Max Nocerino 
The first two episodes of The Acolyte perfectly balanced the action with the intrigue; all I want is MORE.
I couldn’t look away. It was too fantastic. Star Wars: The Acolyte has finally arrived, and I could not be more intrigued if I tried. The show is a feast for the eyes and ears, with that classic old-world environment but a high-tech feel, tons of action-endearing Jedi characters, and a plot that rivals The Mandalorian.
JEDI MASTER INDARA
The show begins similarly to how The Mandalorian started in media res. An attractive young woman walks into a quaint town on a mission. She is looking for a Jedi. She is looking to kill. Entering a bar, she casually approaches Jedi Master Indara and challenges her to fight. The group of aliens around Indara laughs, but Indara remains stone-faced. She is a prime and proper woman, almost with the air of a Star Wars version of Professor McGonagall. Her skills surpass this mysterious assailant, but trickery is often the best weapon. She walks away, alive and seemingly wanting more.
We then are tricked into thinking she was dreaming or had a memory loss as the young woman wakes up on a ship. By the look of her clothes, she looks like a mechanic. The sweet and caring way she interacts with her utility droid makes it seem odd that she has just murdered a person in cold blood. We learn her name is Osha, and she is a meknek on a Trade Federation starship.
She does one of the most dangerous jobs in the galaxy. She makes repairs to starships on the outside (spacesuit and all) and has no idea that she just murdered a Jedi. The Jedi arrest her, and she is scheduled to be transported to Coruscant to face her punishment. She vehemently denies killing a Jedi. She was once a Jedi herself but left six years prior—the mystery ferments.
THE HIGH REPUBLIC ERA
This show takes place at the tail end of the High Republic era. It is a time when the Nihil is gone, and the galaxy is at peace. We see Vernestra Rowh, now an older woman, with a shaved head and lines on her face, showing that it has been quite a long time since she was the Jedi-Knight-prodigy-teenager. Life has hardened Vernestra, and much like Yoda, she has seen Jedi children grow into adults right before her eyes. One such former child is the Jedi Master Sol.
Sol is portrayed by Lee Jung-jae, who has a strong accent. He is a devoted Jedi but struggles with attachment as he was once Osha’s master. He is put on the team to deal with this mysterious assailant, and when Osha is caught up in a prison ship escape, he takes two goody-too-shoes Jedi with him to discover what is going on.
MAE
This mysterious assailant is indeed NOT Osha. It is her twin sister, Mae, who was thought to have perished in a village fire that Osha was supposedly the only survivor of. I am digging this whole evil twin thing going on (cliche as it may be), as it is almost an inverted homage to the Skywalker twins that the Star Wars franchise is built on.
I love the characters. The same actress plays Mae and Osha, but the nuances she puts on when switching roles are masterful. Osha is a genuine good egg (albeit sarcastic at times), while Mae is an angry woman with hate in her heart. Primarily, as she seeks revenge on the Jedi for leaving her to die, she is also a formidable combatant, using old-fashioned metal knives and poison to get the job done.
JEDI MASTER SOL
I also love Master Sol. His mentality towards the Force is very disciplined, yet he cares about Osha and her sister and wants to right the wrong done to her. The two Jedi who accompany him have poles up their butts, and Padawan Jecki Lon keeps asking for permission to speak freely. Sol laughs and informs her that she doesn’t need to keep asking. The character foil between chill and laid-back professors and uptight straight-A students is the vibe, and I love it.
VERDICT
The first two episodes balanced the action with the intrigue in the perfect way, and all I want is MORE. I want to know who Mae is working for. I’m bummed that they completely confirmed he is a Sith, but perhaps this Sith is less subtle than his ancestors. Oh well. The show is only a few episodes long, so it may be best to get the ball rolling. Honestly, the “full-frontal Sith” is the only complaint I have so far with this series. The world-building character interactions and action scenes weave an incredible web I want to be immersed in and learn more about. Now, this is Podracing. A+
The Acolyte two-episode launch event is streaming on Disney Plus now.
Our team will cover this series comprehensively, providing traditional review coverage and prominent character posters, bios, and teasers. To stay updated and never miss a story or review, please subscribe to our mailing list on our homepage.
FORCE FACTS
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One of the means to restrain violent prisoners on a Republic prison ship is this Alien-esque facehugger creature that latches onto a being’s mouth and looks like a starfish. It also affects the victim’s brain and is quite a graphically disturbing equivalent to good old-fashioned handcuffs, but I LOVE getting weird in my Star Wars.
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The law says that only R2 units can repair ships from the outside while in space. Osha is a meknek and is essentially breaking the law every time she does her odd job.
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The droids that pilot the prison ship TURN INTO SEATS! I thought I had seen it all. This is a brilliant design feature as it frees up space on the ship. The warden, however, is a clunky droid that reminds me of that loadlifter droid from the Kenobi series.
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There is a Jedi who has not spoken or moved from his levitating meditation in over 10 years. He also uses the Force to give us the first onscreen live-action depiction of the Force Barrier power.
Max Nocerino is a regular Staff Writer for The Future of the Force. He is a passionate Star Wars fan and loves the literature of the galaxy far, far away. Follow him on Twitter where he shares his love of the Force frequently!
