The Acolyte Season 1 - Episode 1-2 Review

Emperor Palpatine and the Skywalkers have absorbed four decades of Star Wars spotlight.

The latest addition, Star Wars The Acolyte, has fans excitedly waiting, hoping for a breakthrough in the defunct storyline.

Leslye Headland skyrocketed hopes, through the premise of a stylized trailer, glimpsing talented ‘woke’ characters, and a unique world-building. The Acolyte game-changing aspect is the exploration of a timeline, previously mentioned in passing in Star Wars.

The High Republic's glorious era set 200 years before the release of The Phanom Menace is a piquing topic. Episode 1 and 2 reveals the series following the tail end of the peaceful High Republic days. In the dark corners of the Galaxy, a powerful few learn to use force in secret. One of them, a lone assassin, risks discovery to seek revenge.

Fans are hopeful The Acolyte will do more than a discovery reveal. The discontinuation of the old Star Wars nuances promises a fresh look for the series, but the episodes have not deviated from the usual story.

This blog will analyze the first two episodes to reveal whether this shiny summer addition is a new take to the distinguished Star Wars.

Episode 1: The Sombre Beginning

Episode 1 welcomes us to the cantina bar at Ueda where the villagers and patrons are unaware of what is about to unfold.

The source of disturbance is a Jedi assassin out for blood. She is no ordinary force human. The woman in the black robe with short dreadlocks is a skilled and trained assassin, Mae. She approaches the bar, driven by revenge against a particular Jedi Master.

As she enters Cantina, Mae heads straight to the Jedi Master and greets her with the classic fight-beckoning line ‘We have unfinished business Jedi’.

Master Indara is a skilled member and pillar of the Jedi Council who tries to dissuade Mae, mistaking her for a courageous and cocky warrior. However, Mae means blood business and starts a commotion compelling Indara to give in. As predicted Indara stops Mae from hurting the bystanders as they face off in an intense duel.

Surprisingly Mae uses combat and about a gazillion of small blades to attack Indara. Indara begins with a defensive strategy relying on telekinesis.

Soon she picks up on Mae's unordinary advanced combat moves. Indara astonishingly asks Mae ‘Who trained you?’ making her, not the first Jedi Master curious about Mae's fighting tactics.

Towards the end of the duel, Mae hand-picks Master Indara’s weakness and threatens to injure an alien patron. Indara stops the attack but is caught off guard, distracted, as Mae throws another blade piercing Indara’s heart and sealing her death.

Osha Proves Herself

The Acolyte compares the twin dynamics following the story of the second sister, Osha. Osha could not be more different than her twin. She is a Jedi rogue who left the Jedi Council 6 years ago. Whether she left or was chased out is debatable, from the brief dialogue between Osha and Yord Fandar.

The series presents Osha as a ‘meknek’ on a cargo ship living an ordinary life. However, her peaceful days are torn when Yord Fandar and his padawan visit. They suspect Osha because a witness of Mae and Indara’s duel had described the twin.

Since nobody, even Osha at this point, is aware of Mae's existence. The description naturally points towards her.

Osha’s journey from here is complex and unbelievable. She may have left the Jedi Council but still respects her master's teachings. So the last thing she suspected was a murder trial on her end.

The story continues as Osha is framed and headed towards Coruscant in a prison ship piloted by droids. However, the other prisoners plan an escape leaving Osha and her pocket droid behind. Due to the massive destruction and no escape pods available, Osha crashes on planet Cralac.

Here she briefly encounters Mae’s younger version. The fire scene hints at the past trauma where Mae was supposedly killed along with her whole family. Mae confesses to Osha about killing Indara saying ‘she will kill them all’.

Sol’s Unwavering Support

The 40-minute-long Episode 1 drama is far from over. The franchise cuts to Sol, a spiritual and powerful Jedi who believes strongly in Osha. When he hears about the incident from Master Vernestra. Sol refuses to fall for the story. He is determined Osha would never harm anyone. He insists that Osha loved Sol and Indara, grateful to them for saving her from the fire that consumed Mae and her family as a child.

This truth comes out when one of the prison breakers confesses to Osha saving his life. Despite the protest from the council Yods heads to Cralac to confront Osha. He is accompanied by his pupils Jecki and Yord Fandar.

At Carlac Sol faces his former padawan Osha. Despite the difficult situation, Osha narrates Mae's incident. Sol is convinced he saw Mae die in the fire. However, he assures his former padawan that he believes her. Together they will uncover the murder mystery.

The Cliffhanger

The end of The Acolyte Episode 1 is a major cliffhanger. A hooded figure in black reveals himself to be Mae's master. The Sith Lord a.k.a the bad guy in Acolyte reminds Mae of the meaning of Acolyte. The mysterious Lord ominously speaks, ‘An Acolyte kills without a weapon. An Acolyte kills the dream/Jedi”.

Share Indara’s Wisdom At Home

Master Indara is a formidable Jedi Master known for exceptional lightsaber skills. To duplicate her abilities and the Force-fu method you need an ideal lightsaber.

Her lightsaber is a simple bronze-silver weapon constructed with durable material. Indara hangs her lightsaber clipped to her belt for convenience and quick access. Neosabers multiplies the idea by creating a lightweight advanced soundboard lightsaber, a replica of Indaras’.

Indara Pro Grade is a duel-grade customizable lightsaber offering 7 ignition modes and 9 blade modes. The sensitive motion sensors and the flash-on-clash feature give a realistic Acolyte dueling experience.

Episode 2: Mae’s Second Murder

Episode 2 tracks Mae on Olega at a local Jedi Temple. Here Mae is after her second kill. She intends to kill Master Torbin. Mae hires a local to distract the droid protecting the temple, so she can sneak inside undetected.

On the first attempt, Mae tries all kinds of tricks and kicks to harm the master. However, Master Tobin has taken a Barash Vow forming an invisible field around him, impenetrable to all harm. Mae fails in her attempt and is forced to retreat to protect her identity.

Osha and Sol Bonding

Meanwhile, Osha is surrounded by the once-familiar Jedi Council members. Master Sol delved into a deep conversation with Osha catching up on days following the departure from the Jedi Council. He even questions his masterly skills, confessing perhaps he had failed as a Jedi Master.

Osha assures Sol that it is not his fault he could not save Mae. They both should let go of the guilt and plan to move forward.

While they are on the ship, Master Venestra breaks another attempted murder news on Osha and Sol. This time the Council believes it to be Mae as Osha was with Sol all along.

Sol informs Vernestra that he plans to meet and stop Mae. Master Vernestra warns Sol and asks him to wait for the council's Orders.

Sol ever the courageous Jedi heads to Olega with Osha, Jeckie, and Yord. As they reach the Jedi Temple Osha once again sees Mae’s younger version beckoning her into a hallway where Master Torbin is found dead.

Qimir and Mae’s Planning

Mae has an alibi on Olega, a quirky former smuggler, Qimir. He is more than what he portrayed himself to be. Hopefully, The Acolyte will do a grand purpose reveal for such a fantastic character.

Defeated Mae greets personified Qimir telling him about her failed attempt. Qimir assures her that ‘everyone has a weakness’. He hands her the bursa poison in a tiny vessel and advises her to exploit Torbin’s weakness.

Mae approaches Torbin with a clever plan. She manipulates Master Turbin’s past, ultimately getting past his defenses. Torbin willingly accepts the poison saying ‘We thought we were doing the right thing’ indicating Torbin was atoning for his dark side.

Meanwhile, Sol and Osha approach Qimir. Osha disguises as Mae but Qimir quickly catches on, he leaks information about Mae’s arrival that night. The Jedi wait and attack Mae.

Mae & Sol Duel on Olega

As Qimir babbled, Mae came to the spot at nighttime. Master Sol faces Mae with eyes full of guilt. Mae feeling threatened attacks Sol engaging him in a heavy duel-combat session.

Sol like Indara uses Telekinesis to subdue Mae’s attempts. He realizes that whoever trained Mae is strong and well-versed in combat. He tries to resonate with Mae but realizes that ‘her master has gone to great lengths to hide his identity. Even she does not know.’ Sol gains the upper hand but is diverted by the sand storm blown up by Mae.

During the duel, Osha listens to the fight but does not step forward. Jackie is monitoring Sol and Mae through a ship. When Mae successfully creates a sand haze, she runs to escape. Osha catches up to her and fires a blaster at Mae, with much hesitation. Mae who also believed her twin to be dead, shares a heartfelt glance with Osha before running away.

The Cliffhanger

Episode 2 reveals great detail about Mae's plans. The information dump is a huge clue to Mar’s next moves. According to Qimir Mae plans on killing four Jedi, Indara, Torbin, Sol, and Kelnacca. She is halfway through the list but at least now the Jedi have a clue and a lead.

In the last minutes of Episode 2, Mae confronts Qimir and reminds him of his betrayal. Qimir however, tells her that he has a plan and they should move quickly to their next destination for the third Jedi murder. He tells Mae he knows a way out of Olega and will take her to Khofar.

The scene cuts to Khofar where we find the roaring Wookie, Kelnacca happily scaring the Huttese-speaking scavengers, unaware of the approaching doom.

Acolyte Cast Acting Performances

The Acolyte is a success because of the brilliant cast acting. The emotions of conflict, disbelief, and resilience played by Amandla Stenberg have kept the audience on edge. While part of the audience praises Amadlala for realistic acting, certain enthusiasts insist that Amadla could have done better. Perhaps her personality is too timid and cute to play the ferocious roles. ‘It feels like something is missing here’ is a popular thought among the viewers.

Carrie Anne Moss's portrayal of Master Indara has set high bars for Jedi Masster acting. Her somber expression, elegant moves, and emotional eyes reflect the Jedi stance perfectly.

The best part about The Acolyte is the additional quirky characters like Yord and Qunin. Playful and cocky dynamics add to the depth of the story. Not only that but they increase the engagement and connection with the characters.

Lastly, it is impossible not to mention the Squid Game star Lee Jung Jae. Sol’s character could be his next big hit. At times the actor has overdone the emotions but that worked out great in amusing the audience.

Visuals and Choreography

Star Wars' latest release, The Acolyte, has raised the dueling standards because of the meticulously crafted combat scenes. Advanced elements have been added to the fighting scenes involving hand combat and knife use. Unlike traditional lightsaber fights the concept of an Acolyte using no weapon is innovative.

Another thing about the cinematography and visuals is that the terrains, backdrops, and character costumes support the dark narrative played in the series. The visuals are designed to match the overall theme suggesting doom and the upcoming challenges.

Moreover, the backgrounds of Olega and Ueda immerse viewers in the tumultuous period of the Galactic Republic.

Storytelling and Narrative Building

The premise of the Acolyte raised the bars and expectations for the series. Due to numerous Star Wars releases the history is bound to overlap but fans hoped for untouched topics, themes, and a fresh plotline.

The first two episodes hardly offer anything cutting-edge. Overall, though, the series is doing great. However, the concept of twins, a secret Sith Lord, and Jedi turning up their noses to all the force creatures is a worn-out narrative.

The humbleness and peacemaking nature of Jedi hardly adds to the dark appeal of the series. The Acolyte, though, does feature more murders and killings in two episodes than a season of Clone Wars. The weaponless Acolytes using malicious means for killing is also interesting.

The later releases will reveal where the series stands. Disney has dumped another revised pile on top of the old releases. For a newcomer, the series is a great start. For the old fans, The Acolyte is worth the watch. The amazing cast, exceptional Acolyte concept, and the twin dynamics hint at new issues and a major cliffhanger in episode four, we must watch.

The Remaining Schedule Of The Acolyte Episodes

Keep an eye out for the next episode releases. Your enjoyment of The Acolyte has not ceased.

The Acolyte Episode 3: June 11, 2024

The Acolyte Episode 4: June 18, 2024

The Acolyte Episode 5: June 25, 2024

The Acolyte Episode 6: July 2, 2024

The Acolyte Episode 7: July 9, 2024

The Acolyte Episode 8: July 16, 2024 (Finale)