This fan favorite could have turned out very different.

Maz Kanata's appearance in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was very brief, but enough for some viewers to notice she looked different. Here's why.

Did you notice?

Maz Kanata was brought to life as an animatronic designed by Neal Scanlan (rather than a CGI character) in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.

Now that Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker revealed Rey's origin, it's fascinating to see how Maz Kanata set up the twist in The Force Awakens.

Maz is back! Now about where she got that lightsaber.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker unveils the first image of returning character Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o), and the CGI detail looks stunning.

Lupita Nyong'o's Maz Kanata is hidden in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker's final trailer, and here's exactly where you can find her.

The Force Awakens revealed that Luke's lightsaber was in Maz Kanata's possession, and The Rise of Skywalker is the last chance to explain how.