By Aliza Flug, Layout Editor, Social Media Manager, and Staff Writer
With Disney Plus’s new release of The Acolyte hitting screens, many Star Wars fans are left disappointed. Unlike other Star Wars shows that have come out in recent years, such as The Mandalorian or Andor, this show curiously received more hate from advent fans of the series. To ensure good reviews from Star Wars fans, producers of The Acolyte included staples such as beautiful scenery, captivating music, strange creatures, and epic lightsaber battles. However, these integral elements were not enough to please dedicated Star Wars viewers, who were left displeased by this newest release.
Despite scoring 81% on Rotten Tomatoes, The Acolyte has a low average of 1.6 stars on Google. Negative reviews emphasize the poor writing, the lackluster plot, and wrongful use of “the Force” in the show. However, despite the abundance of negative reviews on The Acolyte, there were multiple positive aspects of the show that got overlooked by all this hate.
The main aspect of the show that was disregarded by reviews was its plot. Although show protagonist Osha (Amandla Stenberg) trained as a Jedi from age nine, she eventually decided to leave “the Order,” a group of Jedi protectors who have the ability to use the power of the Force, before completing her training. As viewers learn more about Osha’s character, they begin to wonder what led her away from “the Jedi,” especially considering that multiple flashbacks reveal how passionately she once said she wanted to be a Jedi.
When Qimir (Manny Jacinto), the antagonist of the show, questions Osha about leaving “the Jedi Order,” she ambiguously states it is because she failed, without elaborating further on exactly what this means. Although there are many factors that could have led her away from “the Jedi,” the fact that she began Jedi training later than usual, at around eight years old, could have influenced her decision. Anakin Skywalker, a youngling from the planet Tatooine who trained to be a Jedi but ultimately turned to “the dark side,” changing his name to Darth Vader (Jake Matthew Lloyd) was also thought by Yoda (Frank Oz) to be too old to begin Jedi training at the age of nine. Just as Yoda was right to doubt Anakin’s ability to join “the Order” due to his age (ultimately, he turned to the dark side), perhaps Master Sol, Osha’s teacher (Lee Jung-jae), was also right to doubt Osha’s eligibility for the same reason.
Despite its emphasis on this aspect of her life, the show doesn’t elaborate on Osha’s Jedi training further or what led her to believe she failed it, leading viewers to fill in the gaps on their own. Osha, however, has a very strong connection to “the Force,” and other than her insecurities, there is no indication that she’s a bad Jedi or failed her training.
Despite the fact that she left Jedi training, Osha’s connection to “the Force” is clearly special. Her strong connection to “the Force” and to her twin is extremely similar to that of the character Princess Leia from the original Star Wars movies. For example, when Mae, Osha’s twin sister (also played by Amandla Stenberg), battles Qimir, Osha senses Mae through “the Force” and finds out that she needs help. She actually hears Mae’s voice, depicted as Mae as a young child whispering her name. This is reminiscent of the scene from The Empire Strikes Back when Leia senses Luke hanging off the bottom of a ship in desperate need of rescuing after a fight with Darth Vader. Just as Leia senses Luke through “the Force” and insists that her companions take her back to save him, Mae tells Yord, a Jedi Knight, “We have to go back,” which is almost identical to when Leia tells Chewbacca and Lando, “We’ve got to go back.” After rescuing Luke, he has a sweet reunification with Leia, and they realize that they are twins.
Additionally, the strong connection between Osha and her twin Mae was inspiring. Throughout the show, they repeat a poem to each other: “You’re with me, I’m with you, always one, but born as two. As above sits the stars and below lies the sea, I give you and you give me.” After getting a glimpse into their childhood through flashbacks, it is evident that they have recited this phrase to each other ever since they were young children. Despite their differences and the physical distance that separated them for years, their deep connection is evidently timeless from the minute they reconnect. Towards the end of the show, the girls exchanged apologies and Osha burst out in tears on her sister’s shoulder. Later, they hug again while tearfully reciting the poem together. Watching this scene was extremely emotional because it truly portrayed how far they have come as sisters, highlighting both the struggles and positive aspects that come with any familial relationship.
Much like how the other films and series include the wise words spoken by Master Yoda, this show also featured some powerful quotes. For example, Jedi Master Sol stated, “Our memories are lessons. If we don’t meditate on the past, we’re doomed to repeat it.” This quote exemplifies a central theme throughout Star Wars: learning from our mistakes and doing (not just trying) our best.
Additionally, Qimir also said, “What extraordinary beings we are. Even in the revelation of our triumph, we see the depth of our despair.” This quote is incredibly powerful, and one that I personally relate to. It evokes the feeling of how even when we are successful, there is always a voice in our heads reminding us of our failures, telling us that we are going to fail. Our minds are capable of bringing us to our lowest points, even when we are at our highest. It is important to recognize this voice so that we can learn from our failures and overcome them.
Overall, although it may not be as good as the other Star Wars shows released in recent years and definitely cannot compare to the movies, this show is still very enjoyable to watch. There was a certain nostalgia about it that brought me back to the original movies, especially when it came to watching the interactions of the twins. Hearing the phrase, “May the force be with you” for the first time in the show was extremely exciting. The combination of these nostalgic feelings with the beautiful music really immersed me in the Star Wars universe once again. I can guarantee that The Acolyte will transport you back to that galaxy far, far away.