Although it was the final installment of a long saga, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker still introduced several new characters. One of them was Zorii Bliss, who was played by Keri Russell though her face is never seen since she never takes off her helmet.Recently, the concept artist for the movie provided new glimpses into the character's origins through a series of tweets.
Calum Alexander Watt, a concept artist for The Rise of Skywalker, took to Twitter with images from The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker by Phil Szostak. The art and the corresponding tweets detail the development of the character's visual style and provide a look into who Zorii Bliss was and why she made the choices she did.
Zorii was the leader of the Spice Runners on Kijimi, a criminal group whose members also once included Poe Dameron. As the First Order gained steam, Poe decided to leave the gang life behind and join the Resistance, which left Zorii feeling abandoned. While she appeared to die on Kijimi, Zorii survived and participated in the final battle against the First Order on Exegol.
The various books in The Art of Star Wars line provide some keen insights into the franchise, but hearing straight from the concept artist who helped develop the film's style is another level. Watt's tweets provide some helpful context for fans that will add another dimension to the film on re-watching.
Directed and co-written by J.J. Abrams, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Domhnall Gleeson, Kelly Marie Tran, Joonas Suotamo, Billie Lourd, Keri Russell, Anthony Daniels, Mark Hamill, Billy Dee Williams and Carrie Fisher, with Naomi Ackie and Richard E. Grant. The film is now available on Digital HD, Blu-ray, 4K UHD and Disney+.