Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode Guide

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for The Acolyte season 1.

Summary

• Star Wars: The Acolyte will have eight episodes in total, released weekly on Tuesday nights on Disney+.
• The Acolyte follows a rash of Jedi killings set in the High Republic era, and the dark forces behind them all.
• Each episode of The Acolyte is packed with new information and references, Easter eggs and trivia from the history of the franchise.

The newest Star Wars show, The Acolyte, has now begun, and each episode is packed with interesting details. The Acolyte follows a weekly release schedule where episodes debut on Disney+, but its first two episodes premiered together on June 4. The Acolyte will have eight episodes in total, with the finale set to release on July 16. New episodes are available at 6 p.m. PT, 9 p.m. ET on Tuesdays in the United States, and 2 a.m. BST on Wednesdays in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

As it is set in the High Republic era, The Acolyte breaks quite a bit of new ground for the franchise. It’s the first live-action Star Wars show or movie that has so far broken away from the Skywalker saga era, and The Acolyte features a cast of new characters. With so many new elements being introduced in each episode, as well as the references to other parts of Star Wars lore, it can be hard to keep up. This guide can serve as a way to navigate each new episode, and it has everything you need to know about The Acolyte.

1 The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 1 “Lost/Found”

Written By: Leslye Headland

Lost/Found begins with a masked assassin challenging Jedi Master Indara to a fight. After a prolonged battle where it is revealed the two previously knew each other, the attacker kills Indara and makes her escape. Osha Aniseya, a former Jedi Padawn turned meknek for CorpSec, is arrested by Jedi Knight Yord Fandar, as she matches the description of Indara’s killer. Jedi Master Sol is sent to question his former student, but Osha crash lands on a snowy planet after the other prisoners on her transport attempt to escape. Sol, his Padawan Jecki Lon, and Yord find Osha, where she reveals the attacker was her twin, Mae.

Biggest Takeaways

• Mae Aniseya killed Jedi Master Indara, but the Jedi initially suspected her twin sister, Osha.
• Osha was Master Sol’s former Padawan, but she left the Jedi Order and became a meknek for CorpSec.
• Jedi Knight Yord Fandar knew Osha when they were both Padawans, and he arrested her for Indara’s murder.
• The Jedi want to keep Indara’s murder secret to avoid giving their political enemies an advantage.
• After the other prisoners’ escape attempt, Osha crash landed on Carlac and received a vision of her twin, Mae.
• Sol, along with his Padawan Jecki Lon and Yord, apprehended Osha on Carlac, and chose to believe that Mae was still alive and responsible for Indara’s murder.
• Mae’s Master wants her to kill a Jedi without using a weapon.

References & Trivia

• The Acolyte began with introductory text on screen, and while it was different from the classic opening crawl featured in the Skywalker saga, it was also the only Star Wars show to feature such an introduction.
• Indara used Force Stasis several times, a power that allowed its user to stop something in midair and was first seen in live-action when Kylo Ren used it in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
• A major part of becoming a Sith apprentice was killing a Jedi and “bleeding” their kyber crystal to turn it red. Despite this, Mae did not take Indara’s lightsaber, indicating she still had more to do before her initiation.
• Osha uses magnetomic gription boots to stick to the hull of her ship while working as a meknek. The boots first appeared in Solo: A Star Wars Story, when they were used by the range troopers during the train heist.
• Osha’s droid, Pip, is the first handheld droid depicted in Star Wars.
• The Acolyte features the first Neimoidian in live-action since Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. They represent the Trade Federation, as they did in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace.
• Yord Fandar’s Padawan, Tasi Lowa, is the first Zygerrian to appear in live-action, and the first on-screen depiction of a Zygerrian Jedi since the species was introduced to canon in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
• Yord mentions that Osha is in “CorpSec,” a reference to the Corporate Zone, a sector in the Outer Rim that was governed by the Corporate Sector Authority. The CSA was first introduced in “Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel.”
• Vernestra Rwoh has a long history with the High Republic novels, where she was introduced as a very young Knight. She now appears to be a high ranking member of the Jedi Council.
• Sol mentioned that the Jedi had to keep Indara’s murder secret because of their “political enemies.” It’s unclear who he is referring to, but the Jedi of the High Republic had one standout enemy 100 years before The Acolyte: the Nihil, a group of marauders who controlled a large part of the Outer Rim known as the Occlusion Zone.
• Mae’s words to Osha during her vision, “Always one, but born as two,” could be a reference to the Force dyad, and could indicate that the twins are part of one together.

2 The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 2 “Revenge/Justice”

Written By: Jason Micallef, Charmaine DeGrate, Leslye Headland

Mae continues her attack on the Jedi, this time travelling to Olega to kill Master Torbin. After a failed first attempt, Mae meets her ally, a smuggler named Qimir, who mixes a poison for her. Yord voices his distrust of Osha, but Sol assures him that his former Padawan is an ally in their mission. When the Jedi arrive at the temple on Olega, Mae convinces Torbin to drink her poison just before Osha can discover them. The Jedi then interrogate Qimir with Osha’s help and set a trap for Mae, but she was able to escape and continue her Jedi hunt before she could be captured.

Biggest Takeaways

• Osha and Sol both feel like they failed each other during Osha’s Jedi training.
• Qimir is a smuggler who knows Mae’s Sith Master, and he helped her on her quest to kill four Jedi Masters by creating a poison for her.
• Torbin drank Mae’s poison willingly, and claimed he thought they were doing the right thing 16 years earlier, when Sol and other Jedi rescued Osha on Brendok.
• The Jedi learned that Mae has a Master after setting a trap for Qimir and interrogating him.
• Osha is angry with Mae and wants revenge against her for starting the fire that killed the rest of their family on Brendok.
• Osha and Mae both know the other is alive, but since Osha tried to stun Mae, they likely won’t have a happy family reunion.
• Sol and the other Jedi must report back to the Jedi Council and await their decision before helping the Wookiee Jedi Master Kelnacca.
• Mae and Qimir are headed to Khofar to confront Kelnacca, one of the four Jedi Mae wants to kill.

References & Trivia

• The Acolyte episode 2 features a two-eyed variation of the TT-8L security droid. This also marks the droid’s fourth live-action appearance after being introduced in Return of the Jedi outside Jabba the Hutt’s palace and appearing in two episodes of The Mandalorian.
• The Temple on Olega was part of a Jedi Outpost, which the Order had established on various planets throughout the galaxy to help the local population and establish a Jedi presence in the area throughout the High Republic.
• Qimir’s line that “peace is a lie” is the first line of the Sith code, a dark side counterpart to the Jedi code.
• Mae mentions that Torbin took the Barash vow, which saw a Jedi dedicate themselves only to the Force as a form of atonement. It was first introduced in Darth Vader (2017) #2.
• The scavengers at the end of the episode were speaking Huttese, which was the language of Jabba the Hutt and spoken in many parts of the Outer Rim.
• Master Kelnacca is the first Wookiee Jedi to appear in live-action. He is one of only 10 Wookiee Jedi in Star Wars canon and Legends.
• Each episode’s title seems to reference the dichotomy between Osha and Mae, and the light and dark sides of the Force.

3 The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 3 “Destiny”

Written By: Jasmyne Flournoy & Eileen Shim

Sixteen years before the rest of The Acolyte, Mae and Osha’s family, a coven of witches led by Mother Aniseya, hide on Brendok. As a ritual called the Ascension draws nearer, Osha expresses hesitancy about becoming a witch. During the Ascension, four Jedi – Indara, Sol, Kelnacca, and Torbin – interrupt and demand to test Mae and Osha’s Force abilities. Mother Aniseya instructs them to fail the test on purpose, but Osha refuses to lie. Mae then starts a fire to kill Osha. As Osha escapes, Mae seemingly falls to her demise, and Sol rescues Osha. On their way out, Osha sees the dead bodies of the coven’s witches.

Biggest Takeaways

• Mae wanted her and Osha to be almost inseparable, but Osha was much more independent as a child. Throughout the episode, the connection between Osha and Mae was heavily emphasized, and it was implied that nothing could separate them for long.
• Mother Aniseya’s coven settled on Brendok to hide themselves from the galaxy, who was hostile to the idea of Force-sensitive witches.
• The coven referred to the Force as “the Great Thread” and took a unique view of it. Like the Jedi, they saw the Thread as something that connected all living things, but they also viewed it as a type of destiny, although that destiny could be changed.
• Mae completed her Ascension ceremony and was given a marking on her forehead, but the Jedi interrupted before Osha could finish hers.
• Mother Aniseya instructed Mae and Osha to fail their Jedi tests on purpose, but Osha told the truth and succeeded. Osha later revealed she wanted to become a Jedi, not a witch.
• Mother Aniseya had previously expressed that Osha’s desires were just a result of her young age, but she accepted that if Osha wanted to “pull the Thread,” she could change her own destiny, even though that meant they would never see each other again.
• Mae started a fire to kill Osha as an attempt to keep her from leaving with the Jedi.
• Sol saved Osha’s life, but they saw the notably unburnt bodies of the witches on their way out. Sol then took Osha to Coruscant to be trained as a Jedi.

References & Trivia

• The Acolyte season 1, episode 3 broke from the first two episodes’ lead and has a one-word title. Previously, the titles emphasized opposing ideas, and this episode’s title could be a reference to the fact that it depicts a time when Mae and Osha were more closely linked together.
• There were two references to food items in Star Wars. One was the spice creams, which were first introduced in a Galaxy’s Edge cookbook, and the other was the fruit Mother Aniseya levitated, which was likely a jogun, a fruit that appears in various projects, notably Star Wars Rebels.
• There are several paralells between The Acolyte‘s coven and the Nightsisters of Dathomir. Like the Nightsisters, the coven was being persecuted by the galaxy and featured exclusively female Force-wielders.
• Koril mentioned that Mother Aniseya “created” Mae and Osha, which could be a reference to how Darth Plagueis created life with the Force. It also serves as a reference to Anakin Skywalker, a notable example of a person who was born without a father.
• “The Great Thread” is not the first alternative name for the Force. For example, the Lasat called it “Ahsla,” the Fallanassi called the light side the “White Current” and the dark side the “Dark Tide.” Other groups had several other names for the same concept.
• The moons of Brendok, which eclipsed during the Ascension, resemble The Acolyte‘s logo, and could be a reference to Mae and Osha’s representation of the light and dark sides of the Force.
• The show will likely revisit the Jedi’s visit to Brendok, as there are still several unanswered questions after The Acolyte episode 3.

4 The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 4 “Day”

Written By: Claire Kiechel & Kor Adana

Osha tells Jecki that she can’t face Mae again while Sol reports what he knows of Mae and her Master to the Jedi. Mae and Qimir land on Khofar and begin searching for Kelnacca. Sol convinces Osha to join him on his mission to save Kelnacca’s life, along with Yord, Jecki, and several other Jedi. With the help of Bazil, the Jedi begin tracking Kelnacca, but Osha awakens a creature that attacks them in the jungle. Mae traps Qimir and tells him that her allegiance is to Osha, not her Master, and that she plans to surrender herself to Kelnacca. When she arrives at his hiding place, Kelnacca has already been killed. A helmeted Sith Lord then descends from the shadows and attacks Osha and the Jedi.

Biggest Takeaways

• A group of Jedi Masters believed Mae was trained by a Jedi, not a Sith.
• Vernestra Rwoh convinced the other Jedi to keep the information about Mae and her Master secret from the Jedi High Council, so they wouldn’t have to report it to the Galactic Senate. Vernestra also seemed more nervous about Mae’s Master than the rest of the Jedi.
• Qimir and Mae discussed whether it is even possible to kill a Jedi without a weapon. Qimir said that he “owes” their Master.
• Sol convinced Osha to come with him and a group of Jedi to Khofar to confront Mae and protect Kelnacca. Sol believed that there was still good in Mae, and that Osha could help her realize it.
• With the help of a tracker named Bazil, the Jedi began searching the forest for Kelnacca. Yord told Osha that he believed Sol brought her on the search so Osha could confront her past.
• After being attacked by an Umbramoth, Osha told Jecki that she sensed it, and was troubled by its death. Jecki told her that what she survived was more important than what she lost.
• Mae began to openly question her Master to Qimir, who tried to steer her back to their plan. Later, Mae trapped Qimir in a snare and explained that she would surrender herself to Kelnacca. Mae said Osha’s survival changed everything, and she no longer believed in her revenge mission.
• Sol told Osha they would both face their past, and that he would tell her “everything” after they captured Mae.
• When Mae reached Kelnacca, he had already been killed. Kelnacca had a still-smoldering lightsaber wound in his chest.
• The Sith Lord appeared to Osha and the Jedi. The episode ended with the Sith Lord using a Force blast as their battle began.

References & Trivia

• Kelnacca’s hiding place featured several symbols on the wall. They included the Yin and Yang symbol from Chinese philosophy, as well as some of the spiral patterns seen on Mae’s head and during the Ascension ceremony with the Witches of Brendok.
• Jecki Lon was training with a Bokken, the wooden stick used as a substitute for lightsabers. It was last seen in live-action in Ahsoka.
• Ki-Adi-Mundi, a Cerean Jedi who was on the High Council during the prequel trilogy, made a cameo appearance. He was one of the Masters Vernestra and Sol spoke to about Mae.
• The Jedi reference a “splinter order” that has not appeared in Star Wars canon before. Splinter orders could be a way to explain why the Jedi thought the Sith were extinct during The Phantom Menace.
• Sol’s line about Mae, that there was “still good in her,” seems to be a reference to the original trilogy. Luke Skywalker famously told his father, Darth Vader, “I know there is good in you.”
• Bazil is a Tynnan, a species that first appeared in the Legends novel “Han Solo at Star’s End.” He was designed by Neal Scanlan and his team, who worked on the special effects department of several Star Wars movies and created characters like BB-8 and Babu Frik.
• A Kel Dor Jedi Master was among the party who went searching for Kelnacca. The most famous Kel Dor in Star Wars was Plo Koon. This character is named Ithia Paan, and they are only the second live-action Kel Dor character in the franchise.
• The Acolyte episode 4 introduced a new species, the Umbramoth, to canon. They were attracted to light and rested on the trunks of Khofar’s trees.
• The Sith Lord used levitation to drop in on the Jedi unnoticed, which was a Force power commonly associated with the dark side.

5 The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 5 “Night”

Written By: Kor Adana & Cameron Squires

As Osha regains consciousness, the Sith Lord is easily killing the Jedi by shutting off their lightsabers with his helmet and gauntlet. Sol orders Osha back to the ship, and Yord escorts her back. Meanwhile, Jecki tries to arrest Mae, and after a brief fight, Jecki puts handcuffs on her. Sol and the Sith Lord duel each other until the Sith escapes and goes after Mae. Osha convinces Yord to go back. The Sith Lord cuts Mae’s handcuffs off accidentally while Jecki and Sol team up against him.

Jecki removes his helmet, but the Sith Lord kills her. With his mask removed, the Sith Lord of The Acolyte is revealed to be Qimir. Yord attacks, but Qimir breaks his neck. Osha stuns a fleeing Mae and attracts the Umbramoths to Qimir. Mae then stuns Sol, and the twins have a discussion about their past. Mae knocks Osha out, cuts her own hair, and poses as her twin to gain Sol’s trust. Qimir finds Osha’s unconscious body and puts his cloak over her.

Biggest Takeaways

• The Sith Lord’s helmet and gauntlet could temporarily shut down lightsabers, which gave him a huge advantage in The Acolyte episode 5.
• The Sith Lord knew Mae was going to betray him, and tried to eliminate her for her disloyalty.
• Sol seemingly has a connection to the Sith Lord, likely through Brendok. Sol said he sensed something familiar, and the Sith Lord made multiple references and taunts about Sol’s darkness and his past.
• Qimir is the mysterious Sith Lord of The Acolyte. His identity was revealed after Jecki Lon removed his helmet.
• Qimir killed Jecki Lon using a new trick lightsaber that hid a smaller blade within the handle of his full lightsaber.
• The Sith Lord killed seven of the eight Jedi sent to Khofar. Only Sol, Mae, and Osha survived his attack.
• Mae is convinced Osha was brainwashed by the Jedi, and she still wants them to be family. Osha tried to arrest Mae, but Mae pushed her back with the Force and knocked her unconscious.
• Mae cut her hair to match Osha, and is now pretending to be her while accompanying Sol.
• Qimir seems to have some type of plan for Osha, as he called her an “extraordinary being,” healed her wound with the Force, and covered her with his cloak.

References & Trivia

• Qimir’s helmet and gauntlet were both made out of cortosis, a metal that comes from Star Wars Legends. Cortosis can temporarily shut a lightsaber down, making it useful to the Sith.
• The Acolyte also seemingly confirmed that cortosis can block a Jedi’s ability to read the wearer’s thoughts. Qimir refused to remove his helmet, as doing so would have let Sol see inside his head.
• Yord mentioned that Qimir got inside his head, which seems to be a Sith tactic to throw Jedi off their game in a lightsaber battle. It’s possible Darth Sidious used the same tactic.
• Qimir wields a new type of lightsaber, one that contains a smaller blade hidden within the hilt of the main weapon. This type of dual-wielding lightsaber is similar to Cal Kestis’ lightsaber in the Star Wars Jedi games, but has a few differences as well.
• Qimir’s lightsaber likely used two kyber crystals, which is common among the Sith. Darth Vader and Darth Maul both had two crystals in their lightsabers.
• Kylo Ren’s theme from the Star Wars sequel trilogy plays at several points during The Acolyte episode 5. This could be a hint that Qimir is a member of the Knights of Ren, Kylo Ren’s group, not the Sith.
• Mae echoed Anakin Skywalker’s words to Padmé Amidala in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith when she told Osha that “they’ve turned you against me.”
• Qimir used Force healing on Osha, the first time the ability has been seen in live-action since Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker.

6 The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 6

More information will be added about The Acolyte season 1, episode 6 when the episode is released on July 2.

7 The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 7

More information will be added about The Acolyte season 1, episode 6 when the episode is released on July 9.

8 The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 8

More information will be added about The Acolyte season 1, episode 8 when the episode is released on July 16.