We have been given cause to wonder why, in the first-born of the "Star Wars" franchise, those in command of the DETH Star did not simply blow the planet Yavin into little tiny pieces and take out Yavin 4, and the rebel scum on it, in the process.
Oh, wait, that may contain SCIENCE or traces of SCIENCE.
<geek_ON>
IIRC, the whilst the moon on which the Rebel Scum had set up base was made of rock, the planet it was orbiting was a gas giant, which might have required more than one shot from the
DETH Star's giant frikkin'...
<hand gesture> lazr to go
KABOOM with enough alacrity to reduce property values on Yavin 4 down to those typical for Moss Side.
So with Grand Moff
Tarkin Marvin going, "Where's the
KABOOM? There was supposed to be a Yavin-shattering
KABOOM!", and the giant frikkin'...
<hand gesture> lazr's power supply needing a day to recharge, there's still time for a farm-boy to make the million-to-one shot that occurs nine times out of ten.
Might as well go for accelerating Yavin 4's crust and mantle to escape velocity from the start.
<geek_OFF>