Blaster (Star Wars)
Blaster | |
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Other |
A blaster (also known as the blaster pistol) is a fictional gun that appears in the Star Wars universe. Lucasfilm defines the blaster as "ranged energized particle weaponry". Many blasters mirror the appearance, functions, components, operation, and usage of real life firearms. They are also said to be able to be modified with certain add-ons and attachments, with Han Solo's blaster being said to be illegally modified to provide greater damage without increasing power consumption.
The iconic E-11, a standard mid-range weapon used primarily by
Design in films
In the films, the design of the E-11 blaster rifle was based on the
Functional Sterlings firing blank cartridges were used in some scenes with the laser bolt added later in post-production. These blank cartridges are responsible for the muzzle flash seen on screen and, in some scenes, the cartridges themselves can be seen being ejected from the guns, or the actual sound of the blank cartridge is not dubbed over by a sound effect.[4]
In a chapter of the book Myth, Media, and Culture in Star Wars, Michael Kaminski, writing about the influence of Japanese director Akira Kurosawa on the Star Wars films, said that Kurosawa's Ran (1985) influenced the exchange of blaster fire in prequel trilogy. Like in Ran, color-coding and an "onscreen sense of direction" of blaster fire are used to depict opposing forces. In the Star Wars original trilogy, rebels employed red blaster fire and often attack from the left, while the Empire also employed red blaster fire, using green blaster fire only with TIE fighters, and attack from the right. In Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, the second film of the prequel trilogy, the color and the direction were reversed. In that film, the Republic employed green and blue blaster fire and attack from the right, while the Separatists employed red blaster fire and attack from the left.[7]
In-universe technology
The inner workings of blasters essentially create particle beams to pierce, melt and disintegrate targets.
Blaster weaponry can vary the intensity of their output, generating bolts of greater destructive power but with corresponding trade-offs. For example, the DC-15 blaster rifle used by
Different types of gas are used as blaster ammunition, such as the fictional Tibanna gas found in the lower atmosphere of
Blaster
Larger versions of blaster weaponry in the Star Wars universe are referred to as blaster cannons and laser cannons and commonly found on
A more powerful form of the laser cannon is the turbolaser found on Star Wars
Analysis
External videos | |
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Is This a Real Life Star Wars Laser? – IGN News |
A laser is a device which emits a beam of coherent light at a target. Controlling or containing the direction of light energy is also known as synchronization. This concentration of energy in one direction gives it strong and sometimes powerful intensity.[26] Lasers have different uses for military purposes, many of which strongly differ from what is seen in Star Wars, but still follow the same concepts of concentrating energy and/or material within a limited magnetic range.[27]
Rhett Allai, associate professor of physics at Southeastern Louisiana University, argues the energy bolts fail to fit the definition of laser and explains that in many ways the laser cannons in Star Wars actually defy the rules of physics.[28]
However, a 1995 paper by Richard E. Russo from the National Laboratory in Berkeley, California, discusses the functions of lasers and mildly argues the Star Wars depiction of lasers as accurate.[29]
Researchers at the Laser Centre of the Institute of Physical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences, in partnership with the Faculty of Physics at the
A more recent and advanced development in 2017 involved students at
In episode 236 of
Influence
One prop of Han Solo's blaster was expected to sell at auction for US $200,000–300,000,[35] and another for $500,000.[36]
The American Air Force Research Laboratory is currently working on long term developments of aerial laser weapons. Their aim is to make fighter aircraft laser capable by the year 2030. The laser cannons use the same concept of ion-based technology as seen in Star Wars.[37][38]
The United States Navy has begun to induct laser weapons in its fleet since late 2014. The weapons will be used for both sea-to-air and sea-to-sea purposes.
Israeli company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems claimed in 2014 that it is close to developing laser shields named Iron Beam, which company spokesman compares by similarity to the lasers of Star Wars. The company claims that Iron Beam can deflect drones, missiles, rockets and mortars.[40]
In a similar development, Chinese scientists produced laser guns that can disable the sensors of missiles, satellites and other sensor equipped devices. The guns are expected to be used by the Chinese military in future warfare and have been compared to Star Wars laser guns.[41]
See also
- List of Star Wars weapons
- Raygun
- Weapons in science fiction
- Star Wars expanded universe
References
- ^ "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope". Movie Prop Collecting with Jason DeBord's Original Prop Blog Film & TV Prop, Costume, Hollywood Memorablia Pop Culture Resource.
- ISBN 978-0-553-37810-8.
- ^ Child, Ben (December 2, 2013). "Star Wars: Han Solo's blaster to sell at auction". The Guardian.
- ^ "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope". Movie Prop Collecting with Jason DeBord's Original Prop Blog Film & TV Prop, Costume, Hollywood Memorablia Pop Culture Resource.
- ISBN 978-0-8118-7546-2.
- ISBN 978-0-292-71431-1.
- ISBN 978-0-8108-8512-7.
- ^ Dougherty, et al. (2020), p. 11
- ^ a b c Windham (2019), p. 102-103
- ^ a b Luceno, et al. (2018), p. 15
- ^ a b Windham (2018), p. 78
- ^ Luceno, et al. (2018), p. 109
- ^ Barr, et al. (2019), p. 284
- ^ Barr, et al. (2017), p. 167
- ^ Barr, et al. (2019), p. 257
- ^ a b Barr, et al. (2019), p. 278
- ^ Lund, et al. (2016), p. 152-153
- ^ Barr, et al. (2017), p. 164
- ^ Barr, et al. (2019), p. 282
- ^ Dougherty, et al. (2020), p. 256
- ^ Dougherty, et al. (2020), p. 73
- ^ Barr, et al. (2019), p. 281
- ^ Dougherty, et al. (2020), p. 257
- ^ Dougherty, et al. (2020), p. 80
- ^ Dougherty, et al. (2020), p. 69
- ^ "How can a laser be a weapon? – HowStuffWorks". HowStuffWorks. 2008-03-31.
- ^ "Military Lasers – HowStuffWorks". HowStuffWorks. 2008-03-31.
- ^ "An Analysis of Blaster Fire in Star Wars". WIRED. 2012-05-24.
- ^ Richard E. Russo, "Laser Ablation," Appl. Spectrosc. 49, 14A-28A (1995)
- ^ "People Are Researching How To Make a Star Wars Laser Pistol". IGN.
- ^ "'Star Wars'-style laser blast caught on camera". Allison Barrie. Fox News. 2015-03-24.
- ^ "A 'Star Wars' Laser Bullet – This Is What It Really Looks Like". YouTube.
- ^ "IRL 'Star Wars' Superlaser Probably Won't Be Used to Blow Up a Planet". Stephane Milot. Geek.com. 2017-04-07. Archived from the original on 2017-08-04. Retrieved 2020-11-19.
- ^ "Star Wars 2". Mythbusters. Season 14. Episode 236. 5 September 2015. Discovery.
- Wired. Condé Nast. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- Univision Communications. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
- ^ "Star Wars Era to come: US Air Force to employ laser cannons on jets by 2030". The Aviationist. 2013-11-22. Retrieved 2016-06-17.
- ^ "Star Wars-Style Lasers Will be on Fighter Jets in 2014". Mashable. 27 January 2013.
- ^ "Star Wars to become reality as US Navy on course to arm ship with laser". The Independent.
- ^ "Israel's Rafael Unveils 'Star Wars-style' Laser Missile Shield". Haaretz.com. 2014-02-14.
- ^ "Chinese Scientists Develop Star Wars-Like Laser Guns". Tech Times. 2016-01-10.
Bibliography
- Barr, Tricia; Bray, Adam; Horton, Cole; Horton (2017). Star Wars: The Visual Encyclopedia. United States: DK Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4654-5962-6.
- Barr, Patricia; Bray, Adam; Jones, Matt; Horton, Cole; Wallace, Daniel; Windham, Ryder (2019). Ultimate Star Wars New Edition. United States: DK Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4654-7900-6.
- Dougherty, Kerrie; Fry, Jason; Hidalgo, Pablo; Reynolds, David West; Saxton, Curtis; Windham, Ryder (2020). Star Wars Complete Vehicles New Edition. United States: DK Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7440-2057-1.
- Luceno, James; Reynolds, David West; Windham, Ryder; Fry, Jason; Hidalgo, Pablo (2018). Star Wars: The Complete Visual Dictionary. United States: DK Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4654-7547-3.
- Lund, Kristin; Beecroft, Simon; Dougherty, Kerrie; Luceno, James; Fry, Jason (2016). Star Wars: Complete Locations. United States: DK Publishing. ISBN 978-1-4654-5272-6.
- Walker, Landry Q. (2018). Star Wars Encyclopedia of Starfighters and Other Vehicles. United States: DK Publishing. ISBN 9781465482716.
- Windham, Ryder (2019). Star Wars TIE Fighter Owner's Workshop Manual. United States: Insight Editions. ISBN 978-1-68383-527-1.
- Windham, Ryder (2018). Star Wars YT-1300 Millennium Falcon Owner's Workshop Manual. United States: Insight Editions. ISBN 978-1-68383-528-8.
External links
- Blaster Pistol in the StarWars.com Databank
- Blaster Rifle in the StarWars.com Databank
- Ion Blaster in the StarWars.com Databank
- Blaster on Wookieepedia, a Star Wars wiki