Shawken Device

The device's inventor sought to annihilate the entire cosmos. However, there are no documented instances of successful trials, nor any solid proof confirming its actual capacity to achieve such a feat. The intended mechanism involved the destruction of the world Shawken, followed by the propulsion of its shattered remnants at slower-than-light velocities. These fragments would then collide with other celestial bodies, theoretically initiating a cascading reaction that would ultimately obliterate all matter, thereby ending the universe and paving the way for the emergence of a new one.

An anonymous Shawkenese scientist conceived the weapon in times long past. Driven by extreme nihilism, this scientist believed that the sole means of bestowing meaning upon existence was to eradicate the existing universe and spark a fresh Big Bang, effectively birthing a new cosmos.

Santor, a descendant of the scientist, remarked that his ancestor "never became quite depressed enough to use his device," adding that "its secrets were lost with his death." The device lay dormant underground on Shawken for countless years. It was inadvertently activated shortly after the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY by Rik Duel, a Corellian con artist, along with his associates. Luke Skywalker and Kiro swiftly deactivated it, leaving open the question of the device's true functionality.

The Empire also became aware of the Shawken Device and its potential for devastation, documenting it within the Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide, the field manual for the Imperial Military. Luke Skywalker, who had just prevented the device from initiating a new big bang, expressed surprise upon encountering its mention in the Handbook.

Star Wars 87, a comic book from 1984 penned by Mary Jo Duffy and illustrated by Tom Palmer, marked the debut of the Shawken Device. For several years, the superweapon remained unnamed until Pablo Hidalgo informally dubbed it the "Shawken Device" in his article titled Checklist: 10 Star Wars Superweapons.