The answer to this question could vary depending on which corner of the internet you tripped over and fell into. For some, this is a very quick yes, and there are several reasons that we will go into later that they feel justify that viewpoint. For others, they are unsure of the direction of the show and have their reasons for that feeling as well. Then, some fully enjoy the story and the characters presented. 

I find that your perspective is what affects opinion. So let’s talk about a couple of perspectives and what is really going on here, and along the way, perhaps we can answer the burning question draped all over the internet  – 

IS THE ACOLYTE RUINING STAR WARS? 

Perspective 1: The Acolyte is not ruining Star Wars. 

Having this perspective doesn’t mean that you blindly or blatantly like all things Star Wars that Disney and Lucasfilm have put out since Disney purchased the brand from George Lucas. You are not obligated to like something just because it has a brand name on it that you typically enjoy. 

Many who like and enjoy The Acolyte are willing to express their dislikes about characters, story pacing, episode timing, and other details. They have rational conversations with people on various social media platforms about their likes and dislikes regarding this content. 

Liking this show doesn’t make you a Disney Shill or a blind apologist who approves of everything Disney makes. You are allowed to enjoy something and give critical feedback for it simultaneously. 

Let’s look at a few things The Acolyte is doing right. Remember, we are only four episodes into the first season of this show. 

• Adding new characters. Due to its place in the Star Wars timeline, The Acolyte introduces us to characters that have existed only in the High Republic novels (such as Vernestra Rwoh). Master Sol, Osha, Kelnacca, and others aren’t in anything prequel era related. 
• New locations. Some of the locations used are the same, and it only makes sense that Coruscant would be there and still be the home of the Jedi Temple. But in other works, to the best of my knowledge, we haven’t ever been to Khofar or Brendok before. 
• Expanded storylines. No matter how you feel about the prequel, original trilogy, and sequel era, the story has plot holes that can only be fixed with more Star Wars. We don’t know if any or how many plot holes will be addressed by this show, but we also have to have patience to see if it will happen.  
• Building a baseline. Introducing new people, places, and things requires a lot of background and story to develop each character and details about who and what they are. Sometimes, that story is built slowly and deliberately, and sometimes, it is force-fed to us. For instance, consider the example of the prequels. We had no idea who Qui-Gon Jinn was, but we immediately believed and trusted that he was a Jedi. The story of Anakins’s slide to the dark side was slow and methodical. This story will be no different. So, in the made-up words of Qui-Gon, “Patience, my young padawan” (he actually never says that).  Stories take time to unfold. Complaining about The Acolyte at this juncture for having plot holes is like reading the first chapter of a book and saying the ending was poorly planned. 

Perspective 2: Disney Made Star Wars Woke 

Many comments claiming that Star Wars is being ruined by The Acolyte or Disney rhetoric all have the same message behind them. Disney made it woke! They’re breaking canon! They’re disrespecting George Lucas’s vision! 

Those complaints give way to the more dangerous variety of comments – the racism, the misogyny, the homophobia. The death threats. 

Some can make a valid argument when asked to provide examples of those things. I disagree with them, but at least I can respect that a valid reason has been given for their opinions. That holds no bearing when it comes to sexist, racist, misogynistic, or homophobic comments. 

Those hateful comments have led to the admins of Wookieepedia receiving death threats for updating their files to match the canon as presented. Our fandom should have ZERO acceptance for this. 

Perspective 3: The Acolyte breaks Canon. 

That’s the claim. Popular YouTubers taking a break from grifting their audience for money have asserted that this show is killing Star Wars by breaking Canon and ruining Anakin Skywalker’s legacy. Their audience is eating it up since they have put themselves in a position of knowledge and expertise in this area; their audience believes them.

They claim that the following are issues with The Acolyte – 

• The appearance of Ki-Adi-Mundi nullifies his claim in The Phantom Menace of the Sith’s Extinction. 
• Using the Force to create the twins Mae and Osha makes Anakin no longer as special as the chosen one. 

Are these claims legitimate? Let’s look at them individually to assess the damage and see if it’s anywhere near as bad as claimed. 

Ki-Adi-Mundi’s appearance. 

• Much of his appearance controversy concerns his age and his claim about the Sith in The Phantom Menace. 
• First, let’s talk about his age. In some literature, his age was only discussed in 1999, and that would become part of the EU / Legends in 2012 when Disney bought the brand. His age and birth year were already non-Canon at that point. This is officially a moot point and not worth arguing. 
• Secondly, in The Phantom Menace, he claims that the Sith have been extinct for millennia. Yet in The Acolyte, he’s standing watching a hologram of Mae, who is trained in the Jedi arts. How can this be? In that scene in The Acolyte, the word Sith is never used, and he is not allowed to go on the mission to find Mae and figure out who and what she is. In fact, Master Vernestra is keeping a tight lip on this and only talks with Master Sol away from the meeting room in more depth about this. So when Ki-Adi-Mundi reports to the Jedi High Council in The Phantom Menace that the Sith have been extinct, in his mind, he is right. He has no knowledge of what actually happened and was purposefully kept out of the loop by Master Vernestra, just like she avoided telling the High Council about this. 

Using the Force to create life – the twins

• Listening to the words used here is critical to avoid misunderstanding. Mother Aniseya never claims that the Force alone created the twins. She talks about performing a ritual with the assistance of the Force/Thread, and that’s how the twins came to be. This doesn’t diminish the story of Anakin at all. Why? 
• Darth Plagueis was creating experiments to produce life, perhaps trying to replicate what the Coven of Brendok did years before. Anakin is the Force’s reaction to Plagueis’s actions. Anakin is a creation of the Force, as the chosen one to bring balance to the Force. These two creations of life are not equal, and Anakin remains special as the chosen one. 

Where do we go from here? 

As this article is being written, we are only five episodes into The Acolyte’s eight-episode run. That means that the story for season 1 is incomplete. You are being exposed to new people, places, and things that are part of the High Republic era and have little to do with the prequel era other than setting up the demise of the Jedi from their perch of arrogance during the High Republic era. 

Judging the show now is like going to the oven, pulling out the meal that is only 60% cooked, and complaining that it’s not good enough. 

Be patient. Let the story unfold. And, perhaps most importantly, avoid the toxicity that is ruining the Star Wars fandom because the issue is not the stories themselves but how the fans respond to them. 

Star Wars is for everyone!