There are many extraordinary aspects that make up the world of Star Wars. With its memorable planets, imaginative alien designs, unique droid characters, and mesmerizing lightsabers, there is something for everyone. One major aspect that may draw in a viewer is the ships, or vehicles in general. When audiences first saw the Tantive IV getting chased by the even larger Star Destroyer, they were introduced the possibilities of the Star Wars world. For over four decades, across various films, TV shows, books, comics, video games, etc. Star Wars has pumped out many different ship and vehicle designs, to the point where it can be very difficult for one to decide what their top five Star Wars vehicles are. The variations are a testament to just how big the galaxy is.
To satisfy the cravings of Star Wars vehicle enthusiasts, DK Publishing released the 208-page Star Wars: Complete Vehicles in July 2013. It was later updated and re-released in 2016, 2017, and 2018. Now, there is another updated version slated to be released on November 3, 2020. This one will come out to be 264 pages in length. The listing for the hardcover, priced at $40 plus shipping fees, is up on Amazon, which provides preview images of seven different vehicles complete with description and cross-sections showcasing their inner workings.
First up is the Low Altitude Assault Transport/infantry (LAAT/i), also known as a Republic gunship. It seems to cover about two pages, which seems appropriate for this iconic utility that came in handy at the Battle of Geonosis in Attack of the Clones.
A lot more iconic than that, however, is the Millennium Falcon. Here, it is labeled as “Han Solo’s Falcon,” which begs the question of whether this book may also include an alternate look labeled “Lando Calrissian’s Falcon,” which looked more pristine and not as beat up as Han’s. Indeed, Han’s ship is described as “battered, scarred, and much modified,” and its damages during the Kessel Run in Solo: A Star Wars Story are acknowledged. The more looks at this beautiful piece of junk we get, the better.
Next up is the T-65 X-Wing. Its page includes a little history regarding its ancestry, mentioning the ARC-170 Starfighter and the Z-95 Headhunter, and how the X-Wing became part of and rose to prominence in the Rebel Alliance. We also get a look at the inside of the cockpit and breakdowns of the ship’s functions.
It is not all just “good guy” vehicles, however. We also get the TIE Advanced X1, complete with its pilot Darth Vader at the helm. Seeing the ship dissected like this continues the reinforce the heavy emphasis on machinery.
While the titular character of The Mandalorian has become very popular, we must not forget bounty hunter Boba Fett before him. The page for Slave I briefly touches upon its ownership under Jango Fett prior to Boba’s upgrades. It also includes a tidbit about how the ship hides its weapons to give off the impression that it is only lightly armed, which is good for catching opponents off guard. It is also equipped with cages for prisoners, which makes sense for the skilled bounty hunter.
Of course, there are more vehicles than just ships, as evidenced by the inclusion of the AT-M6, the Gorilla Walker used by the First Order in The Last Jedi. Somehow, seeing the insides of this vehicle may make it look even more menacing than it appears onscreen.
Also from the sequel trilogy era is Rey’s Arunskin 75D skimmer, which actually belonged to Jo-Dapshi Gorobunn before it was taken on a chase in The Rise of Skywalker. Here, we learn about how he used it to transport dried goods to the festival, and how his grandson has tinkered with the skimmer. This is sure to change how one perceives the vehicle on subsequent rewatches of the film.
With this book showcasing vehicles across all three trilogy eras, readers are bound to find designs that they love. For those already familiar with some of these vehicles, the in-depth looks may be new to them, adding another layer for whenever they see them again in Star Wars.
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