Deflector shield / Legends Deflector shields , also known as deflector screens , deflectors or simply shields , were translucent or transparent energy fields produced by deflector shield generators . These generators could be placed on planets , droids , starships , space stations and individual buildings . The primary purpose of the shield was to block or deflect projectiles and lasers from hitting the object under protection . They could also provide a significant atmospheric speed boost , in some cases 44 times the normal speed . Shield types . There were two distinct types of deflector shield : ray shields , also known as energy shields , and particle shields . The former protected against energy - based attacks , such as blaster or laser cannon fire , while the latter was developed in response to physical attacks , ranging from projectile missiles and incoming vehicles to asteroids and meteors . Commonly , larger ships and structures were protected by both types of shield , though starfighters often only projected ray shields . Ray shields were also used as capture devices onboard capital ships ; Obi - Wan Kenobi , Anakin Skywalker and Supreme Chancellor Palpatine were caught in a ray shield trap onboard " Invisible Hand " . Although designed to counter energy attacks , the energy given off by the ray shield would likely have disintegrated the Jedi duo had they attempted to pass through it . The Gungan shields used during the Battle of Naboo blocked lasers , but droids could pass through because of their relatively slow movement in comparison to the laser bolts . Some shields only held back anything with a high - energy output , allowing sentients to pass through unharmed . Others were deadly to anything upon contact . Some Trade Federation droids , notably the droideka , were equipped with shields making them almost invincible in infantry combat . Deflector shields worked in a layered defense fashion : A volumetric field effect extended out from the surface of the shield projector , attempting to reduce the coherency of any beam attacks and deflect physical objects . The shield itself behaved in a manner similar to that of a thermally conductive material — energy applied was quickly diffused and re - radiated back into the environment , but the shield itself could also absorb some of the energy . The absorbed energy was shunted into heat sink s , and re - radiated at a lesser rate by the shield and neutrino radiators . The use of deflector shields on starfighters and other small craft , made them capable of hypersonic speeds in planetary atmospheres . The strength of a deflector shield was a factor depending on how close the shield was to the projector , the efficiency of the projector , the power applied , and the surface area of the shield . It was common for starship deflectors to be projected a few molecules underneath the hull plating , and then extended outwards to protect hull integrity . Starship shields could handle massive amounts of energy or punishment , although it was possible to disable a shield by concentrating fire on a specific location . Aside from the standard defensive shields carried by most ships , there were other variants : History . Deflector shields were first developed during the early years of space exploration , designed to absorb heat and radiation encountered in space and within a planetary atmosphere . Before the introduction of deflector shields , pilots had to rely solely on thick , armored hulls and panels of reflective armor for protection against meteors and laser attacks . More advanced versions of the energy shield were developed centuries later , until eventually modern shielding was able to combine ray and particle protection . Eventually , shield technology improved enough to allow some ground vehicles to have dedicated shield generators . Some of the largest and most powerful deflector shields produced were those that protected the Death Star battlestation s of the Galactic Empire . The second Death Star was protected by a SLD - 26 planetary shield generator on the moon of Endor . This effectively forestalled any attack against the station , until Han Solo ' s strike team destroyed the generator . Personal shields . From the era of the Jedi Civil War , personal shielding for individual units was commonplace . There were melee shields , energy shields , and Verpine shields . By the time of the Battle of Naboo , personal shields that covered an entire being existed , but produced radiation and magnetic fields that were dangerous for sustained use . During the Galactic Civil War through the Yuuzhan Vong War , however , personal shield tech was all but lost . Very few armies equipped their soldiers with personal shielding , due to their ineffectiveness with modern weapon technologies , assuming that they were small enough for personal use . Notable exceptions include the Trade Federation droidekas , the mercenary Kyle Katarn and his student Jaden Korr , Durge , Republic clone commandos , and possibly the bounty hunters Boba Fett and Jango Fett .