Finally, it’s the new Star Wars series The Acolyte! Set 100 years after The High Republic and 100 years before The Phantom Menace, it promises to be a real Kill Bill/Frozen scenario (sorry, that’s right from the director’s description). Here are my thoughts on the first four episodes.
The Acolyte Chapter 1 – Lost/Found
- Ah, it’s Trinity! Surely she’ll last long!
- A Jedi, hanging out in a noodle bar with the scum of the universe.
- Our attacker goes for Trinity’s lightsaber but doesn’t take it in the end.
- It’s the Trade Federation!
- I want a li’l PIP multi-tool droid!
- Once again, like in Ahsoka and The Phantom Menace, Jedi board ships like they own the place.
- Could it be….an OSHA Violation?
- I like the weird cyborg head dude…
- Cool droid chairs!
- I first thought Osha’s Force vision was caused by hallucinogens, like that weird little parasite crawling on her while she was unconscious.
- Shirtless Yorg is shirtless, but why?
- A Jedi task force!
- This moment on the cliff is right out of The Fugitive (starring Han Solo himself Harrison Ford). Mae says she didn’t kill anyone, Sol says he cares and saves her BEFORE plunging into the abyss.
- Who is this Sith with the red lightsaber? The Master or the Apprentice, with Mae being his Acolyte.
- A note: The older Jedi seem more comfortable with attachments, doing things the old way. The newer Jedi want to play things by the book and seem more politicized. I guess Yoda and the older Jedi Council members must adapt their views as well by the time The Phantom Menace comes along.
The Acolyte Chapter 2 – Revenge/Justice
- Something tells me tattoos will play a role in identifying the twins.
- Twice Mae has said her “Attack me” speech, and both Jedi ignored her.
- THE BARASH VOW!
- Master Torbin has the worst fake beard ever, and I also thought his little legs were emaciated from floating too long.
- Hey, it’s Jason from the Good Place! On the surface, he seems to be a clueless idiot, but if you listen to him talking to Mae and when he stops her from fighting him he is quite adept at….everything he’s doing.
- Torbin chooses to kill himself? Woah, not very Jedi-like.
- “Doing the right thing?”
- Jedi now wants a committee!
- Does Kelnacca’s sign say “Go Away”? Plus, compared to the poster and images I’ve seen with High Republic Jedi robes, Kelnacca’s now running around naked.
- Reminds me of the comic where Chewbacca and Han Solo crash on Earth and Chewbacca becomes the legendary Bigfoot.
- So what could make two Jedi act like Jedi do (Trinity and Sol) and the other two hide from the galaxy (Kelnacca and Torbin)?
The Acolyte Chapter 3 – Destiny
- The origin story of Osha and Mae. Except everything’s suspicious and nothing makes sense.
- They both exert control over living things. That’s a Jedi no-no!
- Master Sol being all sneaky. This is why nobody likes Jedi!
- THE THREAD! Just a different way of looking at the Force.
- So, they’re in exile and suddenly have “new life” It seems like these witches aren’t dark siders but follow an Earth mother type / spiritual Force religion.
- Mae looks happy and Osha looks terrified. It took me a while to figure out who was who, even after the ceremony and the brand on Mae’s forehead because their hair covered it up and it was dark.
- NO FATHER? Why does that sound familiar?
- It seems the Jedi are imposing their will all over the galaxy, especially those who disagree with them. They even have Republic law to back them up and expect others to follow them.
- At least Master Torbin looked his age.
- So the Zabrak Mother Koril carried the twins (even though they’re human and look like The Mother (oooh, just like The Path of the Open Hand) but the Mother manipulated the Force (or Thread as they call it) and Midichlorians to create life. Just like Anakin’s immaculate birth, manipulated by Palpatine. Plus, the witches obviously have their own attachments.
- The test the Jedi give is the same as the one the Jedi Council gave Anakin, right down to the Midichlorian blood test. Even though Osha tried to fool them, Sol saw right through it.
- FIRE! Mae went dark quick! (Allegedly).
- None of the witches’ bodies were burnt. Did the Jedi kill them? What happened? The fire seemed to move awfully fast!
- The Jedi were quick to get the heck out of there and tell Osha not to go back. FROM A CERTAIN POINT OF VIEW it seems like the Jedi manipulated Osha into joining the Jedi Order and take at least one kid away from her family, but who found Mae?
The Acolyte Chapter 4 – Day
- Ying/Yang symbols everywhere, looking more like the brand Mae got on her forehead. Something clearly happened there that Kelnacca hasn’t dealt with.
- Practicing with wooden swords (called Bokken swords in our world) which is funny; that’s how Baylan Skoll described Jedi not trained in the Jedi Temple, after Order 66. They’re like samurai!
- So these Jedi have their own council led by Vernestra Rwoh that is separate from the High Council. .
- Hey, it’s Ki Adi Mundi! Coincidentally, the same guy who claimed the Sith had been extinct for a millennia during The Phantom Menace.
- An apprentice who doesn’t know her own master? It’s like he trained her over Zoom or something.
- A Splinter order..or less? So these Jedi are open to the possibility of the Sith returning.
- Vernestra Rwoh proving she’s a political animal within the Jedi Order. If they tell the High Council, then they have to tell the Senate (why?) and they’ll all be in a political quagmire. Jedi should not conduct themselves that way.
- Temptation of The Force describes Vernestra (still considered a child prodigy) as a non-political person, much like Obi-Wan. What changed?
- Was Mae always supposed to kill Jedi without a weapon, or is this just another test?
- Made a deal with the Master. He “collects people” with certain skills.
- “JEDI SCUM.”
- Hey it’s not Plo Koon! That’s a lot of Jedi. They either consider her quite the threat or expect her master to show up.
- The little Rodent guy’s name is Bazil!
- At first I thought those were eggs on the trees, but it’s a flying centipede thing! Kinda looks like the organic version of the things from The Matrix. Guess Mae is gradually getting her Force powers back, like Obi-Wan.
- This is the FINAL LESSON!
- Woah, Mae with the complete turn-around in mission and attitude!
- And….Kelnacca’s dead. The Master is here. Guess the Master wanted to make sure the job got done.
- All evidence seems to be pointing to Qimir.
- One Sith vs. all those Jedi! Seeing them all ignite their lightsabers and run towards him was awesome. I have a feeling this is going to be a bloodbath.
- Aw, that’s how it’s going to end!
Come back soon for my thoughts on episodes 5 to 8.