It’s been a hot minute since Season 1 of The Acolyte wrapped up its controversial run. Throughout all eight episodes, some people picked apart every little thing the show did, claiming it was the worst thing Star Wars has put out in decades. I wasn’t a part of that group and was initially mixed on the series, but I came around to it by the credits of Episode 8. But now that several weeks have passed and I’ve rewatched The Acolyte in full (all at once this time), do I still think The Acolyte was a decent to good Star Wars show? Or were the detractors right? Let’s find out.
SPOILERS FOR SEASON 1 OF THE ACOLYTE
The Acolyte is set 100 years before the start of the Skywalker Saga, which meant that we were in uncharted space for live-action Star Wars. Taking place at the tail end of the High Republic, the series follows “twins” Osha and Mae (both played by Amandla Stenberg) as they reunite after believing each other died in a fire years ago. Mae is on the hunt for the four Jedi that she believes caused the fire back then that killed her witch family, and Osha thinking her sister Mae is dead, is just chilling as a mechanic working on random ships after flunking out of the Jedi Order. But once Mae starts killing Jedi, beginning with Jedi Master Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss), Osha is dragged back into Jedi business. It’s now a race against the clock to stop Mae from killing any more Jedi and to discover the mystery behind her reappearance.
My thoughts towards the twin plotline haven’t changed since I first watched it; I’m still not a fan. Sure, it gets revealed in the final episode that Osha and Mae are less twins and more the same person split in two using the Force, but I was hoping for something different. Maybe have Osha lie and trick people into not thinking she’s a killer while still doing the murdering. Or maybe a split personality that kicks in during times of stress or something. It does work out well enough in the end, but I still can’t help but think of what could’ve been.
But that is my only major gripe with the overall story—the rest I found engaging and satisfying, with enough mysteries left unsolved for a potential Season 2. While the first few episodes were a little slow when I watched them weekly, watching them back-to-back eliminates that issue. My favourite part of the story was actually all of Episode 6, which was mostly just talking. It had Osha and Qimir (Manny Jacinto) talking about how the Jedi feared Osha’s power and how she shouldn’t be ashamed of not letting go of her emotions. And then there was Sol (Lee Jung-jae) and Mae having a cat-and-mouse type game on the ship when Mae is pretending to be Osha (which was the only thing Mae did that I enjoyed the entire second half of the season). I enjoyed the tension this episode brought to the story and would love more of it. Episode 8 also had the live-action debut of Plagueis and a surprise appearance of Yoda, both of which give me so many ideas/theories for a Season 2, but if I started that tangent, we’d be here all day.
The Acolyte introduced us to a new cast of characters to follow and get invested with. For me, there were three standouts.
The first was Osha, who I think got better every episode and became one of the best characters by the end of the season. I really enjoyed her arc going from failed Jedi who is reluctant to re-enter that world to Dark-Side apprentice. I also liked that as the season progressed, we saw more of her inner turmoil, such as how much her childhood trauma affected her during her time as a Jedi and her life up until now, which is why I also loved when she found out that her former master, Sol, was the one responsible for killing her Mother. Watching Osha force choke the life out of Sol while simultaneously bleeding his kyber crystal and turning his lightsaber red is one of my top moments in the Star Wars Disney+ shows.
Speaking of Sol, he was another one of my favourites, but less for his arc and more because of what he represents. Throughout most of the season, Sol is portrayed as the ideal Jedi. He embodies everything the Jedi stand for and seems to be almost a Qui-Gon Jing-type figure for this era. But as the season progresses, that façade is slowly torn away until we see that Sol is just as flawed as anyone else. He’s selfish in that he wants Osha to be his pupil. He’s impulsive, so much so that he indirectly destroys Osha and Mae’s home. And he’s so deluded by his own lies that he can’t even apologise to the twins that he killed their mother. What I’m getting at is that Sol is a complex character who was expertly portrayed by Lee Jung-jae, and while he does die at the end, he has left his mark on this franchise.
Manny Jacinto as Qimir is the other standout character, who was involved in pretty much every cool fight in the series. His physicality was next level (especially when he headbutts lightsabers), and I loved seeing the Jedi react to his erratic combat style. There are still so many questions about him and his past that I hope are explored in a Season 2.
I also enjoyed Jecki (Dafne Keen) and Yord (Charlie Barnett) for the brief time they were in the show. I understand why they were brutally killed by Qimir in Episode 5, but I wish they had more time to develop on screen. That’s one of my other biggest gripes with this season; with the focus squarely on Osha, Mae, Sol, and Qimir, many of the side characters just got left behind. There is a novel coming out in the future with Jecki and Yord as the main characters, so that’s something (I guess). Also, David Harewood as Senator Raynecourt is perfection and Season 2 needs to exist just so he can have more screen time.
One aspect of The Acolyte that I think most people can agree on is that the fights were bloody awesome. Whether it’s the Matrix-inspired one-on-one between Mae and Indara, Qimir versus all of the Jedi, or the final fight between Sol and Qimir, they were all fantastic in their own way. I wish there were more fights throughout the season because I just couldn’t get enough. Unfortunately, that same level of quality isn’t found in all aspects of production. Some sets, like the mountain stronghold in episodes 3 and 7, look flat and fake, taking away some of the immersion. Then there’s the CGI, which is ok at best, and early PS3 era at worst. These issues aren’t unique to The Acolyte. Most Disney+ shows share these issues, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t becoming increasingly distracting. Luckily, CGI isn’t overly important in every episode, but it is still worth mentioning.
On the topic of a second season, it hasn’t been confirmed yet, which I’m honestly not all that surprised about. With all the hate thrown at the series, I think Disney is letting the grifter mobs move on before announcing another season (the people who were being dicks about everything, not people with actual criticisms). I don’t think they’re abandoning this time period, even though nothing was announced at D23. But seeing as tie-in books are being released focusing on these characters, it’ll only be a matter of time. My running thoughts for a Season 2 would be a continuation of the relationship between Osha and Qimir, diving deeper into the political battles the Jedi will face, and an exploration into the history of major players in the Star Wars universe, such as Darth Plagueis and Yoda. I do hope we get a second season because there’s so much potential here. And now they’ve hopefully ironed out all the kinks; the show can fully hit its stride.
Season 1 of The Acolyte started slow, but every episode got better and better. The story is intriguing and has left plenty of interesting story threads open while providing a satisfying conclusion to the main plot. The main cast of characters is engaging, and the fights are spectacular. While I had some issues with the series, such as a few underdeveloped characters, some shoddy CGI, and the whole twins thing I still thoroughly enjoyed my time with The Acolyte. If you want to hear my extended thoughts (alongside others), check out the Watching Now episode here. You can also check out fellow contributor Tim’s article about why Season 2 needs to happen. And keep it locked to Couch Soup for all the Star Wars content to feed your hungry nerd soul.
Have you seen The Acolyte? What did you think? Do you think it should get a Season 2? Let us know in the comments where we can talk about all things High Republic.
