When it comes to Star Wars, sometimes the most absurd-sounding things actually turn out to be the most awesome. Case in point: The BB-8 Battle Tank.
In the newly released book, The Art of Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, there’s a concept photo that shows exactly what this monstrosity would have looked like in Episode IX -- and it’s pretty epic. While the sketch is basically a throwaway, creature concept artist Jake Lunt Davies felt compelled enough to pitch the idea on paper.
"I was just having some fun with the tank," Davies explained in the book. "I'm not sure I would have actually wanted to see it realized in the final film." Well, there you have it. The BB-8 tank was obviously never intended to appear in The Rise of Skywalker, but it’s a fun idea nonetheless.
If the vehicle were to have been in the movie, there are a plethora of possibilities for how it could have been used. Perhaps the Resistance could have developed the BB droid technology for self-defense and military purposes. The little guy has astromech tech, which in theory, could be uploaded and applied to different vehicles, meaning there's nothing to say that he couldn't become a tank.
While C-3PO and R2-D2 were both featured in the new movies, BB-8 was the main protagonist droid for the sequel trilogy. He’s become one of the most popular characters in the entire franchise, and it’s hard to say that having him turn into a tank wouldn’t have helped sweeten things in The Rise of Skywalker. Many people who saw the film felt it was missing something, so maybe that void could have been filled with a giant BB-8.
The Star Wars universe has always been filled with ridiculous ships and vehicles, so it wouldn’t have hurt to up the ante. Just think about the possibilities that would come from a scene with the BB tank, cruising through a battlefield and rolling over everything in its path. The visual would have likely sent fans flying out of their seats.
Though The Rise of Skywalker left many fans unsatisfied, it's unwise to dwell on ideas that could have been rather than ones that happened. Of course, there's always a chance that the BB-8 tank design shows up in another Star Wars property someday, but for now, this concept will have to satisfy fans.
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.