Shawken Device



The Shawken Device was designed to be, by its very nature, the most destructive superweapon imaginable. The weapon was designed by an unknown Shawkenese scientist in the distant past on the planet Shawken, and was inadvertently activated by a group of con artists and treasure-thieves shortly after the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY. The weapon’s creator intended for it to destroy the universe, but there is no record of a successful test of any kind, nor any evidence to suggest that it was actually capable of doing so.

The unknown scientist who developed the weapon was a nihilist, and believed that the only way to imbue purpose into existence was to destroy the current universe and trigger a new Big Bang, re-creating the universe. The weapon was intended to accomplish this by destroying Shawken itself and hurling its fragments through hyperspace to collide with other planets, theoretically setting off a chain reaction that would eventually destroy all matter and end the universe, presumably allowing the birth of another universe.



The scientist’s descendants pointed out that he “never became quite depressed enough to use his device,” and noted that “its secrets were lost with his death.” It was buried underground on Shawken and remained in obscurity for many years, until it was accidentally activated in 4 ABY by the Corellian con artist Rik Duel and his gang; it was quickly deactivated by Luke Skywalker and Kiro, leaving it a matter of speculation as to whether or not the device actually worked.

Appearances

 * Star Wars 87: Still Active After All These Years