Quick Links
In a sci-fi story that sprawls across a massive galaxy, fans expect some pretty big threats. That’s exactly why so many people love Star Wars. The galaxy far, far away is constantly under threat from villains with power-hungry ambition. More often than not in the Star Wars series, villains have risen to the top, and along with their rise come massive superweapons.
In the original Star Wars trilogy, fans were first introduced to the Death Star, a weapon with the destructive capability to wipe out all life on a planet. Then in the sequel trilogy, fans were introduced to the Starkiller Base, which somehow managed to up the ante even more. The problem is, that fans are left to wonder which super weapon is superior.
Star Wars: Hayden Christensen Lays Some Blame On Fans For Prequels' Bad Reviews
Hayden Christensen's ideas on why the Star Wars prequels aren't as beloved as the originals have a ring of truth, but many fans beg to differ.
How Big Was The Death Star?
Death Star | |
|---|---|
Creators | The Geonosians |
Purpose | Space battle station, superweapon capable of planetary destruction |
Model | DS-1 Orbital Battle Station |
Width | 160 kilometers |
Weaponry | Equipped with over 100,000 cannons, launchers, blasters, etc. |
Population | Roughly 1.2 million |
Used By | The Galactic Empire |
The DS-1 Death Star Mobile Battle Station, commonly shortened to the Death Star, was a massive space station and devastating superweapon. Said to be roughly the size of a moon in the original Star Wars, the Death Star was capable of destroying any planet in range with a single blast. It was said to be one of the greatest achievements in the galaxy as far as the Galactic Empire was concerned. In the novel Tarkin, Wilhuff Tarkin shares how impressive it was:
"Both as an impregnable fortress and as a symbol of the Emperor's inviolable rule, the deep-space mobile battle station was an achievement on the order of any fashioned by the ancestral species that had unlocked the secret of hyperspace and opened the galaxy to exploration."
With more than 350 different levels and more than 45,000 square feet of surface area, the Death Star was expensive and massive. Since the Death Star operated as a military base as well as a weapon, it was also equipped to sustain the lives of everyone on board. Capable of completely sustaining itself and its 1.2 million inhabitants for a minimum of four years, this beast of a space station was a threat to the entire galaxy as soon as it was operational. Even more terrifying, it is capable of making the jump to hyperspace, allowing it to speed into areas to rain destruction before making a quick exit.
How Big Was The Starkiller Base?
Starkiller Base | |
|---|---|
Created By | The First Order |
Location | Ilum |
Region | The Unknown Regions |
Planet Diameter | 660 kilometers |
Population | Assumed that a portion of the First Order lived there |
Weaponry | Unknown, a massive star system destroying canon |
It’s safe to say that Starkiller Base was much bigger than the Death Star for one simple reason: the base and massive superweapon were built directly into the ice planet Ilum. Due to the fact that many within the Star Wars universe call all of Ilum the Starkiller Base, this means that the size of the base in total is technically 660 kilometers in diameter, compared to the Death Star’s 160. With a massive size comes impressive destructive power. In Star Wars: The Force Awakens, General Hux tells the audience just how fearsome the Starkiller Base is:
This fierce machine which you have built, upon which we stand, will bring an end to the Senate! To their cherished fleet! All remaining systems will bow to the First Order! And will remember this… as the last day of the Republic!
Even if one were to look only at the portion of the planet that is used as a base of operations, Starkiller Base is still said to be roughly two times larger than the Death Star at a minimum. Rather than wiping out a single planet, this bulky but slow superweapon was capable of destroying whole star systems. While that may sound a bit odd, almost like that may result in the base’s destruction, the weapon is capable of shooting across the galaxy in order to hit a target that is rather far away.
Was The Starkiller Base Better Than The Death Star?
The answer to this question will come down to each person’s individual preference for the functionality of a sci-fi super weapon. If one considers the sheer might of the Starkiller Base and nothing else, then it is clear that the Starkiller Base is the better of the two. The problem is that once more factors are taken into account, the worse the Starkiller Base seems to become.
The original moon-like Death Star doesn’t quite stack up to the Starkiller base for a lot of people. However, the second version of the massive station may be a different story. While the Starkiller packs a serious wallop, it has a lot of drawbacks relating to the power it uses. It uses dangerous amounts of power and requires using up the energy of stars in order to fire the weapon. Compare that to the second Death Star, which is essentially an updated and improved version of the original Death Star. With a weapon like that, the Starkiller Base would be obsolete.
On one hand, the Starkiller base could wipe out an entire system, including the Death Star, without the Death Star even being aware of its imminent destruction. On the other hand, the second Death Star would be able to enter the system of the Starkiller Base, and at that point, the base really can’t do much to defend itself. Both bases could take each other out, but the Death Star might actually be the better of the two thanks to its higher functionality and more reliable fuel source in relation to the power it requires. At the end of the day, which station is best comes down to what one values: immense mass destruction, or destructive maneuverability.
Star Wars is available to stream now on Disney+.
Star Wars
Star Wars is a multimedia franchise originally created by George Lucas and Lucasfilm Ltd with the 1977 motion picture. The science fiction franchise follows the adventures of characters (both humanoid and alien) in outer space including those who can wield a mystical power known as the Force. Since the release of the original trilogy of movies, the franchise has expanded to include multiple films and branched out to other media like comics, video games, tv shows, theme park attractions, and more. The IP and Lucasfilm were sold to Disney in 2012.
The Most Powerful Mandalorians In Star Wars, Ranked
Mandalorians follow the same creed and code but they aren't comparable in terms of strength. These strongest Mandalorians stand out above the rest.
