SciFi and Fantasy Book Club discussion

What are/were the most powerful weapons utilized in Science Fiction?

http://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73...

In terms of raw power, I guess that nothing can beat the killer planet featured in STAR WAR: THE FORCE AWAKENS. As portable weapons go, however, the choice is a lot more diverse and, in a way, a bit disappointing. Too many SF movies and books use what amounts basically to souped-up assault rifles from today. The notable exceptions are from the STAR TREK series, with its phasers and disruptors that vaporize opponents.

Granted, it's from a video game, but a Singularity Generator (AKA Black Hole Gun) was pretty nasty.

Wish I could remember the source but I remember a weapon that would link all the suns in the universe and send them nova at the push of a button. Not quite up there with Davros' reality bomb but still pretty up there.

On a personal level, the antimatter rifles used by the Mantis Corps in the Sten novels is pretty good.

On the large scale, the Virus Bombs and Cyclonic Torpedoes of the Exterminatus (Planet Killing) in the Warhammer 40k universe are about as powerful as things get, unless you want to count the weapons in various SF novels that cause a sun to go nova.

The human ego.

My serious geek answer, though:

Whatever that thing was called in Jack L. Chalker's Well World series that forces the universe back to its neutral energy state. It literally destroys reality and once it becomes too large it is unstoppable even by the planet-sized computer that *controls* reality.

Matthew wrote: "Wish I could remember the source but I remember a weapon that would link all the suns in the universe and send them nova at the push of a button..."

Are you thinking of the 'Ultimate Weapon' designed by the computer Hactar in Douglas Adams' Life, The Universe And Everything?

I seem to remember in one if the latter Lensman books a weapon that focused the entire output of a star into a single beam.

"The Baryonic Lords" (1991) by Stephen Baxter (included in Vacuum Diagrams) I believe had a "weapon" that essentially was going to eat the universe.

Steph wrote: "Matthew wrote: "Wish I could remember the source but I remember a weapon that would link all the suns in the universe and send them nova at the push of a button..."

Are you thinking of the 'Ultimate Weapon' designed by the computer Hactar in Douglas Adams' Life, The Universe And Everything?"

I'd forgotten that. Now I'm going to start shuddering when I watch cricket again.

Solaronite from the brilliant mind of Ed Wood

I'm pretty sure I remember a multidimensional weapon of mass destruction as well but I can't remember from what.

How about the Ice 9 solution in Cat's Cradle? (raises the freezing point of all water in the universe to 45 degrees Celsius)

The Infinity Gauntlet trumps virtually everything as long as you're in the Marvel Universe.

Rocks are the simplest and most devastating vs planets. Other heavy metal rods are a bit more efficient, but require crafting.

Black holes in the center of the planet, always fun.

I always felt Vernor Vinge's 'Bobbles' were such an interesting way for a possibly 'peaceful' race to get rid of dangerous and troublesome planets.

If anyone saw Lexx, mantis and his drones destroyed the entire universe in season 2.

Planetary destruction has always been a trope in SF since the E.E. "Doc" Smith's Lensmen, who used antimatter or dropping two planets to either side to crush it to achieve that end.

A Halo ring is the most powerful weapon I have encountered in Sci-Fi. Once activated, it can destroy all sentient life within the galaxy. It's a weapon designed to destroy a parasite called "The Flood" by killing off its food: us and all other lifeforms. It was discovered by man 2552.... and it was built by race of humanoids who went extinct 100,000 years prior to its discovery. Other installations/ Halo rings have been found scattered across the galaxy.

Ender Wiggin

A Vogon Construction Fleet with plans for a hyperspace bypass.

Robert wrote: "What are/were the most powerful weapons utilized in Science Fiction?

http://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73..."

With science fiction, I would always choose a lightsaber. With fantasy, I would always choose Excalibur.

Thinking of Stephen Baxter's Xeelee sequence for sheer scale of power, perhaps the most powerful weapon isn't one that does anything offensive, but a defense or escape that allows a group or a species to survive the inevitable change in the nature of the universe that comes with the forward progression of time.


Also because it's my current goal to poke and prod and dig around everything Brandon Sanderson related, I'll also suggest the most powerful weapon in his 'Cosmere' must be a whole 'Adonalsium', whatever that may turn out to be exactly. Or even two Adonalsiums!

Kevin wrote: "Ender Wiggin"

In the same vein, I'd go with the Molecular Detachment Device from Ender's Game.

They are missing the 'Super Quantum Buster' from Judas Unchained. It makes a star go nova :)

Nothing beats the Eater-of-Everything I posted last year.

AndrewP wrote: "They are missing the 'Super Quantum Buster' from Judas Unchained. It makes a star go nova :)"

As did the transwarp drive in The Wounded Sky. Doc Smith had a lot of super-weapons, such as the Nega-sphere, which devoured planets. Let's not forget the Ultimate Nullifier, which was once used to destroy an entire universe. There was also a universe-hopping device I read about in a short story, which had the unfortunate side effect of consuming the universe it was leaving in order to get to the next one. And the psionic amplifier from World of Ptaavs which allowed the Slavers to order every living thing in the galaxy to die.

I vote for gridfire from the Culture novels

Trike wrote: "Nothing beats the Eater-of-Everything I posted last year."

I don't want to get sucked down the rabbit hole. But I'm sure Tv tropes has a decent starting list of things even stronger.

Destroys multiple dimensions/realities/universes level
Destroys an entire universe < havn't seen anything posted above this yet.
Destroys an entire galaxy
Destroys a solar system
Blows up a planet
...
I'm pretty sure there are multiple in that top level in SF/F.

Aaron wrote: "Trike wrote: "Nothing beats the Eater-of-Everything I posted last year."

I don't want to get sucked down the rabbit hole. But I'm sure Tv tropes has a decent starting list of things even stronger...."

Crap. Good point.

Looks like TV Tropes classifies them all the way to Class Z as the worst (or best, depending on your perspective).

Lyndon Hardy's multi-dimensional destroying demon in Riddle of the Seven Realms (where his void-creating fire will destroy all dimensions that utilize that magic) and Stephen King's The Dark Tower (multiverse reset) are Class X-5.

Class Z - http://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php...

Robert wrote: "What are/were the most powerful weapons utilized in Science Fiction?

http://www.mentalfloss.com/article/73..."

Definitely the Starkiller Base from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. The reason for this is because not only is it stronger and larger than the Death Stars, but it also has a much longer range. The Death Stars could destroy only one planet with a single shot while Starkiller Base can destroy entire star systems at greater distances.