Mk I Superlaser

Functioning as a superlaser array, the Mk I Superlaser incorporated a focusing lens encompassing eight tributary lasers. Each laser contained a massive kyber crystal, created by uniting numerous crystal fragments into a composite crystal. This crystal was designed to emulate the characteristics of a naturally occurring, standard-sized kyber crystal. The lasers were positioned in a circle around the dish and protected by a magnetically shielded field to mitigate the effects of stellar radiation. Targeting field generators, shaped like spheres, were arranged around the dish's center, with a circular focusing magnet directly behind it. The dish, composed of several panels joined using EP-N5 fasteners, was the final addition to the battle station.

To activate the weapon, the Death Star's hypermatter annihilation reactor would power up to either a single or full reactor ignition. Hypermatter streams were then channeled into the crystalline array using deflector shields along the power amplifier leading to the weapon. The hypermatter energy fueled four induction hyperphase generators, initiating the firing sequence. The energy was then concentrated through the compound kyber crystals in the tributary lasers, generating eight intensely powerful green beams. These beams were forced to converge at a single point by focused containment channels working with the targeting field from the lens dish, accumulating the total power of the reaction before being released as a single beam aimed at the target. At full power, the superlaser could obliterate a planet, reducing it to an asteroid field. Recharging the weapon after a full-power discharge required 24 hours.

The DS-1 Death Star Mobile Battle Station's most crucial element was the Mk I Superlaser, which was the Galactic Empire's most potent superweapon. Grand Vizier Mas Amedda considered the Death Star to be nothing more than an expensive artificial planetoid without it. It was essential to Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin's Doctrine of governing through fear, as he thought that the mere threat of complete annihilation would ensure the star systems under the Empire's control remained obedient.

The weapon's development began around 19 BBY, almost at the same time as the establishment of the Galactic Empire. Galen Erso, a scientist working on Project Celestial Power, was deceived by project head Orson Krennic into believing he was researching how to address the galaxy's energy shortage and started looking into kyber crystals. By 17 BBY, the project had successfully created a prototype kyber-powered weapon that was tested in the Hero Twins system, generating unprecedented levels of power. However, Erso realized at that point that his research was intended for weaponization and fled Coruscant with his wife Lyra and daughter Jyn during All-Species Week. The Death Star, the platform meant to carry the weapon he unknowingly designed, was already being assembled over Geonosis. Erso, fearing retaliation, left his notes untouched, giving Celestial Power engineers enough information to proceed. Indeed, Vlex Onopin and Rasett Milio, fellow project scientists, were able to create computer models for targeting and firing the still-theoretical superlaser.

By 13 BBY, the project had been moved to the Tarkin Initiative, a group of Imperial scientists, in the hopes that they could make up for Erso's absence. However, the scientists proved inadequate, and Krennic personally located the Ersos at their farm on Lah'mu and retrieved Gailen after having his death trooper escort murder his wife. Erso, heartbroken but pragmatic, was forcibly recruited into the Initiative, where he understood that the project could, in fact, be finished without him. To exact revenge, he pretended to cooperate with Krennic and Tarkin's goals to gain their trust. Soon, he was granted access to the entire battle station's assembly project, which he called Project Stardust after his lost daughter. He then installed a small thermal exhaust port that, if targeted, would destroy the entire station.

Thanks to Erso's knowledge of crystallography, the secrets of kyber were finally understood, and Ames Uravan, another scientist, was able to synthesize a compound crystal large enough for a fully functional superlaser. The weapon's assembly began soon after, and by 5 BBY, inmates at the Narkina 5 Imperial Prison Complex were assigned to build parts for its dish. These parts were then transported to the assembly area above Scarif on Zeta-class heavy cargo shuttles. The compound crystals were the last components finished in 1 BBY. To ensure their safety, they were transported on heavily guarded civilian freighters like the Orca-class Freighter 2716, dropped off in empty regions of space, picked up by Imperial-class Star Destroyers, and finally delivered to the weapon.

The weapon was completely assembled and integrated into the Death Star station in an empty region of space during the same year, witnessed by both Krennic and Tarkin. By then, Erso's treachery was already suspected because Imperial Intelligence had discovered the defector he had tasked with revealing the station's secret weakness to his daughter, a cargo pilot named Bodhi Rook. While he did reach the Partisans on Jedha, the Empire was actively pursuing him. At the same time, Tarkin was questioning the superlaser's effectiveness and had begun to reduce his support for the project in favor of Grand Admiral Thrawn's TIE/D Defender Elite starfighter project. As a result, Krennic chose to address both issues simultaneously, inviting Tarkin, the Galactic Emperor, and Darth Vader to witness a test firing of the weapon against Jedha. Tarkin considered the Emperor and Vader's presence unnecessary - ostensibly to "protect" Krennic if the test failed - and instructed that the test be limited, prompting Krennic to target Jedha City with a single reactor ignition. The test was a resounding success, and the city was instantly vaporized. Tarkin apologized to Krennic and promptly assumed control of the station as both the highest-ranking officer and the original conceptualizer, infuriating Krennic.

Soon after the Battle of Scarif, the Rebel Alliance successfully stole the Death Star plans from the Imperial Center of Military Research and transported them away on Princess Leia Organa's CR90 corvette. Despite Vader capturing her and her ship, the Princess managed to transmit the plans away with astromech droid R2-D2. Now a prisoner, she refused to disclose the location of the Rebel Alliance's base and was taken to the Death Star for interrogation. When all other methods failed, Tarkin invited her to the Overbridge, where he presented her with a choice: reveal the location of the base and have it destroyed with the superlaser, or he would order the destruction of her home planet, Alderaan, instead. Terrified, Leia revealed the location of a former base, Dantooine, but Tarkin proceeded to order the destruction of Alderaan regardless. The superlaser fired at full power, reducing the once-great planet to dust.

The weapon was destroyed, along with the rest of the station, during the Battle of Yavin, just before it could fire on the true Rebel base on Yavin 4.