Bevel Lemelisk

Bevel Lemelisk was an engineer and architect who designed, among other things, six superweapons with the power to destroy a planet: the Death Star prototype, the Death Star, the second Death Star, the Eclipse, the Tarkin, and the Darksaber. Starting his career by working for the Galactic Republic during the Clone Wars, Lemelisk studied under Nasdra Magrody, and worked alongside such illustrious designers as Doctor Walex Blissex. He aided Blissex in designing the Victory I-class Star Destroyer, which would remain a staple in military flotillas decades after its initial creation. When the Galactic Empire rose to power in 19 BBY, Lemelisk was tasked by Grand Moff Wilhuff Tarkin with the development of the Death Star battle station, which would have the power to destroy entire worlds.

The Death Star's development and subsequent construction ensued for years, with Lemelisk working at the Maw Installation alongside designers including Frap Radicon and Umak Leth. When the station was finally completed, it was destroyed by the Alliance to Restore the Republic at the Battle of Yavin. Furious at the fact that the Alliance had been able to locate and exploit a fatal flaw in the design, Emperor Palpatine had Lemelisk executed, and subsequently resurrected in a clone body. Palpatine ordered Lemelisk to design a new Death Star, one that did not possess the same fatal flaw as the original. During development, the Emperor executed and resurrected Lemelisk a further six times.

Though he succeeded in eliminating the original flaw, the Alliance once again destroyed his creation while it was under construction at Endor. Palpatine died his first death there, effectively allowing Lemelisk to avoid yet another execution. After a brief stint designing the Eclipse, news of Palpatine's return reached the architect, prompting him to flee. He found work in the employ of the Hutt crime lord Durga Besadii Tai, who tasked him with the creation of the Darksaber superweapon. Though his designs were more efficient than they had ever been, inferior workmanship and materials doomed Durga's weapon before it had even had a chance to be used. Per Lemelisk's predictions, the weapon failed and was destroyed, with Lemelisk himself captured by the New Republic. Four years later, he became one of the few people executed by the Republic for genocide.

Text and facts from the “Bevel Lemelisk” article on Wookieepedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. Modified for this site.