Superweapon/Legends

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

- Garonnin

A superweapon was a weapon capable of destroying entire planets or star systems. The most famous superweapons were probably the Death Stars.

History
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, 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.

Another famous example was the Star Forge, built in pre-Republic times by the ancient Rakata. Arguably the most destructive superweapon in history could be said to have been the Shawken Device, with the potential to destroy the entire universe, but its method of functioning would have rendered it ultimately useless.

During the era of Ulic Qel-Droma, the Sith constructed a superweapon known as the Dark Reaper. 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.

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

Many famous superweapons were developed by the Galactic Empire. Imperial superweapons were inspired by the Tarkin Doctrine of "rule through fear of force, rather than force itself." These included the Death Stars, the World Devastators, the Sun Crusher, and the Galaxy Gun, among others. The most subtle of the Imperial super weapons was the Orbital Nightcloak.The Empire was also fond of superlaser powered weapons.

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 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: "What the Empire would have done was build a supercolossal Yuuzhan Vong-killing battle machine. They would have called it the Nova Colossus&hellip; Galaxy Destructor or the Nostril of Palpatine or something equally grandiose&hellip; 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

The Sith supernova spell, due to its effects, can be considered a superweapon, which lends credence to Darth Vader's comment: "The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the power of the Force."

- Darth Vader

Notes and references
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