Star Wars: Don’t Choke on Your Ambitions – The Director Krennic Breakdown
Death Star mastermind and galaxy’s second biggest cape enthusiast, Director Krennic’s legacy is known for his near misses with greatness.
The Death Star‘s first commander, Director Krennic spends a brief time as one of the Galaxy’s most influential people. But where did he come from? How did he come to have so much power? And why do so few Star Wars stories feature him at all? Let’s discuss.
Early Life
Orson Callan Krennic was born in Sativran City on Lexrul, and by the time he was fifteen he had joined the Galactic Republic’s Future Program on Brentaal. This is where he met a young Galen Erso, and though they had polar opposite personalities, they worked well together and became friends.
While Orson’s calling seemed to be his ability to read and manipulate his classmates, his official path of study was Architecture. And after excelling in this program he was offered a position in the Republic Corps of Engineers, supervising large construction projects. This would eventually allow him enough influence to help Galen Erso secure a professorship at the Institute of Applied Science focusing on Kyber Crystal research. Which would in turn eventually help Krennic create the weapons system on the Death Star.
Building the Death Star
While the Republic still stood Krennic became a member of the Republic’s Strategic Advisor Cell and a member of the top-secret Special Weapons Group. A secret weapon brought up schematics for an early version of what would eventually become the Death Star. They discussed at length whether something like this could even be built, and eventually, Krennic determined that it would be possible in theory, but he would once again need Galen Erso on his side.
As the Republic fell and the Empire rose up to replace it, Krennic moved forward with his plans to construct the battle station while telling Erso that he was working on a project that would use Kyber Crystals to provide power for planets that had been ravaged by the Clone Wars.
Despite Krennic’s optimism, many around him were wary. Governor Tarkin was dubious of the project and decided to keep a cautious distance until it failed – or not. And the pacifistic Ersos were growing wise to the Empire and Krennic’s true intentions. Many attempts by the Ersos to leave and Krennic to manipulate them to stay culminated in Galen being captured and forced to work on the Death Star until its completion.
Completion of the Death Star
When the project was finally completed, its first test was leveling the city of Jeha, a test that Tarkin didn’t have much expectation for. Instead, he was surprised to see that Krennic’s pet project had just as much destructive capability as promised and announced that he would be immediately taking command from Krennic. Director Krennic attempted to get his power back from Tarkin by appealing to Darth Vader. But he quickly found that the Sith Lord has just as little respect for him as Tarkin did.
Instead of pushing this further, he traveled to Scarif, learning that the Death Stars’ plans here were vulnerable to stealing, and attempted to defend the base and the plans from the Rebel forces. Instead, he was killed by his own weapon when Tarkin had the Death Star destroy the Imperial base on Scarif in an effort to swiftly end the invasion.
What is your favorite Director Krennic moment or quote? Have you read any of the books or comics that he makes appearances in? Do you think his cape is stylish? Let us know in the comments!
May The Force Be With You, Adventurers!
