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Leaked concept art from Star Wars: Episode VII teases old enemies and new blood

It’s been a while since the last major leak from the Star Wars: Episode VII camp, but the latest one is big. It’s first-paragraph, second-sentence SPOILER WARNING big, in fact.

Anyone looking to retain a pristine ignorance of all things Episode VII might want to avoid the batch of images uploaded to ImageShack by user “themillenniumfalcon” this week, which includes quite a few pieces of art depicting some familiar faces returning from past films, as well as some plot points that could hint at what the future holds for the Star Wars universe.

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Related: Major Star Wars: Episode VII story leaks point to major villains and returning favorites

In the interest of finding the balance between the desire for information about one of Hollywood’s most anticipated films and not wanting to ruin anyone’s enjoyment of the film, here are some of the highlights from the latest leak (with yet another spoiler warning for good measure):

1. Darth Vader Is Back… Sort Of

One image features a hooded, cyborg-like character pondering Darth Vader’s helmet in a Hamlet-like pose, while another offers a close-up of the remains of iconic helmet. While it’s anyone’s guess as to whether we’ll see a return of Vader himself in the film, it’s clear that the specter of Anakin Skywalker looms large over the film.

2. Chewbacca Needs A Hand

Everyone’s favorite Wookie looks to have a rough time of it in the film — or possibly in the time between Star Wars: Episode VI — The Return of the Jedi and the upcoming film. In one piece of concept art, he’s sporting a cybernetic right forearm and hand. A caption reads “Bionic Arm From War Wound.”

3. A New Hope

Several images depict a young, female character — likely the one played by Daisy Ridley — in various scenes, including a showdown with the aforementioned cyborg while both characters wield lightsabers. There’s also a scene in which the cyborg has his arm around the female character, possibly positioning her in the center of the tug-of-war at the heart of the film.

4. What’s Old Is New

One impressive image features the wreckage of a massive AT-AT that has been turned into a functional living space on the surface of a desert planet. The scene makes it clear that the battles of the previous trilogy are not being ignored by the new chapter of the franchise. There’s also a nice image of the refurbished Millennium Falcon in the gallery, too.

You can check out all 32 of the images — which could disappear at any time, given their unofficial nature — over at ImageShack.

Star Wars: Episode VII hits theaters December 18, 2015.

Rick Marshall
A veteran journalist with more than two decades of experience covering local and national news, arts and entertainment, and…
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