Live-action Star Wars is back with the arrival of The Acolyte, and so too are our episode recaps! Let’s dive deep into this two-episode premier.
The first two episodes of The Acolyte (both of which were directed by Leslye Headland) have finally arrived on Disney+ and ushers in a thrilling a new era on the screen. Since the premier included the first two episodes together, I figured I’d do the same here for my recap. In some sections, you’ll likely see me discussing both episodes in the same breath, but I’ll be sure to clarify episodes when I do specific examples.
I’m going to keep these pretty much like the ones I’ve done in the past, with a focus on the story, characters, theories, and Easter eggs. Unlike my review, where I talked generally and spoiler-free about the first four episodes, we’ll be diving head first into spoilers for each episode.
So if you haven’t watched just yet, maybe come back after! With that said, let’s get to it!
An Explosive Beginning
The opening to just about any new series is crucial. Not only does it help set the tone for what audiences should expect from the show, but also needs to hook viewers. Different series handle it in different ways, especially depending on the style of show it’s going to be. The Acolyte kicks off with a bang, with a lengthy, impressively choreographed fight scene.
As a lifelong martial artist, this type of action is something I’ve longed to see in a Star Wars project. Not only does it absolutely rule, it makes it clear we’re in for something dramatically different. We haven’t seen the Jedi fight like this before, and yet the way the choreography includes unique aspects (Master Indara blocking with the Force as well as fists), doesn’t feel out of place either.
Beyond the action, however, this establishing scene showcases a highly active/vibrant alien cantina on the planet Ueda. The plethora of aliens in the scene, doing their own things, and even participating in parts of the action. The result is a setting that captures the “lived-in” Star Wars vibe while also giving us a glimpse at the wider galaxy during this period of time.
Pretty much every Star Wars show has featured a cantina scene in some form or fashion. In Andor/Kenobi there’s a more somber feel to the denizens, as the galaxy continues under the oppressive thumb of the Empire. Even in the opening of The Mandalorian, we see the seedier parts of the galaxy get by a little more freely in the post-war time period, while New Republic struggles to rebuild all that was lost.
Here, we get a different side of things, as we experience, for the first time really, a galaxy that isn’t at war. Things are peaceful, generally speaking, and seeing a bunch of aliens hanging out with a Jedi Master in a pub is a neat way of showing that quickly…even as Mae (Amandla Stenberg) quickly disrupts it all.
I don’t want to veer too much from the main point here, but I was impressed all around with how populated the scenes throughout the episodes felt. Even the little sections of the Jedi Temple we’re shown, we see a multitude of beings bustling about. The same for when we jump to the planet Olega in the second episode, where all sorts of people are just…living.
It’s a background element Andor did exceptionally well. Small things like this make the settings feel alive in ways some of the other shows have struggled with. Moreso, it helps reinforce the idea we’re in a new time period while keeping things familiar.
Dial M for Murder
Anyway…back to the action. Sadly, Master Indara doesn’t survive this encounter with Mae. As many surmised early on, with eagle-eyed fans noticing it was her bloody Lightsaber on the teaser poster, Indara’s death serves as the inciting incident that kicks off the whole story.
While it’s definitely a bummer to have the awesome Carrie-Anne Moss dispatched so early on (though we know she’ll pop up again thanks to some flashbacks), I was impressed it didn’t feel cheap. Even though she’s out of the story before we can actually get to know her, the brief time we get is great. We can see she’s a powerful, and compassionate Jedi, a fact which ultimately gets her killed despite her skill. This makes the death more meaningful, going beyond a mere story device.
The real question, however, is why was this assassin targeting her. It’s clear there’s some sort of history at play here we, as the audience, aren’t privy to just yet. At one point during the fight, when Indara pulls down Mae’s face mask, it’s clear she recognizes her. We won’t be getting a whole lot of answers anytime soon, however.
Seeing Double
Enter Osha Aniseya. As you may have noticed, she is also played by Amandla Stenberg, though she’s a far cry from the steely assassin shown moments earlier. Yes, as rumored (and even reported initially) the crux of the show is on the story of TWINS, Mae and Osha. They couldn’t be more different from one another.
As we come to learn during these two episodes, Osha was rescued by Master Sol, Indara, Kelnacca, and Torbin on her home planet of Brendock. There was a fire (started by Mae according to Sol) which supposedly killed her entire family. Already being Force sensitive, the Jedi accepted Osha into their Order to be trained as a Knight. She then left six years prior to the events of the show, for unstated reasons, and we find her working as a mechanic for the Trade Federation.
Mae…well, we’re not entirely sure what all she’s been up to in the 16 years since the sisters were separated. All we know is that at some point, she fell in with a Sith Master who’s been training and is sending her against these Jedi to both fulfill her need for revenge, and to test her.
Here’s what gets me, however, this revelation isn’t all that big. In fact, it’s pretty much something we figure out within the first 10-15 minutes (with a full confirmation 30 minutes in when Osha has her vision on Carlac). Not to mention everyone else learns about Mae being alive in the second episode. So it’s not even an actual part of the overall mystery in the show.
Seems weird to have kept it underwraps during the majority of the show’s promotion, even to the point of editing Osha out of trailers. It wouldn’t be the first time Lucasfilm has gotten a little heavy handed on unnecessary secrets, but I think there’s another reason as well…
Which Mystery Are We Solving?
These first two episodes make one thing clear. The Acolyte isn’t actually a murder mystery show like we expected. We know who’s out their killing Jedi, and by the end of the second episode, everyone else does as well. They even know who all she’s targeting.
I think keeping the twin aspect of the story a secret has to do with throwing us off the trail of the real mystery that sits at the heart of the show. Despite not openly acknowledging the twin factor, recent TV spots included the quick clip of Osha saying she didn’t do it (an immediate callback to The Wrong Jedi episode of Clone Wars AND The Fugitive that inspired it). This immediately got people thinking about the twin speculation, which sets up a different avenue for the story to go.
Being identical means Osha is getting blamed for the murder of Indara, and it could easily turn into a “chase” style show as the Jedi hunt for Osha, while she works to uncover the mystery to clear her name…And yet, that’s not where the story goes either!
Instead, it feels like the mystery at the heart of The Acolyte is about what happened on that fateful night, 16 years ago on Brendok. The hints we’re given don’t line up with what we’re seeing. Sol himself goes from, “Mae is dead, I saw her die,” to “I saw her fall,” pretty darn quick. Making it clear the information given to us so far about those events aren’t exactly reliable.
Beyond that is the fact that Torbin, a Jedi Master feels so much guilt over those events, that he kills himself. Just before taking the poison offered to him, he tells Mae, “We thought we were doing the right thing.” Couple that with the knowledge Kelnacca has also, essentially, exiled himself, and it adds up to something major going down. Something that involved those four Jedi, who all feel various levels of shame over it.
Honestly, I kind of love this angle even more than a straight up murder mystery. It forces us to see a side of the Jedi we haven’t before and leads us into some territory Star Wars hasn’t really explored on screen. It hints that we could be seeing some dark stuff (as if Jedi suicide isn’t already).
There’s still the mystery of who the Sith Master is, but that feels more like a personal one to Mae’s specific story. But who knows, perhaps they too have a connection to the events of that night on Brenok. Either way, the show is doing a damn fine job keeping us on our toes so far.
Random Thoughts/Tidbits
Compiling a few random thoughts here that don’t necessarily fit into the other sections so far. Some random thoughts I had during my viewings that may, or may not, be important down the road.
What Happened to Jedi – This might be something only for High Republic fans/readers, but despite taking place in the latter days of the High Republic era, the Jedi in the show couldn’t feel more different than the Order we got to know in the novels.
While the Order in the novels still embrace the “no attachments” precept we first hear about in the Prequels, their perspective on it is definitely more fluid. Jedi of the High Republic aren’t discouraged from embracing their feelings, or even acting upon them. For many, it’s viewed as an important step in their journey to becoming a Knight.
Yoda straight up lets his Padawan, Kantam Sy, go off and live with their lover and work at the circus for more than a year! When Sy realized they still felt the call of the Force, Yoda welcomed them with open arms and no questions. And that’s not even touching on all the subtle—and not so subtle—references to other Jedi having dalliances.
So yes, the High Republic Jedi were still monk-like in their ways, but they also embraced the things that made them living beings. So what happened that we went from encouraging Padawans to find themselves and explore, to it being frowned upon to keep “pictures” of one’s former Padawan?
It feels like a big shift. Early on, Vernestra says to Master Sol, “I underestimated your attachment to [Osha].” The way she says it feels so clinical. Much the same when Jecki asks Sol about his pictures, and how Yord seems to view…well, everything.
I have some thoughts on what may have caused the shift, one that ties into the upcoming book release, Temptation of the Force. But I’ll hold onto it for the moment until the book is out. Either way, I think this change teases something we might see in The High Republic‘s final Phase.
Qimir – Something is definitely up with Manny Jacinto’s character, Qimir. Ostensibly, he also works for the “Master” in a capacity to assist Mae, the Acolyte. He presents as the carefree, almost bumbling figure. An average scoundrel who just happened to get caught up with a Sith Lord.
When interacting with Osha, however, before everyone else rushes in, we see a glimpse of his true self. “You look exactly like her” is delivered with a distinct sense of menace so different from how he interacts with others. Not to mention he’s also strong enough to hold Mae at back when she attacks him in the alley.
Clearly, there’s more than meets the eye to Qimir. The main theory going around in fandom circles (pretty much since the trailers hit) is he’s the masked Sith. Merely putting on the lowly helper act in order to keep an eye on his budding Acolyte.
I’m not convinced. It feels almost too obvious; like that’s what the show wants us to think. A red herring. I don’t think the masked Sith we’ve seen so far is the “Master” either. Instead, I imagine he’s the Sith apprentice, looking for his own follower in order to help overthrow his Master. So maybe Qimir is the masked villain we’ve seen so far, but he’s still not the main Sith.
Food for thought down the road.
No Weapon – I’m real curious about this test in which Mae must kill a Jedi without a weapon. It’s an interesting bit of lore that hasn’t cropped up before. I’m intrigued at what it could mean, and I wonder if this is why Mae is constantly trying to grab her opponents’ Lightsabers during their fights.
Force Users Aplenty – Something I’ve loved about the High Republic books, is how they’ve made it abundantly clear the Jedi are far from the only Force practitioners out there. There’s even a Convocation of the Force on Jedha, comprised of members from different sects.
The Acolyte keeps that going. Even in the opening “crawl” it mentions other people out in the galaxy using the Force. It’s common enough that obviously no one immediately thinks of the Sith when bad things start going down. This opens up a wealth of other stories to be told, while also serving as a great reason why the Jedi remain blind to the Sith’s resurgence until the time of the Prequels.
The implication here is also intriguing. By the time of the Prequels/Clone Wars…it’s pretty much just the Jedi. The Witches of Dathomir are still around, but seen mostly as an outlier sect. Where did everyone else go?
During their fight, Indara calls in to the local temple saying she has an “unidentified Force-user” and asks who trained her. Feels like it’s something they’re on the lookout for. Maybe trying to keep an eye on any group using the Force that isn’t them. The idea that the Jedi themselves, in an effort to “protect the light” might be the cause of other groups vanishing, is an interesting one.
Easter Eggs
Even though we’re in a brand new era, there are still plenty of fun Easter eggs/references sprinkled throughout.
Acolyte: Episode One
Nar Shaddaa – Early in the episode, Osha’s Meknek partner, Fillik, mentions how they were hanging out at Nar Shaddaa during their off time. It’s a pretty well known planet in Star Wars (from both Legends and Canon), but as far as I can remember, this is the first time we’ve heard it mentioned on screen.
Trade Federation – That’s right, the Trade Federation is around even during this time. Based on the size of their ship and sticking to the outer rims, however, they aren’t nearly as powerful as when we see them in The Phantom Menace. Also, we finally get to see Neimoidians back on the screen!
Vector – We get to see a Jedi Vector starship in live-action! Osha recognizes Yord’s ship when she’s working on the outside of the ship. Commence the hooting and hollering.
Age Limits – During their interrogation, Yord mentions how Osha was admitted to the Order older than normally permitted; a rule we first learned in The Phantom Menace.
Don’t Trust Them – Our introduction to Master Sol as he teaches a group of younglings, gives fans a familiar line of dialog. As he tells the kids, “Your eyes can deceive you, don’t trust them” it’s impossible not to think of Obi-Wan’s same words to Luke in A New Hope.
Selkath – Around the 28:30 mark on the show, as they’re preparing to head out of the temple, we’ve got our first live-action Selkath! He’s posted up by the entryway, seemingly checking people in/out.
The alien species is immediately recognizable to Knights of the Old Republic fans, and have popped up in canonical stories so far. We saw one during The Clone Wars cartoon, working as a bounty hunter, but High Republic: Light of the Jedi essentially canonizes their KOTOR backstory, as ocean-dwellers who deal in the healing material, kolto.
Carlac – the planet Osha crashes onto originates from The Clone Wars and where we first met the Mandalorian Death Watch.
Acolyte: Episode Two
Gatekeeper – When the young street kid knocks on the Jedi Temple door on Olega, a familiar looking gatekeeper droid pops out of the wall. While it’s different from the ones we saw at Jabba’s palace in Return of the Jedi, and even the one in The Mandalorian, the similarities are impossible to miss. Clearly this is an early model of the same kind of droid.
The Barash Vow – Mae mentions Master Torbin took the Barash Vow. This was first introduce in the Darth Vader comics (though we learned where the name/practice comes from in The High Republic: The Blade comic), through Jedi Master Kirak Infil’a. It’s essentially an oath for one to refrain from all activities related to the Order. A way to disengage from everything, but meditating within the Force itself.
Mostly, it’s seen as a form of atonement, or practice of penitence. Something for a Jedi who feels they’ve lost their way to find it once more. Pretty cool to see it mentioned on screen.
Bad Feeling – Yord utters the iconic Star Wars line, “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”
“Sister” – During his fight with Mae, Master Sol mentions how “even now” Mae’s thoughts are on her sister. While the context is wildly different, I couldn’t help but be reminded of Vader saying the same thing to Luke during their final duel in Return of the Jedi. Feels too purposeful to be coincidence.
I have no doubt I missed a few things in these episodes. Hell, there sheer amount of aliens in the background that are recognizable could fill out this entire section. But these were the ones that stuck out most to me. Feel free to hit me up with any others you may find!
All in all, The Acolyte is off to an impressive start. With great action, compelling characters, and a mystery that’s deeper than what we imagined, there’s a lot to look forward to for the rest of the season.
