Anakin Skywalker nearly had a role in The Force Awakens

Star Wars: The Force Awakens is filled with several old favorites, but one major character's appearance never made it beyond the concept art stage. According to an interview with artist Iain McCaig in The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, an appearance by the ghost of Anakin Skywalker was proposed and eventually cut.

"‘When you light a candle, you also cast a shadow," McCaig said, quoting from fantasy author Ursula K. LeGuin. "That inspired me to propose, for the first time, that Anakin's ghost could come back ... If we see Anakin Skywalker, because he does flow back and forth between Darth Vader and Anakin, let's see him as a character with a dark and light side."

The artist designed several looks for Anakin, including one in similar dress to his classic Darth Vader look.

Ultimately, the new take on the ghost of Anakin Skywalker didn't make it past the planning stages for inexplicable reasons — although we did get a brief look at his old Sith Lord helmet in the film.

Fans won't have to wait long for the next Star Wars adventure: the side-story Rogue One premieres next year, while Episode 8 debuts in 2017.