Leaked concept art shows what Colin Trevorrow’s Episode IX would’ve been like

Love it or hate it…or simply feel “meh” about it…Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was all people could talk about for a while…and we’re not done. The final film in the sequel trilogy got a mixed reception, and some have taken to wondering how things would have been different had Colin Trevorrow, the guy originally slated to direct the film before J.J. Abrams took over, executed on his original vision.

We know Trevorrow’s script was vastly different than the one Abrams went with, and the movie even had a different title: Star Wars: Duel of the Fates. There are a ton of differences: Kylo Ren trains under Palpatine’s old maser, there’s a battle on Coruscant…read through it if you have time.

Or better yet, you can look at the changes. Recently, some concept art from Trevorrow’s version of Episode IX found its way onto the internet, and it shows just how different his movie would have been.

First up, this photo of Rey standing over fallen First Order stormtroopers looks an awful lot like she borrowed Luke’s outfit from Return of the Jedi, right down to the folded lapel:

Next, we have one of my personal favorites. It’s a Resistance X-Wing pilot being publicly executed by a lightsaber guillotine!

Also, is that Captain Phasma (Game of Thrones star Gwendoline Christie) overseeing the execution? But she died in The Last Jedi…OR DID SHE? I’m totally kidding, she dead.

I love this next piece showing an aged Leia recording a message for BB-8. It harkens back to the first time we saw her in A New Hope, when she recorded a message for R2-D2.

Speaking of R2, here’s C-3PO cradling his wounded pal.

But don’t worry, since Trevorrow revealed on Twitter that he wouldn’t actually kill everyone’s favorite astromech droid. Thank the Maker.

There’s loads of lightsaber play in these pieces of concept art. Here are Rey and Kylo Ren dueling. I’m not sure if I like Rey’s double-bladed blue lightsaber, but I dig Kylo’s new mask. He’s giving off major Darth Revan vibes.

Part of Trevorrow’s script involved Kylo Ren fighting a shade of Darth Vader, much as Luke did in The Empire Strikes Back. Here’s what that would have looked like:

And Luke grabs Kylo’s lightsaber by the blade? Awesome:

Finally, we have General Hux dying by seppuku.

Where did Hux get a lightsaber? Who cares? This is way better than the unceremonious death he got in The Rise of Skywalker.

And no, more art!

What do you all make of this artwork?

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h/t Tech Radar