It’s been one year sinceThe Acolytepremiered, and despite only lasting for one season, certain aspects of the show have permanently changedStar Wars. Set at the tail end of theHigh Republic Era, about 200 years before the events ofStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace,The Acolytetells a compelling story about Force-sensitive twinsOsha and Mae Aniseya. The twins had been raised by a coven of witches on the planet Brendok before the coven was wiped out following an encounter with four Jedi.
The Acolytewas met with mixed reviews andfell victim to review bombingby people who thought the show was too “woke.” Setting aside any potential controversies,The Acolytedid a lot of fan service in terms of recanonizing some elements fromStar WarsLegends continuityand bringing aspects of the High Republic book series to live-action. If nothing else,The Acolyteexperimented in a time period that was previously unexplored and tried to bring something new to theStar Warsgalaxy.
One year after its premiere, we’re taking a look back atThe Acolyteand highlighting the most notable changes it’s made to theStar Warsfranchise. It may not have been perfect, but it’s still a key addition to theStar Warsmythos, as proven by these 10 important contributions.
10Cortosis Is Now Officially Part Of Star Wars Canon
And It Was Introduced In The Coolest Way
Cortosisore was a key part of the Sith’s weaponry against the Jedi in the Legends continuity.Cortosis is useful in battle because it can temporarily disable lightsaber blades, potentially giving someone the upper hand. When introduced inThe Acolyteepisode 5, The Stranger’s helmet was shown to be made of cortosis when he headbutted multiple lightsabers. It was also shown in later episodes to work as a sensory deprivation headpiece, a power that wasn’t in Legends. Not only didThe Acolytebring cortosis into canon, but it also improved it.
9We Got Our First Look At A Live-Action Darth Plagueis
Though It’s Likely All We’ll See of the Famous Sith
It was suspected throughoutThe Acolyte’s run that Qimir/The Stranger wasn’t the Sith Master, but instead an apprentice to a different Sith. While we never got confirmation,The Acolyte’s finale showed Darth Plagueison the planet where Qimir and Osha had been.
This recanonized the fact that Plagueis was a Muun, though it hasn’t brought in any other aspects from James Luceno’s Legends novel,Darth Plagueis.It can be assumed thatPlagueis would’ve played a larger role in later seasons ofThe Acolyte, but because the show was cancelled, it’s unclear if we’ll ever see the fan-favorite Sith onscreen again.
8Force Vergences Played A Major Factor
And Better Defined What They Were
It was explained that, inThe Acolyte,aForce vergencewas felt on the planet Brendok, which initially brought four Jedi - Sol, Indara, Kelnacca, and Torbin - to the planet. Sol explained that a vergence is a large concentration of Force energy and has a high concentration of midi-chlorians.
It’s known from otherForce vergences thatthey aren’t associated with the dark side of the Force, such as the Cave of Evil on Dagobah, or the Mirror Cave on Ahch-To. Sol later explained to Mae and Osha that he believed their creation using the Force actually made the twins into a Force vergence.
7We Learned The Nightsisters Weren’t The Only Witches In The Galaxy
And This Coven Was Just As Interesting
The Witches of Brendokweren’t the most fleshed-out characters, and withThe Acolyte’s cancellation, many questions about them, their powers, and their origins still remain. The coven’s leader, Mother Aniseya, explained thatthe witches call their version of the Force “the Thread.“We’ve also seen that the witches hold the power to possess others, as well as create life using the Force. While there is certainly a connection to be made with theNightsisters of Dathomir, it’s clear that the Witches of Brendok were something else entirely.
6We Finally Saw How Powerful a Wookiee Jedi Is
And How Terrifying They Can Be
Going intoThe Acolyte,it was unclear what role the Wookiee Jedi,Kelnacca, would play in the show. In fact, the show made us wait until episode 7 to see just how powerful he was. After being possessed by the witches, Kelnecca attacks his fellow Jedi, nearly killing Sol and permanently disfiguring Torbin.
The duel between Kelnacca and the other three Jedi was definitely a highlight.
The scene showcased how powerful Wookiee Jedi are, and how badly things could go if one of them fell to the dark side. While the reveal about the events on Brendok was disappointing, the duel between Kelnacca and the other three Jedi was definitely a highlight.
5The Acolyte Was The First Star Wars Title To Use A Pop Song In The End Credits
Could This Be A New Trend?
AfterThe Acolyteepisode 7, the end credits included apop song called “The Power of Two” by Victoria Monét. Written forThe Acolyte, the song was meant to invoke the chants of the Witches of Brendok and seems to hint that, as two parts of a Force vergence, Mae and Osha will forever be at odds.
“The Power of Two” is stillthe only pop song to be used in aStar Warstitle. However, the first trailer forAndorseason 2 used the song “The Revolution Starts Now” by Steve Earle, indicating the tide may be turning when it comes to pop songs.
4The Creation Of A Sith Lightsaber Was Finally Shown In Live-Action
We’ve Never Seen a Kyber Crystal Bleed Onscreen Before
The Acolyte’s finale showed Osha fully embracing the dark side, visually marked by her bleedingMaster Sol’s lightsaber. This is the first time we’ve seen someone bleed a lightsaber onscreen, though it’s been shown before in comics. The process of turning a lightsaber’s kyber crystal redrequires physical touch between the crystal and the person turning it.
By bleeding the kyber, the person injects their own dark side emotions of anger, pain, and fear into the crystal, forcing it to change color. Seeing the lightsaber change color in Osha’s hand was a major highlight of the series.
3The Acolyte Brought Back Epic Lightsaber Battles
Similar to What Was Seen in the Prequels
The lightsaber battles inThe Acolyteare some of the best of the entire franchise. Not only do we see Qimir take out seven Jedi on Khofar, buthis rematch with Master Sol in the finale episode was one of the best lightsaber duels in recent memory.
The battle between Qimir and the Jedi on Khofar felt reminiscent of other Jedi battles from the prequel era, more specifically the Battle of Geonosis. Seeing so many lightsabers in one place wasn’t just engaging; it truly made Qimir’s decimation of the Jedi that much more impressive.
2The Prequels' Criticism Of The Jedi Is Validated
The Acolyte Showed The Jedi Being Overactive in Politics
One of the biggest criticisms of the prequel era Jedi Order was that they were far too involved in politics. We can see how these same criticisms took fruition 200 years earlier. InThe Acolyte, we seeJedi Master Vernestra Rwohhaving to play politics and trying desperately not to reveal many details about events that transpired on Brendok. Not only is this a bad look for the Jedi, but it alsoalludes to a larger problem with the Jedi Order; they can’t be seen as the bad guy or admit to their mistakes.
1Manny Jacinto’s The Stranger’s Shoto Blade Showed How Terrifying The Sith Could Be
And Added Extra Depth to the Character
Manny Jacinto’s role as Qimir/The Stranger was easily a highlight ofThe Acolyte. Right before he was revealed as the mystery Sith, The Stranger revealed a hidden, shorter shoto blade, which he promptly used to kill Jecki Lon with. While we’ve seen other Force users have shoto blades before,The Stranger’s was unique because it was hidden, indicating it was just another hidden deception of his. It also made audiences wonder what other secrets the Sith held.
The Acolytewas far from a perfect show, but it certainly didn’t deserve the hate it got. There were definitely some aspects of the show that could be improved, but there was also a good foundation for a strong show. It’s disappointing that a unique show likeThe Acolytewas cancelled so quickly, but there’s still so much to reflect upon when it comes to how the show changedStar Warsforever.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
