Lucasfilm’s Sequel Trilogy has so far introduced us to Poe’s X-Wing Fighter and the super-sleek Silencer, which was Kylo Ren’s ride of choice during The Last Jedi.
But with Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker fast approaching, it appears the First Order has expanded its arsenal to include the Sith TIE Fighter, a more aggressive, warship that still retains all of the design hallmarks from the Original Trilogy. If anything, this newly-unveiled ship exists somewhere between Kylo’s two-pronged harbinger of death and the classic TIE Fighters of old, though it’s unclear as yet who (if anyone) will be piloting it.
The image itself comes to us by way of Reddit, and presents a detailed overview of The Rise of Skywalker, its cast, and the vehicles on hand. You’ll also notice the Knights of Ren, many of whom are wielding barbaric weapons that will no doubt come in handy during close-quarters combat. Forget Stormtroopers and their woefully inaccurate blasters; Kylo’s mercenaries all come packing a gnarly weapon with which to fight against the Resistance.
Also of note? The heavily-armed C-3PO, who is seen packing an assortment of weapons. We’ll likely see much more of the Star Wars favorite this time around, not least because Episode IX‘s most recent trailer included an eerie shot of C-3PO with glowing red eyes. Is the classic droid destined for the dark side? Or is there something else at play?
We’ll find out very soon, as Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker takes flight on December 20th. Save for The Mandalorian, this is the final Star Wars adventure we’ll likely see for some time, as Lucasfilm and Game of Thrones duo David Benioff and D.B. Weiss begin work on their own trilogy. We will, of course, still be treated to brand new TV shows for both Cassian Andor and Obi-Wan Kenobi, so if anything, Episode IX signals the end of the beginning, rather than the beginning of the end.