Recently revealed concept art gives fans a look at a potential Battle of Coruscant that many believe surpasses the one shown in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Originally, Colin Trevorrow was set to direct and write Episode IX before J.J. Abrams took over. Trevorrow’s script, titled “Duel of the Fates,” is available online and has even been adapted into a fan-made comic. Now, we’re getting a visual idea of what that version of the film would have looked like, featuring a spectacular battle unlike any other in the Star Wars saga.
New artwork from the book Doug Chiang: The Star Wars Legacy reveals a dramatic battle above Coruscant. The images, shared by David Wadey, depict the First Order using a desperate tactic: intentionally crashing Star Destroyers into the city-planet, with one notably hitting the old senate building. The book is available on Amazon.
Oh what could’ve been…
— David Wadey (@DavidWadey1999) December 10, 2025
The associated text reads:
The battle over Coruscant was envisioned as a massive clash where First Order Star Destroyers would be used as powerful weapons. According to concept artist Doug Chiang, the team discussed how to attack such a heavily defended planet. One idea they explored was to have Star Destroyers intentionally crash into Coruscant, destroying large sections of the city.
The Battle of Coruscant Would Have Been the Perfect End to the Skywalker Saga
As a lifelong Star Wars fan, I always thought it was brilliant how they wrapped up the Skywalker saga with a fight over Coruscant. It felt right. They first showed us that city-planet in The Phantom Menace, and even back then, it had this undercurrent of darkness, like the source of all the Sith’s scheming. Then, in Revenge of the Sith, Palpatine intentionally created the Battle of Coruscant to get rid of Dooku and pull Anakin towards the dark side. So, to have the First Order – the Empire’s comeback – finally defeated above Coruscant? It just completed the whole story arc perfectly.
The First Order’s attack strategy comes from older Star Wars stories, specifically a conflict with a race called the Yuuzhan Vong who managed to conquer a planet. They disabled the planet’s orbital defenses, causing them to fall and inflict massive damage. The First Order’s tactic is probably even more devastating, as their crashing Star Destroyers could have been traveling at high speeds – possibly even using hyperspace, similar to the Holdo Maneuver seen in The Last Jedi. However, a major difference is that the First Order’s plan would destroy their own ships, indicating it’s a desperate, last-ditch effort.
While not flawless, Trevorrow’s script was a definite improvement over The Rise of Skywalker. However, it still had some strange character developments and, surprisingly, relied on appealing to fans in ways that might have turned off more casual viewers. Despite its flaws, the concept art for the Battle of Coruscant is stunning, and it’s disappointing we’ll never see that vision realized.
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2025-12-15 18:41