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Credit: LucasfilmAs showrunner Leslye Headland reshapes the Star Wars galaxy in The Acolyte, the fan reception for the show has absolutely tanked. Although many dedicated viewers can put up with clunky dialogue and a few uncomfortable scenes, they can’t abide by its most grievous sin.
With the push for more morally gray characters in shows like The Acolyte, creators like Kathleen Kennedy and Leslye Headland have squashed one of the core tenants of the universe they direct. They’ve removed the battle between good and evil that has long been the center of the entire franchise.
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Star Wars has been many things: a space opera, a sci-fi western, a tribute to Akira Kurosawa’s samurai epics, and a very spiritual franchise. This allegory for faith and spirituality helps separate the franchise from others in the science-fiction genre, and Lucasfilm’s latest contribution just tore it to shreds.
The Acolyte Kills the Spirituality of Star Wars
Even during the reign of George Lucas, the spirituality of the galaxy and the Force representing the presence of God or a deity was plain as day. Christian scholar Josh Larsen gives a full examination of the theology of Star Wars, but this statement from the introduction summarizes the presence of its spiritual background.
“One of the reasons Star Wars has persisted in the cultural imagination, far beyond the daydreams of a little boy in the early 1980s, is because these movies do indeed speak biblical truths in their own imaginative ways…”
While dozens of essays, arguments, and even entire books have been written on the theology and/or mythology of the Star Wars franchise, George Lucas himself has even gone on the record affirming the inherently spiritual nature of the Force.
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Per CNN, Lucas shared,
“I see ‘Star Wars’ as taking all the issues that religion represents and trying to distill them down into a more modern and accessible construct… I wanted to make it so that young people would begin to ask questions about the mystery.”
The Force is much more than an unseen element or entity connecting all living organisms. It is what keeps the universe spinning, and any form of disturbance or alteration has lasting consequences.
A Loose Canon
One of the primary reasons so many viewers have issues with what The Acolyte does in its portrayal of the duality is that it misguides the values set by the established canon. Although the Jedi are flawed characters, the way the writing insists that the witches on Brendok and the murderous Qimir (Manny Jacinto) are in the right after committing their obviously evil acts goes completely against the central values and narrative originally set by Lucas.
Related: Disney Confirms ‘The Acolyte’ Replacement, New ‘Star Wars’ Show Will Air on Disney+
Additionally, Leslye Headland and her cast have been very vocal about what side of the Force they stand. However, TikTok user @jasonsolo04 shows just how much their statements contradict Lucas’ own in the footage below.
@jasonsolo04 Credit : the forceawakens daily /IG
Reviews for the series have not done the show any favors, but the evidence is much more damning than any fan reaction could be. As much as Leslye Headland, Amandla Stenberg, and Charlie Barnett try to come off as unique and avant-garde in their take on the High Republic Era.
Related: Kylo Ren Confirmed for ‘The Acolyte,’ Lucasfilm Exec Says ‘You Shall See”
At the end of the day, the real problem facing the series isn’t a forced message, evil space witches, strange dialogue delivery, or even the butchering of the spiritual allegories of the galaxy far, far, away. It’s the fact that the lines between morality have blurred so much that the battle between light and darkness is ultimately lost in a convoluted translation
Do you think The Acolyte has lost all hope? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!