Just for fun. Who would win in this battle?

[Truth66]

A buddy of mine just borrowed the first two season's of Babylon 5 from me and we got into a fun debate of who would win in the ultimate battle among Planet Killers.
We had the contenders listed as:

The Death Star from Star Wars
The Vorlon Planet Killer from B5
The Shadow Plane Killer from B5
The Doomsday Machine from the original Star Trek Series

Even though I'm a huge fan of Babylon 5, I figured that the Doomsday Machine would win in this battle of giants because energy weapons just bounced off it's hull.
We had a consensus that the Shadow Planet Killer would come in last place because it was based on missles penetrating to the planet's core. Then again it's missles could bore to the centre of the Death Star and destroy it.

Any thoughs on this battle?

[KoshN]

No contest. The Vorlon Planetkiller. The Shadow Planetkiller is too unwieldy and is meant to be used against fixed targets. The Vorlon Planetkiller would make mincemeat of all of 'em.


Borg Fleet enters Vorlon space.
Borg to the Vorlon homeworld "Resistance is futile. Surrender....<blah> <blah> <blah>
Vorlon response: "No."
....and the Borg fleet is never heard from again.

[I, Zathras]

Chuck Norris

[KoshN]

Chuck Norris

Kevin (the Dowd) from TNG "Survivors."

[WorkerCaste]

Gonna have to go with the Vorlon Planet Killer. As pointed out, the shadow device is rather unweildy for trying to encapsulate a space ship. The Vorlon energy weapons are way beyond anything thrown at the Doomesday device in ST:TOS, but even if you assume the cornucopia could resist them, the planet killer can deliver a straight shot down the horn, and since that energy beam can destroy a planet, and a warp core exploding can't, we can assume the energy beam could kill the planet buster by shooting down the throat. Even if it lost a lot of energy bouncing around (the reason they had to move into the mouth in the original episode iirc) there would still be plenty to take out the works.

The show down between the Death Star and the Planet Killer seems more challenging to call. Both weapons have about the same destructive power, but I would still go with the Vorlons. The Death Star is bigger and easier to target. At least that is one distinction. Can't think of a lot else. I would guess that the Vorlon craft is faster, too, but no basis for that in the source material. One other thing that could sway things... if they fought as they are depicted, it looked like the Vorlon Planet Killer had a much better support fleet. At least in Episode IV.

[valens_shadow]

Gonna have to go with the Vorlon Planet Killer. As pointed out, the shadow device is rather unweildy for trying to encapsulate a space ship. The Vorlon energy weapons are way beyond anything thrown at the Doomesday device in ST:TOS, but even if you assume the cornucopia could resist them, the planet killer can deliver a straight shot down the horn, and since that energy beam can destroy a planet, and a warp core exploding can't, we can assume the energy beam could kill the planet buster by shooting down the throat. Even if it lost a lot of energy bouncing around (the reason they had to move into the mouth in the original episode iirc) there would still be plenty to take out the works.

The show down between the Death Star and the Planet Killer seems more challenging to call. Both weapons have about the same destructive power, but I would still go with the Vorlons. The Death Star is bigger and easier to target. At least that is one distinction. Can't think of a lot else. I would guess that the Vorlon craft is faster, too, but no basis for that in the source material. One other thing that could sway things... if they fought as they are depicted, it looked like the Vorlon Planet Killer had a much better support fleet. At least in Episode IV.

Just to add a little more Vorlon ships are designed to disperse the energy so even if it took a hit we don't know if the Death Star would automatically destroy it. To be fair I should think that the main Vorlon and shadow ships (not the planet killers) would have enough power to destroy "a small moon" and let's remember a well-placed missile could destroy the Death Star. The superior technology of the Vorlon and the Shadows could jump inside the shields (If the Death Star has one) and target the vulnerable point(s)

Or just use the Planet killer to destroy the nearby planet where the shields generators are and then finish the job.

[Truth66]

Many interesting points raised in favour of the Vorlon Planet Killer.
One interesting point that I had forgotten was that there was a Star Trek the Next Generation novel titled Vendetta.
The novel suggested that the Doomsday machine was created by a race that battled the Borg. The Doomsday got it's fuel from destroying and devowering the devastated planets that were left behind by the Borg. In that novel a new Doomsday Machine was found and battled the Borg and actually did sustain damage from a Borg cube.
With so many people in favour of the Vorlon Planet Killer winning this battle of giants, of which I'm begining to agree with because I forgot about the book Vendetta, does anyone know of any other Planet Killers in other shows/movies that could possibly beat a Vorlon Planet Killer?
I know some would indicate the obvious of the First Ones. However, do we know of any of the First Ones that had the firepower to destroy a planet?

[Quarxius]

I would like to throw Sador's flagship from "Battle Beyond the Stars" with it's Stellar Converter into the ring. I do this mostly for amusement and not because I think it stands a chance. If anyone now has the theme music from the movie stuck in their head I apologize.

[Bonehead]

If anyone now has the theme music from the movie stuck in their head I apologize.

That's not necessarily a bad thing. Used to love that film as a kid

[becket]

I vote Vorlon planet killer.

(And btw, I'm the buddy that borrowed the first 2 seasons. got the other 3 now. Been awhile since I watched B5.)