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Governor Tarkin, I should've expected to find you holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.
— Leia ‧ Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
Calling Vader's restraint a leash presents Tarkin as someone who controls a dangerous subordinate. The speaker then adds an insult about his smell, making recognition itself contemptuous. Both images replace formal respect for the governor with a deliberately humiliating description of his power and presence.
Context reviewed