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- "The PEP laser will stun most humanoids."
- ―Null-class ARC trooper Captain Ordo
The Pulsed energy projectile laser, commonly shortened to PEP laser, was a non-lethal form of weaponry. Originally designed for police units tasked with controlling riots, the PEP laser made use of a deuterium fluoride laser to incapacitate targets without causing serious, long-lasting injury. Effective against most medium-sized humanoids, when discharged the PEP laser emitted a loud shockwave of sound and light, and was capable of knocking an individual off of their feet and inflicting significant pain, enough so that further resistance would be an almost physical impossibility. Noting the usefulness the PEP laser would provide in capturing live prisoners of interest, the Galactic Republic chose to outfit the elite clone commandos of the Grand Army of the Republic's special forces with PEP laser attachments for their DC-17m blaster rifles during the Clone Wars. One commando by the name of Fi, noted that a shot from a PEP laser was similar to being struck with a flash-bang grenade and hit with several plastoid rounds in the chest at the same time. Victims of a PEP laser round were subject to severe bruising at and around the point of impact.[1]
Despite their unique makeup, PEP laser rounds could be deflected by a lightsaber as easily as normal blaster bolts.[2]
Behind the scenes
The pulsed energy projectile laser was first introduced to Star Wars canon in the 2006 novel Republic Commando: Triple Zero, by author Karen Traviss.
The Pulsed Energy Projectile is a real life non-lethal weapon currently under development by the United States military. While the real device is much larger in its current state, the basic principles behind how the device works in the Star Wars universe are essentially the same as its real world counterpart.
Appearances
- Republic Commando: Triple Zero (First appearance)
- Republic Commando: True Colors (Indirect mention only)
- Order 66: A Republic Commando Novel (Indirect mention only)
- Imperial Commando: 501st