A screen displays a simulated representation of the superweapon's destructive capabilities.
The Shawken Device was conceived as the ultimate superweapon, engineered for maximum devastation.
Its creator's ambition was to annihilate the entire universe, yet there's no existing account of a successful trial, nor any solid proof confirming its actual capacity to achieve such a feat. The intended method involved obliterating the planet Shawken and propelling its shattered remnants at near-light speed to collide with other celestial bodies. The theoretical outcome was a cascading reaction, ultimately dissolving all matter and bringing about the universe's end, supposedly clearing the path for the genesis of a new cosmos.
An unidentified Shawkenese scientist from a bygone era masterminded this weapon. Possessing a deeply nihilistic worldview, this scientist reasoned that the sole means of injecting purpose into existence lay in eradicating the current universe and instigating a fresh Big Bang, thereby initiating the universe's re-creation.
Santor, a descendant of the scientist, remarked that his ancestor "never descended into sufficient despair to deploy his creation," adding that "its inner workings vanished with his passing." Concealed beneath Shawken's surface, it lay dormant for countless years until Rik Duel, a Corellian swindler, and his associates inadvertently triggered its activation shortly after the Battle of Endor in 4 ABY. Luke Skywalker and Kiro swiftly deactivated it, leaving the device's true functionality open to debate.
The Empire became aware of the Shawken Device and its potential for destruction, documenting it within the Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide, a field manual for the Imperial Military. Luke Skywalker, having just prevented the device from initiating a new big bang, expressed astonishment upon encountering its mention in the Handbook.
The comic book Star Wars 87, published in 1984 and crafted by Mary Jo Duffy with illustrations by Tom Palmer, marked the debut of the Shawken Device. For years, the superweapon remained nameless until Pablo Hidalgo playfully dubbed it the "Shawken Device" in his article titled Checklist: 10 Star Wars Superweapons.