Deflector shield

"Sir, we just lost the main rear deflector shield. One more direct hit on the back quarter and we're done for!"

- C-3PO, to Han Solo

Deflector shields, or simply shields, were energy fields that could protect starships, battle stations, ground-based structures, and even armies from enemy assault. Several varieties of deflector shields existed, including ray shields which deflected or scattered energy (although sometimes they were not powerful enough to fully negate enemy fire) and particle shields which diffused impacts from high-velocity projectiles and proton weapons. A third type of shield, a concussion shield, repelled space debris and other solid objects. Most starships utilized a combination of ray and particle shielding for maximum protection, while larger ships could require multiple projectors to fully protect the ship, with a shield's intensity gradually diminishing with distance from its projector. Some shields were one-way shields that only allowed a person to come in through the shield, but prevented passage back out through the shield. Droidekas had a built-in shield that deflected normal blaster fire but could not stop solid objects such as a thermal detonators or people passing through, so long as they moved slow enough.

Some uses of deflector-shield technology include the Confederacy of Independent Systems' shield around its droid forces during the Battle of Christophsis, preventing the Grand Army of the Republic from attacking until the shield generator was destroyed. The Millennium Falcon, a light freighter, also had a deflector shield, while the Death Star II had a deflector shield powered by a deflector dish on the forest moon of Endor.

Rebel Alliance and and Imperial troops used portable shields that could be deployed on any surface. The shield was projected by a small generator and deflected any blaster fire coming from outside or inside. However, because it was designed as a shield for ground troops, it allowed solid objects and people to pass through it. A well thrown detonator could destroy the generator and anything inside the shield. The shield also had a limited durability, weakening when shot, with the color of the shield eventually changing from blue to yellow and finally red before disappearing as the generator overheated.

The Resistance MC85 Star Cruiser Raddus was equipped with experimental deflector shielding. These shields were said to be far stronger than regular ones and took the noticable appearance of a normally-invisible bubble around the ship.

Non-canon appearances

 * Rogue One: Recon A Star Wars 360 Experience