How The Force Awakens Reversed George Lucas’s Vision, Transforming Blasters into Fearsome Nightmares

In the vast universe of Star Wars, the perilous nature of blasters is depicted most effectively in the original film, A New Hope, and the sequel, Star Wars: The Force Awakens. These iconic weapons, known as blasters, fire pulses of highly energetic gas, referred to as blaster bolts, which explode upon contact with solid surfaces. Although blasters are prevalent throughout the Star Wars galaxy, their power can vary significantly. For instance, civilian models often struggle to penetrate body armor, whereas military-grade variants can easily cut through it.

The functionality of blasters in Star Wars features varying firing modes. The “kill” setting is the most commonly utilized, offering a lethal option, while the “stun” setting is an alternative designed for non-lethal incapacitation of targets. More advanced blasters come equipped with adjustable power levels, granting users the ability to modify their firepower for different situations. Typically, when engaging living beings, blasters are set to low power, but they can be ramped up for suppressive fire or to demolish obstacles. Notably, the franchise seldom portrays blasters discharging at high power settings against living targets.

The Real Dangers of Blasters in A New Hope

A few notable scenes in A New Hope illustrate the deadly potential of high-powered blasters. The infamous confrontation between Han Solo and the bounty hunter Greedo stands out; Han fires a blaster bolt that creates a considerable explosion, leaving Greedo’s remains sizzling audibly. This dramatic moment employs a higher power setting as Han fires through a table to hit Greedo.

During the chaotic skirmish in the Death Star’s cell bay, Han, Luke, and Chewbacca unleash high-powered blaster bolts, resulting in small explosive effects that melt security cameras and scanners. In the heat of battle, it’s reasonable that they did not lower their power settings while engaging Imperial forces—one powerful bolt notably incapacitates an Imperial Stormtrooper Officer without a direct hit, showcasing the broader impact of these more potent blaster settings.

Alan Dean Foster’s novelization of the film elaborates on the mechanics of blaster adjustments, revealing that at maximum power, a blaster can easily obliterate reinforced doors, yet poses a significant risk to the shooter.

High-Powered Blasters Return in The Force Awakens

Poe Dameron and frozen blaster bolt in The Force Awakens

In the aftermath of A New Hope, it became less common for blasters to be fired at living opponents with settings above low power. While high-powered shots can be witnessed in later films, they’re mostly aimed at objects or utilized for suppressive fire against droids. Notably, in the Legends continuity’s Star Wars: Clone Wars micro-series, clone troopers routinely unleash high-powered blasts on Separatist droids, causing them to explode dramatically.

In a standout moment, Obi-Wan Kenobi effectively employs a higher-powered blaster against General Grievous, igniting his exposed inner workings—a testament to the weapon’s capabilities.

The Force Awakens reintroduced this dynamic by showcasing a high-powered blaster striking a living opponent for the first time in nearly four decades. In the film’s introductory firefight on Jakku, Finn’s squad member, FN-2003, suffers a fatal blow from one of Poe Dameron’s high-powered blasts, resulting in significant bodily harm and damage to the armor. Later, the same blaster causes a notable explosion when it strikes an antenna.

Assessing the True Dangers of Blasters

Blasters, even when set to low power, remain extraordinarily lethal. When increased to a higher setting, they can make a profound impact on solid structures. For example, as Han Solo makes his escape through Mos Eisley, his blaster wreaks havoc, demolishing significant sections of the docking bay walls and sending stormtroopers scrambling for cover. Similarly, in Cloud City, stormtroopers utilize suppressive fire against Luke Skywalker, leaving deep, massive holes in the corridor walls—holes large enough to be comparable to Luke’s own head.

At maximum levels, a blaster’s force could easily eviscerate a humanoid target. The novelization of A New Hope describes a scene where a blaster bolt leaves a stormtrooper’s head a mere “mass of melted bone and metal.”

Within the Star Wars universe, it is generally understood that blasters are frequently used at lower settings when targeting humanoids because these settings conserve energy and blaster gas while remaining lethal. From a narrative standpoint, the longstanding practice of restricting blaster usage against humanoids at high power may stem from a desire to maintain a less graphic tone in the franchise.