesome capabilities.

Motti went on record with the Governor pushing for the immediate destruction of Alderaan. He wanted that 'green and pleasant planet' disintegrated long before Tarkin gave the order. Such a show of strength then would have stopped he rebels in their tracks and forced a massive retreat. Motti could have then taken the Death Star on to other systems and crushed the rebellion planet by planet until glorious victory.

It is no secret that Motti had enemies. He was a man of action; he had no time for Jedi gibberish. He knew there was a job to be done and he felt displaced by Vader's hold over the Emperor. The enmity with Vader had its roots when the Death Star was undergoing hyperspace trials. The Chiefs of Staff and Vader would often gather in the officer's lounge in the evening and have animated philosophical discussions.

Motti was never one to concede a point and he remained resolutely unimpressed by Vader's mummery and parlour tricks. Vader could often impress and on occasion convert the others, but never Motti. There were also dark rumours about a woman both men loved and both men lost.

When all is said and done, Admiral Motti should not be remembered as the only Imperial officer to stand up to Darth Vader. More importantly he should be commemorated as a brilliant military visionary who was always ready to use his weapon."

Name withheld by request