Defender sporting blaster pistol/Legends

The Defender sporting blaster pistol was made by the Drearian Defense Conglomerate. The DDC Defender was a short range and low-powered weapon, meant for civilian self-defense and small-game hunting. It was also a popular weapon for use in honor duels among the nobility.^[4]

Compared to other blasters the Defender used very little tibanna gas, instead relying on its small power pack to provide most of the energy for each shot. This meant a number of limitations for the weapon: its low-powered shots had a short range and could only kill a Human with a direct hit, advanced components including enhanced galven circuitry, focusing coils and a galven ring in the emitter nozzle were needed to maintain each bolt's cohesion, and a power surge dampener and extended cooling coil sleeve were needed to protect its delicate components.^[4]

However the weapon had a number of advantages which made it a top-selling model, especially as a socially-acceptable sidearm for aristocrats. Its slim design was easy to use and very lightweight; it also meant it could be more easily concealed, especially within hidden pockets. The Defender could be disassembled within a few minutes into three pieces, the grip, receiver, and barrel, for easy storage or concealment as innocuous items which could pass through most security scans or personal searches. This was done by typing a three-digit code in the access panel above the trigger, and the three parts (handle, receiver and barrel) could be reassembled in under ten seconds. In addition an internal computer automatically repaired minor malfunctions, while its power pack could be changed quickly and carried enough power for about 100 shots.^[3]^[4]

A smaller more compact version of the Defender was also produced.

Leia Organa wielded such a blaster against stormtroopers during the boarding of the Tantive IV.

Behind the scenes

The Defender sporting blaster was based on the Soviet-made Margolin .22 MTs target pistol. This gun was selected for its diminutive size, to keep the prop gun from looking too bulky and unwieldy in Carrie Fisher's petite hands.