The Moff has been an Imperial thorn in the side of the good guys since the original Star Wars in 1977. The Mandalorian is no different with its central villain, the mysterious Moff Gideon. Moffs function as sector governors in a galaxy far, far away and they tend to be among the most dangerous – and most deadly – members of the Galactic Empire.
Through the Star Wars canon, as well as the books and comics now relegated to Legends status, Moffs have led a bloody crusade against the Rebellion and in some cases, against their own.
Grand Moff Trachta
Grand Moff Trachta is one of the most ambitious Moffs in the entire Star Wars saga. This cyborg Imperial officer looks a little like Darth Vader in appearance, thanks to his breathing mask, but it’s not an homage. Trachta engineered an elaborate scheme to assassinate both Vader and Emperor Palpatine to cast the Sith Lords out of Imperial affairs once and for all. Many troopers, officers, and other rank and file Imperials died in the attempt, which ended in his own death at the hands of Gauer, an assassin he employed.
Grand Moff Ravik
Grand Moff Ravik was the former Imperial Governor of the Tolonda sector. He appeared in Otherspace, an early role-playing game by West End Games in 1989. Otherspace was a realm beyond hyperspace, a kind of an alternate reality, and Ravik ended up there with this crew of his ship. He became a frightening creature not unlike the body-horror monsters of David Cronenberg’s best films. He went mad and led a suicidal attack back into the reality of the Star Wars galaxy which ended, depending on the game, in disaster.
Moff Pryce
Arihnda Pryce served as the governor of Lothal during the Imperial occupation witnessed in many of the best episodes of Star Wars: Rebels. She held the title of Moff, though she was the leader primarily of Lothal. Moffs in general were commanders of entire sectors, which comprised of numerous star systems. Pryce oversaw the death and persecution of the Lothal people, but justice was served in the final episode of the series when she died in the destruction of the Imperial Complex in Capital City.
Moff Randd
Randd was Grand Moff of the Exterior in the Outer Rim Territories in the final days of the Galactic Empire. He made appearances in Lost Stars and the Aftermath trilogy, some of the best books to read for fans looking to get into the new canon. His actions showed the dire state of affairs for the crumbling Empire.
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Randd’s actions were pivotal in the Battle of Jakku, in which Imperial Remnant forces fought essentially their last stand against the New Republic. His actions led to the deaths of many Republic forces and Imperial ones. He fled the battle in an escape pod.
Grand Moff Ardus Kaine
Grand Moff Ardus Kaine succeeded Wilhuff Tarkin as governor of Oversector Outer, after his death aboard the first Death Star. Oversector comprised of most of the systems in the Outer Rim. After the collapse of the Empire a few years later, he was one of the most powerful Imperial officers still active. He spearheaded Operation: Shadow Hand, part of a larger offensive that included the deployment of World Devastators against Mon Calamari in Dark Empire.
Grand Moff Trioculous
Grand Moff Trioculous is a Moff who emerged in Legends continuity. Trioculous appeared in several junior reader novels in the aftermath of the Empire. He posed as the son of Palpatine, a plot point that would become relevant years later in The Rise of Skywalker, and appointed himself the new supreme ruler of the Empire. He possessed a third eye that held hypnotic powers and could simulate Force-lightning through implants in his fingers. His reign was dark and bloody before his death at the hands of a human replica droid, who he thought was Princess Leia.
Moff Panaka
Quarsh Panaka started off a hero. He led the security forces on Naboo in the waning days of the Republic and defended Queen Amidala against Trade Federation forces in The Phantom Menace. Several things in the first prequel movie make no sense and Panaka’s eventual emergence as a Moff in the Empire is another headscratcher. Panaka remained loyal to Senator Palpatine as he became Chancellor and then Emperor, and was rewarded for his loyalty with the role of governor. Saw Gerrera assassinated the Imperial Moff years later.
Moff Jerjerrod
Moff Jerjerrod is the commander of the second Death Star in Return of the Jedi, and responsible for the deaths of countless rebels aboard the ships the station destroyed. He very nearly killed millions more. Jerjerrod was in the process of ordering the station to fire on the forest moon of Endor when Rebels destroyed the Death Star.
Deleted scenes in Star Wars are often a source of what-if’s for the story, but Jerjorrod didn’t fare any better there. Return of the Jedi deleted scenes showed the Moff at the end of the pikes of the Emperor’s Royal Guard.
Moff Gideon
Moff Gideon has absolutely no scruples about who lives and dies in the singular cause he pursues. While that cause remains something of a mystery, as much of the Imperial Remnant does, his cruel ambition has led to the deaths of many. Often, it’s his own troops. Moff Gideon killed ‘The Client’ at the end of season one of The Mandalorian, and in season two, ordered the captain of a cargo vessel to die by suicide to protect the secrets of the Remnant from Bo-Katan.
Grand Moff Tarkin
No Moff in the Galactic Empire is as deadly as Grand Moff Tarkin. Tarkin personally ordered the destruction of the planet Alderaan, which resulted in the deaths of billions of innocent people. Many more would die before he did aboard his beloved Death Star. Tarkin supervised a long and vicious campaign of terror against the galaxy, rising through the ranks from the former Republic through to the Empire, appointed to his high position by the Emperor himself.
