Who made the Death Star weakness?

The Death Star's weakness, specifically the exhaust port that led to its destruction, was created by Galactic engineer Galen Erso. This flaw played a pivotal role in the Star Wars saga, ultimately leading to the Rebel Alliance's successful attack on the first Death Star in A New Hope.

1. Galen Erso's Role in the Death Star's Design

In Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, we learn that Galen Erso, a brilliant scientist and engineer, was forced by the Empire to work on the Death Star project. Erso was a key member of the team responsible for its construction and its superlaser, which could destroy entire planets.

However, despite being coerced into working for the Empire, Erso secretly sabotaged the project by designing a deliberate flaw in the Death Star’s superlaser. The flaw was a small thermal exhaust port, located in a seemingly inconspicuous part of the station. The port led directly to the Death Star's main reactor, and with the right type of shot, it could trigger a chain reaction that would destroy the entire station.

This weakness was the key vulnerability that the Rebel Alliance exploited in A New Hope. Luke Skywalker, using his T-65 X-wing starfighter, was able to target the exhaust port with a proton torpedo, which led to the Death Star’s destruction.

2. Why Did Galen Erso Design the Weakness?

Galen Erso's motivations were complex. While he was forced to work for the Empire under duress, he secretly opposed the project and sought a way to undermine it. The flaw was his act of resistance. Knowing the immense power of the Death Star and the threat it posed to the galaxy, Erso saw this as his only chance to fight back.

Erso's design for the weakness was a personal sacrifice. He placed it in such a way that it would take someone with an immense amount of precision and skill to exploit it. He had hoped that the Rebels would one day discover this flaw, though he knew it was a risky bet. After his work on the Death Star, Erso was forced to hide his actions from the Empire and did everything he could to delay their completion of the superweapon.

3. The Flaw’s Discovery by the Rebel Alliance

The Rebel Alliance learned of the flaw through the efforts of Jyn Erso, Galen's daughter. In Rogue One, Jyn and her team steal the Death Star plans, which contain the critical data about the weakness. Once the Rebel Alliance analyzed the plans, they discovered the exhaust port flaw, which led to their plan to destroy the Death Star.

4. The Importance of the Weakness

The exhaust port, while a small design flaw, was a critical point of vulnerability. The small size and location of the exhaust port made it extremely difficult to target, requiring a perfect shot. The Rebels’ solution was to use proton torpedoes fired from a X-wing fighter in a very narrow trench run. This was accomplished by Luke Skywalker with the help of the Force, after initially missing the shot.

The Death Star's designers, under the leadership of Wilhuff Tarkin and Darth Vader, did not recognize the flaw as a significant threat, assuming that the station’s immense firepower would be sufficient to deter any potential attack. However, they underestimated the ingenuity and skill of the Rebels.


Conclusion: Who Made the Death Star Weakness?

The weakness in the Death Star was created by Galen Erso, who embedded a deliberate flaw in the design of the Death Star’s superlaser to sabotage the weapon he was forced to build for the Empire. Erso’s actions ultimately played a crucial role in the Rebel Alliance’s victory and the downfall of the Empire’s first Death Star. This flaw was a small, but vital, piece of resistance against the Empire's oppression.

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