STAR WARS General Discussion | Warning: Possible SPOILERS!Movies 

  • Thread starter Thread starter CodeRedR51
  • 2,415 comments
  • 178,360 views
TheCracker
A Death Star is built to intimidate people into falling into order. It only ever really needed to show what it was capable of doing just once or twice. It's like the atom bomb.
Click to expand...

Wow. I never thought of it like this. Great analogy!
 
So Star Destroyers can't destroy stars and Death Star's aren't stars? The Galactic Empire has some major labelling issues.
 
TheCracker
What happens to Jyn and her crew that stops them from doing this themselves? - Or was their mission only ever to deliver the plans to Leia/Bail/Alderan?
Click to expand...
I feel like Bail plays a major part in that (despite Jimmy Smits saying he has a "cameo") and I think the consensus is that most of the characters in this movie don't make it out alive.
 
axletramp
So Star Destroyers can't destroy stars and Death Star's aren't stars? The Galactic Empire has some major labelling issues.
Click to expand...

Well, the way I interpret Star Destroyers is that they are in a "destroyer" class like battleships here on earth, but instead of being limited to water, Star Destroyers are traveling amongst the stars. Also, ships like the X-Wing and TIE Fighter series are "starfighters" since they are capable of fighting in space, while our closest equivalent to them, fighter jets, are limited to fighting within our atmosphere. As for the Death Star, it just sounds cool. :D
 
TheCracker
I can't see the point of a prototype Death Star. Something that takes up so many resources in the build process, takes so many people to build and to operate, that a prototype would just be wasteful.
Click to expand...
How about wanting to make sure that it actually works? The last thing you would want is to fire the planet-destroying laser, only to find that it produces a mild tickling sensation among the inhabitants of of the target planet.
 
prisonermonkeys
How about wanting to make sure that it actually works? The last thing you would want is to fire the planet-destroying laser, only to find that it produces a mild tickling sensation among the inhabitants of of the target planet.
Click to expand...

But they don't need the whole station for that. They only need the focusing crystals and someone to aim the thing, but beside that, they wouldn't need a whole station for it.

From my extremely limited knowledge of the EU, the Senate was very distraught about funding the Death Star (if they even knew what it was.), and it was very expensive, so building a prototype would seem to be a massive waste of money.

EDIT: Star Wars Wiki claims that the cost of the first Death Star was over one trillion credits, so to my best guess, no...

...no prototype.
 
In Return of The Jedi, The Empire duped the Rebels. They learned from the first mistake by making the Rebel spies think they were behind schedule and lure them in for the trap.

I'm convinced the Emperor has to see this coming from Rogue One. He saw it in ROTJ. Doesn't matter if the Rebels get the plans, they wouldn't survive the gun turrets or Tie fighters.

Anyway, Vader will be chasing the plans stolen from the battle, which Leia should be a part of, as she is "racing home" to deliver them.

 
prisonermonkeys
How about wanting to make sure that it actually works? The last thing you would want is to fire the planet-destroying laser, only to find that it produces a mild tickling sensation among the inhabitants of of the target planet.
Click to expand...
There's some clues from the latest trailer that they "tested" it on that new Jedha planet though to a lesser extent as the laser may not have been fully funtional. Either for the hell of it or to prevent those that may have the plans from getting off the planet.
 
R1600Turbo
There's some clues from the latest trailer that they "tested" it on that new Jedha planet though to a lesser extent as the laser may not have been fully funtional. Either for the hell of it or to prevent those that may have the plans from getting off the planet.
Click to expand...
Well, I am just looking at this from a purely narrative perspective. We know that the Death Star has to come online. We know that Leia has to have the plans for it and has to be in the vicinity of Tatooine at some point. And we know that many Bothans have to die to secure the plans. But at the same time, Jyn and her mission has to have some kind of success, and I can't really see Rogue One working as a tragedy because tragedy as we know it - which is to say Aristotelian or Jacobean tragedy - has three common elements:
  • The main character(s) must have hamartia, or a fatal flaw.
  • The tragedy must be brought about as a direct result of the protagonist's actions.
  • The audience must want the protagonist to succeed, even though we know they will die.
Revenge of the Sith definitely fits all of these (but probably only really works because we know the ending of Return of the Jedi), but I can't see Rogue One fitting this. That's why I reckon there's a prototype Death Star and a final build - destroying the final build gives the Rebellion a victory, positions them as a serious enough threat to the Empire that the Empire needs to take action against them, and explains why the Death Star seen in A New Hope could be so easily destroyed - because the prototype (probably little more than the primary weapon and power source mounted on a frame) had to be rushed into service, and so compromises had to be made, like an undefended thermal exhaust vent that connects directly to the reactor. Such a scenario would also demonstrate why a Death Star is necessary: the success of the Rebels would embolden dissenting star systems.
 
prisonermonkeys
And we know that many Bothans have to die to secure the plans.
Click to expand...
Wrong Death Star, that's the second one. Funny how many people make this mistake. :) (unless you are joking)

I just don't see there being two Death Stars right off the bat. Yes we know the outcome of this movie before we even see it, but the whole purpose of it is to show us what the Rebels went through to obtain the plans. Many will die, some may not (just because they are not in the original trilogy doesn't mean they aren't off hiding somewhere) but we'll find out in December.
 
I find it hard to believe R2 won't be in it. R2 has been in every movie. It's not my favorite character(how R2 moves through sand still amazes/frustrates me- especially finding out he can fly AFTER the fact that he can and never did from Ep.4-6) but, R2 remained clever.

Favorite scene with R2: Yoda hitting R2 with the walking stick, while R2 is trying to take the flashlight back. :)
 
prisonermonkeys
How about wanting to make sure that it actually works? The last thing you would want is to fire the planet-destroying laser, only to find that it produces a mild tickling sensation among the inhabitants of of the target planet.
Click to expand...

I thought it was first tested on Alderaan?

TARKIN:
Not after we demonstrate the power of this station. In a way, you have
determined the choice of the planet that'll be destroyed first.
Since you are reluctant to provide us with the location of the Rebel base,
I have chosen to test this station's destructive power... on your home
planet of Alderaan.

05XR8
I find it hard to believe R2 won't be in it. R2 has been in every movie.
Click to expand...

My guess is that if he/it is in it, it will be a small cameo roll, perhaps just seen in the background. At this period in time, R2 (and C3PO) are in the possession of the captain of the rebel ship at the start of ANH. So maybe R2 will appear briefly towards the end?
 
Last edited:
As this is a side story I am fine with no R2. He doesn't need to be a part of every Star Wars story told.
 
TheCracker
I thought it was first tested on Alderaan?
Click to expand...
Alderaan may have been the first planet completely destroyed, but there may have been a test fire on Jedha for various reasons, that would have messed it up quite a bit but not completely destroyed it.
 
TheCracker
I thought it was first tested on Alderaan?
Click to expand...
That's what a retcon is for.

Besides, it wouldn't be hard to explain it away. If the Empire was forced to rush a prototype Death Star into commission, it stands to reason that in its original guise, the prototype would have just been the basics: superweapon, power source, control deck and basic architecture. However, if it was put into commission, then everything else had to be added onto the basic frame at the last minute. Hence, compromises were made - like the thermal exhaust port - to compensate. As such, when they fired on Alderaan, there was a very real chance that the Death Star would blow up.
 
prisonermonkeys
Hence, compromises were made - like the thermal exhaust port - to compensate.
Click to expand...
I think there were rumors going around that Jyn Erso's father Galen (Mads Mikkelsen) who helped design the thing but was ashamed of his work, gave it a weak spot on purpose.
 
R1600Turbo
Alderaan may have been the first planet completely destroyed, but there may have been a test fire on Jedha for various reasons, that would have messed it up quite a bit but not completely destroyed it.
Click to expand...
Quoting myself and bringing this back to light because one of my favorite YouTubers just posted this:



Also, this comment on the video brings up a good point:

I just re-watched Ep. 4 last night, and it's never stated that Alderaan was the first firing of the Death Star or even that it was a test. Tarkin specifically states "I think it is time that we demonstrated the full power of this station. Set your course for Alderaan." suggesting that they had previously tested its capabilities and now it was time for the rest of the galaxy to know about it.
Click to expand...
 
Am I the only one in here that collects these? Looking forward to the Rogue One set...

636081753612121440-10459-RogueOne-Director-Orson-Krennic-GLAM-HiRes.jpg
 
Brett
I do not have any Pops, but I have some Fabrikations. I really should pick up a few of the Pops also.
Click to expand...
I've decided to only collect figures from the new movies since all the old stuff is hard to get and too expensive. I currently have every release from TFA and the Rogue One stuff should hit on the 30th of September with the rest of the new toys. (unofficial Force Friday) They're also releasing some for the Rebels TV show, but I'll probably skip on those except for Ahsoka:

ahsokatanopopvinyls.jpg
 
An ironic quote from one of my friends which he finds absolutely hilarious.

"The best thing is that... they say in Episode VI "many Bothans died to gives us the plans" and so far we haven't seen a single Bothan yet"

:lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Furinkazen
An ironic quote from one of my friends which he finds absolutely hilarious.

"The best thing is that... they say in Episode VI "many Bothans died to gives us the plans" and so far we haven't seen a single Bothan yet"

:lol: :lol: :lol:
Click to expand...
I've given up correcting people. I'll leave that job to Disney and/or LucasFilm.
 

Latest Posts

Back