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This Article Contains Spoilers -
WARNING: This article contains major spoilers. If you do not wish to know vital information on plot / character elements in a story, you may not wish to read beyond this warning: We hold no responsibility for any negative effects these facts may have on your enjoyment of said media should you continue. That is all. |
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| “ | Are we BLIND? DEPLOY THE GARRISON! MOVE! | „ |
| ~ Orson Krennic's most famous quote. |
| “ | Oh, it's beautiful. | „ |
| ~ Krennic after watching the first test of the Death Star on Jedha City, resulting in its complete destruction. |
Director Orson Callan Krennic is a major antagonist in the Star Wars franchise.
He is the Director of the Imperial Military Department of Advanced Weapons Research who desires to complete the Death Star for the Galactic Empire and his superiors - Grand Moff Tarkin (his rival) and Darth Vader, in order to advance his career and rise up within the Imperial hierarchy so he can earn Emperor Palpatine's favor.
He was portrayed by Ben Mendelsohn, who also played John Daggett in The Dark Knight Rises, Danny Rayburn in Bloodline, Nolan Sorrento in Ready Player One, the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood, Talos in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Special Agent Mace in Infinity Train and Killian in Spies in Disguise.
Personality[]
Orson Krennic is an exceedingly ruthless, cruel, power-hungry, manipulative, egostistical and heartless man who is solely concerned with furthering his own ambitions and will go to extreme lengths to attain the power he so craves. A classical sociopath, Krennic is entirely devoid of any noble qualities, such as empathy, compassion, mercy or selflessness, being solely driven by his own lust of power.
He is shown to be incredibly entitled and arrogant, having an excessively high opinion of himself and his role in the Empire. He sought nothing more than earning the favor of Emperor Palpatine, believing that doing so will ensure him a higher position in the Empire.
Biography[]
The Death Star[]
For some time, Krennic manipulated Imperial engineer Galen Erso into helping him build the Death Star, keeping him in the dark about what his research was being used for. When he discovered the truth, Galen fled with his family.
As work on the Death Star subsequently stalled, Krennic decided that he had to find Galen and convince him to return. He finally tracked him down on the remote planet Lah'mu and headed there, accompanied by a squad of Death Troopers. When Galen confronted the approaching Krennic, Krennic revealed his intentions to Galen.
He also sent his men inside Galen's home, intending to use his wife Lyra and his daughter Jyn as hostages to ensure Galen's cooperation. When Lyra turns up, Krennic welcomes her as well. However, Lyra draws a gun and shoots at Krennic, hitting him in the shoulder.
Krennic in turn ordered his guards to open fire and the Death Troopers killed Lyra. Unable to find the young Jyn, Krennic and his men leave the planet with Galen. He convinced Galen to cooperate by telling him that he would find Jyn eventually.
Many years later, the Empire kept Jyn as a prisoner (while being completely unaware of her true identity, given that she had been using an alias), until she escaped with the help of the Alliance. Krennic was later present when Grand Moff Tarkin tested his Death Star.
Under Tarkin's command, Orson was to choose the target location. In order to silence the security leaks, Krennic wanted to destroy the entire moon of Jedha, but Tarkin felt that was too much and insisted that only Jedha City should be targeted.
The weapon was tested on Jedha City with success, and was meant to destroy the Rebel Saw Gerrera and his Partisan cell. Although Tarkin congratulated Krennic for his achievement the two immediately got into a brief argument when Tarkin took command of the Death Star for security reasons, citing leaks of information (including the disappearance of shuttle pilot Bodi Rook) under Krennic. Krennic claimed the city of Jedha's destruction dealt with the security leaks, but Tarkin indicated that the leak came from Galen Erso's facility on Eadu.
Krennic later traveled to Galen's research center, and informed that one of the scientists was a traitor. Upon nobody coming forward, Krennic ordered their immediate execution, but Galen admitted he was the traitor, and not any of his scientists. Regardless, Orson ordered all of Galen's scientists to be killed and hits Galen on the face, knocking him to the ground.
Krennic then tells Galen that the Death Star works, and it was used to destroy Jedha City along with Saw Gerrera and his entire Partisan Group, and that Galen's efforts to leak information on the Death Star were in vain.
Just before Krennic could order Galen's execution the Rebel Alliance launches a surprise attack on the facility. Jyn attempted to save her father, but he is killed by a stray rebel missile, knocking Krennic to the ground and forcing him to escape.
Krennic then met with Darth Vader on his stronghold on Mustafar, who discussed with him the matters of the Death Star, and the priority to destroy the rebels. Krennic also attempted to arrange an audience with the Emperor to discuss his achievements, which Vader rebuffed.
After attempting to ingratiate himself further, Vader then cut the conversation short by Force choking Krennic, warning him that he was overreaching with his attempts to curry favor.
Scarif Battle[]
Ordered by Vader to make sure that the Death Star would be fully functional and without safety concerns, Krennic directly headed to the research center on Scarif where he tried to find Galen's plans and send them to Tarkin. However, his arrival coincided with the rebel attack on the base, with the Rogue One unit attempting to steal the plans from the base and transmit them to the nearby Rebel armada.
After spotting several detonations near the base, Krennic sent his troops outside where they engaged the rebel troops in battle. Although his men seemed to lose at first, Krennic then sent out his personal guard squad, the Death Troopers, outside who then turned the battle in favor of the Empire.
Meanwhile, Krennic had been alerted that someone was accessing data from within the base and immediately headed there with two of his guards. He found Jyn and Cassian Andor who attempted to escape with the plans. Krennic and his men opened fire and managed to hit Andor while he was climbing up the lift to the base's antenna. Andor fell down and remained on the floor motionless.
Pursuing Jyn who had reached the antenna, Krennic headed up with the lift, eventually confronting Jyn who was about to send the Death Star plans to the rebel fleet. Aiming his gun at Jyn, Krennic demanded to know who she was and Jyn replied that he already knew her as the daughter of Galen Erso. Jyn also told him that he had lost, claiming that she had already sent the Death Star plans to the fleet.
However, Krennic replied that the shield was still operational, preventing any message or broadcast from leaving the planet, and that the few rebels still on the planet would be dead soon along with her as well.
Krennic then raised his gun to shoot Jyn, but was shot instead by Andor from behind who had managed to reach the antenna platform on his own. Wounded, Krennic fell to the ground and Jyn managed to transmit the Death Star plans to the Rebel fleet after they destroyed the shield.
When the two fled the base while leaving Krennic on the roof, Krennic looked up to see the Death Star approaching Scarif. Krennic realized that Tarkin intended to destroy the base and everyone within, but was unable to flee. When the Death Star fired its main laser at Scarif and crippled the Citadel Tower, Krennic was hit directly by its beam, resulting his own death.
As a result, the Scarif base was destroyed, killing all Rebel and Imperial forces stationed there. Despite Krennic's death, his vow to have Jyn killed came true as Jyn and Andor both perished to their deaths in the base's explosion as well, though their deaths were not in vain as they embraced each other for their successful mission before accepting their fate.
Krennic's creation was indeed a truly powerful weapon, but at the end of the Battle of Scarif, Krennic's desire for power eventually lead to his own destruction. He was killed by his own creation, although it should be noted that Tarkin did carry out the order himself to do so.
Quotes[]
| “ | The power we are dealing with… is immeasurable | „ |
| ~ Krennic in the Rogue One trailer. |
| “ | We were on the verge of greatness. We were this close to providing peace and security for the galaxy. | „ |
| ~ Krennic to Galen Erso. |
| “ | Grand Moff Tarkin: Most unfortunate about the security breach on Jedha, Director Krennic. After so many setbacks and delays, and now this. We've heard of rumors circulating through the city. Apparently, you've lost a rather talkative cargo pilot. If the Senate gets wind of our project, countless systems will flock to the Rebellion. Orson Krennic: When the battle station is finished, Governor Tarkin, the Senate will be of little concern. Grand Moff Tarkin: When has become now, Director Krennic. The Emperor will tolerate no further delay. You have made time an ally of the Rebellion. I suggest we solve both problems simultaneously with an immediate test of the weapon. Failure will find you explaining why to a far less patient audience. Orson Krennic: I will not fail. |
„ |
| ~ Krennic and Grand Moff Tarkin. |
| “ | Grand Moff Tarkin: I believe I owe you an apology, Director Krennic. Your work exceeds all expectations. Orson Krennic: And you'll tell the Emperor as much? Grand Moff Tarkin: I will tell him that his patience with your misadventures… has been rewarded with a weapon that will bring a swift end to the Rebellion. Orson Krennic: And that that was only an inkling of its destructive potential. Grand Moff Tarkin: I will tell him that I will be taking control over the weapon… I first spoke of years ago effective immediately. Orson Krennic: (Scoffs) We stand here amidst MY achievement! Not yours! Grand Moff Tarkin: I'm afraid the recent security breaches… have laid bare your inadequacies as a military director. Orson Krennic: The breaches have been filled. Jedha has been silenced. Grand Moff Tarkin: You think this pilot acted alone? He was dispatched from the installation on Eadu… Galen Erso’s facility. Orson Krennic: Oh, we’ll see about this. |
„ |
| ~ Krennic realizing that Tarkin will claim responsibility for the Death Star. |
| “ | Darth Vader: Director Krennic. Orson Krennic: Lord Vader. Darth Vader: You seem unsettled. Orson Krennic: No, just... pressed for time; there's a great many things to attend to. Darth Vader: My apologies. You do have a great many things to explain. Orson Krennic: I delivered the weapon the Emperor requested. I deserve an audience to make sure that he understands its remarkable... potential. Darth Vader: Its power to create problems has certainly been confirmed. A city destroyed, an Imperial facility openly attacked? Orson Krennic: It was Governor Tarkin who suggested the test. Darth Vader: You were not summoned here to grovel, Director Krennic. Orson Krennic: No, it's... Darth Vader: There is no Death Star. The Senate has been informed that Jedha was destroyed in a mining disaster. Orson Krennic: Yes, my lord. Darth Vader: I expect you not to rest until you can assure the Emperor than Galen Erso has not compromised this weapon in any way. (turns and walks back up the ramp) Orson Krennic: So...I'm still in command? (Vader stops walking, his back facing Krennic) You'll speak to the Emperor about... (stops breathing, and falls to the ground. Vader turns around with his arm partly raised, showing that he is Force-choking Krennic) Darth Vader: Be careful not to choke on your aspirations, Director. (releases his Force grip and walks away, leaving Krennic gasping on the ground) |
„ |
| ~ Krennic and Darth Vader. |
| “ | The shield is up. Your signal will never reach the rebel base, ALL your ships in here will be destroyed; I lose nothing but time! You, on the other hand, die with the Rebellion! | „ |
| ~ Krennic to Jyn Erso before he gets shot and wounded by Cassian Andor - also his last words. |
Trivia[]
- Krennic's insignia at the start of Rogue One is different to the rest of the movie. At this stage of his life he had different rank, that of Commander, when kidnapping Galen and was not necessarily Director of Advanced Weapons Research yet.
External Links[]
- Orson Krennic on the Pure Evil Wiki
- Orson Krennic on the Star Wars Wiki
- Orson Krennic on the Disney Wiki
- Orson Krennic on the Wikipedia
