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Despite Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker arriving back in December, it's still hard to believe that the Skywalker Saga has come to an end. J.J. Abrams was tasked with crafting a satisfying ending, with the story surprisingly bringing back Ian McDiarmid's Palpatine. The Emperor unleashed a fleet of Star Destroyer ships during the Episode IX's opening sequence, but new concept art reveals a scrapped idea for a double decker version of the iconic ship.
Star Destroyers made their debut in George Lucas' Star Wars: A New Hope, and the ships are often prominently featured in opening shots of Star Wars movies. And when The Rise of Skywalker was in the development stages, one artist imagined what an even larger version of the Destroyer would look like, one that features two complete hulls. Check out the image below.
FOMO alert. Palpatine's hidden Imperial fleet was a massive and terrifying force in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but it looks like the ships had the opportunity to get a serious upgrade. And while this isn't a design that J.J. Abrams and company landed on for the blockbuster, it's an intriguing visual that no doubt would have elicited a strong reaction from the generations of fans.
This piece of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker concept art comes to us from Reddit, and shows a bold take on the iconic ship. George Lucas introduced iconic Star Wars vehicles like Star Destroyers, TIE Fighters and X-Wings back in A New Hope, and they've been seen in countless forms of Star Wars media since. Making a double decker Destroyer would have been a bold departure, one that ultimately didn't make it into production.
The entire Skywalker is currently streaming over on Disney+. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
Star Destroyers might not have been upgraded to double deckers in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, but they would end up playing a major role in the blockbuster. Palpatine's resurrection of the fleet gave the First Order impossible odds against The Resistance, which made the stakes even higher. But perhaps most notable is the ground battle that happened on top of a Star Destroyer in Episode IX's final act.
The Rise of Skywalker's final battle happened on Exegol, where Palpatine was secretly hiding. While Poe Dameron led a conflict in the air, Finn and Jannah lead The Resistance in a conflict on top of the head Star Destroyer. The sequence itself was thrilling, and it was a treat to see the iconic ship get a spot light in the final installment of the Skywalker Saga.
It should be interesting to see what comes next for the Star Wars franchise. There's no telling when the property will return to theaters, but the galaxy far, far away will continue to be expanded through live-action series on Disney+ like The Mandalorian. For now the generations of fans will have to patiently wait for new content, and continue examining every frame of The Rise of Skywalker.
CinemaBlend will keep you updated on all things Star Wars as details become public. In the meantime, check out our 2020 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
