10 Star Wars Subplots That Went Literally Nowhere
3. How The Empire Works (A New Hope)
One of the most interesting subplots in A New Hope is the mystery and complexities surrounding Darth Vader and the evil Empire. With his triumphant storming of the Tantive IV, his intimidating design and mastery of the Force, the stage is seemingly set for Darth Vader to be at the head of the Empire, however it is soon revealed that he is almost just a pawn for Grand Moff Tarkin, even being described as his dog by Princess Leia.
However, following Tarkin's death on board the Death Star in A New Hope, audiences are shown a Vader who is more than happy choking officers and planning strategies. It's a subplot that doesn't really roll with much consistency, but could have been an interesting dynamic to explore.
On top of that, where does the Emperor fit in the day-to-day running of the Empire? Merely mentioned in A New Hope and shown as a influential force in guiding Vader in Empire Strikes Back, the mechanics of the Empire could have been a really great tool for audiences to understand the characters better and perhaps even gain an understanding of why it is such a fearsome force in the galaxy.