The T-7 ion disruptor rifle was a model of high-powered disruptor rifle designed to disable starships and take out multiple enemies at one time. The rifles would also have destructive effects when used on organic lifeforms. The rifles were responsible for the near-extinction of the Lasat species, and their destructive powers led the Imperial Senate to ban their use within the Galactic Empire. The rebel crew of the Ghost later stole a shipment of T-7 ion disruptors and destroyed them before they could fall into the hands of the Empire.
A snowtrooper firing a T-7 ion disruptor
Few personal weapons possessed the destructive power and fearsome reputation as the T-7 ion disruptor; originally designed as an anti-air and anti-armor weapon, the T-7 let loose a burst of ionized plasma charged with enough energy to puncture starship hulls. In its intended role, the T-7 made short work of many armored vehicles, mechanized infantry, airspeeders, and even starships - its intense ionization being particularly deadly to aircraft, as it could shut down critical components and send them into a death spiral - the T-7 was capable of chewing through nearly anything its path. The T-7 was, however, a slow firing weapon and required a lengthy pause between shots to recharge and cool down. Further, the T-7 was resolutely unmodifiable, and could not benefit from attachments or modifications to grant faster firing speeds, improvements to its range, or grant multiple shots.
Despite its deadly fire capability, the T-7 gained its notorious reputation from its use on sentient beings; a single shot from a T-7 produced an explosive blast that could atomize entire groups of lifeforms - when used on an organic being, the victim was disintegrated on the molecular level atom by atom, resulting in a slow, painful, and excruciatingly grotesque death.
At some point, while fighting on cold terrain, a cold weather assault stormtrooper was armed with a T-7. During the Siege of Lasan, the Empire used disruptors against the Lasat, the sentient species native to the planet. Most of the Lasat were killed during the fall, and the gruesome effects that the rifles had on organic lifeforms led the Imperial Senate to ban their use. T-7s were rather rare, and many of the rifles were either recalled or destroyed; copies of the schematics escaped deletion, however, and private weapons manufacturers produced batches that could be found on the black market—for a price.
Sabine Wren discovers their cargo is disruptor rifles
Some T-7 disruptors were manufactured and owned by weapons manufacturer Amda Wabo. Minister Maketh Tua of Lothal met with Wabo to discuss an illegal arms deal, with assistance from the droids C-3PO and R2-D2, who had been dispatched by Lothal's governor, Arihnda Pryce—and, secretly, Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan, who wanted the weapons destroyed. In truth, Wabo's weapons were prototypes that the Imperial Military wanted to mass produce on Lothal, ignoring the Senate ban. The arms deal was intercepted and disrupted on Garel by the rebel crew of the Ghost, who intended to sell the weapons to Lothal arms dealer Cikatro Vizago. Agent Kallus of the Imperial Security Bureau found the rebels and attempted to both destroy the rebels and retrieve the weapons, but he failed and the rebels were able to destroy the disruptor rifles and escape. C-3PO and R2-D2 were then returned to Senator Bail Organa. During the skirmish, Kallus also claimed he had ordered the use of ion disruptors on Lasan but later admitted this was not the case.
The disruptor rifle from Galaxies.
The T-7 ion disruptor rifle made its first appearance in "Droids in Distress," the third episode of the first season of Star Wars Rebels. Visually, it is almost identical to the Disruptor Rifle created by the Chu-Gon Dar cube the Legends MMORPG Star Wars Galaxies: Trials of Obi-Wan.
- LEGO Star Wars: Droid Tales — "Mission to Mos Eisley"