This episode of The Acolyte deserves credit for effectively serving as a bridge between plot developments and successfully injecting excitement and character development into the storyline.
So far, so good. There have been no weak interlude episodes for The Acolyte. One of the few drawbacks of being a Star Wars fan is dealing with fanboys and fangirls who frequently voice unfair and hostile criticism of Star Wars projects. They often give the impression that no Star Wars content is better than any content.
Disney+’s original live-action series has faced harsh criticism (except maybe Andor). The Acolyte is no different. Even YouTube content creators cite it as an example of an inadequate Star Wars series! I cannot see why this is the case.
THE DAY
Episode 4, “The Day,” was strong in all the areas that Star Wars typically excels in. We aren’t seeing a slight bottleneck slow-down in this “filler” episode, like in excellent shows like The Mandalorian. The objective of this episode is straightforward. Find Kelnacca, the Wookiee Jedi, on a jungle planet before Mae finds him and kills him.
My favorite character in this series is Jedi Master Sol. With his regal look and sharp Asian accent, he is the picture of what the idealized (at least for a human) Jedi would look like. Sol is compassionate and feels guilty for Mae’s fall to the dark side; he swears he did not know she survived her fall. He wants to bring her in alive and notes that her eyes “softened” when she realized her twin was still alive as well.
He, therefore, asks Osha to accompany him on this dangerous journey and convinces her that she must face her past and protect what is left of her family. Osha is reluctant at first, but Sol’s pleas breakthrough. This could be the difference between Mae living or dying.
RISE OF THE DARK SIDE
What I found fascinating about this episode was that when the Jedi discussed who Mae’s master could be, the first guess was that of some splinter Jedi group. The possibility that it could be a Sith is not even remotely on the table. This reinforces the Jedi’s blatant skepticism when the maverick Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn will suggest it a century later.
Vernestra Rwoh is present during this meeting, and her personality is far from that of her gentler teenage self in The High Republic books. Time has hardened Vernestra, and she is not the optimistic loner she once was. She sharply criticizes Sol for not telling her that all of Mae’s targets were the Jedi stationed on her homeworld. While this seems like a significant oversight on Sol’s part, I am not thrilled with how crass and harsh she has become. She may have lost her way over the century, and I hope she doesn’t make a wrong decision later in the series.
Her desire to not involve the Jedi High Council already does not bode well for me for the future, I feel that she is making asignificantr mistake in keeping the wraps on this. Of course, she doesn’t know how serious of a threat Mae’s master is, but a good Jedi always errs on the side of caution. Oh wait, didn’t they only send two Jedi to confront the potential Sith on Naboo 100 years later? Never mind!
MAE’S JOURNEY
What also caught me off-guard (in a good way) is Mae’s change of heart towards the end of the episode. I didn’t expect that at ALL (at least this early), and it’s exciting to be thrown a wild card regarding plot structure. However, this also feeds into my disappointment with the episode. I feel that we may now know the identity of the Sith Lord…. Or not. Let’s hope we are surprised.
Lastly, I wanted to touch on the character of Yord. I wouldn’t say I like Yord at all. I find him pompous and obnoxious with a holier-than-thou mentality, masking a sense of arrogance and superiority in his status as a Jedi. Even though she has been acquitted, he still treats Osha like a criminal, and he thinks he knows better than everyone around him. Let’s hope he doesn’t inadvertently play a role in his fellow Jedi’s demise.
VERDICT
I give this episode kudos for being a transitionary plot and still providing excitement and character-building. I want to see Osha and Jecki’s friendship grow, and I want to see Sol come to terms with his mistake on Brendok nearly two decades prior.
The first three episodes of The Acolyte are 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 Jedi in the meeting room is a Cerean, with the trademark big brain head like the glorious Ki-Adi-Mundi!
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The being that the Jedi employ to track Kelnaca on his jungle retreat planet is a short-statured otter-like Tynnan named Bazil. Bazil doesn’t speak Basic, and he can track down a target person like a bloodhound here on Earth (maybe even better) by sniffing an article of clothing that the target once wore. Bazil is a little strange, to be sure, but Osha is polite and non-judgmental with him, and it makes me think how much more open-minded and diversity-accepting humans in the galaxy are. Perhaps Mae would date him in another life! His language is also something Yord boasts about being able to understand. Jerk!
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Osha’s droid Pip has an odd feature as the essential “Swiss Army knife droid.” He can quirt a stream of water at beings who annoy or disturb him. This is so cute, as Pip squirts at Basil during the mission briefing. He is essentially a sentient super-soaker!
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Jecki’s translation of an alien language when they land on the jungle planet is done with a clunky and awkward device. It’s so much easier on Earth, where you can do it with an app
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The Umbra moths in that jungle world that Kelnacca lives in are completely DISGUSTING. Wrapped around the trees, they look like giant pillbugs before they spread their wings. When doing so, they then display terrifying heads with multiple eyes, like a spider. They are also aggressive and will attack if provoked, but thankfully, one lightsaber strike can make short work of them
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Osha confides in Jecki (her new bestie) that she was able to feel the Umbra moth in the Force after not feeling things for the longest time. Hmmm. This is very interesting and makes me speculate whether she purposely cut herself off from the Force as a distraught and disillusioned Luke Skywalker will do almost two centuries later.
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!
