Thermal detonators are one of the most powerful handheld explosive devices currently available. The are metallic spheres, easily able to fit in the palm and be thrown by most species. A single button on the top of the orb activates the timer which can be customized depending on the user’s intent, and a small red light indicates when the orb is armed and how close it is to detonation.
Thermal detonators contain a miniscule amount of the volatile chemical baradium. When the device is triggered, the fuse discharges a jolt of energy into the baradium, initiating what is in essence a small, clean nuclear explosion. The size of the fusion reaction is proportional to the amount of the chemical in the detonator. While the incredible heat of the detonation vaporises anything within the blast radius, the lack of radioactive fallout means that thermal detonators can be used without fear of political recriminations.
A unique feature of the thermal detonator is its deactivation feature: certain models allow for the device to be deactivated but only by using the thumbprint of the sentient who activated it. This feature, along with its portability and devastating explosive potential, has won it popularity with many militaries, mercenaries, and bounty hunters across the galaxy. Because of the danger posed by such a device, thermal detonators are illegal to own or posses in many systems, and their sale is strictly controlled by their manufacturers.
