People resisting severe oppression may already have accepted the risk of death in pursuit of freedom. Threatening to kill them with a more powerful weapon can leave that choice unchanged. In the Death Star example, death in a firefight and destruction by a superweapon lead to the same personal outcome. Greater destructive power therefore does not necessarily give the Empire more leverage over people prepared to resist.
Notable Point · 2:15:52-2:16:24
When a doomsday threat loses its force
People who have already accepted the risk of death may remain unmoved by a more destructive threat.