Disney+ has a new Star Wars series called The Acolyte that will excite fans. This series takes place 100 years before The Phantom Menace: Episode I of Star Wars and uncovers the darkness surrounding the Force in the latter days of the High Republic era. For its premiere episode, The Acolyte sets up an intriguing murder mystery that promises to delve deep into the bleak underbelly of the Star Wars universe.
The scene setter
In episodes one and two, The Acolyte focuses on setting up the story. Some important characters are introduced, while a Jedi murder is established as the inciting incident for the plot. Headland equates her storytelling with peeling back an onion, implying that viewers should expect many surprises and multiple layers. For now, these early episodes only lay a foundation for future mysteries.
The sad tale of Mae and Osha
An integral part of this narrative entails Mae and Osha Aniseya, twins from the planet Brendok. Their mother’s coven of witches was once fought by a band of Jedi, which led to their separation when their family died in the conflict. It all came down to Mae’s outburst against the Jedi, resulting in the family tragedy, whereas Osha was taken away by the Jedi, who believed she had died.
A rhyme referring to them as “always one, but born as two” hints at a special link shared between the twins. This suggests that they could be a Force Dyad, an extremely rare yet potent bond within the Force.
Sixteen years after those fateful events on Brendok, their lives are bound to intersect again. Mae, now a suspect, starts killing those responsible for her family’s suffering. Osha, who used to be a Jedi, has become an engineer specializing in spacecraft repairs.
While the Dark Side now chains Mae forevermore, there is still lingering anger within Osha that beckons her towards the dark side.
Mae’s descent into the Dark Side
The premiere reveals that Mae has now become a Sith Acolyte. In the Sith tradition, there can only be one Master and one Apprentice at any given time, as they adhere to the Rule of Two. The Acolyte is an apprentice waiting in line, who must prove their worth by killing a Jedi. According to this tradition, Mae’s actions align with her goal of achieving Sith status by killing Jedi solely using her lightsaber.
Mae’s quest for revenge against the Jedi who visited Brendok serves a darker purpose. Her true goal is to legitimize herself as a Sith, disguising her intentions under an apparently personal vendetta. This has been the way that Sith have operated throughout history, concealing their real motives behind things like personal grudges.
The Jedi’s discovery
Through Osha’s clever trick, the Jedi learn that Mae is connected to a Sith Master. Osha’s accomplice Qimir accidentally unveils Mae’s Master, thereby endangering the Sith Order, whose existence was still hidden by shadowy figures. In Phantom Menace, Star Wars canon allows for such a revelation, as it does not rule out that over thousands of years before that movie, someone among the Jedi learned something about their ancient enemies, the Sith.
This revelation sets up a major mystery for The Acolyte. The Jedi will try to find out more about Mae’s Master, who remains undisclosed. Headland seems to suggest she will continue telling mysteries in this way, though there may be other approaches as well. Apart from that, another interesting connection between Mae and Osha is established here. Headland takes an interest in exploring the Star Wars lore of the Mortis gods-inspired duality of the Force, which helps provide some complexity within the storylines.
Additionally, Mae has not revealed these acts to her Master yet, working closely with Qimir to hide the toxins she used on Torbin to kill him. If her Master finds out about it, it could have grave consequences for Mae. The Acolyte is delving deeper into dangerous grounds for the Sith, with more secrets still to be uncovered.
The Acolyte promises a thrilling exploration of the dark side of the Force. This series has a lot of interesting characters, complex relationships, and deep-rooted mysteries. Viewers should brace themselves for numerous twists and turns, which will enable them to understand the dark side better, as well as its implications in the Star Wars universe in general.
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