Master Yoda Accomplice in 'Acolyte' Controversy

After concluding its eight-episode event, The Acolyte finale brought the saga of Osha and Mae (Amandla Stenberg) to a close, but not without tarnishing the heroic image of the Jedi Order. However, one brief cameo before the credits rolled might turn the galaxy’s most honored warrior into an accomplice to a century of deeds done in darkness.

A person dressed in Jedi robes holds a glowing green lightsaber in a defensive stance. The scene appears intense with the individual focusing on something out of the frame. The background is blurred, giving emphasis to the subject and lightsaber. — Credit: Lucasfilm

The first (and possibly only) season ends as Mae sacrifices her memory to free Osha, who ultimately succumbs to the dark side and kills Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae). The episode concludes with a cliffhanger involving Master Vanestra (Rebecca Henderson) kneeling before Master Yoda, setting up potential future storylines involving surviving characters and hinting at a larger connection to the Star Wars saga.

From an optics standpoint, the appearance of Master Yoda simply meant to book-end the connections between The Acolyte and the core Star Wars franchise. However, depending on what Master Vanestra tells him, he might be an accomplice to the galaxy’s greatest cover-up scheme.

WARNING: Spoilers for The Acolyte ahead!

Is Yoda the Villain Now?

Yoda on Dagobah in 'The Empire Strikes Back' — Credit: Lucasfilm

As Master Sol ultimately takes the blame for the actions of Mae and her mysterious master (Manny Jacinto), the Jedi Order, aware of the growing darkness, attempts a cover-up to protect their image, suggesting a deeper conspiracy within their ranks and foreshadowing the rise of the Sith.

If it had ended there, the series might have gotten off with just a fandom’s worth of eye rolls, but the Yoda cameo at the end opens up a can of worms that could unravel the entirety of the galaxy’s plot line.

At 900 years old at the time of his death, Master Yoda is likely the oldest surviving member of the Jedi order. While it is currently unknown what Master Vanestra tells him, the way the conversation is framed suggests she is about to either confess her sins or somehow involve Yoda in the deception.

Ki-Adi-Mundi in The Acolyte — Credit: Lucasfilm

Yoda’s involvement semi-echoes the drama Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi caused just a few weeks prior, claiming that Sith hadn’t been seen in hundreds of years during The Phantom Menace (1999). However, it might be worse if the suggestion posed by Leslye Headland’s High Republic Era storyline is confirmed.

If Ki-Adi-Mundi still denies the Sith’s presence a century later, he is lying to continue the charade, or Master Yoda has some role to play to make him believe the lie. However, it’s all perfectly plausible that this is simply a plot hole created by an under-informed and unprepared production team.

The Acolyte Lost the Plot

A woman wearing a denim jacket is in the foreground, speaking. In the background, a group of stormtroopers from Star Wars is seen aiming their weapons. The scene juxtaposes a real person with fictional characters from The Acolyte in the Star Wars franchise. — Credit: Inside the Magic

While it’s unknown what was said to Master Yoda regarding the events of The Acolyte, it’s highly unlikely we will ever know. As Disney and Lucasfilm deal with the backlash after the series, the possibility of a second season continues to shrink.

As harsh as it sounds, this is what happens when a production team ignores its consumers in favor of projecting some alternative narrative or personal agenda. If Yoda is involved at all, wouldn’t he, in all his wisdom, feel some disturbance in the Force if something nefarious was happening at the temple?

In this writer’s opinion, Yoda shouldn’t have been involved. Not only does it paint the beloved Jedi Master in a poor light, but it also makes the Jedi just as responsible for the imbalance in the Force that spiraled into the whole Skywalker saga.

With that in mind, it’s evident why so many fans have review-bombed the series into oblivion. The Acolyte is what happens when passion and understanding for a project go down the drain, and it will take more than Jedi mind tricks to make us forget this blunder.

Do you think the Yoda cameo was necessary? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!