Editing Death Star (section)

====Starkiller Base====
''[[Star Wars: The Force Awakens|The Force Awakens]]'' features '''Starkiller Base''', a Death Star-like superweapon built by the [[First Order (Star Wars)|First Order]], an autocratic regime considered to be the successor of the Empire. Significantly larger than both previous Death Stars, the superweapon was constructed out of an existing planet called [[Ilum (Star Wars)|Ilum]] instead of being assembled in deep space. The base draws its raw firepower by [[Star lifting|harnessing energy directly from a nearby star]]. Unlike its predecessors, Starkiller Base is capable of firing on and destroying multiple planets at once from extreme range—in the film, the First Order obliterates the five planets in the [[Hosnian Prime]] system, at that time the [[Capital city|capital]] of the [[New Republic (Star Wars)|New Republic]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Starkiller Base |url=https://www.starwars.com/databank/starkiller-base |access-date=September 22, 2019 |website=StarWars.com |language=en |archive-date=September 9, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190909200235/https://www.starwars.com/databank/starkiller-base |url-status=live }}</ref> Starkiller Base is protected by a defensive [[Force field (technology)|shield]] that blocks all objects traveling at slower-than-light speeds; [[Han Solo]], [[Chewbacca]], and [[Finn (Star Wars)|Finn]] exploit a vulnerability by bypassing the shield at [[Hyperdrive (Star Wars)|faster-than-light]] speeds, successfully infiltrating the base and sabotaging its shields. Subsequently, an [[X-wing fighter|X-wing]] assault led by [[Poe Dameron]] and [[Nien Nunb]] destroys the superweapon by damaging the base's thermal oscillator and fuel cells, resulting in a catastrophic release of energy from the planet's core. As Resistance forces flee, the planet implodes and forms a star.<ref>{{cite web |last=Veekhoven |first=Tim |date=May 2, 2016 |title=It's the Resistance! |url=https://www.starwars.com/news/its-the-resistance |access-date=April 14, 2019 |website=StarWars.com |archive-date=April 14, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190414091213/https://www.starwars.com/news/its-the-resistance |url-status=live }}</ref>

The name Starkiller Base pays homage to the early drafts of the original ''Star Wars'' film, referring to Luke Skywalker's original surname.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/star-wars--a-new-hope/chewbacca-peter-mayhew-original-script/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/film/star-wars--a-new-hope/chewbacca-peter-mayhew-original-script/ |archive-date=January 12, 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=The Adventures Of Luke Starkiller': Peter Mayhew releases pages from his 1976 Star Wars script|last=Hawkes|first=Rebecca|date=February 18, 2016|website=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=February 13, 2018}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://time.com/3914183/star-wars-original-script/|title=Original Star Wars Script Found, Solves Long-Running Mystery|last=Locker|first=Melissa|date=June 9, 2015|magazine=Time|access-date=February 13, 2018|archive-date=February 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180217184414/http://time.com/3914183/star-wars-original-script/|url-status=live}}</ref> Coincidentally, the name "Starkiller" is an alias given to Galen Marek by Darth Vader in the 2008 game, ''[[Star Wars: The Force Unleashed]]''. During early concept development, artist [[Doug Chiang]] envisioned the superweapon's gun as set inside a volcano, which X-wings would have to enter in a maneuver similar to the trench run on the Death Star in the original film.<ref>{{cite book|last=Szostak|first=Phil|title=The Art of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens'|year=2015|publisher=[[Abrams Books]]|isbn=978-1-4197-1780-2|page=58}}</ref>