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It's almost hard to believe, but the Skywalker Saga has been over for a number of months. J.J. Abrams' The Rise of Skywalker arrived back in December, and wrapped up the nine-film narrative that began back with A New Hope. Abrams also kickstarted the franchise back up with The Force Awakens, so he's seen plenty of concepts come and go over the years. In fact, a new concept art shows Mark Hamill's Luke Skywalker reunited with Darth Vader's signature mask.
Luke Skywalker played an interesting role in the sequel trilogy. After appearing in a brief cameo in The Force Awakens, Rian Johnson's The Last Jedi revealed a jaded recluse version of the hero. Most recently The Rise of Skywalker brought back Luke as a particularly powerful Force Ghost. But it looks like there might have been plans to include Mark Hamill's character more in the first movie, and even reunite him with his father's mask. Check out the concept art below.
Well, I've got chills. This new image shows us a scene that never came to fruition, one that would have made the hardcore Star Wars fans very happy. So cue the FOMO for all those who grew up loving the galaxy far, far away.
This image comes to us from the social media of Christian Alzmann, who is a concept artist that works on the Star Wars franchise for Lucasfilm. The beloved property might arrive in theaters as a shiny finished product, but plenty of concepts end up on the cutting room floor for each blockbuster. And given the particular pressure that comes with producing a new Star Wars flick, and there's bound to be even more options that never came to fruition.
Luke Skywalker was noticeably absent throughout Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which the fandom took umbrage with when it arrived in theaters in 2015. J.J. Abrams held the franchise hero's appearance until the very final moments of the blockbuster, with Rey finding him on Ach-To in a massive cliffhanger. This gave Rian Johnson the ability to make bold creative choices with the character in The Last Jedi, although it looks like Abrams tossed around the idea of Luke reuniting with his late father's villainous mask.
Star Wars fans can re-watch the Skywalker Saga on Disney+. You can use this link for a free 7-day trial to the streaming service.
In the end, Darth Vader's mask did make it into The Force Awakens, albeit owned by a different member of the Skywalker clan. Adam Driver's Kylo Ren somehow tracked down the burned up mask before the events of Episode VII, after it was used in Anakin Skywalker's funeral in Return of the Jedi. Vader was his inspiration in villainy, with Ben Solo crafting his very own mask and alter ego. But Luke never got to have another moment with the iconic helmet, mostly because his character's story was primarily located on Ach-To.
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is available on video on demand now, and will arrive on DVD and Blu-ray on March 31st. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
