- "My friend's got a bag full of explosives. Let's use them."
- ―Solo concocts a plan to help destroy Starkiller Base with the pyro denton explosives
Pyro denton explosives, usually referred to as just dentons, were a model of explosive charge in use from at least the early Imperial Era to the First Order-Resistance War. They played a pivotal role in the Resistance's success in destroying the First Order's Starkiller Base superweapon around thirty years after the Battle of Endor. The First Order deserter Finn packed them on board the Millennium Falcon, a YT-1300 light freighter captained by Han Solo and his co-pilot Chewbacca, while it was at the Resistance base on the planet D'Qar. After the three traveled to Starkiller Base and completed their objectives there, Solo then suggested they use the explosive to help damage the base's thermal oscillator, as the Resistance's aerial forces were having trouble doing so. Solo and Chewbacca managed to set the charges inside the oscillator, but during the process Solo was killed by his son Kylo Ren, leaving Chewbacca to detonate the devices and punch a hole in the oscillator large enough for Resistance pilot Poe Dameron to fly in and destroy it, leading to the destruction of the entire base.
Description[]
Pyro denton explosives were activated by a remote detonator.
- "Finn, be careful with those. They're explosives."
"Now you tell me?" - ―Solo warns Finn about the pyro denton explosives he is packing
Pyro denton explosives were a model of explosive charge[3] which were sometimes referred to as just dentons.[4] The explosives could be shaped as either spheres[3] or discs.[5] They could be stuck to sheer surfaces and would show red lights when activated.[1] The could be programmed to detonate on command from a remote detonator.[4] The charges were heavy enough that carrying a full satchel of them took the full strength of a Wookiee.[3]
History[]
Imperial Era[]
Shortly after the formation of the Galactic Empire, the fugitive clone commandos of the Bad Batch had a pyro denton explosive among their supplies. Hunter took the explosive to a trader on Pantora to sell since he considered it the only thing the squad had which was worth any money, but the trader refused to pay the 1,800 credits Hunter thought it was worth, suggesting he go to the black market instead. After Omega, a child clone in the Batch's care, was nearly abducted by the bounty hunter Fennec Shand, Hunter used the charge to destroy an airspeeder Shand had commandeered, which allowed him and Omega to escape.[5]
First Order/Resistance War[]
- "We'll set the charges against every other column."
- ―Solo directs Chewbacca as they set the explosives within the oscillator
Around thirty years after the Battle of Endor, the First Order deserter Finn packed a case of pyro denton explosives onto the YT-1300 light freighter known as the Millennium Falcon at the Resistance base on the planet D'Qar in preparation for a mission to destroy the First Order's Starkiller Base superweapon. He was not aware of what it was he was packing until Han Solo, captain of the Falcon warned him to be careful with the explosives. Upon reaching Starkiller base, Solo's co-pilot Chewbacca brought the pyro denton explosives with him around the base in a bag, in case they were needed. After Solo, Finn and Chewbacca disabled the base's shields and located their friend Rey, Solo realized that the other Resistance forces attacking the base would need more support, and suggested that they use the explosives to damage the superweapon's thermal oscillator. The group split up, with Finn and Rey leaving to find a way to give Solo and Chewbacca access to the oscillator.[1]
Chewbacca caused significant damage to Starkiller Base's thermal oscillator with pyro denton explosives.
Once they had managed to open the doors, the two pilots rushed inside and headed in different directions to place the explosives on each support column around the inside of the oscillator. Solo gave Chewbacca the detonator, but as the captain was placing his portion of the explosives, he recognized his son, Kylo Ren, who had betrayed his family and joined the First Order, on the oscillator's central walkway. Solo attempted to persuade Ren that he should return with him to the Resistance, but Ren could not be persuaded, and killed his father. In rage at his friends death, Chewbacca shot Ren and then activated the explosives, fleeing as large hole was blown in the side of the oscillator. This allowed Poe Dameron, one of the Resistance's pilots, to fly into the oscillator and destroy it using his T-70 X-wing starfighter Black One. With the oscillator destroyed, Starkiller Base soon followed suit and exploded as forces from both sides of the battle retreated to safety.[1]
Behind the scenes[]
Pyro denton explosives first appeared in the film Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens, which was released in 2015. Despite playing an important role in the film, the explosives were not named, only being fully identified in the reference book Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary, which was written by Pablo Hidalgo and released in conjunction with the film. The explosives were also mentioned in the various adaptations of the film including the films novelization by Alan Dean Foster and Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A Junior Novel by Michael Kogge, which included additional dialogue concerning the explosives not included in the film. In both novelisations, Solo explains to Finn that he did not inform him that he was packing explosives because he did not want to scare him. Later, Solo and Chewbacca decide they do not have enough denton explosives to place one on every support column in the oscillator and instead place all of them on the single nearest column. As these scenes contradict the film, this article assumes that the film is correct and these interpretations are not canon.
Appearances[]
Star Wars: The Bad Batch — "Cornered"- "True Love" — Tales from a Galaxy Far, Far Away: Aliens: Volume I
- Star Wars: Episode VII The Force Awakens (First appearance)
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens novelization
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens audiobook
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A Junior Novel
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens: A Junior Novel audiobook
- The Force Awakens Read-Along Storybook and CD
- The Force Awakens storybook
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens Graphic Novel Adaptation
- The Force Awakens: Rey's Story
- The Force Awakens: Rey's Story audiobook
- The Force Awakens Adaptation 5
Non-canon appearances[]
Sources[]
- Star Wars: The Force Awakens: The Visual Dictionary (First identified as pyro denton explosive)
- Star Wars: Geektionary: The Galaxy from A - Z
- Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary, New Edition
- "Cornered" Episode Guide - The Bad Batch on StarWars.com (backup link) (Indirect mention only)
