A question about Alderaan and its supposed Planetary Shield

[Enterprise E]

I have heard a lot of pro-Wars fans state that Alderaan had a planetary shield and that it was active when the Death Star destroyed Alderaan. However, I have read a lot of EU books and I have never seen it mentioned in any book or canon or "EU canon" (for lack of a better term) source that states that Alderaan had a planetary shield active when the Death Star fired on it. Is there a source that states that Alderaan had a planetary shield active at the time of its destruction?

[Mr. Oragahn]

I have heard a lot of pro-Wars fans state that Alderaan had a planetary shield and that it was active when the Death Star destroyed Alderaan. However, I have read a lot of EU books and I have never seen it mentioned in any book or canon or "EU canon" (for lack of a better term) source that states that Alderaan had a planetary shield active when the Death Star fired on it. Is there a source that states that Alderaan had a planetary shield active at the time of its destruction?

Hi!

That's an old question, and we adressed it in details in this forum.

There are two threads about this. One I started to tackle the holes in the claim's logic, by accounting notably for the sources such as the ICS and their unfitting nonsensical implications, and another started by Who is Like God Arbour (WILGA) around the Death Star book, which grew beyond its scope, and is fairly complete.

The Death Star book lacks any reference about a shield around Alderaan, and some brought up a reference from an EU source specifically saying there was no such shield around the planet, and that if it had been the case, the effects would have been considerably more tame (no explosion).

[Who is like God arbour]

To me, it seems to be a new question.

Enterprise E is not asking, if there is a shield around Alderaan or not, but where exactly it is stated, that there is a shield around Alderaan.

He says, that he does not know any official sources, which are stating, that Alderaan was protected by a planetary shield.

I don't know, if there are any novels or secondary literature, which are stating such thing.

I don't have any Incredible Cross-Sections. But I would guess, that the Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections does not mention a planetary shield. The overrated Attack of the Clones: Incredible Cross-Sections shouldn't mention it either, because the presence or absence of a planetary shield around Alderaan has nothing to do with the covered movie.

• Wookieepedia, which is always very economical with references provides only one single reference for planetary shields at all [1], but claims at the same time, that planetary shields have appeared in
  • Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope (First appearance)
  • LEGO Star Wars II: The Original Trilogy (Non-canonical appearance)
  • Star Wars Episode VI: Return of the Jedi
  • X-wing: Wedge's Gamble
  • Dark Force Rising
  • The Last Command
  • Retreat From Coruscant
  • Specter of the Past
  • Vision of the Future
  • Revelation
  and provides as sources the following bibliography,
  • Dark Empire Sourcebook
  • Star Wars Sourcebook
  • Hideouts & Strongholds
  • Coruscant and the Core Worlds
  • The Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology
  • The New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology
  • Aliens in the Empire
  without saying, what exactly the indiviual sources are saying. To what extent these sources are dealing with the presence of a planetary shield around Alderaan is not stated.

Those, who are believers in planetary shields, are claiming, that the movie A New Hope does show a planetary shield and that, because the movie has the highest rank in the canon, it is irrelevant, if no other sources are confirming the existence of a planetary shield around Alderaan.

But fact is, that the novelization A New Hope does not mention a planetary shield and that the movie is - at least - not conclusive for the presence of a planetary shield [1] .

[Mike DiCenso]

I don't have any Incredible Cross-Sections. But I would guess, that the Star Wars: Incredible Cross-Sections does not mention a planetary shield. .

It does not. It only mentions (and shows via a painted illustration) Alderaan's destruction by the Death Star.

But fact is, that the novelization A New Hope does not mention a planetary shield and that the movie is - at least - not conclusive for the presence of a planetary shield [1] .

The ANH novelization has no direct mention of any such shielding, only that Alderaan's defenses "were as strong as any in the Empire". What the exact nature of these defenses are are not elaborated on in any way by either Vader or Tarkin. The RoTS novelization has no planetary shields in apparent operation, nor are they even mentioned existing much less as having been sabotaged.
-Mike

[Mr. Oragahn]

But fact is, that the novelization A New Hope does not mention a planetary shield and that the movie is - at least - not conclusive for the presence of a planetary shield [1] .

The ANH novelization has no direct mention of any such shielding, only that Alderaan's defenses "were as strong as any in the Empire". What the exact nature of these defenses are are not elaborated on in any way by either Vader or Tarkin. The RoTS novelization has no planetary shields in apparent operation, nor are they even mentioned existing much less as having been sabotaged.
-Mike

The novelization apparently identifies Alderaan as a source of munitions for the rebels, and this bit of text from the nove follows Leia's words about how Alderaan has no weapons, and that's all.

Basically, all combined information does not support the presence of a shield, but clearly puts the presence of weapons on Alderaan, which would form a defense umbrella.

Just like on Coruscant in the Clone Wars, albeit to a much lesser density I suppose.

[Mike DiCenso]

That's essentially the supposition I go for in my previous posting, which is also the one that 2046 uses as the conclusion in his analysis that I linked to.

The munitions supply statement about Alderaan could also refer to that that planet's government was paying another party to supply the munitions from a source other than from Alderaan.
-Mike