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The finale of the Acolyte has been regarded as some of the best Star Wars storytelling in a generation. While the series left many “hardcore” fans in the dust, it begs the question: why such a disconnect? Why are the fans from the late 70’s coming for this show with such intense hatred? It would make a Sith lord blush?
Spoiler Warning: If you have not seen The Acolyte Episode 8 – The Acolyte proceed with caution. Major spoilers ahead.
It seems many modern fans are drawing a conclusion. The thought is a large majority of these “critics” stopped engaging with the Star Wars output in 2017. Thus, they’re out of touch with the new concepts, canon, and lore of modern Star Wars. Maybe they’ve simply been left in the dust due to their own bias.
Regardless, the finale stands triumphant. It is being praised for its many twists and this entire season has been a rollercoaster ride to say the least. It is some incredible storytelling. I am so excited to have taken this journey with you over the past several weeks. Let’s dive in…
The opening for this episode picks up exactly where we left off at the end of episode 6, with Osha (Amandla Stenberg) trying on Sith Master Qimir ‘s (Manny Jacinto) Cortosis helmet. The helmet was established to act as a sensory deprivation helmet. It allows the user to better directly connect with the force without distraction.
At first, Qimir is pleased that she is trying on his helmet. Suddenly, he grows concerned when Osha begins to convulse and seemingly hyperventilate. He tries to take the helmet off of her but is suddenly seized. His eyes turn black, and suddenly he is in his own mind. This is a less refined version of what Osha’s mother, Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith) does to Jedi Master Torbin (Dean-Charles Chapman) in last week’s flashback episode. Osha has seemingly tapped into a power her coven was shown to have.
Qimir breaks from Osha’s control and manages to remove the helmet. Osha starts to calm down and reveals that she has had a force vision. She saw her twin sister Mae (Stenberg) holding a lightsaber but killing Master Sol (Lee Jung-Jae) without a weapon.
Qimir had originally challenged her to kill a Jedi without a weapon as a final test of her ability back at the beginning of the season. Qimir seems excited by this, he turns around and says that he will be leaving aboard his starship without her. Osha quips that only she knows where Sol and Mae are. He knows that whoever gets to her first will either help or stop her. The Stranger says that they will then go together.
On Sol’s ship, Sol has Mae tied to the bed in the med bay. They have traveled back to the scene of the crime 16 years ago, the twins home planet of Brendok. Sol reveals he will contact Master Vernestra (Rebecca Henderson). The goal: come and investigate the vergence in the force they discovered all of those years ago. He plans to use Mae and Osha to finally prove that the Vergeance exists.
Mae finally confronts him about the murder of her and Osha’s mother. Sol seems distraught and responds that Aniseya’s death was an accident. Mae challenges him asking why he did not tell Osha the truth. She also asks why she was blamed her for the destruction of their family. Sol continues to rehash the rehearsed story blaming Mae for starting the fire that destroyed their entire family.
Mae counters that everyone died because the Jedi invaded their home. Sol responds that the Jedi were justified to intervene. He says that his biggest regret was failing to save them both. He tells Mae that she and Osha are not twins or sisters. Before he can reveal the truth of where they come from, Mae uses Pip to escape her restraints. She electrocutes Sol running into an escape pod and escaping.
Sol chases Mae through an asteroid field in what turns out to be a beautiful and intense chase sequence. The two ships look like rocks skipping along a rocky shore. The color rendered in this scene is very vibrant and nicely done. Mae’s ship hurtles towards an opening in the asteroids and is able to descend onto Brendok.
At the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Padawan Mog Adana (Harry Tevaldwyn) informs Master Vernestra that Senator Rayencourt (David Harewood) has come for a meeting. He seems to truly distrust her as he confronts her about the rumors. The rumors: he has been hearing about the jedi conducting a murder investigation without alerting the Galactic Senate. She explains that she has been keeping the investigation internal. She states she did not see a reason to report it as a larger threat.
Rayencourt continues to press her about this asking how she knows there is no larger threat. She reveals all of the victims have been Jedi letting it slip that there have been multiple causalities. When Rayencourt inquires, she attempts to squash his interest by letting him know that they are close to finding the suspect. Her reply thanks him for his concern. Sensing her dismissive tone Rayencourt asks her directly if she doesn’t like him, and she confirms she doesn’t.
The senator states that his campaign for an external review of the Jedi is not a personal vendetta. He believes the Jedi are a massive system of unchecked power posing as a religion. He continues on calling the Jedi a “Delusional Cult” who claim to control the uncontrollable. This is probably the most straightforward anti Jedi sentiment we have seen being expressed outwardly by a character since Palpatine executed order 66. The sad thing is he has a few valid points, especially given what we learned in the last episode.
Vernestra states that the rest of the senate does not share his sentiment. He counters that “When people look up to heroes, they do not have to face what is in front of them”. Vernestra sees him out using the force to unlock the door.
This is an interesting concept that hasn’t been explored too often in Star Wars. It truly feeds into the fact that the Jedi were eventually betrayed by their own hubris.
“The jedi aren’t the shining disco ball of purity they always present to be.”
If last week’s episode is any indication of things the Jedi are no strangers to enforcing their will on others. They are not above covering up crimes they commit in the name of some warped perception of “justice”.
Back on the Unknown Planet, Osha and Qimir argue about going to confront Mae and Sol together. As they take off for Brendok, there is a surprise. What appears to be a thin, cloaked figure with orange glowing eyes watches menacingly from a cave along the seashore.
Many are assuming that this is actually Darth Plagueis the Wise and the Sith Master to Emperor Palpatine. Some will remember the iconic speech he gives Anakin at the opera. It is where he tells him about Darth Plagueis and how he eventually learned the dark side ability of being able to use the force to control life itself. This is one of the ways he manipulated Anakin into turning to the dark side in Revenge of the Sith.
On Brandok they all finally arrive, and the finale really starts to heat up. Osha and Mae are inside their former fortress. They’re being pursued by Master Sol and Qimir. Sol, Osha, and Mae all experience flashbacks and visions through force echoes of the tragedy that took place there. Sol finally confronts Qimir, and the two engage in an epic lightsaber duel.
READ LAST EPISODE’S REVIEW!
This series from the jump has truly shined in this arena. The fight choreography has been consistently excellent and well executed. Qimir fights Sol with his red lightsaber. He is also able to break down into one lightsaber and one shorter blade. This is something similar to how Ahsoka Tano fights. Recently, Manny Jacinto revealed to GQ that this fighting style is something similar to what is done in Filipino martial arts. It infuses a bit of his heritage into the performance which is really nice to see and adds another layer to the performance.
The two display an impressive use of the force as well as hand to hand lightsaber combat. At one point they use the force to float down in almost slow motion to the center of the courtyard from the second floor of the structure and continue fighting. A move that gives serious Matrix vibes.
Elsewhere in the fortress Osha and Mae finally have the one-on-one conversation we’ve been waiting for. In the remnants of her old bedroom Osha accuses Mae of destroying their lives and killing their family. Mae finally tells Osha that Sol had been lying to her all of this time.
Osha reveals that Sol never blamed Mae but taught Osha to instead to calm her negative emotions . She instead accept that someone she loved was responsible for her family’s deaths. Osha reveals that she never learned how to calm her negative emotions including her hatred for Mae, and the grief for their mother. Osha finally explains that was the reason she was never able to become a Jedi, and Mae got her wish in the end.
Mae finally reveals to Osha that Sol killed their mother right in front of her eyes, and he has been lying about what really happened ever since they left. She tells Osha that Sol is the entire reason for her negative emotions. The two then engage in an epic fight, once again the choreography really shines and Amandela Stenberg really does a fantastic job showcasing her ferocity.
The two are so evenly matched, and neither can gain the upper hand against the other. This scene is intercut and edited to coincide with Sol and Qimir’s fight happening simultaneously in the courtyard. The editing is done really well. Osha and Mae’s fight is interrupted when they notice Vernestra’s Jedi ship overhead, and Mae runs off in retreat.
In the courtyard Sol and Qimir are too evenly matched. Sol finally finishes off Qimir’s lightsaber, and when he is just about to attack Mae interrupts and engages him in hand-to-hand combat and she manages to steal his lightsaber. Qimir is proud and tells Mae to strike Sol down and complete her training. She tosses Sol’s lightsaber across the courtyard and reveals that she doesn’t want to kill him. She wants Sol to face justice at the hands of the Jedi Council and the Galactic Senate and pay for his crimes.
Sol keeps insisting that he did the right thing, despite interfering in a perfectly peaceful group of people’s private business, and slaughtering them all in the name of claiming a padawan for himself… I must say in this scene specifically and throughout the entire series, Lee Jung-Jae really brought his A-Game to the series. Being his first English speaking role and having learned English specifically to play Master Sol he has handled his portrayal so well. An absolutely phenomenal performance all around and truly proved to be an anchor for the show.
Sol begins describing what he knows about the twins and how they came to be. Telling them that they are two halves of one person, created by a vergence. As he is speaking, Osha hears everything from behind, grabbing Sol’s lightsaber from the floor. Mae finally gets Sol to admit that he did in fact kill their mother. He never lets up that he was doing it for the right reasons, finally Osha reveals herself and begin to question Sol herself. His reasoning gets weaker and weaker as he probes him on his actions. Revealing that Sol was the actual villain of the series all along, claiming he was always doing what he thought was best for Osha.
Osha begins to force choke Sol; she ignites his lightsaber as if to strike and grips it tightly. The blade starts transforming, in what is the coolest visual moments in live action Star Wars. As she increases pressure choking the life out of Sol, he finally dies, and she drops him from her hold. She drops to her knees mourning her former friend and master, as Qimir approaches her she ignites Sol’s blade and everyone in the courtyard stands amazed as the lightsaber blade turns from blue to red. Osha’s hatred in that moment corrupts the kyber crystal.
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The Jedi touch down on the planet and Vernestra sets off to find them, as she searches the force, she senses Qimir. Qimir feels her presence and looks scared, he dons his Cortosis helmet. It’s worth mentioning that in the past Qimir did mention that his helmet was used to keep people out of his head. Vernestra seems to recognize him and says “ You. You’re alive?” ominously proving that there is indeed a connection between these two, maybe she is the person he wants to keep out.
Mae leads Osha out of the fortress showing her how she escaped that night when they were separated. They are running from the Jedi who are in hot pursuit. The Jedi are joining by Bazil the tracker, who are relieved to find him alive. Truthfully the character of Bazil felt useless to the overall narrative of the story and did not need to be included.
Master Vernestra senses the force echoes of what happened at the fortress 16 years prior and pieces together what happened, understanding that the Jedi orchestrated a massive coverup of the events that took place. She finds Sol’s body and kneels by his side in grief.
Finally, under the branches of the bright yellow Bunta tree, Osha apologizes to Mae for not believing her and Osha apologizes for starting the fire. The two hug and cry in a tear-filled reunion long in the making. Qimir approaches and tells them they are in danger of being found by the Jedi.
Mae finally asks Osha what she actually wants, and Osha asks Qimir to take her on as his acolyte and spare her sister’s life. Mae tells Osha that the Jedi will just use her to find them, and Qimir uses the force to wipe her memory of ever meeting himself or Osha. The two embrace as Osha vows to find Mae again someday. Qimir wipes her memory and the two run off together, leaving Mae behind who is later arrested by the Jedi.
Back at the temple, Vernestra summons Mae and questions her about what happened. Mae is totally amnesiac, revealing her latest memories are from when she was 8 years old shortly after the fire that destroyed her home. She has no memory of Qimir or her sister at all. One thing she does remember, is that her mother was killed by a jedi. Vernestra describes Sol as a kind, brilliant and compassionate man who did a terrible thing, and that she won’t fail Mae again.
Later on, at a Senate tribunal meeting, Vernestra repeats this falsified account to a Republic tribunal headed by Supreme Chancellor Drellik. She puts blame on Sol telling Drellik that the four Jedi including Master Sol were stationed on the planet Brendok. They encountered a Force cult of witches. A conflict ensued, resulting in many casualties. She says that those four Jedi conspired to hide this incident.
Vernestra claims that Sol went rogue and killed his fellow Jedi in order to maintain their initial cover story. A coverup in itself. She tells them that Sol committed suicide, and that these actions were those of one flawed man not all of the Jedi. Senator Rayencourt urges the Chancellor to proceed with a full external review of the Jedi and skip the senate vote given the circumstances.
In the end Qimir and Osha are back on the unknown ocean planet and look off into the sunset. Osha grips her lightsaber, and the two hold hands hinting at a possible romance in addition to Qimir becoming Osha’s new Sith Acolyte.
Most shockingly we get one final scene. Back at the Jedi temple Vernestra enters the Jedi Council’s chambers, speaking to an unseen Jedi about how they need to talk about what has transpired. The camera pans down and it is revealed she is speaking to Yoda who is alive during this High Republic Era.
The Acolyte has been both captivating and dividing audiences since its premiere. Many diehard stans of the Star Wars fandom have criticized the fresher take on Star Wars lore, nitpicking at the most minute detail with nonsensical justifications, but is this criticism warranted? No. The show is fresh, expanding the Star Wars Universe in a way that moves past the Skywalker Saga and ushers in a new era of storytelling while continuing many of the plot points and narrative threads connected to the original Saga.
This exploration of the High Republic Era has been a long time coming. There is definitely a lot more story to tell with these characters, the series is left open ended. Will there be a season 2? If the #RenewTheAcolyte movement on social media has anything to say about it, we may just see an announcement from Disney soon…
Finale Grade: 9.5 /10
The Acolyte pushed the envelope in so many ways, successfully joining together the Star Wars media verse by combining elements from the comics, expanded legends lore, books, animated series, and live action projects. In an ever-expanding universe of characters, Leslye Headland pushes past the decades long storytelling to welcome a fresh new age of intense and encompassing narratives into this fantastical world. She was not afraid to take risks or introduce new concepts and types of characters. If this is just a taste of what the future of Star Wars is, then we are all in for a treat!
Hey, I’m Max Taff! If you found my insights on Star Wars: The Acolyte compelling, join me for more discussions on Twitter @VigilanteVibes. Dive deeper into the world of nerd culture with my podcast, Vigilante Vibes: A Marvel Podcast. AND if you’re looking for a welcoming community to explore all things nerdy, join my non-toxic Facebook group, The Nerd Haven (Formerly named MediaVerse: Comics Unwrapped), boasting over 50k members. Let’s connect and delve into our favorite fandoms together!
