The acolyte is the latest Star Wars series to launch on Disney Plus. Unlike previous series, such as Ahsoka (after Return of the Jedi) And Andor (for A new hope), it’s set in a unique and largely unexplored era of the Star Wars galaxy (at least in live action). Created by Leslye Headland, a self-confessed huge Star Wars fan, and starring Lee Jung-jae, Amandla Stenberg and Carrie-Anne Moss. The acolyte is intended to be as newbie-friendly as possible.
That said, there are a few questions viewers may have heading into the two-part series premiere, and we have the answers!
What is the High Republic?
Launched in January 2021, The High Republic began as a sub-franchise publishing initiative of Lucasfilm, told through a variety of short stories, novels, and comic books. Named after the era of galactic history in the universe that marks a relative cultural and political high point for the Republic in general and the Jedi in particular, stories set in the High Republic era take place somewhere between 500 and 100 years before the events of the nine films that make up the cinematic Skywalker Saga. For anyone familiar with the Old Republic era, thanks to the series of wildly popular video games set in that era, the High Republic era falls right between that time and the time of the “main movies.”
The stories typically chronicle the conflict between the Jedi and the Nihil, a group of ruthless space pirates who use their arcane knowledge of hyperspace travel to launch devastating attacks on the Republic. But one of the things that sets The High Republic apart from similar era-specific publishing efforts is its broad scope. With stories told in everything from books for young readers to YA novels to traditional adult novels, from comic books to audio dramas, there are different tones and flavors to suit a wide variety of tastes. The Nihil are far from the only threat facing the galaxy, which also includes the Dregnir – a species of carnivorous, sentient plants – and cults made up of other non-Jedi Force users. The Jedi who face the threat of the Nihil during an age of prosperity form the narrative backbone of the sub-franchise, but even in the High Republic’s short existence as a storytelling initiative, the sheer volume and breadth of stories released for plenty of nooks and crannies to explore.
When does The Acolyte take place?
Image: Lucasfilm
The acolyte represents the first on-screen foray into the High Republic era. It also marks the final point yet in the High Republic era – that is, the point in time closest to the previously established events in the films. Specific, The acolyte Set approximately 100 years before the rise of the Empire, it is set at the end of the High Republic era.
That point in the timeline is very intentional. According to showrunner Leslye Headland“If Star Wars is about the underdog versus the institution, (in The acolyte) the Jedi are the institution. I was so interested in a storyline where the Jedi were at the height of their power – and I didn’t mean that The phantom menace, because there is a Sith Lord in the Senate at the time that they don’t notice. Headland also expresses a desire to explore “what went wrong” that led the Jedi Order from the heights of the High Republic to the stagnation and ignorance shown during the prequel trilogy, in which the Jedi are tricked into their own demise by a threat hiding right under their collective noses.
Institution The acolyte so at the end of the Jedi heyday is crucial to that investigation. It allows Headland and her team to get to the closest possible chronological point to the prequels, to draw the most direct line possible from the Jedi at their peak to the Jedi at their nadir.
It is therefore also worth noting that the Jedi of the High Republic are quite different in their respects from the Jedi of the prequel trilogy. Some differences are simply aesthetic; In addition to the ‘typical’ appearance of simple robes, similar to those of moisture farmers and desert hermits, the Jedi of the High Republic also wear more brilliant robes of glittering white and gold. Their lightsabers are more ornate (and sometimes more so whip-like), with distinctly physical handles, and they are carried in leather holsters rather than simply dangling from a belt. High Republic Jedi mission wear consists of leather gloves and armor.
But the differences go deeper than that. While the Jedi of the High Republic still teach about the dangers of attachment, they are less like the celibate monks of the prequel era. Deep friendships exist among the Jedi, and even, in at least one case, physical intimacy (which is still frowned upon, but no one was drummed out of the Jedi Order over it). The High Republic Jedi also appear to have a deeper understanding of the Force, with certain Jedi devoting themselves to exploring specific aspects of or abilities with the Force, such as battle meditation or the ability to strengthen the Force bonds between a group of Jedi. . This can be seen at The acolyte via Carrie-Anne Moss’s Indara, a Jedi skilled in something akin to force-assisted kung fu.
All of this underlines the difference between the High Republic Jedi and the more famous Jedi of the Skywalker Saga. Which in turn underlines the question Headland is keen to explore, namely why these differences emerged in the first place.
What about the Sith? Where are they during the High Republic?
Image: Disney Plus/Lucasfilm
That answer is a little more complicated. In The phantom menace, Jedi councilor Ki-Adi-Mundi (the cone-headed Jedi) tells Qui-Gon Jinn that the Sith have been extinct “for a millennium.” That would mean that the Sith have no way to take it into account The acolyte, as it is set only 100 years before Ki-Adi-Mundi made his declaration, well within that millennium. But of course Ki-Adi-Mundi is wrong. He is wrong even before he says the words; the audience has already seen Qui-Gon fight Darth Maul on the sands of Tatooine, and the audience already knows that Darth Maul is a Sith, even if the Jedi don’t. And of course, the whole deal of the Sith is the ‘Rule of Two’, in which a series of masters and apprentices keep the entire Sith show running, mostly from the shadows.
So the door is definitely open for the Sith to appear inside The acolyte (as they seem to do in the first two episodes), albeit in a subtle way (that would still result in Ki-Adi-Mundi making his incorrect statement and not being laughed out of the council chamber). Headland has compared the Sith in this era to that of one Velociraptor for the Jedi: “Like it’s something I’ve heard of, but it’s not something you would ever think you would interact with.” Whether they are the central antagonists, and if so, how they manage to maintain their status as extinct creatures of myth and legend, remains to be seen.
Anything else you should know?
Image: Lucasfilm
To be honest, not really. All those involved have strongly insisted on this The acolyte is not a series that requires homework. It’s designed for anyone who has only a passing familiarity with Star Wars to pick it up and enjoy it.
One thing worth mentioning is the presence of Vernestra Rwoh, the only named member of the cast so far to previously appear in the High Republic. Vernestra, a child prodigy Jedi, appeared several times throughout the publishing industry. But like The acolyte‘s setting in the High Republic timeline, her appearance in the series comes later in her own personal timeline, when she is over 100 years old. The result is that while the name will be familiar to High Republic readers, even those besides newcomers will have a lot to learn about her.
Also everyone who has seen it Return of the Jedi know that Yoda is over 900 years old when he dies, meaning he is very active during the High Republic era. However, it is not yet known whether he will appear The acolyte.