History Main / PointlessDoomsdayDevice

* The Dakara Superweapon: capable of selectively disintegrating throughout the entire galaxy a particular species of life or all life in general, depending on how you set its incomprehensible but easily-used controls. Originally built to stop a plague and re-seed the galaxy with life.

** Slightly more justified as most of those were created by [[AlwaysChaoticEvil demons]] whose entire cultures seems to have an OmnicidalManiac bend. The only documentation are esoteric instructions on how to use them

** This is somewhat [[JustifiedTrope justified]] by material talking about the First Age, but in the worst possible way. The Solars made a lot of those literally ''[[FortheEvulz just to see]] [[MadScientist if they could.]]'' The other possible reason is that they were preparing to [[CivilWar fight one another]], which is, if anything, worse. Of course, the [[TragicHero Great]] [[CursedWithAwesome Curse]] explains a lot of this while still making it this trope in spades.

** Boatmurdered's FTW is more an example of a standard DoomsdayDevice, in that it was used repeatedly and to great effect protecting the fortress from ''everything'' from [[OurGoblinsAreDifferent goblin invasions]] to [[{{Golem}} Bronze Colossi]] to unfortunate merchant caravans who arrived at just the wrong time. [[spoiler: The fact that it ultimately lead to the firey downfall of the settlement is more a tribute to its epic mismanagement.]]

** Headshoots had one hilarious example; a failsafe switch for [[spoiler: WEAPON]] is right next to and the same colour as a device that releases all the cats from a cage.
*** So saving the world involves killing your framerate?
*** Who said anything about "saving?"

** It used to be (It still is to a lesser degree) that anything caught under a closing drawbridge would be utterly destroyed, removed from the game. This was refered to as the Dwarven Atom Smasher, and was useful for everything from destroying enemy seiges to [[MundaneUtility getting rid of garbage.]]

* This was Dr. Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik's M.O. from about 1998-2008 in ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog''. He would look for some SealedEvilInACan, often a god or EldritchAbomination of some sort. It would almost always run amok until [[BigDamnHeroes Sonic and his pals]] invariably showed up. [[VideoGame/SonicColors Lately]], [[VideoGame/SonicTheHedgehog4 how]][[VideoGame/SonicGenerations ever]], he seems to be creating original plans again.

* ''VideoGame/FinalFantasyX2'' has [[spoiler:Vegnagun. It is a powerful superweapon, yes, and would probably be actually quite useful -- if it didn't destroy the ''entire world'' upon firing.]]

* The device that gives anyone exposed to it exploding tumors.
* A weapon used for destroying Stargates. It can be used to maintain a wormhole indefinitely (Beyond the 38 minute limit), but doing so causes the gate on the other side to eventually overload and explode, taking most of the planet with it.

** The Attero Device, which was specifically tuned to Wraith hyperdrives to cause them to blow up during a jump throughout the galaxy. Unfortunately, it had the nasty side effect of causing every active stargate to explode in a [[EarthShatteringKaboom planet-busting]] manner. To his credit, the labo where Janus had left it was hidden fairly well, and he put a note on it which indicated "Has nasty side effects", making the Attero Device the best documented Ancient device ever.

* The worst thing about it is that, due to the aforementioned time machine, the Ancients were warned that Earth humans would one day visit Atlantis and the Pegasus Galaxy. They prepared accordingly, by programming a failsafe on Atlantis "submarine mode" (it resurfaces when the batteries that power its shield are empty), a hologram about the Wraith controlling the galaxy, and [[ArsonMurderAndJaywalking lights that turn on when you arrive]], which was nice of them. It would have been nicer to, say take a few hours a destroy or at least document their explosive-tumors giving machines, leave a side-note about the Replicators, and a list of planets ''not'' to go to (because, you know, the Wraith control them) before they were ready. But, since most of the series' plots [[IdiotPlot wouldn't have happened then]]...

** Well, they actually ''did'' do a pretty thorough job, but since the [[GreyGoo Replicators]] are called that way [[MeaningfulName for a reason]], the few who survived rebuilt the civilization. So it's kind of like throwing an Ebola-virus sample away and [[TooDumbToLive assuming nothing wrong will happen]]. To their credit, the war with the Wraith is implied to have been quite advanced by that point, so maybe they just didn't have the resources available for a proper cleaning.
* Project Arcturus, an attempt to build a super-powerful power source[[note:Specifically, an attempt to extract zero-point energy from our own spacetime.]] that turned out to be inherently unstable. Worse, while in operation, it inevitably emitted deadly hard radiation, plus absurd amounts of energy (and, of course, the device can't be turned off once it starts to overload). Killed everyone on the planet with its radiation, but they left it in place for future tinkerers to mess with (and eventually wound up exploding, destroying 5/6 of the solar system it was in).

** Well, they actually did do a pretty thorough job, but since the [[GreyGoo Replicators]] are called that way [[MeaningfulName for a reason]], the few who survived rebuilt the civilization. So it's kind of like throwing an Ebola-virus sample away and [[TooDumbToLive assuming nothing wrong will happen]]. To their credit, the war with the Wraith is implied to have been quite advanced by that point, so maybe they just didn't have the resources available for a proper cleaning.
* Project Arcturus, an attempt to build a super-powerful power source that turned out to be highly unstable and that emitted unstoppable deadly radiation when in operation, plus exponentials amounts of energy (and, of course, the device can't be turned off once it starts to overcharge). Killed everyone on the planet with its radiation, but they left it in place for future tinkerers to mess with (and eventually wound up exploding, destroying 5/6 of the solar system it was in).

** He now has a cabinet labeled ''Surplus Doomsday Devices'' which is full of more doomsday devices, including ''another'' Sphere-O-Boom.

* ''Literature/TheMagiciansNephew'' has the Deplorable Word which, once spoken, will eliminate all life in the universe other than the speaker. Its pointlessness is sort of the point. Fittingly, the one person that uses it did it due to her ItsAllAboutMe attitude in order to stop a rebellion against her tyrannical rule.

* In ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'', Professor Farnsworth's hobby is basically making spare {{doomsday device}}s in the same way old women knit sweaters.
** He even has a sentimental favorite. The Sphere-O-Boom.

** Centerpoint Station, a massive space station with the power to both move and destroy celestial bodies. Built by a ancient race called the Celestials, it doesn't seem to serve a purpose besides being a handy superweapon for the plot. [[spoiler:Until FateOfTheJedi revealed it SealedEvilInACan... Or rather, it was effectively a gun pointed at the Can that was supposed to go off should the Sealed Evil escape. [[NiceJobBreakingItHero Too bad the heroes blew it up in the previous story arc]].]]

* Larry Niven's ''Literature/KnownSpace'' novels and short stories have one of these in the distant background, a device which supposedly ended the "Slaver Wars" and left fragmentary populations of survivors to survive into the distant future.

* The [[Franchise/MarvelUniverse Ultimate Nullifier]] is a device that can disintegrate anything (and sometimes more than that, depending on the continuity)--up to and including the entire universe. It's been used to stand off Galactus, but it's not at all clear why the thing exists in the first place, or why it's kept in Galactus' starbase. It's actually [[spoiler:a part of Galactus himself.]]

** If fired up at the roof of an underground cavern, then yes it will blow the surface above to smithereens. Presumably that is not how it was meant to be used. The reason it's sealed away is because it can't distinguish between friend and foe.

[[folder: Anime & Manga ]]

* A [[AGodIsYou God Game]]. Which worked by orbiting a few hundreds satellites over some inhabited planets, and a console to give the locals orders. Built by the same guys who, one ascended, forbid any interfering with lower planes because "[[AGodIAm Playing god]] in wrong".
** Noticeable in that Mc Kay and Sheppard had it mistaken for an Ancient VideoGame. Which means that either they built it without considering it any different from their ordinary video games, or their only one video game is about tricking real humans into thinking you're a god.

* The ''Franchise/{{Ultima}}'' series has the Armageddon spell, which will wipe out all life in the universe. (except Lord British, and sometimes the caster is immune too. Sometimes.) In ''VideoGame/UltimaVI'', you're given the spell as a freebie by the Xorinite, hoping to entice you into taking advantage of their information-brokering services. They don't think the spell is very impressive since it only affects the current plane of existence.

** If fired up at the roof of an underground cavern, then yes it will blow the surface above to smithereens. Presumably that is not how it was meant to be used. The reason it's sealed away is because it has a broken IFF.

* ''Literature/TheMagiciansNephew'' has the Deplorable Word which, once spoken, will eliminate all life in the universe other than the speaker. Its pointlessness is sort of the point.

* In ''VideoGame/DwarfFortress'', making these is a [[ComedicSociopathy typical dwarven hobby.]] They usually involve [[LavaAddsAwesome magma]]. Notable examples from [[LetsPlay succession games]] include {{Boatmurdered}}'s Project: Fuck The World (which incidentally shortens to FTW), and Headshoots' [[spoiler:WEAPON.]]

* One of these [[LostTechnology left behind]] by the [[AndManGrewProud Blackmoor civilization]], then found and [[IdiotBall tinkered with]] by some ignorant elves, is the reason why one region of the {{Mystara}} game-setting is known as [[{{Mordor}} the Broken Lands]].

* The Russians' [[DoomsdayDevice Doomsday Machine]] from ''Film/DrStrangelove'' actually had a very good point to it: to prevent nuclear holocaust by threatening to destroy the entire world in the event of a nuclear exchange -- the ultimate form of [[MutuallyAssuredDestruction mutually assured destruction]]. [[BlackComedy Unfortunately, the Russians hadn't gotten around to telling anybody about it just yet. They were saving the announcement for a special occasion, because, as the ambassador puts it, "The Premier loves surprises".]] As the eponymous [[MadScientist doctor]] points out, a deterrent isn't very deterring if nobody knows about it, which turns it into this trope.

** Check out the community pages (The forums and the wiki) for plenty more examples. Most notably, the wiki offers a suggestion that players build a 'doomsday clock'; a mechanism that will, [[DeadMansSwitch if a certain pressure plate is not triggered for X amount of time or some other condition is not met]], destroy the fortress and render it permanently uninhabitable.

** Check out the community pages (The forums and the wiki) for plenty more examples. Most notably, the wiki offers a suggestion that players build a 'doomsday clock'; a mechanism that will, if a certain pressure plate is not triggered for X amount of time or some other condition is not met, destroy the fortress and render it permanently uninhabitable.

* Many First Age superweapons in the ''TabletopGame/{{Exalted}}'' setting fall in that category. After all, we are speaking of a GoldenAge where the war against evil was supposedly ''won'', so why the hell did the Exalted continue to manufacture and stockpile world-threatening weapons in such extents? Sure, the defeated enemies (Yozis, Neverborns and Rashka) are still around and that totally justifies some things. The Realm Defense Grid, for example, is a rather well designed superwapon, which has world-shattering capabilities but can also be used for more small-scale and limited warfare, and comes with serious security systems and safety mechanisms. But honestly, what good can come from things like [[FantasticNuke Thousand-Forged Dragons]], [[NeutronBomb Soulbreaker Orbs]], or mass destruction Solar circle spells such as Rain of Doom? They are clearly more suited to devastating Creation and killing a massive number of people than to waging an efficient war against demons, undead or fairies.

* Many First Age superweapons in the ''TabletopGames/{{Exalted}}'' setting fall in that category. After all, we are speaking of a GoldenAge where the war against evil was supposedly ''won'', so why the hell did the Exalted continue to manufacture and stockpile world-threatening weapons in such extents? Sure, the defeated enemies (Yozis, Neverborns and Rashka) are still around and that totally justifies some things. The Realm Defense Grid, for example, is a rather well designed superwapon, which has world-shattering capabilities but can also be used for more small-scale and limited warfare, and comes with serious security systems and safety mechanisms. But honestly, what good can come from things like [[FantasticNuke Thousand-Forged Dragons]], [[NeutronBomb Soulbreaker Orbs]], or mass destruction Solar circle spells such as Rain of Doom? They are clearly more suited to devastating Creation and killing a massive number of people than to waging an efficient war against demons, undead or fairies.

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* [[GenericDoomsdayVillain Doomsday]] itself. He is created on prehistoric Krypton, which at that point was a hostile DeathWorld teeming with incredibly deadly species. Through some bizarre use of Kinensian evolution, Doomsday evolved into the ultimate killing machine within the span of 30 years, driving all hostile lifeforms on the planet into extinction in the process. Its then revealed that his creator hadnt actually planned for what to do once the process was complete, as he had anticipated it would take much longer, and Doomsday ends up killing him too. Ironically, it was also Doomsday driving Kryptons native fauna into extinction that allowed the Kryptonians to build their civilization, its hinted that previously, they were very isolationist and primitive as a result of their hostile homeworld.