Moff

"Seems to me that the weakness in the Empire is in men like you, Moff Pandion. Paltry, ineffectual idiots. Men who want to be leaders more than they want to actually lead. And besides, what is a moff anyway? A meager sector head. Even the name sounds weak. Moff. Moff. It's the sound a dog makes as it regurgitates its dinner—"

―Sinjir Rath Velus, to Moff Valco Pandion^[11]

Moff was the political rank held by the governors of each sector in the Galactic Empire.^[8] A collective body called the Council of Moffs was created by Galactic Emperor Sheev Palpatine.^[4] Moffs also acted as military officers. As such, as the power of the Imperial Senate deteriorated and that authority was instead invested within Moffs,^[12] the Empire transformed into a stratocracy.^[13]

History

"Meet Moff Tarkin, crime lord. Sector governor of Greater Seswenna and more."

―Darth Vader introduces Moff Tarkin to Faazah^[8]

Tarkin-Vader — More powerful than a regular Moff due to his favor with Emperor Sheev Palpatine, Moff Wilhuff Tarkin held great influence in the Empire.

Following the creation of the Galactic Empire, Emperor Palpatine conferred the new order of rank, the moff, to around a dozen of the Empire's most valued officers and regional commanders. Wilhuff Tarkin was one such individual, despite already having been promoted to the rank of admiral at the end of the Clone Wars and serving as governor, the latter of which remained his Despite his preferred title. Following his promotion, Tarkin advocated that moffs entrusted with sector control,^[14] which eventually became a reality by 14 BBY.^[8]

By the fifteenth year of the Empire's reign, the amount of moffs had grown to a fixed number of twenty, all of whom answered to the Imperial Ruling Council. That same year, the senior rank of Grand Moff was created and awarded to Wilhuff Tarkin.^[8] Palpatine also established the Council of Moffs around that time.^[4] As a symbol of their charge, Moffs wore a rank insignia plaque bearing ten colored squares: five blue over three red and two gold^[15] or twelve squares: six blue over three red and three gold.^[16] Moffs could use four code cylinders, with two on each pocket.^[8]

In the aftermath of the Battle of Endor, Moff Valco Pandion proclaimed himself a Grand Moff^[11] and tried to assemble his own fleet.^[6] Further into the New Republic Era,^[7] Gideon led a sizeable Imperial remnant^[17] under his title of moff.^[7]

Role, duties, and powers

"…I also know who they say you are. The Fiend of Castell. The Burning Moff. The Imperial Governor of this sector, brutal in your response to even the slightest challenge to the Empire's authority."
"I am an extension of the Emperor's will. My actions here simply execute his directives. The Emperor is the mind. I am his tool. Is a tool responsible if it is used to kill someone?"

―Lando Calrissian and Moff Ssaria^[18]

Uprising-Loading-Screen-Empire — As the governors of an Imperial sector, moffs held command over Sector Groups, a formation of Imperial military and intelligence assets to ensure order in their territory

Originally created as a rank in the Galactic Empire for the Emperor to give to his most valued officers and regional commanders,^[14] the moffs were eventually entrusted with the role of governing star sectors^[8] following the advocacy of Moff Tarkin.^[14] In this arrangement, Imperial leadership in a given sector resided in the sector's moff, who was primarily responsible for the security of the sector. To achieve this, moffs held command over Sector Groups, a formation made up of military and intelligence assets for a given sector.^[9] Included in these sector groups were Twenty-four Imperial-class Star Destroyers that made up the Sector fleet such as the Lothal sector fleet and the Anoat sector fleet, which moffs also held authority over.^[19] While most planetary governors fell under the command of sector moffs, on occasion, planetary governors held the rank of moff themself.^[9]

Star systems and sectors that showed signs of unrest or insurgent activity were grouped together into oversectors, the authority of which fell under the command of a Grand Moff. Those who held the senior rank of Grand Moff had a great deal of freedom to suppress troublesome areas in their oversector, including the ability of overrule any moff or planetary governor under the command. Moffs were appointed by either the Galactic Emperor himself or by one of his advisors,^[9] including the supreme commander of the Imperial fleet Darth Vader,^[20] though moffs ultimately answered to both.^[9]

Uniform and Equipment

Gideon-AG-Crop-Clean — The battle armor worn by Moff Gideon during the New Republic Era

Moffs of the Galactic Empire wore green-grey Imperial officer's uniforms with^[21]^[22] two^[21] or four code cylinders,^[22] a black belt, and black boots. While some moffs did not wear an Imperial kepi,^[23]^[21] Moff Derrek Raythe wore a kepi with an officer's disk,^[24] as did Moff Tiaan Jerjerrod.^[25] Over their left breast, Moffs wore a Rank insignia plaque with six blue tiles on the top row and three red tiles followed by three yellow tiles on the bottom row.^[26] Early in the Empire's reign, Moffs could also use plaques with five blue tiles that sat above three red tiles followed by two yellow tiles to signify their rank and title.^[27]

While serving as a moff of the Anoat sector, Ubrik Adelhard wore a unique Imperial officer's uniform that was black from the neck down to the chest, and white below the chest. Additionally, Adelhard wore a grey epaulette on each shoulder, a pair of black gloves, a black and dark grey belt, and a pair of black boots.^[10] While in private with Lando Calrissian, Moff Ssaria did not wear an Imperial officer's uniform, instead opting to wear casual clothes.^[18] After the Battle of Jakku fall of the Galactic Empire, Moff Gideon of the Imperial Remnant wore an outfit similar to an Imperial uniform with dark-colored reflective battle armor and a black cape.^[28] Gideon later wore a full full suit of armor made in a similar style as Mandalorian armor and was based on his third-generation Dark Troopers that was made of beskar during the Last Battle for Mandalore. The armor's left vambrace was equipped with a rocket launcher and a whipcord launcher while the right vambrace was equipped with a blaster and a flamethrower. The suit's helmet crowned Mandalorian-style helmet as well as a jetpack.^[29]