Maketh Tua

"My dear, you did great service to your Empire today. Now focus on those level fives!" ―Minister Tua, to Sabine Wren after she "helped" translate her conversation with Amda Wabo[7] Minister Tua was fiercely loyal to the Empire. Minister Tua was fiercely loyal to the Empire.

Maketh Tua could be described as a product of Imperial propaganda, and believed the Empire and her own intentions were in the people's best interests. Having studied abroad on worlds more cosmopolitan than her native Lothal, Tua considered herself above the people of a "barely civilized Outer Rim world." She enjoyed the refined conversation of fellow intellectuals, and resented having to deal with unsavory types like Commandant Cumberlayne Aresko in the course of her duties as an Imperial public servant. Minister Tua was a loyal servant of the Empire and a graduate of the Imperial Academy.[13] She followed the will of Emperor Palpatine, which brought her into contact with Agent Kallus and made her a recurring enemy of the Spectres.[7]

She served the Empire out of a belief in its ideas and a desire to spread law and order rather than her own personal ambitions, which set her apart from the Empire's servants such as Agent Kallus, Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin, and the Grand Inquisitor. Unlike her Imperial colleagues, Tua was not known to use her position as Minister to vent sadistic or even sycophantic urges,[13] but was nonetheless an ineffectual leader.[20] Despite her expertise at managing Lothal's industrial infrastructure, Tua was not politically savvy and did not regard the governor of Kintoni's bid to expand Imperial Naval facilities as a threat to Lothal's position in the Empire. Pryce belittled Tua's foibles and despised her tendency to drift back to thinking like a native despite her offworld schooling.[10]

Unlike other Imperial officials, Maketh Tua appeared to care for the common people and used her position to introduce government-sponsored housing.[11] Tua threw a celebration on Empire Day to rally support for the Empire's goals on Lothal and reassure the citizens of their importance to the Empire.[13] While she often appeared cold and authoritative, she was also friendly, as shown during an encounter with Sabine Wren, a rebel posing as a "level five Imperial Academy student." However, she would bend laws and participate in underhanded actions if it served the Empire's interests. For example, she was willing to mass-produce T-7 ion disruptor rifles on the orders of the Empire, despite knowing that they had been outlawed by the Imperial Senate.[7] In addition, Tua was self-absorbed[20] and had a short temper.[7]

Minister Tua regularly displayed confident bravado. Minister Tua regularly displayed confident bravado.

Maketh Tua rarely displayed any sign of weakness, even in the intimidating presence of the Inquisitor. Her confident bravado was only diminished by Grand Moff Tarkin, who publicly lambasted her failings and threatened her career in the Empire's service. Tua was also visibly horrified and shaken by the summary execution of Aresko and Grint at the hands of the Grand Inquisitor. If Tarkin's measures that day weren't bad enough,[15] Darth Vader's presence on Lothal—inside her own office—frightened Tua more than ever.[6]

Tua revealed her true colors when her superiors shattered her belief in the Empire's supposed good intentions. Witnessing the execution of Aresko and Grint[15] and later being ordered by Vader to employ brutal tactics against her own people caused her to morally object to the Emperor's true plans for Lothal, which all resulted in her choice to aid the rebels. However, much of her motivation was out of fear of Vader's wrath, which she made clear by telling the rebels that she felt her life was in danger.[6]