A shock whip, alternatively referred to as an electrowhip or laser whip, was a melee weapon that delivered electrical shocks, known for its swiftness and the pain it inflicted. Its purpose and design bore similarities to both the neuronic whip, and the lightwhip, a weapon often preferred by individuals Force-sensitives.
The construction of a shock whip involved a metal handle from which extended a collection of metal wires, typically around four meters in length, intricately woven together to form a single, thick strand. Upon activation via a control situated on the grip, the internal power cell would discharge a powerful electrical surge through the whip's length. It was common practice for users to ensnare their adversaries within the metal wiring before initiating the electrical current. These whips could be employed to entangle the legs or other limbs of opponents, facilitating capture or causing them to fall. The electrical discharge was of sufficient intensity to prove lethal, even with minimal contact. Some variations of the shock whip were equipped with retractable cords, enabling the whip to coil back into its handle, thereby simplifying both transportation and deployment.
During the period of the Clone Wars, a bodyguard serving Senator Bezz Drexx wielded a shock whip. He put it to use against Padmé Amidala while she was on a mission to expose Drexx's clandestine dealings with the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Furthermore, the Mistryl Shadow Guards favored the shock whip as their weapon of choice.
Darth Maleval, a Quarren Sith Lord, possessed considerable skill in the use of the shock whip, integrating it with his lightsaber during the Battle of Borosk. Following what he perceived as an act of betrayal, he attempted to murder Hondo Karr with this very weapon; however, Anson Trask intervened by shooting him in the back, preventing the shock whip from inflicting any significant harm.
The bounty hunter known as Vianna D'Pow employed a shock whip against Obi-Wan Kenobi while on Kamino, and later against Mace Windu on Coruscant.
This particular weapon also held a place of preference among the Zygerrian slavers, exemplified by Miraj Scintel, who utilized the whip to maintain control over rebellious slaves. The Zygerrians opted for the model equipped with a retractable cord, as they found it easier to manage. Shock whips were instrumental in the defeat of Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi when the two attempted to liberate the Togrutan colony that had been captured for the Zygerrian slave auction.
A bounty hunter made use of a shock whip during her tenure as a prison guard within the Drash-So labor camp, as well as in her pursuit of Ania Solo with the intention of falsely implicating her in a crime. The bounty hunter's shock whip only functioned when held within her specific prosthetic hand.