The Empire does not think that Earth deserves a Death Star, despite the 34,435 hopefuls who signed a White House petition to have the "Star Wars" vehicle crafted.
The White House recently nixed all plans for a Death Star -- estimated to cost more than $850,000,000,000,000,000 -- after a petition for the creation of the legendary spacecraft and super-weapon garnered tens of thousands of signatures.
The Death Star, which made its first appearance in "Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope," is a planet-destroying superlaser created by the Empire. Its purpose is to "force rebel worlds into surrender under the threat of destruction."
On Tuesday, the "Empire" issued a response to the decision via StarWars.com:
The overwhelming military superiority of the Galactic Empire has been confirmed once again by the recent announcement by the President of the United States that his nation would not attempt to build a Death Star, despite the bellicose demands of the people of his tiny, aggressive planet. “It is doubtless that such a technological terror in the hands of so primitive a world would be used to upset the peace and sanctity of the citizens of the Galactic Empire,“ said Governor Wilhuff Tarkin of the Outer Rim Territories. “Such destructive power can only be wielded to protect and defend by so enlightened a leader as Emperor Palpatine.”
The letter calls the decision cowardly.
The original petition to construct the Death Star by 2016 was created in November.
"By focusing our defense resources into a space-superiority platform and weapon system such as a Death Star, the government can spur job creation in the fields of construction, engineering, space exploration, and more, and strengthen our national defense," the now-failed petition read.
Despite the outcome, Gizmodo's Casey Chan points out that the exchange between the White House and Star Wars was pretty awesome in itself.
"Even though we don't get a Death Star (because of money money money whatever), I'm glad the White House and Star Wars were able to snipe at each other through the press," Chan quipped.
(h/t The Hollywood Reporter)
