The Acolyte was never something I was really looking forward to, it felt like another filler show that will cast more darkness over the flaying franchise than light. But alas, it hit my inbox on a day I was aimlessly searching for something to watch. So, when I checked my inbox and found this, I figured why not. Honestly the show took me by surprise. I was quickly invested in this show.
The Show
The show takes us to a time well before Anakin and his would friends. It is a time where the Jedi was at their prime and the Sith did not exist. But darkness must always follow the light and so we get to witness the darkness be born. The story revolves around Osha and Mae, twin sisters gifted with the power of the force. Raised by a coven of woman, they are soon discovered by the Jedi. And we know that our beloved Jedi for all their good intentions often meddle much. Of course one choose to be a Jedi and the other not so much. (Would there be a story if it did not play out that way? probably not) And so the ripples are quickly cast into the the pond of hopes and dreams.
The show pulls you in from the opening scene with the death of a Jedi, quickly setting the tone that the show isn’t afraid to kill of leads. The Game of Thrones move sucks you in and sets you up expecting more surprises. And boy does it deliver on that. The show moves at a healthy pace and keeps delivering as we progress. In only 4 episodes it offers much more insight into the Star Wars world. The Acolyte does rely on legacy characters for appeal or that nostalgic factor. It relies on pure story and new characters to rope you in.
Rise of the Sith
The Acolyte is a very promising series and will likely give us a new or deeper view of the rise of the Sith. While the movies gave us turning to the Dark Side and redemption story arcs, this shoe seems to want to deliver on sometime a little different. It is an origin story for the first Sith. Or at least that is how it presents itself. The only issue I had was that in the first 4 episodes the evil lurks in the shadows a bit too much. To be honest I don’t think the mystery figure even clocks in a full minute across the 4 episode arc. I am sure that some may say that only beckons to encapsulate the awe more. I disagree. I craved that shadowy monologue.
A lot of bad press foreshadowed the Acolyte, but I assure you, it is a great show. It has those fresh vide feels the Mandalorian gave me a few shows back. It has put together a lovely cast of different but complementary characters and started a fresh story arc that will only add to the lore that is Star Wars. Now comes the inevitable wait for the the remaining episodes to drop of Disney Plus.
