Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Acolyte Episode 6.
Last week,The Acolytearguably brought its most laudable episode yet, offering a big reveal and lightsaber battles up there among the best ofStar Wars. An entire host of Jedi, led by Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae), made their way to the jungle planet Khofar in an attempt to intercept Mae (Amandla Stenberg) before she could kill the Wookie Jedi Master Kelnacca (Joonas Suotamo). Mae, tasked by a mysterious master with killing four specific Jedi, gave up her murderous plot, betraying The Master and her aide, Qimir (Manny Jacinto). Well, it turns outthe bumbling Qimir was The Master all along. With his identity revealed after having slain all the present Jedi except Sol, including Jecki (Dafne Keen) and Yord (Charlie Barnett), Qimir suggests that the Jedi might call him Sith.
When the bloodbath settled, Mae disguised herself as her twin sister Osha (also played by Stenberg), and she left Khofar with a duped Sol. Qimir Forced-healed a wounded Osha, and Episode 6 begins with the estranged siblings accompanying their opposing teachers.The Acolyte, from creatorLeslye Headland, is set about 100 years before the events of the prequels during the High Republic era. Plenty of questions remain in the final episodes, so eyes and ears are tuned toward any clue that can be found. With that comes no shortage of Easter eggs, callbacks, and references to the widerStar Warslore.
The Acolyte
The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.
“Teach / Corrupt,” Episode 6’s Title Pits Qimir and Sol Against One Another
Until now, the divergent paths of Osha and Mae have seemed to be the sole focus ofThe Acolyte’s central plot, but the parallel between Qimir and Sol is becoming increasingly evident.This episode’s title, “Teach / Corrupt,” does more than mirror the words of these characters.Sol, time and time again, mourns over Mae succumbing to the corruption of Qimir. Qimir, of course, does not see himself as a perpetrator of corruption. He badly yearns to teach; he wants the freedom to take on an apprentice without the Jedi’s permission. Osha and Mae have been set up to be the core comparison made in the series, but it’s looking more likeQimir and Sol— both the good and bad aspects of their practices — will be placed under the microscope.
Osha and Mae Pull Knives on Qimir and Sol, Mirroring Each Other
Wielding the same type of blade she used to kill Master Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss), Mae slowly approaches Sol on the ship as they head back to the fellow Jedi. Osha, when she wakes up on an unknown planet, pulls a similar knife as she approaches Qimir. It’s an important visual parallel, not only because it reminds us that these two are in similar circumstances with the other’s master but also to show us how alike the twins are. Despite many years apart, with Osha even believing Mae to be dead for some time, anddespite walking entirely different paths with the Force, Osha and Mae respond similarly in the face of mistrust. These two are not as unalike as they might wish to think.
‘The Acolyte’ Calls Directly Back to ‘Attack of the Clones’ and ‘Return of the Jedi’
“Be mindful of your thoughts, Anakin. They betray you,” Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) counseled Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen) inAttack of the Clones. Years later, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) would say something similar to Darth Vader (James Earl Jones) inReturn of the Jedi. “Your thoughts betray you, Father.” When Qimir approaches Osha on the unknown planet, he notes that she’s wondering how he can read her mind.“I can’t, not exactly,” he says. “Your anger betrays your thoughts.“It’s an interesting reversal ofthe Jedi teachingwe’re familiar with.
‘The Acolyte’ Episode 5’s Big Reveal? I Don’t Buy It
Only a Sith deals in absolutes, but I absolutely don’t believe it.
Droids Glowing Red When Factory Reset
Not everyEaster eggneeds to be read for a deep meaning; some are just fun to notice. When Mae does a factor reset onPip, Osha’s handheld droid companion, his “eyes” switch to a glowing red. InThe Rise of Skywalker, Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), and Poe (Oscar Isaac) seek the services of a rambunctious Anzellan named Babu Frik (Shirley Henderson). C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) needs to be reset so that he may translate the language of the Sith, an act forbidden by his programming. When he’s reset, his eyes glow red as well. In that movie, it felt like a useful way of visualizing the dark language C-3PO was reciting, soit’s interesting to know that red may just be a droid’s default look.
Hyperspace Is an Unsettling Place for Master Vernestra Rwoh
Master Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson) appeared inStar Warsmedia long beforeThe Acolyte, and in Episode 6, the character hints at her experiences in some of the novels. In books likeThe High Republic: Out of the ShadowsandThe High Republic: A Test of Courage,Vernestra Rwohhas trouble traveling through hyperspace. Much like her character in the series, however, it’s not because it makes her sick, rather it’s… unsettling. In the novels, it’s explained thatVernestra receives uncontrollable Force visions when traveling through hyperspace. Often, her consciousness is transported to alternate realities or moments in time during these visions, seemingly in an attempt to guide her to important information.
Force Echoes Are Becoming a Mainstay Jedi Power
The ability to use Force echoes, also known as Psychometry, is showing its face in live-actionStar Warsagain. We first saw it inThe Clone Wars, and various entries inStar Warsliterature and video games have kept it around. The opportunity to wield it yourselfin a game likeJedi: Fallen Orderwill always be a fan favorite. In her titular series, Ahsoka (Rosario Dawson)showed off this ability, sensing the events that previously took place in a given space by tapping into the Force. NowVernestra showcases this power inThe Acolyte, reading Force echoes to ascertain what happened duringthe bloodbath on Khofar.
‘The Acolyte’ Plays Kylo Ren’s Theme Music Again
Episode 5 gave us an Easter egg of Kylo Ren’s theme music playing as Qimir healed Osha’s wound.During the end credits of Episode 6, the same music can be heard again.No doubt this reference is being made for a greater purpose than the fact that it’s a nice score. Qimir is obsessed with harnessing “the power of two.” Thewitches of Brendokemphasize “the power of two” during their ritual, and Osha and Mae make great candidates for showcasing whatever “the power of two” could signify. Isthe Kylo Ren connectionforeshadowing a Force Dyad, a unique bond connecting two individuals through the Force, which Kylo and Rey formed? Are we possibly witnessing an early iteration of the Knights of Ren?
The Acolyteis streaming on Disney+.
WATCH ON DISNEY+
