View source for Metal-Crystal Phase Shifter

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{{Quote|It worked! The MCPS worked!|Paldis Doxin after the MCPS sucessfully destroyed a CR90 Corvette during the Battle of the Maw|<ref name="Champions of the Force">''[[Champions of the Force]]''</ref>}}
[[File:Metal-crystal-phase-shifter_negwt.jpg|thumb|right|200px|The MCPS.]]

The '''Metal Crystal Phase Shifter (MCPS)''' was a [[Superweapon/Legends|superweapon]] capable of altering the molecular structure of metallic substances.

==Description==
{{Quote|The MCPS field alters the crystalline structure of metals—e.g., those in starship hulls. The MCPS can penetrate conventional shielding and turn hull plates into powder. The actual physics is more complicated, of course; this is just an executive summary.|Paldis Doxin explaining the Metal-Crystal Phase Shifter to Tol Sivron|<ref name="Champions of the Force" />}}
The sole purpose of the project was to create a weapon that would be able to penetrate the [[Deflector shield/Legends|shields]] of a [[Starship/Legends|starship]] and damage its [[Hull/Legends|hull]]; once encountering the area of the phase shifter's effect, the metal within the target's hull would be turned into powder and thus be weakened greatly during the attack. While the MCPS did not dramatically turn an entire ship's hull into powder, it ''did'' create many tiny cracks and weak spots throughout the hull, which was sufficient to make the vessel lose critical structural integrity and collapse on itself. The field was strong enough to render [[Durasteel/Legends|durasteel]] vulnerable to it.<ref name="Imperial Handbook">''[[Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide]]''</ref>

==History==
{{Quote|Unfortunately, we won't get a second shot, Director. The MCPS seems to have malfunctioned, but I do believe the original success against an actual target has proved the system worthy of additional development.|Paldis Doxin to Tol Sivron on the Metal-Crystal Phase Shifter|<ref name="Champions of the Force" />}}
A prototype model was constructed by scientists within the [[Galactic Empire/Legends|Imperial]] [[Maw Installation]] at some point during the early portion of the [[Galactic Civil War/Legends|Galactic Civil War]]. [[Bevel Lemelisk]] of the [[Imperial Department of Military Research/Legends|Imperial Department of Military Research]] was particularly fond of the technology, although he acknowledged that it would require a rename before being put to active service, as he noted in the official field manual for prospective officers for the [[Imperial Military/Legends|Imperial Military]], the ''[[Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide]]''. Sometime after the [[Battle of Endor/Legends|Battle of Endor]], the Rebel Alliance acquired a copy of the ''Imperial Handbook'', and learned of the MCPS. Because of this, [[Mon Mothma/Legends|Mon Mothma]], one of the leaders of the Rebel Alliance, made a mandatory request that any and all superweapons listed in the field manual as either "experimental" or "planned" need to be forwarded to [[Admiral/Legends|Admiral]] [[Hiram Drayson|Drayson]] of Intelligence.<ref name="Imperial Handbook" /> The technology used in the construction of the device was thought lost forever as the sole working prototype was destroyed by the [[New Republic/Legends|New Republic]] during their attack on [[the Maw]] Installation, although the Metal Crystal Phase Shifter successfully destroyed a New Republic [[CR90 corvette/Legends|CR90 corvette]] before being disabled.

Shortly before the destruction of the Maw Installation, during the [[Battle of the Maw]], [[Admiral/Legends|Admiral]] [[Natasi Daala|Daala]] succeeded in downloading all the superweapon designs, presumably including the one for MCPS, to her [[Star Destroyer/Legends|Star Destroyer]], the ''[[Gorgon]]''. The Installation then exploded and the ''Gorgon'' disappeared, leaving the New Republic to believe that the designs were destroyed.<ref>''[[Champions of the Force]]''</ref>

During the [[Second Battle of Fondor]], most of the ships in Admiral Daala's [[Maw Irregular Fleet]] were outfitted with functional Metal Crystal Phase Shifters. It turned the tide of the battle and forced the withdrawal of [[Darth Caedus]]' forces.

==Behind the scenes==
In the profile of the [[Omega Frost/Legends|Omega Frost]] featured in the ''Star Wars Homing Beacon #209'', the MCPS was said to be "a conceptual cousin" of the Omega Frost.

==Appearances==
*''[[Champions of the Force]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Legacy of the Force: Revelation]]''

==Sources==
*''[[The Jedi Academy Sourcebook]]''
*''[[Star Wars Encyclopedia]]''
*''[[The New Essential Guide to Weapons and Technology]]''
*''[[The Complete Star Wars Encyclopedia]]''
*<!-- 2014/10/20 -->''[[Star Wars: Imperial Handbook: A Commander's Guide]]''

==Notes and references==
{{Reflist}}

{{Interlang
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[[Category:Imperial projects and operations]]
[[Category:Superweapons]]