View source for Cassio Tagge/Legends

{{Top}}
{{Character
|type=Galactic Empire
|image=[[File:GenCassioTagge-ANH.png]]
|name=Cassio Tagge
|homeworld=[[Tepasi/Legends|Tepasi]]<ref name="gatorw">''[[Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds]]''</ref>
|birth=
|death=<!-- This is the Legends page for Cassio Tagge, and Legends established that he died on the Death Star. The Canon page, which includes the information about his survival from Darth Vader #1, can be found by clicking the "Canon" tab at the top of this page. -->[[0 BBY/Legends|0 BBY]] (35:3), [[DS-1 Orbital Battle Station/Legends|Death Star]]<ref name="dbtagge">{{DB|character|generaltagge|Tagge, General|archivedate=20110913052336}}</ref>
|species=[[Human/Legends|Human]]<ref name="dbtagge" />
|gender=[[Gender/Legends|Male]]<ref name="dbtagge" />
|height=1.8 [[Imperial standard meter|meters]]<ref name="dbtagge" />
|mass=
|hair=Brown<ref name="anh">{{Film|IV}}</ref>
|eyes=Brown<ref name="anh" />
|skin=Fair<ref name="anh" />
|cyber=
|affiliation=*[[House of Tagge/Legends|House of Tagge]]<ref name="ds">[[Death Star (novel)|''Death Star'']]</ref>
*[[Galactic Empire/Legends|Galactic Empire]]<ref name="dbtagge" />
**[[Imperial Army/Legends|Imperial Army]]<ref name="dbtagge" />
|masters=
|apprentices=}}
{{Quote|If he had been more vocal, even willing to take his complaints to the Emperor himself, Tagge might be alive today and might even be a 'military hero' for a victorious Empire.|Excerpt from Voren Na'al's profile of General Cassio Tagge|<ref name="mts">''[[The Movie Trilogy Sourcebook]]''</ref>}}
[[General/Legends|General]] '''Cassio Tagge''' served as the head of [[Imperial Army/Legends|Imperial Army]] operations aboard the [[DS-1 Orbital Battle Station/Legends|Death Star]] [[battlestation]] in the years leading up to and including the [[Battle of Yavin/Legends|Battle of Yavin]]. Born into the powerful [[House of Tagge/Legends|House of Tagge]], Cassio Tagge grew up on [[Tepasi/Legends|Tepasi]] with his three brothers&mdash;[[Orman Tagge/Legends|Orman]], [[Silas Tagge/Legends|Silas]], and [[Ulric Tagge/Legends|Ulric]], as well as his younger sister [[Domina Tagge/Legends|Domina]], who was sent away from Tepasi by Orman at an early age. Boasting a tactically astute and cautious mind, Tagge had enlisted for [[Officer/Legends|officer]] training in the [[Imperial Military/Legends|Imperial Military]] by [[18 BBY/Legends|18 BBY]], against the wishes of Orman, who had ascended to the position of [[Baron/Legends|Baron]] of the House of Tagge. Cassio Tagge ultimately ascended to the rank of general, and became an influential figure within the military, strengthening the organization's ties to his family's [[Tagge Company|TaggeCo]] corporation, and holding sway with [[Galactic Emperor/Legends|Emperor]] [[Palpatine/Legends|Palpatine]] himself. Tagge was ultimately followed into Imperial service by Ulric, and among the general's earlier assignments was the subjugation of the [[Fallanassi/Legends|Fallanassi]] people on [[Lucazec/Legends|Lucazec]]&mdash;when the general failed, he managed to drive the obstinate people off their planet and into hiding.

Tagge's military nous, combined with his standing with Palpatine and the House of Tagge's considerable influence on the [[Galactic Empire/Legends|Imperial]] capital [[Planet/Legends|world]] of [[Coruscant/Legends|Imperial Center]] resulted in him being given command of all Imperial Army activities on [[Grand Moff/Legends|Grand Moff]] [[Wilhuff Tarkin/Legends|Wilhuff Tarkin's]] Death Star. As the project was steered towards completion, Tagge was given numerous administrative duties, and developed a fierce rivalry with his [[Imperial Navy/Legends|Imperial Navy]] counterpart on the station, [[Admiral/Legends|Admiral]] [[Conan Antonio Motti/Legends|Conan Antonio Motti]]. Tagge also had to endure the presence of Palpatine's personal emissary, the [[Dark Lord of the Sith/Legends|Dark Lord of the Sith]] [[Anakin Skywalker/Legends|Darth Vader]], with whom he felt compelled to avoid direct confrontation, but was critical of nonetheless. Tagge's criticisms of Vader and the Death Star project reached a fever pitch in [[0 BBY/Legends|0 BBY]], when the [[Death Star plans/Legends|battlestation's plans]] were stolen by the [[Alliance to Restore the Republic/Legends|Alliance to Restore the Republic]], an entity that Tagge controversially had great respect for. Tagge's own organization of the battlestation's defensive arrays proved inadequate against the Alliance's later attack on the battlestation at [[Yavin Prime/Legends|Yavin Prime]], and the general perished along with Tarkin and Motti when the Death Star was destroyed by [[Luke Skywalker/Legends|Luke Skywalker]].

==Biography==
===Early life===
Cassio Tagge was a [[Human/Legends|Human]] [[Gender/Legends|male]] who was a member of the highly influential and noble [[House of Tagge/Legends|House of Tagge]],<ref name="gatorw" /> an immensely wealthy and noble family that controlled the ubiquitous [[Tagge Company]], as well as a bountiful mining operation.<ref name="dbtagge" /> Tagge grew up on the [[Core Worlds/Legends|Core World]] of [[Tepasi/Legends|Tepasi]], alongside older brothers [[Orman Tagge/Legends|Orman]], who was groomed from an early age to ascend to the position of [[Baron/Legends|baron]] within the family,<ref name="gatorw" /> and [[Silas Tagge/Legends|Silas]], who was interested purely in scientific development. Tagge had another brother in [[Ulric Tagge/Legends|Ulric]], and a sister, [[Domina Tagge/Legends|Domina]]. By the time Domina was two years old, Tagge and his siblings were orphaned.<ref name="goi">''[[Galaxy of Intrigue]]''</ref> From this youthful age, Cassio Tagge displayed an interest in strategy.<ref name="gatorw" />

===Military career===
{{Quote|Forget Darth Vader. If I play my cards right, it could be me ruling the galaxy at Palpatine's side."<br />"All I'm saying is be careful with these people. You may not know what you're getting into.|Orman and Cassio Tagge|<ref name="ea:eg">''[[Evasive Action: End Game]]''</ref>}}
[[File:OrmanandCassio.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Orman and Cassio confer on Tepasi.]]
By [[18 BBY/Legends|18 BBY]], Tagge had enrolled in [[Officer/Legends|officer]] training within the [[Imperial Military/Legends|Imperial Military]], against the wishes of Orman, who by that point had ascended to the role of baron of the House of Tagge and by extension was the head of TaggeCo. While in training, Tagge began to hear odd rumors concerning [[Galactic Emperor/Legends|Emperor]] [[Palpatine/Legends|Palpatine]] and the [[Dark Lord of the Sith/Legends|Dark Lord of the Sith]], [[Anakin Skywalker/Legends|Darth Vader]], concerning [[The Force/Legends|bizarre powers]] and rituals surrounding the pair. The young officer-in-training was particularly concerned by the stories around Vader's sudden rise to prominence within the year-old [[Galactic Empire/Legends|Galactic Empire]], and was concerned when Orman began embroiling himself in Palpatine's affairs. Meeting on [[Tepasi/Legends|Tepasi]], Tagge and his brother discussed Orman's recent meeting with the Emperor&mdash;the baron was confident that the [[New Order/Legends|New Order]] would prove hugely profitable for TaggeCo. The younger Tagge was nonetheless worried by the persistent rumors, but Orman was dismissive of Vader's influence, confident that he could turn the situation to his advantage and supplant the Dark Lord at Palpatine's side. Tagge's fears were not assuaged, and they ultimately proved well-founded&mdash;Vader visited Tepasi shortly thereafter, having learned of Orman's meeting with Palpatine, and blinded the baron with his [[Lightsaber/Legends|lightsaber]].<ref name="ea:eg" />

Exhibiting excellent leadership skills, Tagge rose through the ranks of the [[Imperial Army/Legends|Imperial Army]] rapidly,<ref name="jktcg">{{JKTCG|set=Masters of the Force (Jedi Knights TCG)|link=http://www.decipher.com/jediknights/cardlists/mastersoftheforce/large/29generaltaggequickdraw.html|cardname=General Tagge • Quick Draw}}</ref> and soon held the rank of [[General/Legends|general]],<ref name="dbtagge" /> despite a lack of support from the influential Lord Vader.<ref name="jktcg" /> He proved a capable and astute officer who was disinterested in politics and heirarchy, and placed more stock in loyal service to the Emperor.<ref name="dbtagge" /> As such, Tagge eventually developed enough power and influence, combined with the favorable standing of the House of Tagge on [[Coruscant/Legends|Imperial Center]], to hold sway with Palpatine himself.<ref name="ds" /> The general came to be seen as an unlikable, imposing figure within the army's heirarchy.<ref name="anhn">[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (novel)|''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope'' novel]]</ref> Tagge was eventually followed into Imperial service by Ulric, who served with competence.<ref name="gatorw" /> The general's positioning within the military also ensured that TaggeCo would have strong ties to the Imperial hierarchy, which the corporation profited from.<ref name="cswetc">{{CSWECite|III||"TaggeCo"}}</ref> Among the minor engagements Tagge was involved in during this time were the [[Marasaln Conflict]], the [[Penhalla Contention]] and the [[Pioku Border Wars]].<ref name="tdsc">{{InsiderCite|Special Edition 2014|A Certain Point of View (Star Wars Insider)|The Death Star Coup}}</ref>

At some stage, the Empire was alerted to the existence of the secretive [[Force-sensitive/Legends|Force-sensitive]] [[Fallanassi/Legends|Fallanassi]] people by [[Isela Talsava Norand|one of their number]]. In response, Tagge was dispatched to the planet [[Lucazec/Legends|Lucazec]] with the intent of offering the Fallanassi the protection of the Emperor should they pledge fealty to the Empire. The general met with their leader, [[Wialu]], and warned her that should they refuse Palpatine's offer, they would be hunted down and exterminated as the [[Jedi Order/Legends|Jedi Order]] [[Great Jedi Purge/Legends|had been]]. After consulting with her people Wialu nonetheless refused, claiming that they served only [[Light side of the Force/Legends|the Light]], and would not be utilized to further Palpatine's ambitions. Tagge, unsatisfied with the response, set about a campaign to force the Fallanassi into reconsidering their position. Capitalizing on Lucazec's open-immigration policy, the general placed his [[Agent/Legends|agents]] in villages with whom the Fallanassi enjoyed and thrived on open trade. Tagge's agents performed various acts of subterfuge within those villages, among them arson, turning [[Water/Legends|water]] bitter, and killing house animals. The Imperial agents would then blame the disturbances on the Fallanassi, turning the villages against the obstinate Force-sensitives. The situation reached a fever pitch when three Fallanassi were attacked in the village of [[Jisasu]]&mdash;in response the Fallanassi first sent their children away, before abandoning the planet totally, leaving their settlement desolate and in ruins. The Force-sensitive group returned to their reclusive ways, hiding on [[J't'p'tan]] in the [[Koornacht Cluster/Legends|Koornacht Cluster]].<ref name="bts">''[[Before the Storm]]''</ref>

===The illogical, vain, and exorbitant battlestation===
{{Quote|It is already clear from analysis of intercepted command transcripts that of the commanders, General Tagge was the most reasonable and stable.|Excerpt from Voren Na'al's profile of General Cassio Tagge|<ref name="mts" />}}
[[File:Motti2.png|thumb|right|220px|Admiral Conan Antonio Motti, Tagge's Imperial Navy counterpart and bitter rival on the Death Star]]
Although Cassio Tagge's heritage assisted in his being posted to the [[DS-1 Orbital Battle Station/Legends|Death Star]] [[battlestation]], his reputation as an officer was a key instigator,<ref name="dbtagge" /> as was his relationship to the Emperor,<ref name="ds" /> who handpicked Tagge for the task.<ref name="dstc">[[Death Star Technical Companion (Second Edition)|''Death Star Technical Companion'', Second Edition]]</ref> Over the planet [[Despayre]] in the [[Horuz system]], the construction of the gargantuan battlestation, which had the capacity to destroy entire planets, was under the supervision of [[Grand Moff/Legends|Grand Moff]] and [[Governor/Legends|Governor]] [[Wilhuff Tarkin/Legends|Wilhuff Tarkin]], to whom Tagge reported as a key adviser.<ref name="ds" /> Unbeknownst to Tagge, his family name had been added after the fact to the Emperor's master plan for galactic domination from the [[Clone Wars/Legends|Clone Wars]], as an annotation to that of Tarkin's name.<ref name="bos">''[[Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side]]''</ref> Tarkin was pleased with the general's appointment, valuing Tagge's rational mindset and tactical nous.<ref name="dstc" /> In Tarkin's opinion, if the conservative general could ultimately be convinced of the Death Star's place in military doctrine, anyone could be made to concede the same point.<ref name="tdsc" /> The general, still relatively young at this stage,<ref name="gg1">''[[Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope]]''</ref> was placed in charge of the station's defenses and would ultimately be responsible for the usage of the [[Superlaser/Legends|superlaser]] weapon itself.<ref name="dstc" /> Part of his responsibilities involved outlining the battlestation's [[Gunner/Legends|gunnery]] positions, choosing to have them distributed alphabetically throughout the station rather than in any sort of tactical or logical setup.<ref name="dbtagge" /> Tagge's involvement was a day-to-day requirement on the Death Star, requiring him to continually monitor systems functions and defensive armament. He was also to execute Tarkin's wishes, and was held responsible for logistics and morale aboard the battlestation.<ref name="gg1" />

Within the station's hierarchy, Tagge commanded the battlestation's Imperial Army contingent,<ref name="dstc" /> with General [[Moradmin Bast/Legends|Moradmin Bast]] serving under him as a subordinate,<ref name="ds" /> and General [[Trech Molock/Legends|Trech Molock]] serving as [[Army Operations Chief]]. Tagge's conservatism clashed with Molock's more adventurous spirit, and he two would frequently debate vociferously in private, to such a degree that their subordinates would have been shocked upon hearing the conversations.<ref name="tdsc" /> Tagge also found a rival in [[Admiral/Legends|Admiral]] [[Conan Antonio Motti/Legends|Conan Antonio Motti]],<ref name="ds" /> with whom Tagge and Tarkin formed a command triumvirate,<ref name="dbcam">{{DB|character|admiralmotti|Motti, Admiral Conan Antonio|archivedate=20110517075415}}</ref> and whose opinions of the Death Star's worth and power greatly exceeded Tagge's own skeptical views.<ref name="ds" /> It was Motti's radical belief that the Death Star would herald a total overhaul of the Imperial Military's doctrine, which dictated that the [[Imperial Navy/Legends|navy's]] purview was space, and that they were to provide support for Imperial Army incursions. The admiral controversially suggested that the Death Star would supersede the requirement for Navy involvement&mdash;under his proposed model, if the Army was met with resistance on any world, they would withdraw, and the Death Star would be brought in to threaten the planet whole. Tagge believed that the existing doctrine provided a more malleable and efficient practice, and that the project as a whole was siphoning funds from the stalled [[Super Star Destroyer/Legends|Super Star Destroyer]] development and other military endeavors. Motti would frequently bicker with Tagge, mocking what he thought were the general's outmoded views&mdash;the rivalry adversely affected operations on the Death Star, however, drawing Tarkin's ire.<ref name="tea">''[[The Essential Atlas]]''</ref>

The senior staff of the Death Star were ultimately joined by Darth Vader, who was to serve as Palpatine's emissary on the battlestation. Motti loathed the Dark Lord and frequently challenged Vader openly&mdash;Tagge, on the other hand,<ref name="dstc" /> had a brother who had suffered grievously for such an action.<ref name="ea:eg" /> The general chose only to criticize Vader when he was out of earshot, avoiding direct confrontation. He nonetheless complained to Tarkin about the appointment, but the Grand Moff was left unmoved by the protestations.<ref name="dstc" /> It was Tagge's belief, ultimately, that the Death Star was a vanity project for Tarkin to secure more power and standing within the Empire, and that the project was divorced from any logical military strategy.<ref name="anhn" /> The general also kept himself aware of the construction progress on Despayre below, praising [[Major/Legends|Major]] [[Calders]] for his work in making a formidable workforce out of the horde of [[Slavery/Legends|slaves]] on the world. Calders was ultimately promoted to the role of [[Warden/Legends|warden]] on the Death Star itself.<ref name="dstc" /> At some stage after [[3 BBY/Legends|3 BBY]], Tagge was contacted by a cousin, [[Massimo Tagge|Massimo]], who was serving as a [[Chief Instructor]] at the [[Academy of Carida]]. Massimo forwarded Tagge an analysis of the [[Tarkin Doctrine/Legends|Tarkin Doctrine]],<ref name="egtw">''[[The Essential Guide to Warfare]]''</ref> a document written by the Grand Moff arguing for the usage of fear of force rather than force itself,<ref name="is">''[[Imperial Sourcebook]]''</ref> from one of his cadets, the promising [[Natasi Daala]]. Tagge in turn forwarded the analysis to Tarkin himself, who would ultimately appoint Daala to his own staff and subsequently begin an affair with the former cadet.<ref name="egtw" />

===Moral imperatives===
{{Quote|If the Rebels have obtained a complete technical readout of this battlestation it is possible&mdash;however unlikely&mdash;that they might find a weakness, and exploit it."<br />"The plans you refer to will soon be back in our hands.|General Cassio Tagge and Lord Darth Vader|<ref name="anh" />}}
[[File:TaggeNeedsBureaucracy-ANH.png|thumb|left|300px|Tagge attends the meeting of officers in the Death Star conference room with Yularen, Motti, Tarkin, Vader, Bast, and Romodi.]]
In [[0 BBY/Legends|0 BBY]], the [[Death Star plans/Legends|Death Star plans]] were stolen by agents of the [[Alliance to Restore the Republic/Legends|Alliance to Restore the Republic]], prompting Lord Vader to launch a mission to locate and retrieve the data tapes. The plans had found their way into the custody of [[Senator/Legends|Imperial Senator]] [[Prince/Legends|Princess]] [[Leia Organa Solo|Leia Organa]] of [[Alderaan/Legends|Alderaan]], and although the Dark Lord of the Sith was able to track her down, he failed to retrieve the plans. Upon the Dark Lord's return to the battlestation, a meeting was convened in the [[Death Star conference room/Legends|Death Star conference room]] between Tagge, Admiral Motti, Generals Bast, Molock and [[Hurst Romodi/Legends|Hurst Romodi]], [[Colonel/Legends|Colonel]] [[Wullf Yularen/Legends|Wullf Yularen]] of the [[Imperial Security Bureau/Legends|Imperial Security Bureau]], and Officer [[Siward Cass/Legends|Siward Cass]] among those in attendance.<ref name="anh" /> While waiting for Tarkin to collect Vader from the dock, Tagge conferred with Motti&mdash;the admiral revealed that Vader had arrested Organa and brought her back to the Death Star. Tagge was incredulous, and felt that Vader had overstepped his station,<ref name="swrd">[[Star Wars (radio)|''Star Wars'' radio drama]]</ref> before openly expressing his disdain for the Emperor's decision to appoint Vader to the Death Star. He then moved onto his next issue<ref name="anhn" />&mdash;while the Death Star remained at a level below full operational status, the general believed that the battlestation was vulnerable to attack. In his opinion, the Alliance to Restore the Republic were a well-organized unit, and posed a genuine threat that he felt his fellow officers did not sufficiently acknowledge.<ref name="anh" /> This was in spite of the fact that the battlestation had survived an [[Attack on the first Death Star|earlier attack]] from the Alliance&mdash;it was Tagge's intent to have his grievances openly known and recorded.<ref name="ds" /> He understood the drive of the Alliance to be borne from moral imperative, which would drive them to success in spite of inferior vehicles of war and munitions.<ref name="mts" />

Tagge was one of the few in the Empire to have such a high opinion of the Alliance's resources,<ref name="dbtagge" /> and sure enough the suggestion was scoffed at by Admiral Motti,<ref name="anh" /> who retorted by claiming that while the Rebels might pose a threat to Tagge's concept of Imperial military doctrine,<ref name="anh" /><ref name="teays">''[[The Essential Atlas]]'' establishes that Motti's derisive use of "your starfleet" when talking to Tagge is a reference to Tagge's adherence to military doctrine, in which the Navy's involvement is critical, rather than Motti's proposed model, which would circumvent the Navy entirely.</ref> they would be outmatched by the Death Star. Tagge was not to to be silenced, however, and insisted that the Alliance would build support within the [[Imperial Senate/Legends|Imperial Senate]]. At that moment, Tarkin and Vader joined the group, with the Grand Moff announcing that Palpatine had disbanded the Senate, effectively removing the last vestige of the [[Galactic Republic/Legends|Galactic Republic]]. Tagge, incredulous, questioned just how Palpatine would be able to keep the Empire in check without the bureaucracy of the Senate, but Tarkin was unconcerned, as regional [[Governor/Legends|governors]] such as himself would now possess autonomy within their own territory. It was Tarkin's complete belief that the Death Star would deter any unrest within local [[Star system/Legends|star systems]],<ref name="anh" /> and he was unimpressed with Tagge's recalcitrant response to the Emperor's decision.<ref name="dstc" />

General Tagge was nonetheless still dissatisfied with the development, again citing the presence of the Alliance to Restore the Republic and their recent theft of the battlestation plans. The general insinuated that if the Alliance had possession of a complete technical readout of the Death Star's systems, they would potentially be able to identify a weakness to target and exploit. Vader reassured those assembled, however, that the recovery of the Death Star plans was progressing, and that they would be in Imperial possession soon. Motti took an opportunity to continue to heap praise upon the battlestation's powers and capabilities, suggesting that the Death Star's destructive capability was not a mere deterrent but was to be utilized. Vader chided the admiral for the sentiment, claiming that the powers of the Force dwarfed those of the Death Star&mdash;when Motti decided to retort yet again, Tagge and the others watched on as the Dark Lord of the Sith began [[Telekinesis/Legends|choking]] the admiral through the Force. Tarkin brought an end to the exhibition, ordering Vader to stand down before answering Tagge's concerns&mdash;the Grand Moff claimed that Vader would ascertain the location of the Alliance's base in time for the Death Star to reach full operational status, at which time the battlestation would then be used to end the Rebellion conclusively.<ref name="anh" /> The general was nevertheless displeased with the development, and via [[HoloNet/Legends|HoloNet]] he aired his grievances about the senate's dissolution to a patron on Imperial Center.<ref name="mtsse">''[[Star Wars Trilogy Sourcebook, Special Edition]]''</ref>

===An unfortunate vindication===
{{Quote|Until this battlestation is fully operational, we are vulnerable. The Rebel Alliance is too well equipped; they're more dangerous than you realize."<br />"Dangerous to 'your starfleet,' commander, ''not'' to this battlestation.|General Cassio Tagge and Admiral Conan Antonio Motti|<ref name="anh" />}}
[[File:TaggeVaderTarkin-SWSB.jpg|thumb|right|220px|Tagge, Vader, and Tarkin in conference aboard the Death Star shortly before Alderaan's destruction]]
Vader proceeded to torture the captive Organa with an [[IT-O Interrogator]] droid, although the Dark Lord reported to Tarkin and Tagge later that he was having great difficulty extracting the location of the Alliance's hidden fortress from her, given her formidable resistance to the droid. Motti soon approached the trio, announcing that the station had reached full operational status. Tarkin immediately decided upon a target&mdash;Organa's homeworld of Alderaan&mdash;and he ordered the admiral to have the battlestation taken to [[Alderaan system/Legends|that system]] immediately.<ref name="anh" /> Tagge was concerned by the decision, but the Grand Moff reassured him that he had been given ''carte blanche'' to demonstrate the Death Star's capabilities.<ref name="ds" /> Although Tarkin was able to extract [[Dantooine/Legends|Dantooine]] as the site of the Alliance base from Organa, he had Alderaan destroyed nonetheless. Scout ships were dispatched to Dantooine shortly thereafter, finding only an abandoned base. Although the Grand Moff issued an order to have Organa executed, it was not carried out, as the princess was rescued by a group of Alliance sympathizers and escaped the Death Star aboard the captured [[YT-1300 light freighter/Legends|YT-1300 light freighter]] [[Millennium Falcon/Legends|''Millennium Falcon'']]. Vader, however, had a [[Homing beacon/Legends|homing beacon]] placed aboard the freighter, allowing the Imperials to track Organa to the Alliance base on [[Yavin 4/Legends|Yavin 4]].<ref name="anh" />

Tarkin had the station brought to the [[Yavin system/Legends|Yavin system]] in the hopes of destroying the fourth moon and the [[Great Temple/Legends|Rebel base]] on it. In response to the battlestation's arrival in the system, the Alliance launched an [[Battle of Yavin/Legends|attack]] with [[T-65 X-wing starfighter/Legends|T65 X-wing]] and [[BTL Y-wing starfighter/Legends|BTL Y-wing starfighters]], based on the stolen Death Star data tapes that Vader had failed to recover, despite his earlier reassurances to Tagge.<ref name="anh" /> The scenario was one that the general had predicted,<ref name="anh" /> but his basic training as a soldier and his adherence to the chain of command prevented him from taking any sort of action to avert the course of action Tarkin and the Death Star now found themselves in.<ref name="mts" /> Despite vocally denying the futility of a Rebel attack, Tagge himself was not without fault. His organization of the Death Star's gunnery positions was revealed to have been sorely lacking&mdash;the discordant firing patterns allowed the Alliance's starfighters to slip through the station's defenses, exposing the general's choices as unsound. Although Vader participated in the battle himself and managed to down many Alliance pilots, one of their number, [[Luke Skywalker/Legends|Luke Skywalker]], managed to fire two [[Proton torpedo/Legends|proton torpedos]] into the Death Star's two-meter-wide exhaust port,<ref name="anh" /> destroying the station and claiming Tagge's life.<ref name="dbtagge" />

===Legacy===
The true nature of the Death Star's destruction was kept hidden from the public&mdash;it was reported on a 35:4:22 [[NewsNet]] bulletin that Tagge had perished in a [[Shuttle/Legends|shuttle]] accident at the [[Tallaani Shipyards|Tallaan Imperial Shipyards]], alongside Tarkin and Motti.<ref name="gnnaj3">{{Journal|3|Galaxywide NewsNets}}</ref> In the wake of General Cassio Tagge's death, members of the Alliance who had proved instrumental in the Battle of Yavin were continually harassed by his siblings and the greater forces of the House of Tagge.<ref name="dbtagge" /> The Imperial ties to the House of Tagge remained strong, however, with Orman capitalizing on the connection to involve himself in the Imperial Military's [[Yavin blockade]].<ref name="sw25">[[Star Wars (1977) 25|''Star Wars'' (1977) 25]]</ref>

In a later report on the events leading to the Battle of Yavin, Alliance historian [[Voren Na'al/Legends|Voren Na'al]] provided a profile on Tagge for his superior, [[Major/Legends|Major]] [[Arhul Hextrophon/Legends|Arhul Hextrophon]]. In the profile, Na'al noted that Alliance [[Psychologist/Legends|psychologists]] were perplexed as to why Tagge had even decided to serve Emperor Palpatine in the first place, given that he was easily the most rational and stable of the senior staff aboard the Death Star.<ref name="gg1" /> It was also speculated that had the general been more vocal about his misgivings with the battlestation, and had taken his issues with Tarkin's command of the Death Star directly to Emperor Palpatine, the Imperial disaster at Yavin could have been averted, and Tagge would have been hailed as a hero of the Empire.<ref name="mts" /> In contrast, Palpatine considered the failure of the Death Star's senior personnel to evacuate at Yavin fortunate for those individuals&mdash;he had [[Bevel Lemelisk|the station's designer]] tortured and its architects executed.<ref name="bos" />

==Personality and traits==
{{Quote|I have just received word that the Emperor has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the old Republic have been swept away."<br />"That's impossible! How will the Emperor maintain control without the bureaucracy?|Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin and General Cassio Tagge|<ref name="anh" />}}
[[File:TaggeCo-GOI.jpg|thumb|left|220px|Cassio and his sister Domina]]
Cassio Tagge was known as a plodding and cautious individual in his youth,<ref name="gatorw" /> and that caution went on to define him later in his life.<ref name="mts" /> He was an intense, no-nonsense figure, who projected a powerful and commanding presence<ref name="dstc" />&mdash;he was also perceived to have a stroke of twisted genius about him, which struck fear into those around him. Tagge's demeanor was considered by his colleagues and compatriots to be particularly unpleasant and unlikable.<ref name="anhn" />

Tagge's apprehensive nature was in stark contrast to that of his oldest brother, Baron Orman Tagge, whose brash and cocksure modus operandi eventuated in his being maimed by the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Vader.<ref name="ea:eg" /> The general was a cautious being, and preferred to survey all options before taking a plan of action. Although this often served him well, it would occasionally be to his detriment.<ref name="dstc" /> What he made up for in rationality he lacked in persuasive skills, as his constant warnings to Tarkin and Motti were unheeded,<ref name="gg1" /> as were his warnings to older brother Orman about Darth Vader's powers.<ref name="ea:eg" /> This balanced but conservative view made Tagge an unusual figure within the hierarchy of the Imperial Military.<ref name="dstc" /> Tagge was nonetheless outspoken and argumentative in putting across his beliefs among his peers, openly questioning decisions made by influential figures such as Grand Moff Tarkin, Lord Vader, and Emperor Palpatine.<ref name="anh" /> It was not his unswerving loyalty, however, that prevented Tagge from buying into some of Tarkin and Motti's more ambitious discussions regarding what power the Death Star would afford them in the Empire at large&mdash;rather, Tagge's concerns over using the battlestation to wield ultimate control over Palpatine were logistical.<ref name="tdsc" />

Tagge was one to buy into rumor and innuendo in his younger days, particularly the morbid stories that surrounded figures such as Vader and Palpatine.<ref name="ea:eg" /> Tagge as an officer ultimately appealed to Palpatine&mdash;his refusal to involve himself in political maneuvering and dedication to the will of the Emperor were traits the galactic ruler valued.<ref name="dbtagge" /><ref name="dstc" /> On the other hand, Tagge disliked Vader immensely, criticizing the Dark Lord with vigor behind his back.<ref name="anhn" /> The general also advised caution in dealing with the Alliance to Restore the Republic&mdash;he acknowledged their abilities to significantly harm the Empire, and was one of the few individuals in his walk of life to think in such a way.<ref name="dbtagge" /> It was his opinion that the Alliance held sway within the Imperial Senate, and he was willing to contemplate the worst-case possibility that they would be able to ascertain a method by which to damage or destroy the Death Star.<ref name="anh" /> His cautious approach led him to question the dissolving of the Imperial Senate, as the former senators and their constituents would not be happy at their loss of power and representation, and the destruction of Alderaan, which he felt would have a fatal backlash against the Empire in contrast to Tarkin and Motti, who believed that it would inspire total obedience through fear. Ironically, he was proven right, as the destruction of the peaceful and beloved world caused a storm of rage and dissidence throughout the Empire.

The general earned the ire of Admiral Motti through his more conservative approach to the Death Star battlestation, and the two developed a rivalry while serving under Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin. His belligerent attitude clashed with that of Motti, and retained his skepticism of the Death Star project even in the light of successful demonstrations of the battlestation's power.<ref name="ds" /> His criticism of the dissolution of the Imperial Senate lost him favor with the likes of Tarkin,<ref name="dstc" /> although the general was considered a rational thinker and astute tactician by the Grand Moff,<ref name="dstc" /> in spite of Tagge's unimaginative positioning of defensive gunnery positions on the Death Star.<ref name="dbtagge" />

Tagge was considered the most level-headed of the senior staff aboard the Death Star by Voren Na'al, and a psychological profile of recordings from the Death Star led Alliance psychologists to debate over why he would serve the Empire at all, let alone join it.<ref name="gg1" /> Although he was largely cautious and level-headed, he did nonetheless have some hatred of the Rebel Alliance, citing that they ultimately acted as the reason why the Imperial Army did not shift focus to peacekeeping, and also cited that the Rebels, and anyone who claimed kinship with them, ultimately feared order, distrusted prosperity, and hated progress. These claims [[Leia Organa Solo|Leia Organa]] took issue with as being "some of the vilest" of all the blind, barbaric, and half-witted statements due to words having power and making the Rebels fight all the more difficult, although Han Solo reassured her that his claim was an empty boast, and besides which, he was long dead as a result of the Battle of Yavin.<ref name="IHB">''[[Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide]]''</ref>

==Appearance, attire and equipment==
Cassio Tagge was 1.8 [[Imperial standard meter|meters]] in height,<ref name="dbtagge" /> and had brown eyes and brown hair, cropped short with sideburns. Tagge wore the standard uniform of an Imperial officer.<ref name="anh" /> He had a slight paunch, which did not diminish to his otherwise commanding appearance. Among General Cassio Tagge's personal effects were a [[Datapad/Legends|datapad]], a [[Comlink/Legends|comlink]], a [[Blaster pistol/Legends|blaster pistol]] and his [[Code cylinder/Legends|code cylinders]].<ref name="dstc" />

==Behind the scenes==
{{Quote|I tell you he's gone too far. This Sith Lord sent by the Emperor will be our undoing. Until this battle station is fully operation ''[sic]'', we are vulnerable.|An earlier version of General Tagge's first lines|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110913052336/http://www.starwars.com/databank/character/generaltagge/index.html}}
General Tagge was created by [[George Lucas]] for the [[1977]] film [[Star Wars: Episode IV A New Hope|''Star Wars'']], in which he was portrayed by [[Don Henderson]]. The character is credited erroneously as General Taggi in the film's end credits. In early drafts of the film's screenplay, Lucas swapped the names of General Tagge and Admiral Motti, which had repercussions in the film's various adaptations. Early dialogue for Tagge revealed that he, like Motti, has reservations about Darth Vader's capacity to recover the data tapes of the Death Star plans. This version of the script is reflected in [[Star Wars (1977) 1|the first part]] of [[Marvel Comics]]' [[Star Wars (Marvel Comics 1977)|adaptation]] of the film, although the character's appearance more closely reflects that of the actor playing Admiral Motti, [[Richard LeParmentier]], rather than Henderson.<ref name="dbtagge" /> The comic issue also gives Tagge the rank of [[Commander/Legends|commander]] rather than general. [[Alan Dean Foster]]'s [[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (novel)|novelization]] of Lucas's screenplay further confuses the issue, giving Motti's lines to Tagge, and as a result it is General Tagge who is strangled by Darth Vader in the scene.<ref name="dbtagge" /> Foster's novel also gives Tagge his earlier line regarding Darth Vader, and features him arguing with another character, Romodi. The novel also features dialogue from Tagge that concerns his opinion on Tarkin, which does not appear in the film.

Marvel's adaptation of the ''[[Star Wars]]'' story continued beyond the events of the film, and featured another by-product of the Tagge/Motti confusion. The comics featured the character of Ulric Tagge, who notably hates Darth Vader and bears a resemblance to LeParmentier as Motti, rather than Henderson as General Tagge, who was later confirmed to have died during the destruction of the Death Star.<ref name="dbtagge" /> In the issue [[Star Wars (1977) 25|''Star Wars'' (1977) 25]], the character [[Jorman Thoad]] mentions that the Tagges are fortunate to have an Imperial General within their family&mdash;as this is set after Cassio's death, it is possible that he is referring to Ulric.

[[File:Youngcassiotagge.png|thumb|right|200px|A younger Cassio Tagge in his first non-adaptation Expanded Universe appearance, ''Evasive Action: End Game'']]
The confusion between Tagge and Motti persisted for decades, with [[Star Wars: A New Hope - The Special Edition 1|the first issue]] of [[Bruce Jones]]'s adaptation of ''Star Wars'' identifying Motti as "Commander Tagge." In [[Ryder Windham]]'s [[2004]] [[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (junior novelization)|junior novelization]] of ''A New Hope'', the erroneous rank of "commander" for Tagge is reflected once more. The [[The Official Star Wars Fact File 19|19th]] issue of ''[[The Official Star Wars Fact File]]'' mistakenly identifies Baron Orman Tagge as former "General Tagge," which could erroneously refer to either Cassio or Ulric. Despite Tagge being identified as a General, and confirmed as head of Imperial Army activities on board the Death Star in the ''[[Death Star Technical Companion]]'' ([[1991]]), in the film ''Star Wars'', Motti nonetheless refers to Tagge's "starfleet." This discrepancy was explained in ''[[The Essential Atlas]]'' ([[2009]]), where the reference is attributed to Motti's derisive view of Tagge's adherence to the involvement of the Imperial Navy within Imperial military doctrine, and also Tagge's view that the Death Star project has siphoned funds away from Navy projects.

Despite appearing in the very first ''Star Wars'' works in 1976&ndash;1977, Tagge went relatively unnoticed in [[Star Wars Legends|Expanded Universe]] narrative works. Save for a brief series of mentions in the first part of [[Michael P. Kube-McDowell]]'s ''[[The Black Fleet Crisis]]'' trilogy, ''[[Before the Storm]]'' ([[1996]]), the character did not appear in a narrative ''Star Wars'' work until [[Paul Ens]]' webstrip ''[[Evasive Action: End Game]]'' ([[2006]]), which was illustrated by [[Tom Hodges|Thomas Hodges]]. It was the first work to depict Tagge with one of his siblings from the earlier Marvel series.

==Appearances==
*''[[Evasive Action: End Game]]''
*[[Death Star (novel)|''Death Star'']]
*[[Star Wars (radio)|''Star Wars'' radio drama]]
*''[[The Star Wars Storybook]]'' <!--General Tagge-->
*{{Film|IV}}
*[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (novel)|''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope'' novel]] {{1st}}
*[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (junior novelization)|''Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope'' junior novel]] <!--"Commander Tagge"-->
*''[[Escape from the Death Star]]''
*''[[Star Wars: A New Hope - The Special Edition 1]]'' <!--"Commander Tagge"-->
*''[[Star Wars Manga: A New Hope 1]]''
*[[Star Wars (1977) 1|''Star Wars'' (1977) 1]]
*[[Star Wars (1977) 25|''Star Wars'' (1977) 25]] {{C|Possible mention}} <!--Jorman Thoad: Wish I had a Imperial General like the Tagges. -->
*{{Journal|3|Galaxywide NewsNets}} {{Mo}}
*''[[The Rise and Fall of Darth Vader]]'' {{Flash}}
*''[[Before the Storm]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Shield of Lies]]'' {{Mo}}

===Non-canon appearances===
*''[[William Shakespeare's Star Wars: Verily, A New Hope]]''

==Sources==
{{Scroll_box|content=
*''[[The Making of Star Wars]]''
*{{Topps|set=1978 Topps Star Wars Series 4|cardname=Discussing the Death Star's future|link=https://www.tcdb.com/ViewCard.cfm/sid/72964/cid/5255528/1977-Topps-Star-Wars-231-Discussing-the-Death-Star's-future|archivedate=20201105065727}} {{Po}}
*''[[Star Wars Official Poster Monthly 9]]''
*''[[A Guide to the Star Wars Universe]]''
*''[[Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope]]''
*''[[Death Star Technical Companion]]''
*''[[The Movie Trilogy Sourcebook]]''
*[[Death Star Technical Companion (Second Edition)|''Death Star Technical Companion'', Second Edition]]
*''[[A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded]]''
*{{InsiderCite|25|Rebel Rumblings}}
*[[Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope (Second Edition)|''Galaxy Guide 1: A New Hope'', Second Edition]]
*{{Journal|10|Wanted by Cracken (Star Wars Adventure Journal)|Wanted by Cracken}}
*{{Topps|set=1995 Topps Star Wars Galaxy Series 3|cardname=General Tagge}}
*{{CCG|set=Premiere Limited|link=Premiere-Dark/large/generaltagge.gif|cardname=General Tagge}}
*{{CCG|set=Premiere Limited|link=Premiere-Light/large/taggeseeker.gif|cardname=Tagge Seeker}}
*''[[The Essential Guide to Characters]]''
*{{GalaxyCite|12|Around the Galaxy}}
*''[[Star Wars Trilogy Sourcebook, Special Edition]]''
*''[[Star Wars: The Annotated Screenplays]]''
*''[[Star Wars: Behind the Magic]]'' {{Po}}
*''[[Star Wars Encyclopedia]]''
*{{StarWarsKidsCite|12|Star Wars Kids (1997)|Star Wars Kids Talks To&hellip;}} {{Po}}
*''[[A Guide to the Star Wars Universe, Third Edition, Revised and Expanded]]''
*{{FFCite|3|VAD2, ''Darth Vader''}} {{Po}}
*{{FFCite|7|DEA2, ''Deploying the Death Star''}}
*{{TCG|set=A New Hope (TCG)|sformatted=''A New Hope''|link=https://swtcg.com/Content/Images/Cards/ANH/General_Tagge_A.webp?v=2|cardname=General Tagge (A)}}
*{{JKTCG|set=Masters of the Force (Jedi Knights TCG)|link=http://www.decipher.com/jediknights/cardlists/mastersoftheforce/large/29generaltaggequickdraw.html|cardname=General Tagge • Quick Draw}}
<!--He's not in NTGC-->
*''[[Geonosis and the Outer Rim Worlds]]'' {{1stID|Cassio}}
*''[[The Cinema of George Lucas]]''
*''[[Vader: The Ultimate Guide]]'' {{Po}}
*''[[Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide]]''
*{{HasbroCite|set=Star Wars: The Saga Collection|pack=Death Star Briefing|altlink=https://www.rebelscum.com/tscdeathstarbriefing.asp}}
*{{InsiderCite|91|Comic Marvels}} {{Imo}} <!--prestigious Imperial family-->
*''[[Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide: Special Edition]]''
*{{HasbroCite|set=Celebration IV|text=''C4: Action Figure Base Pack''|pack=C4: Action Figure Base Pack|altlink=https://www.rebelscum.com/story/actionfigure/c4_action_figure_base_pack_106285.asp}}
*{{InsiderCite|96|The Empire's Finest: Who's Who in the Imperial Military}}
*{{InsiderCite|96|Set Piece|Set Piece: Death Star Conference Room}}
*''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]''
*''[[Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 9]]''
*''[[The Essential Atlas]]''
*''[[Galaxy of Intrigue]]'' {{Po}}
*{{InsiderCite|Special Edition 2010|The Cast}} {{Po}}
*''[[Star Wars: The Official Starships & Vehicles Collection 52]]'' {{Po}}
*{{DB|location|deathstar|Death Star|archivedate=20100326072217}}
*{{DB|character|admiralmotti|Motti, Admiral Conan Antonio|archivedate=20110517075415}}
*{{DB|character|generaltagge|Tagge, General|archivedate=20110913052336}}
*''[[Book of Sith: Secrets from the Dark Side]]''
*''[[The Essential Guide to Warfare]]''
*''[[Star Wars: The Ultimate Visual Guide: Updated and Expanded]]''
*{{Topps|set=2012 Topps Star Wars Galactic Files Series 1|cardname=General Tagge}}
*{{FFCite|y=2014|1|YAV4, ''The Battle of Yavin''}}
*''[[Star Wars: Force Collection]]'' {{C|Card: General Tagge}}
*''[[Death Star Owner's Technical Manual]]''
*{{InsiderCite|Special Edition 2014|A Certain Point of View (Star Wars Insider)|The Death Star Coup}}
*{{SWE|characters|admiral-motti|Admiral Motti|archiveurl=https://archive.is/ZQ55Q}} {{Po}}
*''[[Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide]]''
*{{InsiderCite|153|Blaster (Star Wars Insider)|Blaster}}
*{{FFGTCG|set=Between the Shadows|cardname=General Tagge}}
}}

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

{{Interlang
|de=Cassio Tagge
|es=Cassio Tagge
|fr=Cassio Tagge
|hu=Cassio Tagge
|ka=კასიო ტეგი/ლეგენდები
|nl=Cassio Tagge
|pl=Cassio Tagge
|ru=Кассио Тагге
|fi=Cassio Tagge
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tagge, Cassio}}
[[Category:Death Star residents]]
[[Category:House of Tagge]]
[[Category:Humans]]
[[Category:Imperial Army generals of the Galactic Empire]]
[[Category:Males]]
[[Category:Nobility]]