StarKiller {SPOILER}

[Candlelight]

So do we all freeze to death instantly every night?

The atmosphere is pretty good at storing and distributing heat.

We're still in orbit of our star.

The Starkiller pretty much drained theirs, though doesn't explain how it fired TWICE. Unless the planet itself can be piloted from star system to star system, which might explain the whole planetary rotation for targeting, etc.

Hell, if that were the case then just jump into each star system and DRAIN THE STAR.

 

[Xerxes82]

My real problem with it wasn't how it worked, that's ultimately irrelevant. It's why does the Empire or it's offshoots keep killing off tens of thousands/millions of it's personnel by making these things so easy to destroy?

Ok, the first Death Star is a design oversight. The second one wasn't actually finished. Fine. What's the excuse here? A critical component can be accessed from the surface by both personnel and starfighters, and the failure of that ONE component destroys the entire planet. The Imperial Corp of Engineers is terrible at it's job. Terrible.

And how proud do you have to be when you get posted to the new superweapon, if you're a trooper or officer? Hey, I just got this awesome high profile target painted on my back. Can't wait to have the entire moon/planet blown out from under me!

And I'm on the next shuttle out at the first suggestion that an X-wing has entered the system. Seriously, the next superweapon should be artificially intelligent, and just blow ITSELF up the first time it's sensors register an X-wing.

 

[Ithekro]

Well the question is, aside from having Phasma shut down the shields, how easy would it be to turn them off or blow them up normally? How easy was it to destroy that one critical system? Not very easy really. Aside from blowing a hole in the side of it, it still took the Resistance's best pilot to fly in and loop around blowing up the sides. No one shot, one kill like the Death Stars.

I also wonder if the weapon would have been destroyed if they hadn't been charging up to fire?

As for how it works. I would gather they built it so it could fire that first shot, than move to the system they destroyed and drain that system's sun. Use it to blow up the next system, move there and drain that sun, and continue until the Republic surrenders.

That is if the thing has a hyperdrive. It can just shoot anyplace from where it was to start with using its hyperspace multi-superlaser thingy.

 

[EnsignRicky]

My biggest problem with the Base was how when it was breaking up, it conveniently splits apart just enough and right were it did to separate but not kill Rey and Ren just when things were getting good.

Deus Ex Starkiller.

 

[shapeshifter]

The Force works in mysterious ways.

 

[JRoss]

I have only read the first page. Here are my thoughts.

Yes, there would be a problem with gravity, even assuming that it's just energy and no matter being sucked, or some conversion going on. There has to be something further at work, perhaps some pocket dimension/hyperdrive magic that also propels the shot at FTL speeds.

The Starkiller was not in the systems whose planets it destroyed. It can destroy a planet for light years away. That's what makes it dangerous. Presumably it has a hyperdrive. I'd assume that a significant portion of what it drains goes to the engines.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

"The more they overthink the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain."

 

[Ithekro]

I consider Starkiller Base a success even though it was destroyed.

After losing the Galactic Civil War, the remains of the Empire retreat into the Unknown Regions. They can't fight the Republic one on one and be assured victory anymore. Why fight a battle unless you can be assured victory. The Empire ruled through fear, and the loss at Endor and Jakku made them not so feared anymore.

The Imperial Starfleet might be able to take on the Republic Starfleet one on one, but that leads to most of both fleets losing and nothing left to rule the galaxy with. Also the Empire would need to be able to take out the Republic leadership and a planetary invasion or even orbital bombardment would be risky with planetary shields and the Republic Fleet being around. So how do you counter all this? A Death Star? No, that can only take out one planet or ship at a time. You need something better than a Death Star.

Enter Starkiller Base. A superweapon that can destroy multiple targets at once. Not only did they take out the Republic capital and several other planets, they also took out a Republic Fleet. That is a major victory....far greater than anything the two Death Stars achieved.

So even with Starkiller base being destroyed, the First Order just crippled the Republic Fleet and struck and major blow to its government. This gives the First Order (and any other Imperial remains if there are more than just the First Order) an advantage over the Republic in terms of a space fleet and organization.

Starkiller completed its primary mission.

 

[Corran Horn]

Pablo Hidalgo has been on Twitter saying Starkiller base could move through hyperspace and provide its own warmth once the star it drains has been emptied. The beam is also fired through hyperspace and anything visible in the sky (like Han sees, etc) is a result of 'tearing' in hyperspace.

 

[Ithekro]

That fixes everything except seeing the exploding planets from Maz's place (I might be remembering it wrong, but doubt it).

 

[The Wormhole]

Actually, it really is convenient that Maz's planet is located along a direct path between Starkiller's location and the Hosnian system.

 

[Corran Horn]

That fixes everything except seeing the exploding planets from Maz's place (I might be remembering it wrong, but doubt it).

Supposedly those were Hyperspace 'tears' of some kind.

This is all in the visual dictionary, I guess.

 

[EnsignRicky]

Pablo Hidalgo has been on Twitter saying Starkiller base could move through hyperspace and provide its own warmth once the star it drains has been emptied. The beam is also fired through hyperspace and anything visible in the sky (like Han sees, etc) is a result of 'tearing' in hyperspace.

It could move through hyperspace? Was this thing a planet or a space station? If so why did it have trees, snow and an atmosphere? And more importantly, what the hell happened to all of that, whenever it went into hyperspace? And then why was it called Starkiller Base and not Starkiller Station?

I'm gonna have to call more JJ-Physics bullshit on this one.

 

[Trekker4747]

To be fair, SW can get away with more "physics bullshit" than Trek.

 

[Corran Horn]

I'm gonna have to call more JJ-Physics bullshit on this one.

If this is what knocked you over the edge on SW physics (to say nothing of JJ) then I don't know what to tell you.

 

[Ithekro]

They already had a living planet that could travel in hyperspace in the EU, as well as the Death Star...so having a Superweapon in a planet that can travel in hyperspace is not outside the realm of possibility for Star Wars. Doesn't even have to be JJ...its just Star Wars.

 

[Set Harth]

Actually, it really is convenient that Maz's planet is located along a direct path between Starkiller's location and the Hosnian system.

Which of course isn't the way the locations were arranged on the galaxy map they put out.

But if Starkiller can move around it could have fired from such a location.

 

[Ithekro]

I wonder if everyone in the galaxy could have seen that shot?

 

[ALF]

Oh man It's Delta Vega all over again. Seeing Vulcan implode from the surface. That's some good times right there.

I was also wondering, as you've been discussing in the first few pages how the weapon is able to target any specific system in the universe. Even though the film is scant on explaining, I am looking forward to some clarity in the FA Visual Dictionary.

No shit, I hear Tie Fighters shouldn't make a sound in space either.

To hear the engines you have to roll the window down first.

I love BFG's. Thought Starkiller base was cool.

It was a Death Star on steroids. I love it!

Agreed. Can't wait to tackle it in Lego! Wish we knew the name of the actual planet - according to pretty official sources, it's just "Starkiller Base" in the Unknown Regions.

But with the next few months of scrutinizing this film to death, Starkiller Base will bear the brunt of much criticism from scientists, nerds, and scientist-nerds.

 

[ATimson]

Wish we knew the name of the actual planet - according to pretty official sources, it's just "Starkiller Base" in the Unknown Regions.

It might be Ilum, the source of lightsaber crystals - the maps have it in the same place, and it'd make sense that the same crystals used to make lightsabers and the Death Star superlasers were used to make the Starkiller...