The Sun Blocker was a device developed by Charles Montgomery Burns. As the name suggests, it was created to literally blot out the sun outside, in order to ensure Mr. Burns' electricity was sold in a monopoly, covering Springfield in perpetual darkness otherwise. According to Mr. Burns, the Sun Blocker was conceived due to Mankind overall having an innate desire to destroy the sun, and that, due to the infeasibility of actually doing such an act, he settled for "the next best option."