Dark Rey Concept Art From Star Wars Episode 9 Will Give You Nightmares
Ahead of the release of "Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker," Lucasfilm teased that something sinister was on the way, with a D23 Special Look revealing Dark Rey (Daisy Ridley) would appear in the finale of the Skywalker Saga. Although we now know the "Rise of Skywalker" trailer lied to us — Dark Rey was nothing more than a brief vision — concept art reveals an idea for a much more frightening version of the last Jedi's fall to the Dark Side.
Posted to Instagram by concept artist Adam Brockbank, the art shows a much different version of Dark Rey than the one featured in "The Rise of Skywalker." Gone are her black, hooded robes and dual-bladed lightsaber, with Brockbank outfitting Rey in white from head to toe, taking inspiration from Galadriel from "The Lord of the Rings" for the unorthodox Dark Rey concept. The art also leans into the grotesque eyes that plague most Sith Lords, with Rey standing on an ash-strewn Coruscant.
The second piece of concept art shows a more traditional take on Dark Rey, with Brockbank giving her the iconic black robes that are a staple within the fashion world of the Sith. She's also holding a menacing red lightsaber, solidifying Rey's frightening fall from the light. It's unclear how far these concepts made it in the production process, but we can't help but wonder what could've been, given that both designs offer Dark Rey a more unique look than what we eventually saw in "Rise of Skywalker."
Could we one day see Dark Ray?
The concept art for Dark Rey reminds us what could've been with the "Star Wars" sequel trilogy, putting an exciting spin on the main character and making her far more compelling than the "perfect" Jedi that once made up the Order. But with Lucasfilm announcing a new Rey-centered movie, fans may finally get to explore Dark Rey in the way that "Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker" initially teased.
We know that Rey Skywalker's solo film takes place after "Episode IX," as the once-last Jedi rebuilds the peacekeeping force after the collapse of the First Order. While the sequel trilogy seemingly wrapped up her meddling with the dark side, "Star Wars" has established that the conflict between light and dark is an ongoing battle for every Jedi, with even the strongest Force users struggling to maintain their commitment to the light. Rebuilding the Jedi Order is a proven stressful process — we saw how badly it affected Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) — so it wouldn't be out of the question for it to bring Rey inner conflict or even push her to fully succumb to the dark side.
The sequels already established that Rey is far from a perfect Jedi, which could benefit her new Order in the long term. However, it could also mean that her flirtations with the dark side aren't as over as the ending to "Rise of Skywalker" would lead fans to believe. Despite her taking on the Skywalker name, she still has Palpatine heritage, and it could add depth to her character that fans wanted to see more of in the sequel trilogy. Either way, Lucasfilm already has stunning yet terrifying concept art waiting for an on-screen adaptation.