Anakin Skywalker almost made an appearance in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

In the new book "The Art of Star Wars: The Force Awakens," concept art was revealed for Anakin Skywalker. Michael Arndt, who originally wrote the script, had also included the character in a brief scene.

For the concept artwork, Iain McCaig drew Anakin in a cross between the light and dark side. He explained that Anakin floats between the two sides of the Force.

"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 reason Luke is this whole new entity is because he was the first to acknowledge his own dark side - that it was not separate from him," McCaig said.

It's not surprising that Anakin was supposed to appear in the movie, since the character has always been a central part to the "Star Wars" world, and was the main connection between the prequels and the original trilogy.

In many ways "The Force Awakens" already hearkens back to Darth Vader, as Kylo Ren reveals he is finishing his grandfather's legacy. However, specifics of Ren's mission are never revealed, and it is likely that his motivations will have to be explained further in the upcoming installments.

Whether or not Hayden Christensen will make another appearance as Anakin Skywalker is unknown, but if Luke (Mark Hamill) can communicate with Force Ghosts as he did in the original films, then it is likely that Christensen will appear in the upcoming two films.

"Star Wars: The Force Awakens" is currently in theaters and is breaking records. The film will likely become the highest grossing film of all time before its run ends. The next installment is slated to be released in 2017.

Related