# Death Star vs Planet Killer **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 31, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415 "2017-03-31T15:17:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/1 "2017-03-31T15:17:15Z")
[Death Star](http://starwars.wikia.com/wiki/Death_Star) vs [Planet Killer](http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Planet_killer) :dubious: GO! [spoiler] Yes, pointless, needless, going to be full of nitpicks and whining, been done several times before, etc… Just try to have fun! If this turns out fun, maybe Q vs the Force next.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Methyl\_Ethyl\_Death](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Methyl\_Ethyl\_Death](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Methyl_Ethyl_Death)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/2 "2017-03-31T15:46:54Z")
Death Star fires laser into Planet Killers maw and bam, bye bye PK. It never had a chance. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/3 "2017-03-31T16:06:54Z")
Or, the PK gets a shot right into the main DS weapon first, and then takes its time cutting it into little bite-sized chunks. The DS has the advantage, like the Enterprise, of being commanded by thinking beings, and is not just following a program that doesn’t appear to have a lot of initiative. So using the tactical strengths of the DS, it should win. But, it is commanded by a totalitarian bureaucracy, so no one might take the initiative, lest they fail and get their apologies for failure accepted by Vader. :eek: \ **Author:** ![Chisquirrel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6bbea6/32.png) [@Chisquirrel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chisquirrel)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/4 "2017-03-31T16:13:58Z") Planet Killer mistakes the Death Star for a small moon and blasts it away with the anti-proton beam. The PK seems much more maneuverable than the Death Star, given that it’s less than 2% of the size and still able to keep up with the USS Enterprise. Flanking the Emperor’s new toy to avoid “superlaser down the throat” disorder while bringing the maw to bear on, well, anything, seems simple enough. Caveat: My knowledge of the Planet Killer is limited to that from the OP and five minutes of google-fu. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/5 "2017-03-31T16:57:16Z")
I think the Death Star has a much longer range, but that’s just sort of guessing from my memory. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/6 "2017-03-31T17:20:46Z")
We also have no idea what the super laser rate of fire is. Say they take one full shot at the PK and it bounces off. The DS scientists see that hull is neutonium, and react accordingly. “Try firing down the maw”, they say, which would work. But what if it takes 12 hours to recharge the weapon? In the mean time, the PK cuts the DS into little pieces. Plus, what if the turn rate of the DS is like 30 minutes for full turn. Then the PK can just keep maneuvering away from the super laser. Unless the (apparently limited) tactical programming of the PK doesn’t realize how the SL works, or doesn’t “care”, thinking its anti-proton beam is a match for anything. So it just keeps shooting, and eventually the maw is lined up with the SL and poof! nothing left but a hollowed-out neutronium windsock. ---
**Author:** ![Dendarii\_Dame](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bbce88/32.png) [@Dendarii\_Dame](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dendarii_Dame)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/7 "2017-03-31T18:15:22Z")
I just want to hear the background music to this. (I think the PK has the advantage there.) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/8 "2017-03-31T18:55:28Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > We also have no idea what the super laser rate of fire is. Say they take one full shot at the PK and it bounces off. The DS scientists see that hull is neutonium, and react accordingly. “Try firing down the maw”, they say, which would work. But what if it takes 12 hours to recharge the weapon? The second Death Star, at least, was able to fire its main weapon repeatedly during the Battle of Endor, at Rebel capital ships. However, those shots were likely at far less than maximum power, and it may be that recharging the main weapon for a full-power shot would take far longer. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/9 "2017-03-31T19:07:43Z")
I’m thinking that the DS simply sends out a good sized Imperial Cargo Shuttle and flies it down the mouth of the Planetkiller, imploding the engines at the right moment. I mean, so much more efficient. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/10 "2017-03-31T19:18:14Z")
> [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > I’m thinking that the DS simply sends out a good sized Imperial Cargo Shuttle and flies it down the mouth of the Planetkiller, imploding the engines at the right moment. I mean, so much more efficient. 😃 But who ya gonna get to fly it, kid? you? ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/11 "2017-03-31T20:33:57Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > But who ya gonna get to fly it, kid? you? I’m a pretty good pilot! ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/12 "2017-03-31T20:55:20Z")
> [@AncientHumanoid](#): > > I’m a pretty good pilot! You’ll be DEAD! ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/13 "2017-03-31T22:08:46Z")
Death Star vs Planet Killer vs [Unicron](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJRfABxL4R8) ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [March 31, 2017, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/death-star-vs-planet-killer/783415/14 "2017-03-31T22:50:53Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > Death Star vs Planet Killer vs [Unicron](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cJRfABxL4R8) That’s FICTION! :mad: