Alternate Designs Considered for Darth Vader's Inquisitors
Unveiling the Untold: The Grand Inquisitor's Startling Origins
Article Overview
The concept art for Star Wars Rebels showcases a distinctive appearance for the Grand Inquisitor, originally envisioned as a Chagrian dressed in white attire, rather than the Pau'an design.
The distinctive white armor of the Inquisitors differentiates them from previous Force-wielding antagonists in Star Wars, visually emphasizing their affiliation with the dark side. Despite their allegiance to the dark side, the Inquisitors are not classified as Sith since the Sith can only exist in pairs of two. Instead, the Inquisitors serve as operatives for the Sith, but do not possess the status of being Sith themselves.
The recently released concept art for Star Wars Rebels reveals that there were initial plans to depict Darth Vader's Inquisitors, specifically the Grand Inquisitor, in a drastically different manner. These Inquisitors were assigned the duty of hunting down any surviving Jedi and individuals with Force abilities following Order 66 and the establishment of the Empire. The Grand Inquisitor, a former Jedi Temple Guard of the Pau'an species, collaborated closely with Darth Vader in their mission to combat the remains of the Jedi Order, particularly focusing on Kanan Jarrus and Ezra Bridger from Star Wars Rebels. Notably, senior concept artist Pat Presley, who has contributed to various Star Wars projects, recently shared unused concept art of the Grand Inquisitor from the character's early design stages for season 1 of Star Wars Rebels.
The Grand Inquisitor in Presley's concept deviates from the original by being a Chagrian, an amphibious humanoid species from Champala. Unlike the Pau'an species that the Grand Inquisitor is depicted as in the original, Chagrians are native to Champala and share the same species as Mas Amedda, who served as Grand Vizier after the formation of the Empire. Another notable change is the Inquisitor's attire, now dressed in white armor, which sets them apart from previous Force-wielding villains in the Star Wars universe and distinguishes the Inquisitors as unique dark side Force-users.
Why Aren’t Darth Vader’s Inquisitors Considered Sith?
Regrettably, the Inquisitors under Darth Vader's command were all former Jedi. Some were corrupted after enduring torture and the trauma of Order 66, just like the Second Sister in Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. Others, like Reva under Obi-Wan Kenobi, chose to become Inquisitors in order to seek vengeance against their adversaries. In Reva's case, her target was Darth Vader himself. However, despite embracing the dark side, the Inquisitors are not classified as Sith. According to the Star Wars lore, there can only be two Sith at any given time: a master and an apprentice, represented by Palpatine and Vader. The Inquisitors serve as agents of the Sith, rather than being actual Sith themselves.
In the canon continuity of Star Wars, there have been more dark side users who are not Sith than there are genuine Sith. Kylo Ren, despite his high-ranking status in the First Order, was not a full-fledged Sith. Additionally, Ahsoka's Baylan Skoll and Shin Hati also utilize the dark side but are not affiliated with any specific religion or organization. The Inquisitors, who are non-Sith dark siders, would have been visually distinct from Sith like Palpatine and Vader if they had been portrayed in the white outfits depicted in Presley's concept art. This would have added an intriguing element to the Inquisitor-related storylines in Star Wars Rebels.
Editor's P/S
As a hard fan of Star Wars, I am always excited to see new concept art and learn more about the creative process behind the making of the films and TV shows. The recently released concept art for Star Wars Rebels featuring an alternate design for the Grand Inquisitor is particularly interesting to me.
In this concept art, the Grand Inquisitor is depicted as a Chagrian, an amphibious humanoid species from Champala, rather than the Pau'an design that was ultimately used in the show. I think this is a fascinating idea, as it would have given the Grand Inquisitor a more unique and distinct appearance. The white armor that the Inquisitors are shown wearing in this concept art is also a nice touch, as it would have helped to differentiate them from previous Force-wielding antagonists in the Star Wars universe.
Overall, I think this concept art provides a glimpse into an alternate version of Star Wars Rebels that could have been. While I am happy with the final design of the Grand Inquisitor, I think this concept art is a great example of the creative process and how different ideas can lead to different outcomes. I would love to see more concept art from the making of Star Wars Rebels and other Star Wars projects in the future.
