ST The warhammer in Episode IX? A logical extension of the Holdo maneuver now?

Screen rant has a great article on the original war hammer super weapon plot for TFA that was abandoned.



The war hammer was that giant orb-like device in the middle there. It was meant to be a super weapon for the Resistance that was dense and big and its purpose was to propel itself into other ships and break through their shields and smash their ships.

TFA abandoned this concept but reportedly filmed scenes with Leia involved in it.

The interesting thing here is that following TLJ, if they repurpose this concept with a time jump of this weapon being finished, it would now in some ways feel like the next progression in warfare following the significance of the Holdo maneuver.

For all those people who asked, “Well, why wouldn’t the Holdo maneuver change how war in this galaxy occurs?” It looks like it may now do so. This is exactly what I’d hoped would occur. War does and should evolve. The fact that they had filmed these old scenes with Leia before makes the whole thing seem even cooler.

Leia being Holdo’s close friend adds a whole new wrinkle to this if they repurpose this for IX. Did Holdo know of this project back in TLJ?

What do you think about the Warhammer project making a comeback for IX?

 

I'm not so sure The Resistance has the manpower and logistical set up to maintain such a vehicle/weapon in their arsenal. For all we know it could be sitting in some hangar on some unknown planet, never to be used again. Or found and re-purposed by rogue groups to use. I think the implications for The Resistance to successfully implement such a weapon are not in keeping with where The Resistance could possibly be even 2-3 years after the events of TLJ. Because then you have to consider, why should this vehicle/weapon take priority in maintaining when they could focus on other technologies to use? Using this weapon in particular would imply that it is one of many ships in a continual rotation of ships being used and maintained. I just wouldn't buy that out of nowhere this big bulky battering ram can come in and save the day without it being part of a much larger fleet.

 

Would be too repetitive of Holdo's sacrifice.

They also did something similar in Rogue One.

 

The starship geek in me would love to see that thing on the big screen.

 

I must admit, it would be cool to see the good guys be the ones with the superweapon for once.

Not even necessarily this specific idea-just a climax where the Resistance has to hold off an overwhelming First Order assault as they wait for a superweapon to “do its work” would be a cool final battle.

 

The rumor is that it was initially a mini arc for Leia. They filmed scenes talking about it with Leia. If her scenes were against green screen or even if they weren’t they could digital alter the background to be an Episode IX setting as she talks about it.

At a certain level we need to accept that the situation with Leia won’t be ideal. They have to make use of what they have.

 

That could easily turn into something preachy where they decide specifically not to use the weapon, one that would grant them a clear victory, because of some self righteous sense they can't be like their enemies and inflict mass casualties on them.

 

Then Poe comes in and says “ This is for Holdo and Ackbar and Luke and Han, Hosnian Prime and everyone else who these bastards have destroyed! Permission to smash their fleet to smithereens?”

“Permission granted.”

 

And the audience cheers!

 

This is the report that informed this:

https://screenrant.com/star-wars-9-leia-story-force-awakens-leaks/

 

That sounds good to me.

 

Considering the comeback effort that will be necessary it would be interesting for once to see the underdogs build something aggressive in response.

 

I’d actually really like this. It’d be a nice subversion to have the Rebels be the side with the superweapon. That thing looks really awesome, too. And... if they did film scenes with Carrie for it that would be a great way of increasing her presence in the film.

 

Totally agree. It would surprisingly fit too after Holdo’s move and show some progression on war tactics in this galaxy.

Looks like there has been different design concepts for warhammer by different artists. Here’s some other concepts for it from other artists.

 

I’d love to see that thing in action, but hope that it’s not going to be used against another...planet-sized weapon.

 

Exactly, no bad guy superweapons for this movie. You can't just keep going bigger and bigger without things just looking ultimately ridiculous. Crashing through non-battle station planetary defense shield works better for me than the alternative.

 

What about a galaxy sized weapon? Go big or go home, right?

 

Such a cool concept. Would love to see the good guys with a superweapon.

 

I realise that its probably just Reddit BS, but I do wonder if those early story rumours (the one where there is a FIRST ORDER water planet filled with the enslaved species of a thousand planets) have some truth to them in light of JJ and LFL using discarded TFA footage with Carrie Fisher in them; particularly with regards to the stuff we are discussing here. Because such a planet or world will likely have a Scariff-like shield around it and the Warhammer is used to break open the shield to let the Resistance in to fight. Leia gives her life for the galaxy in the ultimate sacrifice of using the Warhammer to change the course of the final battle. She would then be revered throughout the galaxy in the same light as her adopted father Bail Organa.

 

If I remember right, Leia had to bargain with some Hutts to get the funding necessary to complete the weapon.

Wonder if JJ can work that concept back in somehow.

 

That’s something I would like to see. Especially if the Hutts are skeptical because Leia killed one of their own, and she still manages to convince them.

 

I love the concept art for this thing.

 

Actually, that could be why it works. Rogue One, leads to TLJ leads to this thing. Thinking outside the box might be how they win this war. Think about it, instead of building one large super weapon, the Resistance builds smaller corvette sized versions of this ship designed to plow through the most vulnerable areas of a First order ship. Finn and Poe could've helped (Finn telling them what to aim for and giving them insight into unseen First order tech since he'd seen the laser battering ram before).

 

Pretty sure this idea was already re-purposed in Rogue One with the Hammerhead crashing into the Star Destroyer, and I don't believe any of the Sledgehammer footage was even shot during the making of TFA.

 

Would be cool. The mushroom design in particular.