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Superweapon

< Superweapon
Revision as of 14:41, 31 May 2012 by Cade Calrayn (talk | contribs)
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DeathStar2

The Death Stars were the Empire's superweapons of terror.

"I think we're all agreed that planet-killer technology is wasteful, to put it mildly."
―Garonnin[src]

A superweapon was a weapon with capacities far out of line with normal military technology, such as destroying entire planets or star systems, and often requiring great resources to create.

History

"What the Empire would have done was build a super-colossal Yuuzhan Vong–killing battle machine. They would have called it the Nova Colossus or the Galaxy Destructor or the Nostril of Palpatine or something equally grandiose. They would have spent billions of credits, employed thousands of contractors and subcontractors, and equipped it with the latest in death-dealing technology. And you know what would have happened? It wouldn't have worked. They'd forget to bolt down a metal plate over an access hatch leading to the main reactors, or some other mistake, and a hotshot enemy pilot would drop a bomb down there and blow the whole thing up. Now that's what the Empire would have done."
―Han Solo, to Vana Dorja[src]

Superweapons were created at various points in galactic history, such as the Mass Shadow Generator used during the Mandalorian Wars. World-devastating weapons often had an unknown origin, such as the ancient builders of Centerpoint Station, via its Hyperspace tractor beams, or came from an extra-galactic source, like the Yuuzhan Vong, although the latter's Vongforming technology more often fell into the category of bioweapons. Yo'gand's Core could fall under the category of superweapon or bioweapon, or both.

CenterpointConstruction

Centerpoint Station

Another famous example was the Star Forge, built in pre-Republic times by the ancient Rakata. Arguably the most powerful weapon ever built, the Star Forge constructed an infinite armada of warships, taking energy directly from the star of the Lehon system, Abo. This had many notable advantages, including that the Star Forge could remain hidden while still conquering the galaxy, unlike most superweapons of the Galactic Empire.

One unique superweapon was the Shawken Device, with the potential to destroy the entire universe, but its method of functioning may have rendered it ultimately useless. Also, it is unknown if it was even operational.

During the era of Ulic Qel-Droma, the Sith constructed a superweapon known as the Dark Reaper. The Dark Reaper drew power from the Force itself, and all of its weapons, both primary and defensive, were powered by the dark side of the force. The thought bomb was designed to kill all living beings in a certain area around it. It was used in the Seventh Battle of Ruusan against Lord Hoth and the Army of Light, both to turn the tide of the battle and so Darth Bane could reform the Sith under the Rule of Two.

Rokur Gepta used bioweapon, the electromagnetic torpedo, to wipe out all life on the planet Tund, and prevent life from ever returning.

The Galactic Empire, via the Maw Installation and Bevel Lemelisk, built the Death Star prototype, The DS-1 Orbital Battle Station, the Death Star II, possibly the Death Star III, the Tarkin, and the Sun Crusher; all before the Battle of Endor. When the Reborn Emperor Palpatine surfaced, his loyalists at Byss built four more planet-destroying weapons, the Galaxy Gun, the World Devastators, the Eclipse-class Super Star Destroyer, and the down-scaled Sovereign-class Super Star Destroyer.

Superweapons were typically designed and manufactured by interstellar governments, as most minor factions could not afford the materials and technology required to build them. However, at certain points in Galactic history, superweapons were commissioned by powerful crime lords. Sise Fromm commissioned the Trigon One, and Bevel Lemelisk designed the Darksaber for Durga the Hutt.

It should be noted that large capital ships, such as the Interdictor-class cruisers, the Confederacy of Independent Systems' Providence-class carrier/destroyers, and the Empire's Imperial-class Star Destroyers, were capable of rendering entire planets lifeless, but not completely annihilating them. Unlike the use of superweapons, this usually required a sustained bombardment, a Base Delta Zero, a combined assault from a fleet of ships, the sabotage of planetary shields, or some combination thereof.

In later years, the Galactic Empire was criticized for its overuse of ultimately ineffective superweapons. Han Solo once discussed how the Empire might have reacted to the Yuuzhan Vong War:[1]

Superweapons

"Develop technology without wisdom or prudence and your servant shall become your executioner."
―Walex Blissex[src]
Weapon Faction Created Destroyed Notes Era
Centerpoint Station Thuruht and other Killik hives[2] c. 1,000,000 BBY[2] 40 ABY, Corellian system[3] Designed by The Ones Pre-Republic era through Legacy era
Corsair Sith Empire[4] pre-5,000 BBY[5] 3,996 BBY[4] Derriphan-class battleship[6] Old Republic era[4]
Sun Razer Sith Empire[7] 3,643 BBY[7] Old Republic era
Ascendant Spear Sith Empire c. 3,643 BBY[8] Old Republic era
Planet Prison[9] Galactic Republic (formerly)[9]
Sith Empire[9]		 c. 3,641 BBY[9] Old Republic era
Shock Drum[10] Galactic Republic (formerly)[10]
Sith Empire[10]		 c. 3,641 BBY[10] Old Republic era
Death Mark[11] Galactic Republic (formerly)[11]
Sith Empire[11]		 c. 3,641 BBY[11] Old Republic era
Alderaanian Superweapon[12] Alderaan Rise of the Empire era
Conqueror Galactic Empire[13] 1 BBY, Mustafar[13] Imperial-class Star Destroyer[13] Rebellion era
Han1 edited

Sorry about the mess.

This article or section needs to be cleaned up to conform to a higher standard of article quality.

Please follow the article standards laid out in the Layout Guide and the Manual of Style and complete this article to the highest level of quality before continuing on other articles. Remove this message when finished.

Appearances

Sources

External links

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Destiny's Way
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Apocalypse
  3. ↑ Fury
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Tales of the Jedi: The Sith War 4: Jedi Holocaust
  5. ↑ Tales of the Jedi: The Fall of the Sith Empire 4: The Dogs of War
  6. ↑ Knights of the Old Republic Campaign Guide
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Star Wars: The Old Republic 11: The Lost Suns, Part 5
  8. ↑ Star Wars: The Old Republic 10: The Lost Suns, Part 4
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic — Jedi Knight Mission: "Stolen Secrets" on Coruscant
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 10.3 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic — Jedi Knight Mission: "The Shock Drum" on Tatooine
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 SWTOR mini Star Wars: The Old Republic — Jedi Knight Mission: "The Death Mark" on Alderaan
  12. ↑ Millennium Falcon
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 SWGTCGsmall Star Wars Galaxies Trading Card Game — [[{{{set}}}]] (Light Side scenario campaign)
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