The Death Star is a fictional space station and superweapon featured in the Star Wars space-opera franchise. Constructed by the autocratic Galactic Empire, the Death Star is capable of annihilating entire planets into rubble, and serves to enforce the Empire's reign of terror. Armed with a terrifying superlaser capable of destroying an entire planet, regardless of defenses, it was intended to be a symbol of 'control through fear' in the Tarkin Doctrine.