Star Destroyer
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Star Destroyers are
capital ship The capital ships of a navy are its most important warships; they are generally the larger ships when compared to other warships in their respective fleet. A capital ship is generally a leading or a primary ship in a naval fleet. Strategic im ...
s in the fictional ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' universe. Star Destroyers were produced by Kuat Drive Yards, later Kuat-Entralla Engineering, and serve as "the signature vessel of the fleet" for the
Galactic Republic The Galactic Republic, often referred to as simply the Republic, is a fictional galactic polity depicted in the ''Star Wars'' universe, where it existed prior to the establishment of the Galactic Empire. The Republic is most prominently por ...
,
Galactic Empire Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fantasy and science fiction, particularly in works known as 'space operas'. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background or written about the growth and/or decline of s ...
, the
First Order In mathematics and other formal sciences, first-order or first order most often means either: * "linear" (a polynomial of degree at most one), as in first-order approximation and other calculus uses, where it is contrasted with "polynomials of high ...
, and the Sith Eternal in numerous published works including film, television, novels, comics, and video games.''Battlefront: Twilight Company'' A single Star Destroyer could project considerable influence over a solar system in the name of the
Empire An empire is a "political unit" made up of several territories and peoples, "usually created by conquest, and divided between a dominant center and subordinate peripheries". The center of the empire (sometimes referred to as the metropole) ex ...
: each can be deployed individually as both a
forward operating base A forward operating base (FOB) is any secured forward Operational level of war, operational level military position, commonly a military base, that is used to support strategic goals and tactical objectives. A FOB may or may not contain an airfi ...
and as mobile weapon systems platform responsible for safeguarding multiple planets, trade routes, and systems, and carried enough firepower to subdue an entire
planetary system A planetary system is a set of gravitationally In physics, gravity () is a fundamental interaction which causes mutual attraction between all things with mass or energy. Gravity is, by far, the weakest of the four fundamental interacti ...
or annihilate a small rebel fleet. Notable examples of Star Destroyers include the precursor ''Venator''-class Star Destroyer (
prequel trilogy The ''Star Wars'' prequel trilogy, colloquially referred to as the prequels, is a series of epic space-opera films written and directed by George Lucas. It was produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The trilogy was re ...
), the ubiquitous ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyer (
original trilogy The original ''Star Wars'' trilogy, formerly marketed as the ''Star Wars'' Trilogy (and colloquially referred to as the 'original trilogy'), is the first set of three films produced in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, an American space opera cre ...
), and the recent ''Xyston''-class Star Destroyer (
sequel trilogy The ''Star Wars'' sequel trilogy is the third trilogy of the main ''Star Wars'' franchise, an American space opera created by George Lucas. It is produced by Lucasfilm Ltd. and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The trilogy ...
). Numerous other classes of "Star Destroyers" share the basic triangular "dagger" hull; the successful v-shaped designs are explained in ''
Legends A legend is a historical narrative, a symbolic representation of folk belief. Legend(s) or The Legend(s) may also refer to: Narrative * Urban legend, a widely repeated story of dubious truth * A fictitious identity used in espionage Books, co ...
'' as reflecting the Empire's "Tarkin's Doctrine" military philosophy and originating from Sith ideological influence, and have been adapted by numerous factions for a wide variety of applications. Numerous Star Destroyer models and toys have been released. The iconic scene in ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' (1977) featuring the Imperial Star Destroyer's first appearance where it pursues a Corellian Corvette has been called a milestone in special effects history.


Imperial Star Destroyer


Concept and design

In draft scripts for the film that would become ''Star Wars'', the term "Stardestroyer" refers to two-man fighters flown by what would become the
Galactic Empire Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fantasy and science fiction, particularly in works known as 'space operas'. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background or written about the growth and/or decline of s ...
. The film's second draft features four Star Destroyers chasing a single Rebel ship,
Taylor Taylor, Taylors or Taylor's may refer to: People * Taylor (surname) **List of people with surname Taylor * Taylor (given name), including Tayla and Taylah * Taylor sept, a branch of Scottish clan Cameron * Justice Taylor (disambiguation) Plac ...
, p. 115
but the tremendous costs incurred by
Industrial Light & Magic Industrial Light & Magic (ILM) is an American motion picture visual effects company that was founded on May 26, 1975 by George Lucas. It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm, which Lucas founded, and was created when he began pro ...
(ILM) when production began helped lead Lucas to use a single "terrifyingly large" Star Destroyer instead of four.
Taylor Taylor, Taylors or Taylor's may refer to: People * Taylor (surname) **List of people with surname Taylor * Taylor (given name), including Tayla and Taylah * Taylor sept, a branch of Scottish clan Cameron * Justice Taylor (disambiguation) Plac ...
, pp. 121-22
ILM built a shooting model that was about half the size of the model for the ''Tantive IV'' the Star Destroyer was chasing. Lucas asked ILM to build a larger Star Destroyer model to match the ''Tantive IV'''s scale, but ILM convinced him that the
Dykstraflex The Dykstraflex was the first digital motion control photography camera system, named after its primary developer John Dykstra. Numerous people actually created the camera, with the critical electronics being created by Alvah J. Miller and Jerry ...
camera invented for the film made this unnecessary.
Taylor Taylor, Taylors or Taylor's may refer to: People * Taylor (surname) **List of people with surname Taylor * Taylor (given name), including Tayla and Taylah * Taylor sept, a branch of Scottish clan Cameron * Justice Taylor (disambiguation) Plac ...
, p. 171-73
Nevertheless, they added additional hull details to the Star Destroyer model. The 13-second opening shot was the first special effects piece ILM completed, and its success was an essential test for the Dykstraflex. ILM built a Star Destroyer, equipped with internal lighting to provide a better sense of scale, for ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980). According to chief model maker Lorne Peterson, the new Star Destroyer model was scaled to appear two and a half miles long, though their official length was revised in later sources. The ''Imperial I''-class Star Destroyers are white, as shown in ''A New Hope'', ''
Rogue One ''Rogue One: A Star Wars Story'' (or simply ''Rogue One'') is a 2016 American epic space opera film directed by Gareth Edwards. The screenplay by Chris Weitz and Tony Gilroy is from a story by John Knoll and Gary Whitta. It was produced by Luc ...
'', and ''
Solo Solo or SOLO may refer to: Arts and entertainment Comics * ''Solo'' (DC Comics), a DC comics series * Solo, a 1996 mini-series from Dark Horse Comics Characters * Han Solo, a ''Star Wars'' character * Jacen Solo, a Jedi in the non-canonical ''S ...
''. The ''Imperial II''-class Star Destroyers in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' and ''Return of the Jedi'' are grey.


Depiction

The iconic ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyer first appears in the opening scene of ''
Star Wars ''Star Wars'' is an American epic film, epic space opera multimedia franchise created by George Lucas, which began with the Star Wars (film), eponymous 1977 film and quickly became a worldwide popular culture, pop-culture Cultural impact of S ...
'' (1977), where the Imperial Star Destroyer ''Devastator'' (carrying
Darth Vader Darth Vader is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. The character is the central antagonist of the original trilogy and, as Anakin Skywalker, is one of the main protagonists in the prequel trilogy. ''Star Wars'' creator George ...
) chases the CR90 Corvette ''
Tantive IV The ''Tantive IV'' Alderaan Diplomatic Envoy (also referred to by its model as the CR90 Corellian corvette or simply as the Rebel Blockade Runner) is a fictional spaceship in the ''Star Wars'' film series. Designed by the Corellian Engineering ...
'' (carrying
Princess Leia Princess Leia Organa is a fictional character and one of the main protagonists in the ''Star Wars'' franchise, portrayed in films by Carrie Fisher. Introduced in the Star Wars (film), original ''Star Wars'' film in 1977, Leia is princess of th ...
) above
Tatooine Tatooine () is a fictional desert planet that appears in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. It is a beige-colored, desolate world orbiting a pair of binary stars, and inhabited by human settlers and a variety of other life forms. The planet was first ...
after the latter had fled from
Scarif The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney ...
.Barr, et al. (2019), p. 314Dougherty, et al. (2020), p. 135-137 Background literature describes ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyers as the chief warship of the Imperial Navy and symbol of Imperial might. These enormous
capital ship The capital ships of a navy are its most important warships; they are generally the larger ships when compared to other warships in their respective fleet. A capital ship is generally a leading or a primary ship in a naval fleet. Strategic im ...
s are used to enforce the Emperor's will, bolster Imperial-backed governments, and act as mobile headquarters for senior Imperial commanders. In addition to their powerful armament, a Star Destroyer carries troops and vehicles for ground operations and a full
wing A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expres ...
of
TIE Fighter The Twin Ion Engine (TIE) fighter is a series of fictional starfighters featured in the '' Star Wars'' universe. TIE fighters are depicted as fast, agile, yet fragile starfighters produced by Sienar Fleet Systems for the Galactic Empire and b ...
s (typically 48 fighters, 12 bombers and 12 boarding craft). A single Star Destroyer is considered sufficient to overwhelm a rebellious planet, though major industrialized worlds may be assaulted by a fleet of six Star Destroyers with support cruisers and supply craft. Deep-crust survival bunkers are regarded as a last refuge in the event of planetary bombardment by Imperial Star Destroyers. Darth Vader's ''Devastator'' is the last of the ''Imperial I''-class ships to be built by Kuat Drive Yards before switching to the ''Imperial II''-class, a fleet of which take part in the Battle of Hoth as depicted in ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'' (1980). Designated Death Squadron, this fleet of Star Destroyers is led by Darth Vader aboard the ''Executor'', first in a new class of
Super Star Destroyer Star Destroyers are capital ships in the fictional '' Star Wars'' universe. Star Destroyers were produced by Kuat Drive Yards, later Kuat-Entralla Engineering, and serve as "the signature vessel of the fleet" for the Galactic Republic, Galactic Em ...
.Barr, et al. (2019), p. 330 Although the battle is won by Imperial forces, Vader orders his Star Destroyers to focus on capturing the ''
Millennium Falcon The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the movie ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in '' The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), ''The Empire Strikes Back ...
'' rather than hunt down the escaping Rebel transports, allowing many to escape. The ''Falcon'' manages to evade this pursuit by hiding in the sensor blind spot of the Star Destroyer ''Avenger''. These ships play a major role in the Battle of Endor as depicted in ''
Return of the Jedi ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who ...
'' (1983). During the battle, Imperial Star Destroyers prove vulnerable to fleets of starfighters flown by skilled Rebel pilots, who exploit the ships' exposed bridges and deflector shield generators to cause damage. A year after their defeat at Endor, the Empire makes a
last stand A last stand is a military situation in which a body of troops holds a defensive position in the face of overwhelming and virtually insurmountable odds. Troops may make a last stand due to a sense of duty; because they are defending a tactic ...
at
Jakku Jakku is a fictional desert planet in the ''Star Wars'' universe, first featured in the 2015 film ''The Force Awakens''. Remote, lawless, and inhospitable, it is the homeworld of Star Wars sequel trilogy, sequel trilogy protagonist Rey (Star Wars ...
. During the battle, Imperial Star Destroyers use their tractor beams to drag New Republic ships down to the planet's surface, where their wrecks form the Graveyard of Ships as seen in ''
The Force Awakens ''Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens'') is a 2015 American epic space opera film produced, co-written, and directed by J. J. Abrams. The sequel to ''Return of the Jedi'' (1983) ...
'' (2015).Lund, et al. (2016), p. 174


Analysis

Examining what it would take to realistically build an Imperial Star Destroyer, it was estimated in 2016 that such a vessel would cost $636 billion
USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
. Using then-current technology and naval vessels as a reference, the ship would weigh 4.44 billion kilograms, generate 146.5
gigawatt The watt (symbol: W) is the unit of power or radiant flux in the International System of Units (SI), equal to 1 joule per second or 1 kg⋅m2⋅s−3. It is used to quantify the rate of energy transfer. The watt is named after James Wat ...
s of power, and its engines would produce a combined total
thrust Thrust is a reaction force described quantitatively by Newton's third law. When a system expels or accelerates mass in one direction, the accelerated mass will cause a force of equal magnitude but opposite direction to be applied to that syst ...
of 3.5 million
newtons The newton (symbol: N) is the unit of force in the International System of Units (SI). It is defined as 1 kg⋅m/s, the force which gives a mass of 1 kilogram an acceleration of 1 metre per second per second. It is named after Isaac Newton in r ...
. However getting the parts into space to construct the Star Destroyer would require an additional $44.4 trillion USD in launch costs, suggesting that
asteroid mining Asteroid mining is the hypothetical exploitation of materials from asteroids and other minor planets, including near-Earth objects. Notable asteroid mining challenges include the high cost of spaceflight, unreliable identification of asteroids ...
and refining technologies would have to be developed first to make it more economical. Joe Pappalardo of ''
Popular Mechanics ''Popular Mechanics'' (sometimes PM or PopMech) is a magazine of popular science and technology, featuring automotive, home, outdoor, electronics, science, do-it-yourself, and technology topics. Military topics, aviation and transportation o ...
'' argues that the Imperial Star Destroyer is a poorly-designed spaceship, being asymmetrical with its superstructure jutting out in one direction. Additionally, while its wedge shape would make sense for atmospheric travel, it serves no purpose in space. He argues a more realistic and effective design would be symmetrical and bowl-shaped like a
saucer A saucer is a type of small dishware. While in the Middle Ages a saucer was used for serving condiments and sauces, currently the term is used to denote a small plate or shallow bowl that supports a cup – usually one used to serve coffee ...
.


Cultural impact

Lego Lego ( , ; stylized as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys that are manufactured by The Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of variously colored interlocking ...
has released numerous Star Destroyer kits, including a 4,784-piece ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyer.


Super Star Destroyer


Concept and design

For ''The Empire Strikes Back'', George Lucas wanted Darth Vader's new flagship, ''Executor'', to be huge and to play a greater role in the film. According to chief model maker Lorne Peterson, the ''Executors model was six feet long and constructed with over 150,000 individual lights. The resulting model was so heavy it required additional support to keep from overwhelming the
Dykstraflex The Dykstraflex was the first digital motion control photography camera system, named after its primary developer John Dykstra. Numerous people actually created the camera, with the critical electronics being created by Alvah J. Miller and Jerry ...
's mechanical structure. The ship was originally scaled to appear sixteen miles long according to Lorne, though later sources would amend this figure.


Depiction

Within the ''Star Wars'' universe, the term "Super Star Destroyer" is a
colloquialism Colloquialism (), also called colloquial language, everyday language or general parlance, is the style (sociolinguistics), linguistic style used for casual (informal) communication. It is the most common functional style of speech, the idiom norm ...
used to refer to any ship larger than an Imperial Star Destroyer.Walker (2018), p. 197 The largest and most powerful of these is the ''Executor'', which first appeared in ''
The Empire Strikes Back ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic film, epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based o ...
'' (1980) as the personal
flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically the fi ...
of Darth Vader. The first in a line of ''Executor''-class Star Dreadnoughts, the ship is over in length, propelled by thirteen colossal engines and a Class 1 hyperdrive. Its armament includes over 5,000
turbolaser A blaster is a fictional gun that appears in the ''Star Wars'' universe. Lucasfilm defines the blaster as "ranged energized particle weaponry". Many blasters mirror the appearance, functions, components, operation, and usage of real life firearm ...
s, ion cannons and tractor beam projectors and it can carry more than 1,000 vessels. The crew of the ''Executor'' numbers in the hundreds of thousands. Its command tower, rising above the ship's technoscape on a thick stalk, is a standard model found on other Star Destroyers – including a pair of geodesic domes containing communication transceivers, sensors and deflector shield projectors – and allows for an unobstructed view of the battlefield.Lund, et al. (2016), p. 170-171 At least twelve of these vessels were built by the Empire, including the ''Executor'', ''Annihilator'', ''Ravager'' and ''Arbitrator'', but the exact number is unknown thanks to Imperial propaganda and
black budget A black budget or covert appropriation is a government budget that is allocated for classified or other secret operations of a nation. The black budget is an account expenses and spending related to military research and covert operations. The ...
s. From the bridge of the ''Executor'', Darth Vader leads Death Squadron during the
Battle of Hoth ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back'') is a 1980 American epic space opera film directed by Irvin Kershner from a screenplay by Leigh Brackett and Lawrence Kasdan, based on a story ...
and afterwards in pursuit of the ''
Millennium Falcon The ''Millennium Falcon'' is a fictional starship in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed by Joe Johnston for the movie ''Star Wars'' (1977), it has subsequently appeared in '' The Star Wars Holiday Special'' (1978), ''The Empire Strikes Back ...
''. It later serves as the Imperial command ship during the
Battle of Endor ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who was ...
. At Endor, intense bombardment by the Rebel Alliance fleet cause the ship's shields to fail, allowing Rebel starfighters to strafe the command tower. During this attack an
A-wing Kuat RZ-1 A-wing Interceptor are starfighters in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. Designed and manufactured by the Kuat Systems Engineering, they are depicted as fast but fragile interceptors of the Rebel Alliance, conceived for high-speed surgical ...
piloted by Arvel Crynyd crashes into the command bridge, destroying the main navigation complex and causing the vessel to lose control. The ''Executor'' is lost when the
second Death Star The Death Star is a fictional space station and superweapon featured in the ''Star Wars'' space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire, the Death Star is capable of annihilating entire planets into rubble, and serves to e ...
's gravity well pulls the ship into its surface, destroying the vessel and damaging the Death Star itself. At
Jakku Jakku is a fictional desert planet in the ''Star Wars'' universe, first featured in the 2015 film ''The Force Awakens''. Remote, lawless, and inhospitable, it is the homeworld of Star Wars sequel trilogy, sequel trilogy protagonist Rey (Star Wars ...
where the Empire made its
last stand A last stand is a military situation in which a body of troops holds a defensive position in the face of overwhelming and virtually insurmountable odds. Troops may make a last stand due to a sense of duty; because they are defending a tactic ...
, the Super Star Destroyer ''Ravager'' is one of the wrecks which make up the Graveyard of Ships.


Analysis

Rhett Allain Rhett Allain is an American associate professor of physics at Southeastern Louisiana University and the author of the Wired (magazine), Wired magazine science blog Dot Physics. He received his Ph.D. from North Carolina State University in 2001 and ...
, an associate professor of physics at
Southeastern Louisiana University Southeastern Louisiana University (Southeastern) is a public university in Hammond, Louisiana. It was founded in 1925 by Linus A. Sims as Hammond Junior College. Sims succeeded in getting the campus moved to north Hammond in 1928, when it becam ...
, examined the death of the ''Executor'' in a
Star Wars Day ''Star Wars'' Day is an informal commemorative day observed annually on May4 to celebrate the ''Star Wars'' media franchise created by founder, former chairman and CEO of Lucasfilm, George Lucas. Observance of the day spread quickly through m ...
-themed article for ''
Wired ''Wired'' (stylized as ''WIRED'') is a monthly American magazine, published in print and online editions, that focuses on how emerging technologies affect culture, the economy, and politics. Owned by Condé Nast, it is headquartered in San Fra ...
''. According to him, the ''Executor'' impacted the second Death Star traveling at , which - assuming the collision was strictly a result of gravitational interaction between the two objects - would require a super-dense Death Star to achieve such an impact velocity. Additionally, the ''Executor'' had a near constant
angular velocity In physics, angular velocity or rotational velocity ( or ), also known as angular frequency vector,(UP1) is a pseudovector representation of how fast the angular position or orientation of an object changes with time (i.e. how quickly an objec ...
of 0.159 radians/second during the scene where it rotates to face the Death Star. For the crew at the front of the ship, this would result in a
centripetal acceleration In mechanics, acceleration is the rate of change of the velocity of an object with respect to time. Accelerations are vector quantities (in that they have magnitude and direction). The orientation of an object's acceleration is given by the ...
of 39 G. If a model of the ''Executor'' was built to scale and placed hovering over
New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...
, it would cast a shadow over the island of
Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...
.


Cultural impact

Like the Imperial Star Destroyer, the Super Star Destroyer has also been merchandised.
Lego Lego ( , ; stylized as LEGO) is a line of plastic construction toys that are manufactured by The Lego Group, a privately held company based in Billund, Denmark. The company's flagship product, Lego, consists of variously colored interlocking ...
released a 3,152-piece model of the ''Executor''.
Kenner Kenner Products, known simply as Kenner, was an American toy company founded in 1946. Throughout its history, the Kenner brand produced several highly recognizable toys and merchandise lines including action figures like the original series of ' ...
wanted to use a less ominous name than ''Executor'' for the toy playset of Darth Vader's meditation chamber. An advertisement agency's list of 153 alternatives included Starbase Malevolent, Black Coven, Haphaestus VII, and Cosmocurse; ultimately, the toy was labeled "Darth Vader's Star Destroyer". In 2006, Wizards of the Coast created an ''Executor'' miniature as part of its ''Star Wars'' Miniatures Starship Battles game. An electronic Super Star Destroyer toy released by
Hasbro Hasbro, Inc. (; a syllabic abbreviation of its original name, Hassenfeld Brothers) is an American multinational conglomerate holding company incorporated and headquartered in Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Hasbro owns the trademarks and products of ...
"is the rarest among Hasbro's Collector Fleet".


Venator Star Destroyer


Concept and design

The design of the ''Venator''-class Star Destroyers appearing in ''
Revenge of the Sith Revenge is committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Francis Bacon described revenge as a kind of "wild justice" that "does... offend the law ndputteth the law out of office." Pr ...
'' (2005) are meant to bridge the appearance of the '' Acclamator''-class transports in ''
Attack of the Clones Attack may refer to: Warfare and combat * Offensive (military) * Charge (warfare) * Attack (fencing) * Strike (attack) * Attack (computing) * Attack aircraft Books and publishing * ''The Attack'' (novel), a book * '' Attack No. 1'', comic ...
'' (2002) and the ''Imperial''-class in the original trilogy. This included making use of the Imperial Star Destroyer bridge set for interior shots of the Venator as a connecting theme. Additionally, the changing coloration of the Star Destroyers is meant to represent the downfall of the
Republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
and rise of the Empire. At the start of the film they are given a red paint scheme first established in ''
The Phantom Menace ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...
'' (1999) as representing the Republic, but by the end they are colorless.


Depiction

The ''Venator''-class Star Destroyer makes its first theatrical appearance in ''
Revenge of the Sith Revenge is committing a harmful action against a person or group in response to a grievance, be it real or perceived. Francis Bacon described revenge as a kind of "wild justice" that "does... offend the law ndputteth the law out of office." Pr ...
'' during the opening
Battle of Coruscant Coruscant () is an ecumenopolis planet in the fictional '' Star Wars'' universe. Its first appearance was onscreen in the 1997 Special Edition of ''Return of the Jedi'', but was first depicted and mentioned by name in Timothy Zahn's 1991 novel ' ...
. Within the ''Star Wars'' setting, these ships are regarded as the most powerful capital ships of the
Republic A republic () is a "state in which power rests with the people or their representatives; specifically a state without a monarchy" and also a "government, or system of government, of such a state." Previously, especially in the 17th and 18th c ...
Navy during the
Clone Wars Clone Wars may refer to: Star Wars Film and television * ''Star Wars: Clone Wars'' (2003 TV series), an American animated television series set in the ''Star Wars'' galaxy * ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'' (2008 TV series), an American 3D CGI anim ...
, serving double duty as battleships and starfighter carriers.Barr, et al. (2019), p. 303 These massive ship require a relatively small crew to operate as a deliberate feature compensating for the fact that the
Separatists Separatism is the advocacy of cultural, ethnic, tribal, religious, racial, governmental or gender separation from the larger group. As with secession, separatism conventionally refers to full political separation. Groups simply seeking greate ...
can produce
battle droid In the ''Star Wars'' space opera franchise, a droid is a fictional robot possessing some degree of artificial intelligence''.'' The term is a clipped form of " android", a word originally reserved for robots designed to look and act like a huma ...
s faster than the Republic can grow
clone troopers Clone troopers are fictional characters in the ''Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. They have been featured in a number of ''Star Wars'' media, including the live-action films '' Episode II: Attack of the Clones'' (2002) and '' Ep ...
.Dougherty, et al. (2020), p. 78-80 As a true warship, the ''Venator''-class can feed nearly its entire reactor output (which at maximum power consumes 40,000 tons of fuel per second) into its heavy turbolasers to devastating effect. As a carrier, the Star Destroyer can rapidly deploy hundreds of starfighters, including
ARC-170 The following is a list of science-fictional '' Star Wars'' starfighters. Within the ''Star Wars'' setting, a starfighter is defined as a "small, fast, manevuerable, and heavily armed starship used in direct confrontations between opposing forc ...
s, V-wings, Z-95 Headhunters and
Jedi interceptor The following is a list of science-fictional '' Star Wars'' starfighters. Within the ''Star Wars'' setting, a starfighter is defined as a "small, fast, manevuerable, and heavily armed starship used in direct confrontations between opposing forc ...
s, from a -long dorsal flight deck. While strong deflector shielding is employed around the armored bow doors, they are slow to open or close, presenting a weakness in the vessel's design.Walker (2018), p. 194 During the Clone Wars these Star Destroyers, referred to also as Republic attack cruisers or
Jedi Jedi (), Jedi Knights, or collectively the Jedi Order are the main heroic protagonists of many works of the '' Star Wars'' franchise. Working symbiotically alongside the Old Galactic Republic, and later supporting the Rebel Alliance, the Jedi O ...
cruisers, play an important role combating Separatist fleets and providing supporting fire for ground forces. Thanks to their superior firepower, the ''Venator''-class has a strong advantage against Separatist warships, and a small flotilla of attack cruisers can easily blast through the deflector shields of a
Trade Federation Battleship The following is a list of starships, cruisers, battleships, and other spacecraft in the '' Star Wars'' films, books, and video games. Spacecraft appearing in the original trilogy Death Star The Death Star is the Empire's battle station w ...
. At the Battle of Coruscant, over a thousand attack cruisers are deployed to defend the planet, one of which (the Star Destroyer ''Guarlara'') delivers a devastating barrage to the ''Invisible Hand'' at
point-blank range Point-blank range is any distance over which a certain firearm can hit a target without the need to compensate for bullet drop, and can be adjusted over a wide range of distances by sighting in the firearm. If the bullet leaves the barrel paral ...
. After the end of the Clone Wars and creation of the
Galactic Empire Galactic empires are a common trope used in science fantasy and science fiction, particularly in works known as 'space operas'. Many authors have either used a galaxy-spanning empire as background or written about the growth and/or decline of s ...
, these Star Destroyers will continue to serve for decades in the Imperial Navy until eventually replaced with the ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyer.


Cultural impact

In 2009, in conjunction with the then ongoing TV show ''Star Wars: The Clone Wars'', Lego released a 1,170 piece model of the Venator. For the 2016
Consumer Electronics Show CES (; formerly an initialism for Consumer Electronics Show) is an annual trade show organized by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA). Held in January at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Winchester, Nevada, United States, the event typi ...
, noted modder Sander van der Velden created a
custom-built PC A custom-built or homebuilt computer is a computer assembled from available components, usually commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) components, rather than purchased as a complete system from a computer system supplier, also known as pre-built system ...
made to look like a Venator Star Destroyer. Built around a fully-functional, liquid-cooled PC, the surrounding case was constructed in the shape of a Venator using aluminum and
3D printed 3D printing or additive manufacturing is the construction of a three-dimensional object from a CAD model or a digital 3D model. It can be done in a variety of processes in which material is deposited, joined or solidified under computer co ...
material. The final product required 400 hours of work to complete.


Resurgent Star Destroyer

In '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'' (2015), set 30 years after the fall of the Empire, a new class of Star Destroyer is introduced in service to the
First Order In mathematics and other formal sciences, first-order or first order most often means either: * "linear" (a polynomial of degree at most one), as in first-order approximation and other calculus uses, where it is contrasted with "polynomials of high ...
. The ''Finalizer'', the first of the ''Resurgent''-class Star Destroyers built in secret by Kuat-Entralla Engineering, serves as the flagship for both
Kylo Ren Kylo Ren is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He first appeared as the main antagonist of ''The Force Awakens (2015)'', in which he is portrayed by Adam Driver. Driver reprised his role in the sequel films '' Star Wars: The ...
and
General Hux General Armitage Hux is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. First introduced in the 2015 film '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', he is portrayed by Irish actor Domhnall Gleeson. He is an unpleasant military commander in a power ...
.Barr, et al. (2019), p. 338Dougherty, et al. (2020), p. 192-197 Described in background literature as a clear violation of the treaties between the New Republic and the First Order, ''Resurgent''-class Star Destroyers are in length with a crew of 19,000 officers and 55,000 enlisted personnel. While evoking the traditional ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyer, the ''Resurgent''-class incorporates a number of fixes to the former's design flaws, including a less exposed command bridge and larger fighter complement. The ship is armed with thousands of turbolasers and ion cannons, sufficient firepower to slug it out with capital ships or reduce planetary surfaces to molten slag. Additional point-defense laser turrets and missile launchers are used to attack more nimble opponents. Two
wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expresse ...
of TIE fighters can be quickly launched from dorsal flight decks and side hangars, and for planetary assaults, the ship carries a full legion of over 8,000 Stormtroopers and over a hundred assault vehicles.


Mega Star Destroyer

The ''Mega''-class Star Dreadnought ''Supremacy'' made its first appearance in ''
The Last Jedi ''Star Wars: The Last Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi'') is a 2017 American epic space opera film written and directed by Rian Johnson. Produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pict ...
'' (2017). Described as the only ''Mega''-class Star Destroyer in the galaxy,Walker (2018), p. 202 the ''Supremacy'' is wide, long and high.Dougherty, et al. (2020), p. 222-227 It has a crew of 2,225,000 personnel, a majority of whom are adolescents training to become officers and stormtroopers.Barr, et al. (2019), p. 341 The ''Supremacy'' serves as the capital from which
Supreme Leader Snoke Supreme Leader Snoke is a fictional character in the ''Star Wars'' franchise. He was created by J. J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasdan, and Michael Arndt for the 2015 film '' Star Wars: The Force Awakens'', in which he is introduced as the Supreme Leader ...
commands the First Order. Thousands of heavy turbolasers, antiship missile batteries, heavy ion cannons and tractor beam projectors give the ship firepower equivalent to an entire fleet. The vessel also possesses an industrial capacity that would rival most planets, with asteroid mining complexes, foundries, production lines, research labs and training centers. Six external and two internal stations allow ''Resurgent''-class Star Destroyers to dock with the Mega-Destroyer.


Sith Star Destroyers

In '' Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker'' (2019), a reborn
Darth Sidious Sheev Palpatine, also known by his Sith name Darth Sidious, is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. Initially credited as the Emperor in the original trilogy films, ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) ...
unveils a new class of Star Destroyer as part of the Sith Eternal's fleet, the Final Order. Identified by in-universe sources as ''Xyston''-class but referred to informally as Sith Star Destroyers, these ships resemble the older ''Imperial I''-class Star Destroyers but are larger with a length of and height of . Built on
Exegol The fictional universe of the ''Star Wars'' franchise features multiple planets and moons. While only the feature films and selected other works are considered canon to the franchise since the 2012 acquisition of Lucasfilm by The Walt Disney ...
by automated factories and with a total crew of 29,585 personnel, the distinguishing feature of these Sith Star Destroyers is an axial superlaser powerful enough to shatter a planet, made possible by a powerful reactor channeling the energy of a miniature sun through
kyber crystal A lightsaber is a fictional energy sword featured throughout the '' Star Wars'' franchise. A typical lightsaber is depicted as a luminescent plasma blade about in length emitted from a metal hilt around in length. First introduced in the o ...
s. Other weaponry includes 40 heavy turbo laser batteries, 40 ion cannons, 40 point-defense laser cannons, 35 warhead launchers, and 10 heavy tractor beam projectors, though the space for a hangar and other storage facilities is taken up by the superlaser.


List of other Star Destroyers

*Victory Star Destroyer: The ''Victory''-class Star Destroyer originally featured only in
Star Wars Legends ''Star Wars'' has been expanded to media other than the original films. This spin-off material is licensed and moderated by Lucasfilm, though during his involvement with the franchise ''Star Wars'' creator George Lucas reserved the right to bot ...
novellas (see below). It first appeared in the new Star Wars canon in the 2014 novel ''Tarkin'', written by James Luceno, and was first depicted in ''Darth Vader 6: Vader, Part VI'', a 2015 comic book written by Kieron Gillen and illustrated by Salvador Larroca. The ''Victory'' Star Destroyer is the Imperial Navy's starting vessel in the core set of
Fantasy Flight Games Fantasy Flight Games (FFG) is a game company based in Roseville, Minnesota, United States, that creates and publishes role-playing, board, card, and dice games. As of 2014, it is a subsidiary of Asmodée Éditions. History Fantasy Flight Publish ...
's ''Star Wars: Armada'', a table top miniatures game released on March 27, 2015.


''Star Wars Legends''

In April 2014, most of the licensed ''Star Wars'' novels, games, and comics produced since 1976 (and prior to 2014), were rebranded by
Lucasfilm Lucasfilm Ltd. LLC is an American film and television production company and a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios, which is a business segment of The Walt Disney Company. The studio is best known for creating and producing the ''Star Wars'' and ' ...
as
Star Wars Legends ''Star Wars'' has been expanded to media other than the original films. This spin-off material is licensed and moderated by Lucasfilm, though during his involvement with the franchise ''Star Wars'' creator George Lucas reserved the right to bot ...
; and therefore declared non-canon to the franchise. Star Destroyers feature in numerous ''Legends'' publications, with a considerable amount of additional notable information. According to
West End Games West End Games (WEG) was a company that made Board game, board, Role-playing game, role-playing, and wargaming, war games. It was founded by Daniel Scott Palter in 1974 in New York City, but later moved to Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Its product line ...
' '' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game'' sourcebooks and other texts, ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyers are constructed by Kuat Drive Yards and hold a distinguished place in the Imperial Navy, symbolizing the Empire's military might with a peak number of more than 25,000 vessels. Like the ''Venator'' and ''Victory''-class ships that precede it, the ''Imperial''-class is a multi-role capital ship combining the roles of a
battleship A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of large caliber guns. It dominated naval warfare in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The term ''battleship'' came into use in the late 1880s to describe a type of ...
, starfighter carrier, and
troopship A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime. Troopships were often drafted from commercial shipping fleets, and were unable land troops directly on shore, typicall ...
. Notable for its massive size and overwhelming firepower compared to its fore-bearers; a single ''Imperial''-class ship is capable of singlehandedly taking on a fleet of enemy vessels or "reducing the surface of a planet to a slag" (known as "Base Delta Zero"), and its mere presence is often enough to deter rebellion. At long, ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyers are crewed by 9,235 Officers, 27,850 enlisted personnel, and 275 Gunners. The ''Imperial I'' is armed with 60 turbolasers, 60 ion cannons, and 10 tractor beam projectors for space combat. The standard complement is 72
TIE fighter The Twin Ion Engine (TIE) fighter is a series of fictional starfighters featured in the '' Star Wars'' universe. TIE fighters are depicted as fast, agile, yet fragile starfighters produced by Sienar Fleet Systems for the Galactic Empire and b ...
s (including 12 TIE Bombers and 12-24 TIE Interceptors), and a variety of support craft including shuttles and transports. Unlike other comparable capital ships like the Mon Calamari MC80 Star Cruiser of the Rebel Alliance (later New Republic), an ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyer carries a full array of ground forces (including 9700 stormtroopers, 20
AT-AT All Terrain Walkers are armoured fighting vehicles from the ''Star Wars'' universe that traverse the landscape on mechanical legs. They are used by the Old Republic, the Galactic Empire, and the First Order for ground assault, reconnaissance ...
s and 30
AT-ST All Terrain Walkers are armoured fighting vehicles from the ''Star Wars'' universe that traverse the landscape on mechanical legs. They are used by the Old Republic, the Galactic Empire, and the First Order for ground assault, reconnaissance ...
s) with dropships for rapid deployment to planetary surfaces, plus a prefabricated base if a permanent planetary garrison is required. Though the Imperial Navy also has smaller capital ships like Nebulon-B Escort Frigates and CR90 Corvettes (the films show these vessels being used exclusively by the Rebel Alliance), ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyers are usually the default choice for frontline deployments. At the
Battle of Endor ''Return of the Jedi'' (also known as ''Star Wars: Episode VI – Return of the Jedi'' is a 1983 American epic space opera film directed by Richard Marquand. The screenplay is by Lawrence Kasdan and George Lucas from a story by Lucas, who was ...
the
Rebel Alliance The Alliance to Restore the Republic (colloquial: Rebel Alliance; the Rebellion; the Alliance; or the Rebels) is a fictional stateless interstellar coalition of republican dissidents, imperial defectors, revolutionary factions and anti-imperial ...
captured two ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyers and added them to the New Republic fleet; they serve alongside Mon Calamari Cruisers in General
Han Solo Han Solo is a fictional character in the '' Star Wars'' franchise created by George Lucas. The character first appeared in the 1977 film '' Star Wars'' portrayed by Harrison Ford, who reprised his role in ''The Empire Strikes Back'' (1980) an ...
's task force as told in the X-wing series of novels and
Dark Empire ''Dark Empire'' is a ''Star Wars'' comic book metaseries produced by Dark Horse Comics. It consists of a six-issue Limited series (comics), limited series written by Tom Veitch and drawn by Cam Kennedy, followed by a second six-issue limited seri ...
comics. Although the New Republic eventually upgrades its starfleet with newer ship types, the ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyer remains in service well into the ''
New Jedi Order ''Star Wars: The New Jedi Order'' (or ''New Jedi Order'' or ''NJO'') is a series of 19 science fiction novels, published from 1999 to 2003, set in the Star Wars in other media, ''Star Wars'' Expanded Universe. The series revolves around the Yu ...
'' era and fights during the Yuuzhan Vong War. Described in ''A Guide to the Star Wars Universe'' (1984) as being long, ''Executor''-class Super Star Destroyers were later described as being long. In addition to Vader's command ship ''Executor'', ''Star Wars'' novels introduce the prison ship ''Lusankya'' and stealth-armored '' Knight Hammer'' as other in the class.
Kevin J. Anderson Kevin James Anderson (born March 27, 1962) is an American science fiction author. He has written spin-off novels for ''Star Wars'', ''StarCraft'', ''Titan A.E.'' and ''The X-Files literature#Novels, The X-Files'', and with Brian Herbert is the ...
's novel '' Darksaber'' describes a Super Star Destroyer as being "worth twenty Imperial Star Destroyers". The description "Star Destroyer" and "Super Star Destroyer" are applied to several another massive dagger/triangle-shaped warships in ''Star Wars'', such as the ''Pellaeon''-class Star Destroyer in the ''
Legacy In law, a legacy is something held and transferred to someone as their inheritance, as by will and testament. Personal effects, family property, marriage property or collective property gained by will of real property. Legacy or legacies may refer ...
'' comic series (2006–2010), and the reborn Emperor Palpatine's flagships ''Eclipse'' and ''Eclipse II'' Super Star Destroyers in the
Dark Empire ''Dark Empire'' is a ''Star Wars'' comic book metaseries produced by Dark Horse Comics. It consists of a six-issue Limited series (comics), limited series written by Tom Veitch and drawn by Cam Kennedy, followed by a second six-issue limited seri ...
series (1991–1995). The ''Eclipse''-class was perhaps the ultimate Super Star Destroyer or Star Dreadnought in the Expanded Universe, incorporating a Death Star-type superlaser but miniaturized and more advanced, and gravity well projectors to prevent enemies from jumping to hyperspace, and having strong enough shields/armor to be able to ram enemy vessels. Curtis Saxton, in the unofficial ''Star Wars Technical Commentaries'' (he has since been the author of the official ''Star Wars: Attack of the Clones Incredible Cross-Sections'' and ''Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith Incredible Cross-Sections''), has advocated using the term ''Imperator''-class in lieu of ''Imperial''-class. Saxton argues that "Imperial Star Destroyer" is a somewhat generic term, as the vast majority of Star Destroyer types are operated by the Galactic Empire's Imperial Navy which technically means they are all "Imperial Star Destroyers", although the ''Imperator''/''Imperial''-class Star Destroyers are by far the most common type. Similarly, the "Super Star Destroyer" moniker has been used for numerous unrelated vessels of varying sizes and classes, so fans have suggested labeling the class instead of by the lead ship such as ''Executor''-class and ''Eclipse''-class, with some referring to them instead as a "Star Dreadnought" (sometimes spelled "Star Dreadnaught") to emphasize their massive size relative to Star Destroyers. Author
Jason Fry Jason C. Fry (born 1969) is an American author, editor, digital consultant and online contributor. His written works include the novelization of '' Star Wars: The Last Jedi'', as well as about a dozen other books and short stories from the ''Star W ...
introduced the "Anaxes War College System" which specifically divide warships into different types depending on their size and power, which explain all the differently sized "Super Star Destroyers" appearing in the Expanded Universe (now ''Star Wars'' Legends), supplementing the contradictory classification systems used in Star Wars lore previously, becoming reference material in the ''Star Wars'' Sourcebooks by
West End Games West End Games (WEG) was a company that made Board game, board, Role-playing game, role-playing, and wargaming, war games. It was founded by Daniel Scott Palter in 1974 in New York City, but later moved to Honesdale, Pennsylvania. Its product line ...
. The ''Victory''-class Star Destroyer first described in the early ''Star Wars'' novella, was initially designed as a direct predecessor to the ''Imperial''-class during the development of ''A New Hope'', which would make it a follow-up to the ''Venator''-class seen in ''Revenge of the Sith''. The ''Victory'' appears very similar in appearance to the ''Imperial''-class which succeeded it; albeit the ''Victory'' being considerably smaller in scale (900 meters in length versus 1600 meters), adds atmospheric maneuvering "wings" on the port and starboard sides (according to '' Star Wars: The Roleplaying Game'' sourcebooks, the ''Victory I''-class can enter a planetary atmosphere which is a unique attribute not found in the ''Victory II'' and ''Imperial''-class Star Destroyers), and a shorter conning tower with different elements on the command bridge. The ''Victory''-class was developed from a prototype Star Destroyer model created by
Colin Cantwell Colin James Cantwell (April 3, 1932 – May 21, 2022) was an American concept artist and director known for his work on films like '' 2001: A Space Odyssey'' and ''WarGames'', but primarily for doing initial concept designs and models for a num ...
for ''
A New Hope ''Star Wars'' (retroactively titled ''Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope'') is a 1977 American Epic film, epic space opera film written and directed by George Lucas, produced by Lucasfilm and distributed by 20th Century Fox. It is the first ...
'', with the final design being used for the basis of the ''Imperial''-class.


See also

* List of ''Star Wars'' spacecraft * List of ''Star Wars'' starfighters


Notes


Bibliography

* * * * * *


References


Sources


External links

* * * * * * * * {{Star Wars universe, state=collapsed Star Wars spacecraft Fictional elements introduced in 1977 Fictional military vehicles sv:Lista över farkoster i Star Wars#Star Destroyer