Original artwork, not a still
Governor Tarkin, I should've expected to find you holding Vader's leash. I recognized your foul stench when I was brought on board.
— Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope ‧ 1977
Behind the line
What it means
Our 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
