I had no idea until Attack of the Clones revealed it. That scene where the plans are handed to Count Dooku to hide them from the Jedi completely took me by surprise.
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The Death Star’s Design in Attack of the Clones
In Attack of the Clones, we get our first glimpse of the Death Star’s design during a critical moment on Geonosis. After Obi-Wan Kenobi infiltrates the Separatist meeting led by Count Dooku, he observes a holographic blueprint of what would later become the Empire’s most devastating weapon.
The Geonosians, known for their expertise in engineering and manufacturing, are revealed to have created the initial plans for the Death Star. However, as the Republic’s forces close in, Poggle the Lesser, the Geonosian leader, entrusts the plans to Count Dooku for safekeeping.
But here’s where things get confusing. Based on Attack of the Clones, it seems the Geonosians designed the Death Star. However, if you’ve watched Rogue One, you’ll know that Galen Erso is credited with creating the deadly weapon for the Empire. This contradiction has me wondering—what’s really going on here?
Why the Death Star Plans Were on Geonosis When Galen Erso Designed It
So, following the moment in Attack of the Clones when Dooku receives the Death Star plans from Poggle the Lesser, he delivers the design to his master, Darth Sidious, transferring them from Geonosis to Coruscant.
At this point, it seems clear that the Geonosians were responsible for creating the original blueprint and even laying the groundwork for the Death Star. However, the story becomes more intricate when we consider Galen Erso’s role. In Rogue One, it’s revealed that Galen, an Imperial scientist, worked on the Death Star’s energy systems, specifically focusing on harnessing kyber crystals. This ties into the Empire’s mining of Jedha and their destruction of the Temple of the Whills to acquire these powerful crystals—one of which Lyra Erso gifts to Jyn.
We also learn that Krennic, early in the project, struggled to make the Death Star operational, which delayed its progress. This led him to recruit Galen Erso to overcome the technical challenges of powering the weapon.
To add more perspective, the Death Star’s construction began during the Clone Wars, as we see at the end of Revenge of the Sith. In the scene, set in 19 BBY, Darth Vader and Palpatine stand together, overseeing the early stages of its assembly.
Fast forward to 1 BBY, during Rogue One, and we see the Empire nearing completion of the project after decades of effort. As part of this final phase, the Death Star’s superlaser is tested on Jedha City, demonstrating its destructive power.
The Making of the Empire’s Ultimate Weapon
I’ve pieced it together, and here’s how I see it: the Geonosians came up with the Death Star’s design, the Empire took that blueprint and built it, and Galen Erso made it functional—but he also ensured it could be destroyed. Let me explain how all of this fits into the bigger picture of the Death Star’s creation.
The project started during the Clone Wars, with Wilhuff Tarkin managing the massive logistical challenge of building the galaxy’s deadliest weapon. At the same time, Orson Krennic headed “Project Celestial Power,” which focused entirely on developing the Death Star’s superlaser.
Galen Erso, a brilliant scientist and expert in kyber crystals, was at the heart of this. His research weaponized these powerful crystals, turning them into the key to the superlaser’s devastating power. The thing is, Galen didn’t realize what the Empire was planning to do with his work—at least not at first. But Galen wasn’t aware of the Empire’s true intentions for his research. When he began to suspect the truth, he abandoned the project. Krennic, of course, wasn’t about to let him go. He spent years hunting Galen down and eventually forced him to complete the weapon.
However, Galen wasn’t just a pawn in the Empire’s plans. While under pressure to finish the weapon, he cleverly designed a hidden flaw in the Death Star—a weakness that would later enable the Rebel Alliance to destroy it.
Death Star Fun Facts You Might Not Know
1. Thousands of Defensive Weapons
Beyond the iconic superlaser, the Death Star had an array of armaments. It boasted 10,000 Super Blaster 920 laser cannons, capable of obliterating starfighters with a single shot, along with 50,000 heavy laser cannons and 50,000 quad laser cannons for larger targets. Even ion cannons were installed, designed to disable ships by frying their electrical systems.
2. Tractor Beams and Hyperspace Capability
The Death Star’s tractor beams—over a thousand of them—were critical for pulling ships like the Millennium Falcon into its hangar. But perhaps most impressive was its hyperspace capability. The Death Star could pursue its prey through hyperspace using its class-4 hyperdrive, as seen when it tracked the Rebels to Yavin 4.
3. A Massive Crew
Housing over 1.1 to 1.2 million personnel, the Death Star had everything from Naval and Army garrisons to maintenance workers, security teams, engineers, and medical staff. The crew operated under high-ranking officials like Grand Moff Tarkin, Admiral Motti, and General Tagge, who coordinated this behemoth’s operations.
4. A Mobile Fortress
Spanning 160 kilometers (100 miles) in diameter, the Death Star was practically a mobile city. It required countless resources and workers to construct, making it a true marvel of engineering and a nightmare for the galaxy.