The dossier
Order enforced through fear
Wilhuff Tarkin is an Imperial Grand Moff who oversees the Death Star and its final development. He views military hardware as useful only when it changes political behaviour. His authority over officers and governors reflects the Emperor's trust in his doctrine of fear.
Tarkin treats destruction as administration rather than rage. He tests the battle station on populated targets and expects surviving systems to submit without further resistance. That certainty also becomes his weakness, because he dismisses a small Rebel attack as strategically insignificant.
Guy Henry supplies the physical performance for Tarkin's return in Rogue One, matching Peter Cushing's controlled posture and clipped authority. The portrayal supports a story set immediately before the original film. Viewers recognise Tarkin through restraint rather than theatrical anger.