In episode 5 of The Acolyte, things get fast and furious on a level that post-Disney Star Wars has rarely hit. While the series itself has sometimes been undermined by jumpy editing, some underbaked plot points, and a few snippets of iffy dialogues, it's been fascinating to follow every week so far. The genuinely refreshing story alongside the well-defined characters that are trying to unravel the central mystery has been exciting to watch.
Episode 5 'Night' is the payoff to last week's largely calm episode 'Day' that we were hoping for and then some. There's relentless action, more grim moments than anyone was expecting, and the plot squirming and twisting on itself once again.
You can really tell that Leslye Headland (series creator and showrunner) and her team have closely examined the Star Wars prequels' most fast-paced and brutal lightsaber fights to better craft the show's key action sequences. Qimir actor Manny Jacinto teased this last year, and he definitely wasn't exaggerating!
All the Jedi versus Sith action and shocking scenes don't negate the fact The Acolyte continues to be shoddily cut and might not fully come together in the end. Toxic online discourse aside, the series' highs and the fact we're finally outside the Skywalker Saga of the Star Wars timeline aren't enough to convince us (for now) that this wouldn't have been better as one installment of the new batch of Star Wars movies. We do have to applaud the work done on this episode by director Alex Garcia Lopez and the other creatives regardless; this one will stand tall against the best live-action Star Wars shows so far.
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Spoilers ahead for The Acolyte episode 5: "Night"
Which Jedi die during the fight against the mysterious Sith?
Last week, we theorized that some Jedi wouldn't be leaving Khofar alive. Well, the only member of the Order leaving the planet is Master Sol. The entire Khofar mission marks a crushing defeat despite the information gathered. It remains to be seen whether the Jedi Master will make it to Coruscant and tell his comrades about the dark menace that has wiped out an entire squad of well-trained Jedi. Chances are things will get far more complicated in the second half of the season, so we're not counting on it.
The episode is off to a rough start (for the Jedi) from the very first scene, with Osha waking up and seeing the "red-shirt" Jedi getting completely destroyed. The masked villain disposes of the Jedi with ease, in the same way that Palpatine got rid of Mace Windu's pals in Revenge of the Sith. This bad guy, however, has a bit more style when it comes to lightsaber-wielding and murdering others with the help of the Force. Sorry, Palps.
Jumpy editing aside (it really kills the momentum far too often), almost the entirety of 'Night' feels like one long action sequence that involves pretty much everyone that set foot on Khofar to go look for Kelnacca. Bazil, our new favorite Star Wars little guy, is safe though, probably because he's just a tracker and not a Jedi. This means that all the named Jedi (and not just the baddie) get to shine, with Jecki Lon's one-on-one duel with the evildoer being a highlight, especially when she uses two sabers against him.
The use of cortosis – a long-forgotten Expanded Universe metal that could short-out lightsabers – for the villain's helmet and gauntlets is a welcome addition too, giving the duels another layer of unpredictability. Jecki momentarily takes care of the helmet, but is then swiftly killed by him, and Yord Fandar soon meets the same fate. It's a massive double blow to the main cast of the show.
Bleeding Jedi with each new episode, it's become abundantly clear that no one is safe, and that will work in The Acolyte's favor as it walks towards its season finale.
What does the villain's identity mean for The Acolyte series?
We were also right about Qimir being the spooky mystery villain, though anyone who'd been paying attention to the opposite-of-subtle characterization crumbs the script was leaving for viewers could've told you that.
Giving Manny Jacinto the villainous role at the center of the story is a fantastic choice, especially when he was introduced as a messy and quirky scoundrel type. We're also fine with the show basically spelling out he was Mae's master in disguise, as the series has been clearly building towards a bigger discussion. So, rather than just "Who wants this done?," it is instead questioning the Jedi Order's righteousness in a way that George Lucas' prequels didn't have time to properly explore and where Dave Filoni only scratched the surface with his animated shows.
Qimir's big "yep, it's me" moment also raises a new question and doesn't answer the one that's been gnawing at our minds: the latter being is he a Sith Lord or just an apprentice? If Qimir is a Sith apprentice, will he enact Darth Bane's 'Rule of Two' in the same way Darth Maul, Tyranus, and Vader all did, plotting against their master to become masters themselves?
As for the other unclear matter, Qimir states that he's what the Jedi would describe as a Sith just because he chooses to use the Force outside their religious ideals. This only reinforces the idea that he might not be a proper Sith at all, especially if he rejects the restrictions imposed by a large Order. In fact, he even refuses to reveal his true name/title. This whole thing could go both ways. Regardless, it's interesting to think about the semantics of what a Sith is according to the Jedi versus the actual Sith Order we've seen before.
Mae and Osha are swapping places, but will that stick?
The downside to the episode being so focused on the Jedi and their clash with Qimir is that Mae and Osha don't get nearly as much attention. Well, at least not until the very end, when they properly (and finally) face each other and admit they've missed being together. But, with three episodes still to go, neither Mae nor Osha are willing to let go of their pain or misplaced beliefs.
It's really intriguing to see Mae being the one who actually tries to de-escalate the tense situation, despite her hatred of the Jedi because of what went down on Brendok (which hasn't been revealed to us in full yet).
Osha, meanwhile, is still hellbent on bringing her to Coruscant, but her attempt to capture her backfires, and Mae uses that opportunity to impersonate her sister and join Sol. With her dark master dumping her, does she still want to murder the Jedi Master or is she looking for an alternative path? In spite of all its shortcomings, The Acolyte excels at keeping us guessing week after week.
As for Osha, she'll wake up under Qimir's protection, or so it seems. After her twin's disappointing performance, maybe he wants to salvage the situation and make a better apprentice out of the former Jedi. If The Acolyte is indeed getting a second season, this may be part of a larger character arc for the Aniseya sisters, a dyad (a special Force-bond) of sorts that dances around the Light and Dark.
With three episodes to go, we're still wondering about the full story of what went down on Brendok, Sol's dark secret, and whether there's a bigger, badder individual that Qimir answers to.
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