The blaster is one of the defining sounds of Star Wars, first heard in the 1977 original film. Sound designer Ben Burtt created the classic laser blast by striking a taut radio tower guy-wire and recording its twanging decay, giving the weapon its electric snap. The Imperial-issue pistol, carried by stormtroopers, became shorthand for the Empire's firepower across the films, games and animated series. Clips of the shot now circulate as a stock sci-fi effect, dropped into memes, edits and fan videos whenever a quick futuristic gunshot is needed.