Lucasfilm artist Phil Saunders has released new concept art from Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker that adds an interesting leg to Rey's voyage to the wreckage of the second Death Star.
Saunders posted several images to Instagram showcasing Rey diving underwater, while surveying the Death Star wreckage. "Early in the development of the sunken Death Star sequence, Rey was going to be diving the ruins in search of the McGuffin of the story," Saunders explained in one of his posts. He added that there was an entire series of concept art depicting that underwater journey.
The second image that Saunders posted featured Rey, seemingly using the Force to steer a sailboat as she rides the choppy waves to the Death Star; a very similar sequence ended up in the final cut of the film. The idea of traveling underwater to the Death Star was first floated in concept art for Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Rise of Skywalker saw Rey and her friends traveling to the wreckage of the second Death Star on the oceanic moon of Kef Bir, in order to find a Sith Wayfinder that would lead them to the Sith homeworld of Exegol. Rey would later engage in a furious duel with Kylo Ren on top of the wreckage.
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 available now on digital HD, Blu-ray and 4K UHD.