Eye of Palpatine

The Eye of Palpatine was a colossal, asteroid-shaped superdreadnought constructed by Emperor Palpatine during the second year of the Galactic Empire. This deadly warship was the Emperor's first superweapon.

Palpatine had intended to use the Eye of Palpatine to destroy Belsavis's Plawal rift, where many survivors of the Great Jedi Purge were sheltered by the Ho'Din Jedi Master Plett eighteen years before the Battle of Yavin. This rift was a lush, steamed-filled geothermal vent gouged into the planet's icy wastes and covered by a transparisteel dome. Since this action would have caused outrage in the Imperial Senate, he scattered the vessel's contingent of troops across the Outer Rim to await pickup.

Emperor Palpatine had sent this battlemoon to Belsavis to destroy the Jedi but it failed to arrive and complete its mission thanks to sabotage by two Jedi Knights, Geith and Callista. Plett and the children were able to leave Belsavis and escape as a result of this heroic act. The Eye would remain dormant until 12 ABY, when the Emperor's Hand Roganda Ismaren located it. She used her son Irek Ismaren&mdash;who had been implanted with a sub-electronic converter that allowed him to control any machine by thought&mdash;to "summon" the dormant ship to Belsavis. Upon activation, the "Eye of Palpatine" attempted to fulfill its programming by picking up its stormtrooper contingent. But, after so many years, the troops were just a distant memory. Undaunted, the Eye went after any sentient beings found in the appropriate locations. The "Eye" began grabbing groups of prisoners from various species from many worlds. Soon the "Eye" was filled with countless species including Jawas, Tusken Raiders, Gamorreans. These were all brainwashed into thinking they were Imperial stormtroopers.

Later, the Eye was destroyed by Cray Mingla.

Appearances

 * Children of the Jedi