Seduced by the Dark Side, 'Star Wars' Abandons Its Morals

Star Wars fans are not happy with some of the franchise’s newest entries. As The Acolyte continues to push its “morally gray” narrative, Lucasfilm has completely lost the plot by casting essentially demonically influenced antagonists as its sympathetic leads.

Harrison Ford and Peter Mayhew as Han Solo and Chewbacca in Star Wars - A New Hope — Credit: Lucasfilm

George Lucas’ original space opera saga resonated so successfully with the audience because it relied on traditional sci-fi and fantasy elements, namely the ongoing struggle between the powers of good and evil. This theme was the balance of the Force each trilogy tried so hard to maintain, but recent creative decisions have skewed that balance in an ever-darkening direction.

While the galaxy is full of smugglers, crime bosses, Sith Lords, and other sinister figures, the triumph of the Light Side over the Dark Side was essential in telling the core Star Wars narrative. As characters and plots continue to pull the focus on the misunderstood villains and the misguided, overzealous heroes, the galaxy begins to crumble.

A Great Disturbance in the Force

The witches as they appeared in Star Wars The Acolyte — Credit: Lucasfilm

Kathleen Kennedy and Leslye Headland are public enemies number one in the eyes of many Star Wars fans. While both creators continue to call out “misogynistic fans” as the source of the franchise’s problems, last night’s episode of The Acolyte confirmed the narrative that they are pushing is anything but inclusive and pure.

It can be easy to join the chorus of “go-woke-go-broke” with many of the choices made with Star Wars, especially those surrounding its inclusion efforts. However, certain sequences from episode seven of The Acolyte have many dedicated fans abandoning the spaceship.

“Choice” revisited the events of episode three, “Destiny,” but changed it to the Jedi’s perspective as Master Indara (Carrie-Ann Moss), Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae), and the rest of their party uncover the coven of witches on Brendok.

A person with curly hair looks upward with their mouth slightly open, set against a dark background. They seem to be staring intently at something above them. The lighting casts shadows on their face, highlighting their expression of awe or surprise—a moment befitting The Acolyte. — Credit: Lucasfilm

During their first encounter with Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith), a disturbing sequence revealed how she bewitched and ensnared Padawan Torbin. By preying on his anxieties, frustrations, and desires, she bent him to her will in a method that could only be described as demonic.

The coven is blatantly connected to the Dark Side and the Sith, and it becomes painfully obvious that their methods and abilities are anything but pure. However, the interaction in Torbin and later Kelnacca’s minds is nothing short of absolutely evil.

The solid black eyes, swirling, shadowy mist, and invasive manipulation tactics aren’t precisely abilities usually associated with heroic figures, but that’s exactly what The Acolyte tries to present. While the Jedi are still flawed and realistic characters with different motives, the scene with Torbin under Mother Aniseya’s spell is more than a little unsettling.

This same technique was later used to more devastating effect towards the episode’s conclusion, as the coven unites to possess Master Kelnacca’s body and turn him against his companions. Yet audiences are supposed to see the witches as an innocent community disturbed by religious zealots.

Star Wars Falls Further From Grace

Two characters in elaborate, intricate costumes stand outdoors in a fantasy setting reminiscent of *Star Wars: The Acolyte*. One has braided hair, wearing a patterned shawl, while the other, adorned with a headpiece and face paint, is dressed in a cloak with a detailed design. — Credit: Lucasfilm

It’s one thing to say a creator or filmmaker made a poor artistic choice, but the team behind the acolyte has completely lost the plot. By removing the core element of good triumphing over evil, the core message of Star Wars is completely buried under forced representation and misguided reimaginings.

There’s nothing wrong with wanting a corrupted Jedi story, as the fan-favorite Darth Revan demonstrated. However, The Acolyte’s motifs continue to show characters doing aesthetically evil things and expecting the audience to sympathize with them.

Three Jedi in robes stand ready, wielding never-before-seen Disney Star Wars lightsabers emitting green, yellow, and blue light in a dimly lit setting. The background features lush foliage and a rocky wall, suggesting a forest or cave environment. The scene is intense and full of vivid colors. star wars lightsaber the acolyte whip saber — Credit: Disney

Additionally, a very ham-fisted oppression allegory at work only sinks the coven deeper into controversy. An isolated group of women who practice forbidden arts and create life by breaking the natural order of the galaxy forced to fight back against “deranged monks” isn’t exactly subtle.

The religious aspects of the Force and the Jedi Order have been a part of the Star Wars mythos for years, which makes turning against it come off as anti-religious at best or even anti-Christian at worst. Moreover, this isn’t the first time we’ve seen the show trying to make evil more appealing.

A person with wet hair and a mustache looks intently at the camera in a dimly lit setting. Their expression is serious, and their face glistens with moisture, suggesting a tense or dramatic scene. — Credit: Lucasfilm

The franchise’s newest Sith Lord played by Manny Jacinto was given quite the steamy sequence as he took off more than his mask in last week’s episode. Although the shirtless and scarred Stranger certainly got the attention of many fans, its awfully hard to find him incredibly appealing after watching him murder members of the main cast right on screen.

Star Wars’ original design was that of an epic space opera concerning a battle between good and evil, a galaxy far, far away where the heroes defeated the villains and the universe was saved from the plight of darkness. As The Acolyte clearly demonstrates, Lucasfilm has lost that core belief, which painfully shows.

Has Star Wars entirely turned towards the Dark Side? Tell Inside the Magic what you think in the comments below!