Moradmin Bast
From Wookieepedia, the Star Wars wiki.
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| Moradmin Bast | |
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| Biographical information | |
| Homeworld | |
| Died |
0 BBY (35:3), Death Star |
| Physical description | |
| Species | |
| Gender | |
| Height |
1.8 meters[source?] |
| Hair color |
Brown |
| Chronological and political information | |
| Era(s) | |
| Affiliation | |
- "We've analyzed their attack, sir, and there is a danger. Should I have your ship standing by?"
- ―Chief Bast to Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin[src]
Moradmin Bast was an Imperial Army general, subordinate to High General Cassio Tagge, and frequently the personal aide to Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin aboard the first Death Star.
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[edit] Biography
[edit] Youth
Moradmin Bast learned cunning and patience by hunting big game as a youth on Dura-Kahn, earning him the ability to accurately estimate his enemies. This lifetime of training enabled Bast to see the Rebel Alliance as a dangerous animal, never to be underestimated.
[edit] Imperial service
Much of Bast's service record remains unknown, but he entered service in the Imperial Army and rose through the ranks. Eventually he attained the rank of general and was either assigned or personally selected to serve as subordinate to General Cassio Tagge, head of Army Operations aboard the Death Star battle station. In this capacity, Bast frequently acted as a kind of personal aide to Grand Moff Tarkin himself. Despite being junior in rank to Tagge, he outranked the station's highest-ranking naval officer, Admiral Motti. He seems to have functioned well in his position because he had no personal aspirations beyond serving the Empire, and was loyal to Tarkin and Tagge.
Bast attended the conference, seated to the left of his superior officer, Tagge. In that conference he saw Tarkin announce to the assembled command staff the Emperor's dissolution of the Imperial Senate, and was present to witness Darth Vader nearly killing an insolent Admiral Motti. Bast preferred to remain silent during the whole conference.
[edit] The Battle of Yavin
During the Battle of Yavin, Imperial military analysts, who had been studying the Rebels' initial attempt to enter the battle station's northern polar trench, brought to Bast's attention the slight possibility that the attacking Rebel starfighters could pose a threat to the Death Star, that the Rebels were probably attempting to target a small thermal exhaust port at the far end of that trench. Having learned never to underestimate an enemy's cunning, Bast immediately brought this information to Tarkin, but the Grand Moff contemptuously brushed his reccomendations aside:
- Bast: "We've analyzed their attack, sir, and there is a danger. Shall I have your ship standing by?"
- Tarkin: "Evacuate? In our moment of triumph? I think you overestimate their chances!"
- ―Bast and Grand Moff Tarkin[src]
Despite his reservations, Bast remained with his superior officer, and was standing on the battle station's overbridge when the Death Star was destroyed.
[edit] Legacy
A man resembling Bast served aboard Devastator during the Blockade of Kashyyyk. Any relation to Bast is unknown.
[edit] Personality and traits
Moradmin Bast chose to wear the prominent sideburns that were popular among the Imperial officer class at the time,[1] though his were more prominent than some, as they extended all the way down to his jawline (it was more common for the sideburns to terminate around the bottom of the earlobe). Other serving Imperial officers who wore their hair in this fashion, many of whom were also assigned to the Death Star, included Cassio Tagge, Conan Motti, Nahdonnis Praji and Pol Treidum.
[edit] Behind the scenes
Chief Bast was portrayed by Leslie Schofield in A New Hope. Cut footage from A New Hope featuring Schofield was used in The Star Wars Holiday Special.
Though the novel Death Star is the first source to confirm Bast's rank as a General, and specifies he is of lower rank than Tagge and higher rank than Motti, the authors of the book failed to realize he was the officer who informed Tarkin during the Battle of Yavin the Rebels could succeed. During the battle, his character is misidentified as an "operations lieutenant."
[edit] Canon explanation regarding his survival
Though scenes of Chief Bast talking with Darth Vader cut from A New Hope were included in The Star Wars Holiday Special, Bast's presence with Tarkin during the final moments of the Death Star show that this is not the same officer. On the StarWars.com message boards, Leland Chee originally noted two opposing C-canon on his survival, but was later shown that the film itself counters the idea that he survived.[2]
The lookalike officer in the Holiday Special has not yet been identified, and his connection with Bast, if any, has not been explained.
Although the novelization does not identify Bast by name, it is worth noting that the officer who delivers to Tarkin the news of the analyzation of the Rebels' strategy, upon being told he overestimates their chances, is described as running from the room, rather than remaining by Tarkin's side as shown in the film.
[edit] Appearances
- Death Star
- Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (First appearance)
- Star Wars 2: Six Against the Galaxy
- Star Wars 6: Is This the Final Chapter?
[edit] Sources
"Premiere Limited" - Star Wars Customizable Card Game (Card: Chief Bast)
- The New Essential Guide to Characters
- Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary
"The Empire's Finest: Who's Who in the Imperial Military" - Star Wars Insider 96 (First identified as Moradmin)
