Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for Episodes 1 and 2 inThe Acolyte.
The Acolyte, the latestStar Warsentry of the Disney era, just made its two-episode debut, and it’s alreadygarnering well-deserved praiseand piquing plenty of interest.Amandla Stenberg, ofThe Hunger GamesandBodies Bodies Bodiesfame, serves excellently as the series lead, accompanied by top-notch co-starsLee Jung-jae,Dafne Keen,Charlie Barnett, andCarrie-Anne Moss, to name a notable few. Set inthe High Republic era, about 100 years before the events of anyStar Warsfilm,The Acolytemay stand alone in its timeline andcast of characters, but this is still the same galaxy far, far away that we know and love. Of course, there’s the expected return of that classicStar Warslook, with film grain, wipe transitions, and even a snowy planet evocative of Hoth. Series creatorLeslye Headlandknows the playing field well, so, naturally, with that comes lots of Easter eggs and lore to spot and unearth.
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.
The Trade Federation Returns
Neimoidians and a Visit From Jedi
Some of the most familiar faces seen early on inThe Acolyteare those of the Neimoidians. Nute Gunray (Silas Carson) fromThe Phantom Menace, who served as the Viceroy of the Trade Federation, will immediately come to mind upon seeing the Neimoidians inThe Acolyte. Similarly, the Trade Federation gives off the vibe of being up to no good even a century prior. When the Jediarrive in search of Osha(Stenberg), the Neimoidians appear just as tepid and apprehensive to welcome them as they did when Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) made their entrances in the first prequel film.
Force Mind Probe
“Thank you for your cooperation.”
No, this isn’t an Easter egg referencing 2012’sThe Avengers. “Thank you for your cooperation,” Yord (Barnett) says to the Neimoidians, a fun and likely accidental echo ofScarlett Johansson’s Black Widow saying the same to her duped captors. The true nod is Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) of the sequel trilogy, who we saw using the Force Mind Probe technique to siphon information off his detainees. Interestingly, this is the first we’ve seen a Jedi (the “good” ones, if you will) use this interrogation, even though the Neimoidians comply willingly before the probe is needed.
Zygerrian & Selkath
Two Species Make Their Live-Action ‘Star Wars’ Debut
The Zygerrians, a cat-like humanoid species, are well known toStar Warsfans who delve outside the live-action ventures. They appeared inThe Clone Wars,Rebels, andThe Bad Batch, and have an extensive history inStar Warsliterature. In the latter, they’re often villainous, commonly associated with the galactic slave trade. That makes it all the more interesting and exciting to see a Zygerrian as a Jedi, withThara Schöönappearing as Tasi Lowa. Moreover, although brief, we get a moment with a Selkath, which isa familiar sight for fans of theKnights of the Old Republicvideo games but has never been seen in live-action.
The Jedi Order, The Jedi Temple, & The Republic
The captivating wide shots when we reach Coruscant will make you feel right at home in theStar Warsuniverse. The city-covered planet and capital of the Republic has served as a mainstay throughout the franchise, and it’s great to see it flourishing even long ago at the time ofThe Acolyte. The Jedi Temple, despite slight differences, has been standing strong for some time before the prequels. Inside, we seethe Jedi Orderoperating in a familiar fashion — training younglings in open-concept rooms with a panoramic view of the city.
‘The Acolyte’s Best Twist Was Right in Front of Us the Whole Time
But what other surprises are still in store?
Balance, Fire, & Life
Force Visions & Hinting at Osha’s Past
When Sol (Lee) is mentoring a group of younglings in the Jedi Temple, they’re meditating on the Force and encouraged to name the visions that come to mind. In this order,Sol is given three answers by separate pupils: balance, fire, and life. Based on the visions that come to Osha when she’s pierced by her connection to Mae (her twin sister, also played by Stenberg), these answers seem toforeshadow the backstorythat’s unraveling. Balance — the twins, who may represent another Dyad in the Force, appear to oppose each other at the light and dark ends of the spectrum. Fire — Osha’s visions are spurred by the sight of fire, which is what ravaged her family years ago. Life — although presumed dead, Mae is alive, and that’s becoming increasingly evident to Osha at this point in the story.
Dybbuk & Bor Gullet
Prisoners of ‘The Acolyte’ and ‘Rogue One’ Are Put Through Similar Tactics
When Osha is locked away in a holding cell, a prisoner in the cell next to her has a creature wrapped over his mouth, subduing him. This is a Dybbuk, which, aside from being a striking nod to the Facehuggers of theAlienfranchise, calls back toRogue One: A Star Wars Story. Bodhi Rook (Riz Ahmed) was a former Imperial pilot imprisoned by Saw Gerrera (Forest Whitaker), anda menacing creaturewas used on him in captivity, too. Bor Gullet, much larger than a Dybbuk, could extract information from someone, although it came with a heavy mental toll.
Yellow Lightsaber
Jedi Weapons Shined Yellow Long Before Rey
From trailers and bits of information divulged in advance, we know to expect a lightsaber or two that areunlike any we’ve yet seenin live-action. The first unique saber, however, is wielded by Yord Fandar, and it will conjure that final image with Rey (Daisy Ridley) inThe Rise of Skywalker. Blue, green, red, and even purple, are the most common versions of a lightsaber, butyellow is a rare sight to see. We can’t help but wonder why there’s such a large gap in the occurrence of this particular hue.
Force Floating
A Powerful Form of Jedi Meditation
It seems simple enough, considering thevast array of powerswe’ve seen from Force users, but floating above the ground when meditating isn’t too common. Master Torbin (Dean-Charles Chapman) is hovering in solitude when Mae arrives toattempt her second assassination. This ability is never seen in the original trilogy or the prequels. In live-actionStar Wars, only Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and Rey have been depicted showcasing this power.
An Iconic ‘Star Wars’ Line
Something to this effect is said in nearly every piece ofStar Warsmedia, fromA New HopetoThe Clone Wars. “I got a bad feeling about this,” Han Solo (Harrison Ford) exclaimed while trapped in the enclosing walls of a trash compactor. Even BB-8 beeped and whirred an unintelligible version of the line inThe Last Jedi,according toRian Johnson. The tradition continues inThe Acolyte, with Yord saying the line as they prepare to ambush Mae on Olega.
The Acolyteis streaming on Disney+.
WATCH ON DISNEY+
