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Credit: LucasfilmThe Acolyte brought audiences back centuries before the Skywalker Saga to a time in the Star Wars universe that had never been explored in live action. Set during the High Republic era, the Leslye Headland-created series peeled back the veneer of the Jedi’s so-called “Golden Age” to examine the slow, subtle rise of the Sith, challenging the franchise’s core ideals about the Force.
Despite its unique premise, The Acolyte sparked heated conversation across the fandom, mirroring the divisive response once seen with Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII–The Last Jedi (2017). From its first episodes, the series became a magnet for debates about canon, identity, and the direction of modern Star Wars storytelling.
Its cancellation after just one season left fans stunned, especially with the season finale leaving several key plot threads dangling. Reports cited underwhelming viewership as the primary reason for its end. Still, many longtime fans questioned whether Lucasfilm had bowed to intense backlash from online critics who frequently singled out both the cast and creators, among them Amandla Stenberg (Osha/Mae Aniseya), Lee Jung-jae (Jedi Master Sol), Manny Jacinto (Qimir/The Stranger), and Jodie Turner-Smith (Mother Aniseya).
From the outset, The Acolyte drew eyes as a “female-centric” series led by a queer woman showrunner and featuring a cast that reflected a more inclusive vision of the galaxy. While that creative direction earned applause from many viewers, it also made the show a frequent target online. Detractors derided it as “woke,” criticizing its use of contemporary themes within a franchise steeped in nostalgia.
When asked about the show’s fate, Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman pointed to the production’s high cost: “…we’re looking at a number of additional series that are in development. We’ll see what we decide to do. As I said earlier, they have to be great, and when we’re in the position where we think we have what we want, we’re going to move forward.”
Data from Parrot Analytics complicated that narrative. According to their metrics, The Acolyte surpassed Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, and even Dave Filoni’s Ahsoka in terms of audience demand, hinting that budgetary issues, not viewership, were likely the real obstacle to a second season.
Had Lucasfilm greenlit more episodes, the next chapter would’ve further unraveled the relationships hinted at in Season 1. One major storyline involves Qimir’s mysterious past, which has only recently been expanded on through companion material. According to “Star Wars: The Acolyte Visual Guide,” Qimir’s history is filled with dark, criminal ties and connections to galactic power players.
A key moment in the season finale showed a dark figure looming in the shadows on Qimir’s home planet—one later confirmed to be Darth Plagueis. The guide identifies the world as a vast oceanic environment inhabited by “an intelligent reptilian species that lives far from the islands.” Fans believe this to be Bal’demnic, a world introduced in Star Wars Legends canon as the site where Darth Plagueis killed his master, Darth Tenebrous. The planet is also prosperous in cortosis, the rare metal used in Qimir’s armor that can resist lightsabers.
More revelations from the visual guide painted Qimir as a much more dangerous figure than previously thought. He reportedly “spent some time gunrunning in Hutt Space,” the lawless region controlled by Jabba the Hutt and his clan, far outside the Republic’s jurisdiction. These details cast Qimir as a shadowy force-wielder and someone well-connected to the galaxy’s criminal underworld.
His age is officially listed as “unknown,” and one of his store’s products contains “a rare nori-inkal from Boothi IV” with “an oily serum that revitalizes aged skin and eliminates wrinkles”—suggesting he may have found ways to preserve his youth.
Despite his Sith-like behavior, the guide calls Qimir “a pretender to [Sith] lineage… Whether he is the true heir to the Sith is a mystery no one will survive to solve.” Interestingly, it also notes his helmet is purely “cosmetic”—meaning he relies entirely on the Force to see during combat.
New information has also confirmed that The Acolyte almost went R-rated. Jacinto explained the moment in a recent interview about a scene cut from the Star Wars show.
“Star Wars has always been PG, but you want to find some brutal aspects of these fights… There was one moment, I think, where I just take one Jedi and keep slamming his head on to a rock, because we wanted to show how brutal this guy could be, without any remorse,” Jacinto told the convention, via Screen Rant.
It may not be long until Star Wars officially goes the R-rated route. It worked for Marvel Studios with Deadpool & Wolverine (2024) and Daredevil: Born Again, so why not the galaxy far, far away?
For all the debate surrounding it, The Acolyte delivered one of the franchise’s most unique dynamics through the tense and complex relationship between Osha and Qimir. It also peeled back the heroic mystique of the Jedi Council, offering a more morally gray look at how the Jedi operate. Perhaps most notably, the show marked Darth Plagueis’s first live-action appearance, a moment that redefined the franchise’s timeline and mythology.
Although The Acolyte is no longer part of the active lineup, it helped maintain audience interest in Disney+’s Star Wars offerings during a time of transition. Following Andor Season 2 and the upcoming Ahsoka Season 2 (now filming and targeting a 2026 release), the future of Star Wars television remains uncertain.
On the film side, The Mandalorian and Grogu is slated to hit theaters in 2026, becoming the franchise’s first cinematic release since 2019’s Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker. The movie is widely expected to substitute for The Mandalorian Season 4 and serve as a springboard for Filoni’s eventual “Heir to the Empire”-inspired crossover film.
Beyond that, more theatrical projects remain in development limbo. Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter is currently targeting a May 2027 release. Meanwhile, Simon Kinberg has been linked to a new trilogy, but it remains unclear whether that will intersect with Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s New Jedi Order film starring Daisy Ridley or launch a completely separate narrative.
With The Acolyte now in the rearview mirror, fans are left wondering what stories might have been and what direction Lucasfilm will take next.
What’s your take on Star Wars’ shifting future? Let us know in the comments.