Conan Antonio Motti / Legends Conan Antonio Motti was an Imperial officer who served aboard the Death Star as the head of Naval operations during the Galactic Civil War . Born into a powerful and wealthy family on Seswenna , he entered Imperial service , rising rapidly through the ranks of the Imperial Navy . It was not long before he advanced past Captain Jaim Helaw , who he had served under early in his career . By 0 BBY , he had been promoted to the rank of admiral , and was working aboard the Empire ' s massive battlestation , the Death Star . Only Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin outranked Motti on the battlestation , although General Cassio Tagge — his counterpart in the Imperial Army — was his equal . Motti was extremely confident in his viewpoint that the Death Star was invulnerable , believing that the Rebel Alliance posed no threat to the station . He was even bold and arrogant enough to openly question Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader for his failure to discover the location of the Rebellion ' s secret base during one meeting in the Death Star conference room . For this , Vader Force - choked him , which greatly frightened Motti , who realized that Vader could have easily killed him had Tarkin not ordered the Dark Lord to relent . Nonetheless , Motti remained overly confident in himself and the Death Star . Despite Motti ' s unshakable credence in the Death Star , the Rebel Alliance — which had obtained a copy of the Death Star blueprints — managed to find a weak spot in the station ' s defenses , and succeeded in destroying it during the Battle of Yavin , killing Motti . Biography . Imperial service . Hailing from the planet Seswenna , Conan Antonio Motti was born into a powerful and influential family several ranks below the Tarkin family and the rest of the Quintad sometime during the last years of the Galactic Republic . As a teenager during the Clone Wars , he witnessed the feats of Jedi , memories that would remain with him for his whole life . After the rise of the Galactic Empire in 19 BBY , Motti became an active member of his local Sub - Adult Group for the Seswenna chapter of the Imperial Commission for the Preservation of the New Order . He eventually earned an Academy commission to the planet Prefsbelt IV , followed by an appointment to the planet Anaxes . While a cadet , Motti was known more for his firebrand politics than academic achievement , though his nature was the typical ruthless Imperial that Emperor Palpatine wished to fill the Imperial Navy ranks , and he ascended quickly . An Imperial officer who used force and never apologized for doing so , Motti at some point ended a dispute over the Mhalanduin Reformation by annihilating the top ranks of both families involved , appointing his own hand - picked general as a regent . Motti cut a swath through Wild Space beyond the Western Reaches , and eliminated any who protested the new Imperial authority . Motti went on to serve aboard the " Strike " - class cruiser " Ion Storm " under Captain Jaim Helaw , who acted as somewhat of a mentor to him , and soon received a promotion to first lieutenant . Eventually , he worked a brief stint on Coruscant , and with the help of contacts he had made on the capital , he rose past Helaw . He was friends with Otto , an Imperial general with several failures on his record , particularly various losses in battle . Motti was able to transfer his friend to an outpost on the planet Lok , saving him from the wrath of the Dark Lord of the Sith , Darth Vader . In 1 BBY , Motti was promoted to the rank of admiral by Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin , during a brief ceremony held on the " Imperial " - class Star Destroyer " Devastator " . In the same year , Motti , alongside General Arhul Kurumenga of the Imperial Department of Military Research and Master of Imperial Projects Bevel Lemelisk , attended a debriefing on Coruscant helmed by Dr . Insmot Bowen , a Pre - Republic history specialist from the Obroan Institute . Throughout the debriefing , Motti , largely due to his staunch disbelief on anything supernatural , frequently interrupted the meeting with cutting remarks on Bowen ' s report on the discoveries relating to Celestial s and the Celestial - Rakata conflict , causing Kurumenga to frequently reign in on him . One of his sarcastic remarks , an inference that Bowen ' s expertise was in holothriller s in response to the Rakatan ' s involvement in the conflict , was reversed when Bowen used the analogy of the villain in a holothriller not being confirmed dead to an audience even if stated unless they showed the body in order to infer the possibility that the Celestials may have survived . By 0 BBY , Motti was serving aboard the Death Star , the Empire ' s new superweapon being constructed above Despayre . He was second - in - command alongside General Cassio Tagge , below only Grand Moff Tarkin , a relative of Motti ' s through marriage . Tarkin appointed Motti for his ruthless views . The three were considered a triumvirate , with Motti representing the Imperial Navy and Tagge the Imperial Army , although Motti and Tagge had a rivalry and would openly doubt the other ' s competence , with frequent and vociferous arguments which included Motti mocking Tagge ' s devotion to the Navy ' s starfleet . The admiral had been one of the strongest supporters of the Death Star project , and felt that it was him , not Tarkin , who ran the battlestation ' s daily operations . He had attempted at least once to subtly convince Tarkin that whoever was in control of the Death Star held sway over the entire galaxy . Though Palpatine , ruling from Coruscant , was the Emperor , Motti was convinced that if Tarkin attempted to seize power by using the Death Star , he would be successful . Then , if something were to " accidentally " happen to Emperor Tarkin , his trusted assistant Motti would rise to power . Thus , Motti pretended to be loyal to the Grand Moff , all the while learning the ins and outs of the superweapon and gaining the loyalties of other key officers aboard the Death Star . During this time , he also commanded the " Imperial " - class Star Destroyer " Steel Talon " , which was part of the fleet guarding the Death Star above Despayre . As Tarkin was traveling to the Death Star from his home planet of Eriadu aboard a " Lambda " - class T - 4a shuttle piloted by his Mon Calamari slave Gial Ackbar , the ship was ambushed by Rebel Alliance Y - wings that had been contacted by Ackbar , who sought freedom from his master . However , before the Y - wings could destroy the escape pod that Tarkin had attempted to flee in , Motti ' s Star Destroyer jumped out of hyperspace , as Motti had taken it upon himself to escort Tarkin against the Grand Moff ' s wishes . Thanks to the admiral , Tarkin was saved , and the Rebel Y - wings forced to flee . Back above Despayre , with the Death Star nearing completion , Motti met with Jaim Helaw aboard the " Undauntable " . The two spoke about the Death Star , with Motti expressing his confidence in the battlestation , professing his belief that it would be invincible when completed . However , Helaw did not share his viewpoint , telling him the story of Kan Pojo , a former Republic soldier and expert marksman . On a mission to the Vergesso Asteroids to defeat a pirate gang around 35 BBY , Pojo ' s blaster malfunctioned when he was in the act of shooting at a pirate charging him . Before the marksman could pull his other gun , the pirate was on him , killing Pojo with a crude knife . When Motti stated that the Death Star was no mere blaster , Helaw responded that the more complex a weapon was , the more likely it was to have flaws . As he traveled back to the Death Star alone aboard his ship a short time later , Motti found himself wondering about Helaw ' s point . He decided that unlikely as an accident was , he would soon order a detailed examination of the station ' s superstructure . Rebel interference . While Motti was pondering this on the way back to the space station , the " Undauntable " suddenly exploded . Once the admiral landed in one of the Death Star ' s hangars , he met with Tarkin , who began questioning him . Motti explained that he had played no part in the ship ' s destruction , and that an officer of Jaim Helaw ' s stature would not be responsible for an accident of such large - scale . Therefore , he felt it had to be sabotage , a view the Grand Moff shared . However , fearing a visit from Darth Vader , the Emperor ' s lackey , Tarkin proposed that they simply record the incident as an accident while surreptitiously investigating the true cause . Though he hated to see such a stain on Jaim Helaw ' s record , Motti agreed , fully aware that it was best for him too without Darth Vader interfering and possibly slowing construction of the station . Several weeks after the " Undauntable " explosion , the Rebel Alliance launched an attack on the nearly completed Death Star above Despayre . It was there that the men aboard were given the first chance to test the massive superlaser . The laser easily destroyed a Rebel " Lucrehulk " - class battleship , leaving the Rebel X - wings without a supporting cruiser . The X - wings were then wiped out by Imperial pilots , giving the Imperials total victory in the brief skirmish . Following the battle , Tarkin decided to move the battlestation to the other side of Despayre to prevent further attacks by the Rebellion . Not long after the battle , Tarkin decided to test the superlaser and move the station from the system , planning to destroy Despayre as well . Motti had his doubts , and voiced them ; namely , fear of political repercussion . However , as Despayre was simply a penal planet for some of the Empire ' s worst criminals , Tarkin was sure that no fallout would ensue . Ultimately , he was the one in command of the battlestation , and went ahead with the test . The superlaser easily destroyed Despayre . At some point during this time , Motti wrote a chapter dedicated to the Imperial Navy , which ended up included in the official field manual for the Imperial Military , " " . Darth Vader . Following the destruction of Despayre , the Rebel Alliance managed to obtain a copy of the technical readouts of the Death Star . The Rebel corvette carrying the stolen plans was captured by Darth Vader , but the plans themselves eluded the Dark Lord . Several top Imperial officials serving aboard the Death Star became aware of the stolen plans , and Motti ' s sources informed him that Vader had taken Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan captive due to suspected participation in the rebels ' mission . Motti was unworried by either Vader ' s move or the prospect of the plans to the Death Star falling into the rebels ' hands , and shared these views with General Tagge during a meeting of top Imperial officials in the Death Star conference room . Motti further argued with General Tagge over the effectiveness of the Death Star and the threat of the Rebellion in the Galactic Civil War . Tagge felt that the Rebel Alliance posed a threat to the battlestation , whereas Motti was confident that the superweapon was invincible . Tagge also feared that the growing Rebel movement would gain sympathy in the Senate . However , the two were interrupted by Tarkin , who informed the officers present that the Imperial Senate had been dissolved by Emperor Palpatine . Though Tagge was concerned as to how the Emperor expected to maintain control without the Senate , Tarkin revealed that the Moffs , governors appointed by Palpatine , would now have direct control over sectors , and the planets would not dare step out of line due to fear of the Death Star . However , Tagge continued to insist that the Rebellion was dangerous , especially if they had obtained a copy of the Death Star plans , as many Imperials feared following the Battle of Tatooine . Though Darth Vader — who had recently arrived to interrogate Leia Organa — admitted that the plans were in the hands of the Rebellion , he proclaimed that soon the Empire would have them . Motti then boasted of the Death Star ' s power , claiming that it was the preeminent power in the galaxy . However , Vader rebutted this claim , warning Motti not to underestimate the power of the Force . Motti mocked Vader , insulting his devotion to the Force , alleging that it had not helped him recover the stolen Death Star plans or locate the Rebels ' hidden base . In response , Vader simply Force choked him , relenting only when ordered to do so by Tarkin . Motti , who had previously doubted both Vader and the power of the Force , was frightened and shocked by this display . The admiral knew that Vader would have killed him without remorse had Tarkin not stopped him , a realization that shook him greatly . He also realized how futile the Death Star would be against the Sith if they could kill him with a simple gesture , and resolved to be more respectful towards Vader in the future . Soon afterward , it was reported to Motti that the Death Star was at last completely operational . He personally relayed the news to Tarkin , repeating and placing great emphasis on his belief that Tarkin had in his hands both great power and direct control over the entire galaxy . When Tarkin pointed out that they both served the Emperor , Motti stated that the Emperor was far away , and that Tarkin himself commanded the Death Star . Darth Vader then entered the room , and Tarkin advised Motti to check his ambition . The Dark Lord had been unable to force the location of the Rebel Alliance ' s secret base or the Death Star plans from Organa , and as such , Tarkin decided to play his trump card by threatening a third party . Tarkin ordered Motti to take the Death Star to Organa ' s home planet of Alderaan , and with her alongside him , Motti and Vader in the Death Star ' s control room , threatened to destroy the planet if she did not reveal the location of the Alliance ' s base . Her resolve crumbling at the thought of her home planet and people being reduced to atoms , Organa informed them that the base was on Dantooine . Tarkin then ordered the Death Star ' s superlaser to fire when ready , shocking the princess . He felt that this would be a demonstration that would terrify the rest of the galaxy ; since Alderaan was admired throughout the galaxy and a prominent voice , its destruction would keep dissidents in line for fear that they would suffer the same fate . Motti gave the order to superlaser control , and then the battlestation fired , destroying Alderaan which was observed by the unremorseful Tarkin and Motti . A short time later , Imperial ships reached Dantooine , and discovered that while there was a Rebel base there , it had been abandoned a long time ago — meaning that Organa had lied . Motti reported this news to Tarkin , who in turn ordered Motti to have her terminated . However , a group of Rebels managed to make it aboard the Death Star , and succeeded in freeing Organa from her cell . They then fled in their ship , the " Millennium Falcon " . Imperial stormtroopers had placed a tracking device aboard the starship earlier , however , and Motti reported to Tarkin that the device was transmitting a clear signal . Tarkin ordered him to follow the ship and to place all station personnel on standby alert ; the Empire was able to track the freighter to the rebel base on Yavin 4 , a moon located in the Yavin system in the Outer Rim . Showdown at Yavin . The Death Star jumped to hyperspace , arriving in the Yavin system , where the Rebel Alliance was preparing an attack . The Alliance ' s defense of its base consisted of thirty starfighters , catching the Imperials off - guard , as Tarkin had expected to be opposed by several capital ships . Confident in the ability of the Death Star ' s turbolasers and other anti - starfighter defenses to repel the Alliance ' s fighters , he withheld from launching Imperial TIE Fighters . As the Death Star orbited the gas giant of Yavin Prime , waiting to clear the planet before it could strike at the moon , Motti placed the entire station on full alert status . As he stood alone with Tarkin , he congratulated the Grand Moff on his impending destruction of the Rebellion , again emphasizing that it was Tarkin , and not the Emperor , who held the ultimate power in the galaxy . When Tarkin insisted he cease the vague hints and speak freely , Motti suggested that Tarkin ' s command of the Death Star could elevate him to a position that equaled the Emperor ' s in power . He would serve as Tarkin ' s right hand , and would even take steps to eliminate Vader if it proved necessary . Tarkin considered his offer , but suggested that they discuss it further after eradicating the rebels . When several X - wing fighters proved adept at evading the station ' s defenses , Vader manned his personal TIE fighter and attacked them . He began picking off the surviving fighters one by one , but Tarkin nevertheless began to worry that the rebel attack posed a danger . He ordered Motti to prepare his personal escape shuttle , but Motti was adamant that he not appear ready to relinquish his power by abandoning the Death Star . Tarkin conceded , and adopted a more confident demeanor . However , the Alliance was aware of a flaw in the Death Star — a small , uncovered thermal exhaust port leading directly to the station ' s main reactor . Against all odds , and much to Tarkin ' s surprise , a Rebel X - wing piloted by Luke Skywalker succeeded in flying through the trench where the exhaust port was located , and successfully fired a pair of proton torpedoes into the shaft , causing the Death Star to explode , instantly killing Motti , and all those on board . Personality and traits . As a teenager during the Clone Wars , Motti was thrilled by the exploits of the Republic Outland Regions Security Force , with reserved contempt for both the Republic bureaucrats and Jedi Knights , whom he felt hamstrung the Outland Regions Security Force and incompetently prosecuted the Clone Wars from the distant Core Worlds . Motti cheered when he heard of the Jedi ' s elimination as traitors of the Republic , and was moved by Palpatine ' s declaration that the new order would get rid of the corruption and vacillation of previous eras . As Motti saw the Empire took the galactic stage at a time of unprecedented promise , he believed in the New Order ' s goals being spread across the galaxy and planets could not adapt should be eliminated , with other worlds considering the consequences . Within the Navy , he held the greatest contempt for veterans of the Republic ' s Judicial Department or Planetary Security Forces , as he believed their loyalty was to their own service and not the Empire , and he disagreed with what he considered their outdated ideas of military power . Motti was a deeply ambitious man , a fact acknowledged by Tarkin . The Grand Moff held the opinion that once the Rebels were destroyed , Motti would receive a promotion to Moff . Indeed , the admiral was very ambitious , and though he seemed loyal to Emperor Palpatine , in truth Motti harbored dreams of becoming Emperor himself . He attempted to convert Tarkin to his cause , trying to convince the Grand Moff that whoever controlled the Death Star could control the galaxy . Motti hoped that Tarkin would soon listen to him , and use the Death Star to seize power from Palpatine . If Tarkin did overthrow Palpatine , the admiral would then cause Tarkin ' s death in a subtle way , allowing him to ultimately become Emperor . He also believed Darth Vader had similar ideas , with Vader ' s first act under Emperor Tarkin would be to eliminate his rivals , and was additionally prepared to arrange for Vader ' s death if it proved necessary . However , he never received this chance , as the Death Star was destroyed by the Rebel Alliance shortly after its completion . Motti believed in the infallibility of the Death Star , feeling that any attack made by the rebellion against the station would be a useless gesture doomed to fail . So strong was his belief in the Death Star that he was its greatest champion , and told any who would listen that it was the missing piece of his long - held military philosophy , in which , while the Navy normally commanded space and protected the Army during ground assaults , the Death Star ' s threat would free the Army to act , leaving the Navy ' s endless parade of battleships superfluous . During the Battle of Yavin , his faith in the battle station and his quest for power saw him dissuade a worried Tarkin from preparing an escape shuttle . Motti believed that in order to seize power , Tarkin could never abandon the Death Star ; he further dismissed the rebel attack as nothing to be concerned about . Tarkin heeded his advice , which ultimately led to both of their deaths . Admiral Motti was a firm believer in the Tarkin Doctrine , which stated that the threat of force was sufficient enough to prevent rebellions , and that fear was necessary to keep dissidents in line . Ultimately , this belief was flawed , as the Destruction of Alderaan did not cause other planets to cower in fear , but instead to rise up in anger and challenge the Empire — which led to the Death Star ' s destruction and Motti ' s death . He , like Tarkin , also despised the Imperial Navy ' s generationals for their belief in stability and order , as they believed that they were " ancient values . " Motti pretended to be loyal to Tarkin , though in truth it was in an act , designed to fool the Grand Moff and ensure that he trusted Motti , so that if the admiral ever decided to betray him , Tarkin would be caught unaware . To further this facade , Motti pretended to be sympathetic towards Tarkin when his mistress , Admiral Natasi Daala , was injured in the Attack on the first Death Star . He was even prepared to feign sadness in the event that Daala died , hoping to curry favor with the Grand Moff . Motti was also aware that if he did not act appropriately disheartened , Tarkin would be greatly insulted , and the admiral knew that it was not wise to offend Tarkin . Motti considered Tarkin ' s affection for Daala a weakness , and was prepared to one day exploit that . Motti felt that women were inferior to men , believing that Daala did not deserve her rank of admiral , and that she would not have achieved it if Tarkin had not taken favor to her . He thought that Leia Organa had a strong spirit due to her refusing to give up the location of the Rebel base , and because she criticized and insulted Tarkin even when he threatened to execute her . Motti was impressed with her determination to not surrender , believing that this fortitude was especially stunning in a woman . The Admiral was also a very arrogant man , overly - confident in himself and the Death Star . He was aware of how quickly he had risen through the Imperial ranks , and that he had jumped ahead of a number of more experienced officers to his position as head of Navy Operations aboard the Death Star . This was reflected in his attitude , as he frequently wore a smug look and took extra pride in ensuring that his uniform was even neater than required by Imperial standards . He also prided himself on being physically fit , and regularly exercised , hoping to never become a fat , lazy officer like so many others . Motti felt that being physically stronger than others was a symbol of power , and would earn him additional respect . He constantly belittled the Rebel Alliance , believing them to be only a nagging pain rather than a serious threat . He was proven wrong when the fledgling Alliance managed to infiltrate the defenses and destroy the Death Star . Though he very highly valued his political and tactical skills , Motti was considered somewhat of an overrated leader by many , who felt that his only real skill lay in loyalty to Palpatine ' s Empire , and that he had padded his record . In fact , Motti had little actual command experience , and embellished his reports , making himself appear more capable than he was in reality . It was thanks mainly to his many connections that he rose through the ranks as rapidly as he did , although he believed strongly in his own abilities . Admiral Motti questioned the Force , and disliked Vader , feeling that he used archaic methods , and , though never opposing the Dark Lord , would take every opportunity to belittle him in front of Tarkin , such as when he heavily criticized Vader for his failure to wrest the location of the Rebel base from Princess Leia Organa . For this criticism , Vader Force - choked him . Following this , Motti was mollified , and began to develop a fear of Vader and his mysterious powers . The admiral knew that had Tarkin not interfered , Vader would have killed him , a deeply sobering thought to him . Though he did not consider himself cowardly , Motti was frightened by Vader , aware that controlling a planet - destroying superweapon meant nothing if he could be simply killed by a gesture . Following this , Motti planned to eliminate Vader somehow , although he was aware that such an act would have to be done very carefully . Aside from his staunch disbelief in the Force , Motti also was a staunch disbeliever in any aspects of the supernatural to the extent that he was fully prepared to mock anyone who suggested the possibility of supernatural influences in the galaxy . This was best demonstrated during a debriefing on Coruscant in 1 BBY , where he frequently criticized and mocked Dr . Bowen to such an extent that one of his fellow Imperial Generals , Arhul Kurumenga , frequently had to reign in on him for interrupting the debriefing . Tarkin was cognizant of Motti ' s fear and hatred of Vader and his Force , and believed that if Motti did not do a better job of keeping his opinions to himself , he would not live much longer in Palpatine ' s Empire . The admiral doubted the Force , even mocking Vader ' s confidence in it until Vader Force - choked him as a warning . He preferred to place his confidence in technology , and he remained extremely certain of the Death Star ' s invulnerability throughout his life . Motti had fair skin and brown hair . He stood at a height of 1 . 7 meters . Equipment . Admiral Motti wore the standard - issue Imperial officer ' s uniform . His equipment included an E - 11 blaster pistol , along with a datapad and a comlink . Behind the scenes . Portrayal . Motti first appeared in the film " " , released in 1977 . He was played by Richard LeParmentier , who was credited as " General Motti . " Motti was originally slated to be an Admiral , but when LeParmentier proved to be too tall for the Admiral ' s uniform that was to be his costume , he was fitted in a General ' s uniform and the character ' s rank was changed . The " Star Wars " Expanded Universe later solidified his rank as Admiral despite the costume discrepancy . LeParmentier originally auditioned for the role of Han Solo , one of " Star Wars " leading characters , and was offered the role of a customs officer who tried to stop Solo from leaving the city of Mos Eisley . He turned down the role , which was ultimately cut from the film , but was invited back to read for the part of Motti . LeParmentier was one of the few non - English actors cast as Imperial officers , and as such is one of the only Imperial officers in the original trilogy to speak without an English accent . In order to make the scene where Motti is Force - choked by Darth Vader look convincing , LeParmentier spent days practicing choking in his dressing room until he was able to induce and control spasms in his neck . Richard LeParmentier stated that he was pleased to be remembered as Motti , and that he considers it an honor to have been part of " Star Wars " . He was proud of the fact that Vader ' s choking of Motti was the first point in the " Star Wars " saga that fans saw the power of the Force at work , although he had no idea at the time that the film would be as successful as it ultimately was . LeParmentier greatly enjoyed his time working on " Star Wars " , and cited the only inconvenience that he faced on set as his character ' s boots , which caused him a considerable amount of foot perspiration . Between shots , crewmembers would take the boots of the Imperial officers off and air - dry their feet . While playing the role of Motti , LeParmentier saw his character as a trigger - happy military type who was aching to demonstrate the power of the Death Star and was resentful of anyone who disagreed with that idea . He played Motti as a smug and sanctimonious character , believing that the contrast with Don Henderson ' s calm and reasonable portrayal of Tagge was necessary to prompt Vader to use the Force on him . LeParmentier was producing an animated fan film called " Motti Now " , in which Motti survives the Battle of Yavin and abandons the Empire . Motti in other related media . Early scripts of " A New Hope " shuffled the names of Admiral Motti and General Tagge . He is absent from the Death Star meeting scene in the , and instead it is General Tagge who is the victim of Vader ' s telekinetic strangulation , while Motti himself is replaced by a new Imperial officer named Romodi . Motti does appear later on in the novel , proving that he and Romodi are different characters . Leland Chee , the keeper of the " Star Wars " Holocron continuity database , nevertheless confirmed that Romodi is a senator and a different character than Motti . In the 1978 book " The Star Wars Storybook " , Tagge was the one who said Motti ' s dialogue and spoke out against Vader . Motti ' s role was greatly expanded in the radio drama of " Star Wars " , in which he attempts to conspire with Tarkin to eliminate Vader and assume complete control of the Empire . In the radio drama , David Clennon provided Motti ' s voice . In " " , an issue of the comic adaptation of " Star Wars " , Motti is shown at first with white hair , and later with blond hair . Jason Fry , the author of 2012 ' s " The Essential Guide to Warfare " , originally planned to include Motti in the book ' s prologue . Motti , Imperial engineer Bevel Lemelisk , an unnamed General representing the Imperial Department of Military Research , and Dr . Insmot Bowen were slated to discuss various mysterious events within the Galaxy , with Motti doubting Bowen ' s assertion that several mysterious events in the galaxy were the result of ancient Celestial technology . The prologue was ultimately cut and replaced with Grand Admiral Osvald Teshik ' s account of the Battle of Andalia . The decision came from Del Rey editor Erich Schoeneweiss , who felt that an account of a battle from a first - hand witness would better hook the reader . Fry begrudgingly agreed . Fry also planned to write a war portrait of Motti in the book as well , to show the differing views of the younger and older Imperial officers regarding the Empire . However , as he felt too much of it was a rehash of content in " The Essential Atlas " , and the piece was too short with that material cut , he ended up cutting that section of the book as well . Naming origins . Motti was one of the last Imperial characters from the original trilogy to receive a full name . Michael Reaves and Steve Perry intended to finally give the character a first name with their 2007 novel " Death Star " , and had already chosen the name " Zi " — used in the as - yet unpublished novel — when George Lucas created his own name for the character while being interviewed on " " . Following this , the writers were forced to change the name before printing , although one instance of " Zi " remains in the novel . Motti ' s full name was given by Lucas on the May 1 , 2007 episode of " Late Night with Conan O ' Brien " , during which Lucas was challenged to a trivia question by a fan — " O ' Brien " Associate Producer Jordan Schlanski — as to the name of the Imperial officer who Darth Vader Force - chokes in " A New Hope " . Lucas jokingly replied " Conan Antonio Motti . " Although the character had previously been known only as " Motti , " Lucas ' s statement finally gave a full name to this character . On the day after the episode aired , " Late Night " posted a blog entry on the NBC website about their surprise at the quick response of Wookieepedia , a fan - made online " Star Wars " Encyclopedia , in adopting the new name for the character , as well as their appreciation for Lucas in naming a " Star Wars " character after O ' Brien . When asked at Celebration IV to confirm the canon status of Motti ' s first name , Leland Chee said that " It ' ll be revealed eventually . " The name was finally confirmed when Sue Rostoni , executive editor of Lucas Licensing , posted the " dramatis personae " for " Death Star " on the StarWars . com message boards . Non - canon appearances . " Tag and Bink Are Dead " . Motti makes an appearance in the non - canon comic " Tag & Bink Are Dead " . In it , he encounters the Rebels - turned - stormtroopers , Tag Greenley and Bink Otauna on the Death Star . After he bumps into them , Motti informs the duo that this is " his " Death Star and orders them to show some respect . Later , after the pair unintentionally lets the Jedi Obi - Wan Kenobi deactivate the Death Star ' s tractor beam , Motti again encounters them , and confines them to quarters , warning the two of them that Vader or Tarkin would have them killed for such an offense if they were caught by one of those two . Motti also made an appearance in the tongue - and - cheek in - universe StarWars . com blog " Planet Earth Abandons Death Star Project In Face Of Superior Galactic Imperial Power , " where he declared the representatives of the planet Earth to be cowardly to have abandoned the project , citing that the planet had grossly overestimated the costs to develop such a technological terror , although he nonetheless admitted that they may have been too primitive compared to the Empire in terms of technological development . At the time the blog was written , the United States Government had rejected a petition requesting that they develop their own Death Star .