The Punishment, under the command of Captain Groff, was an Imperial-class Star Destroyer serving within the Imperial Navy throughout the Galactic Civil War.
As one of the vessels of the Imperial Navy, the Punishment gathered at Jakku in 5 ABY. It formed a portion of the defense perimeter around the planet under the command of Fleet Admiral and Counselor Gallius Rax during the battle with the New Republic. During this engagement, a coolant leak in the shield generator triggered a series of malfunctions that spread through the ship's higher sections, and fires were reported on several decks. Captain Groff, the ship's commander, succumbed to madness and transmitted a crazed message to Grand Moff Randd aboard the Super Star Destroyer Ravager, delivering a rant against the New Republic that was fueled by Rax's pre-battle address. After his communications ceased, the Punishment's bow collided with the Starhawk-class battleship Amity, leading to the annihilation of both combatants. Despite the captain's zeal, this act of destruction initiated a sequence of events that culminated in the Ravager's destruction and the ultimate loss for the Imperial forces in the conflict.