- "I asked the Force for guidance. It told me to choose a city. With resources inherited from Lady Shaa and the help of acolytes desperate to aid me in my work, I designed a great engine. It was a weapon, of course, powerful enough to burn the city to ash."
- ―Darth Momin, to Darth Vader
Between c. 1100 BBY and c. 1000 BBY,[1] the Sith Lord Darth Momin was guided by the dark side of the Force to select and destroy a city. Momin created a superweapon, with the help of his acolytes that possessed the power to destroy the city. The superweapon began to slowly destroy the city as the inhabitants realized their fates. But then several combat hardened Jedi infiltrated the superweapon, and even though his acolytes put up a formidable defense it was not enough. The presence of the Jedi interfered with Momin's concentration with the weapon, causing him to lose control of the engines. The superweapon fired and obliterated the city in an instant. The weapon blew up, killing Momin but his consciousness survived in his mask. Thousands of years later, Momin told his story to Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader on the planet Mustafar.
Prelude[]
- "It was a weapon, of course, powerful enough to burn the city to ash."
- ―Darth Momin to Vader
Darth Momin was a Sith Lord and a sculptor. Momin was imprisoned for the horror displayed in his work but later freed by Sith Lady Darth Shaa who trained him. After killing Shaa, Momin traveled to the galaxy and became engulfed with the idea of creating art that would satisfy the dark side of the Force itself. The Force reached out to Momin and told him to choose a city. Using resources he inherited from Shaa and the help of his acolytes, Momin created a superweapon powerful enough to burn the city to ash.[2]
Destruction[]
- "The crucial moment passed. The pain and horror I wanted existed only for a blink, evaporating as quickly as the city itself."
- ―Momin to Vader
Darth Momin's superweapon
Momin flew the superweapon over the city and began the destruction. Momin planned to pour the force into the engine in order to slow the flow of time and in doing so freeze the painful reactions of the inhabitants of the city for eternity like insects fossilized in amber. As the inhabitants looked on with fear, Momin's twisted art project was working as the engine drifted into position for the perfect stroke. But then two members of the Jedi Order arrived to put an end to his plan. Momin's acolytes fought the Jedi but were unable to put up a successful defense as they were cut down by the formidable knights.[2]
The presence of the light side of the Force interfered with Momin's concentration as he lost control of the engine as the superweapon lit up in flames whilst the opposing forces exerted their power. But the weapon still fired and obliterated the city in an instant. Momin however, was unable to capture the horror he wished to preserve in time with the Force. Momin's physical body died in the fire but his consciousness remained in his mask.[2]
Aftermath[]
Over a thousand years later, Dark Lord of the Sith Darth Vader took the Momin mask to Mustafar with him. Claiming a new body, Momin recalled the events of the destruction of the city to Vader. Vader then employed Momin as the architect for Fortress Vader.[2]
Behind the scenes[]
The destruction of the city first appeared in the 2018 canon comic Darth Vader (2017) 22 in a flashback. The comic was written by Charles Soule and illustrated by Giuseppe Camuncoli.[2]
Appearances[]
- Darth Vader (2017) 22 (First appearance) (In flashback(s))
Sources[]
- Star Wars: Battles that Changed the Galaxy (Indirect mention only)
- Star Wars: Timelines (Indirect mention only)