Credit: LucasfilmThe High Republic era is still operating, and Disney just upgraded it.
Star Wars and The Acolyte
Set decades before the Skywalker saga, The Acolyte pushed Star Wars into the High Republic era, exploring the Jedi at the height of their influence while quietly charting the earliest stirrings of Sith power. Created by Leslye Headland, the series reframed familiar ideas about the Force, presenting it as something shaped as much by belief and emotion as doctrine.
That ambition made the show one of the franchise’s most debated Disney+ entries, drawing comparisons to Star Wars: Episode VIII–The Last Jedi (2017). Online conversation followed every episode, with discussion ranging from canon implications to its thematic focus and casting choices.
Despite strong performances and a distinct creative voice, the eight-episode run was cut short. Reports cited low viewership, though many fans viewed the cancellation as a reaction to sustained online criticism aimed at the show’s direction and its cast, including Amandla Stenberg (Osha/Mae Aniseya), Lee Jung-jae (Jedi Master Sol), Manny Jacinto (The Stranger/Qimir), and Jodie Turner-Smith (Mother Aniseya).
As a female-led series guided by a queer showrunner and diverse ensemble, The Acolyte expanded the franchise’s perspective, while also attracting backlash from critics who dismissed it as overly political.
Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman later pointed to budget concerns as a key factor, even as analytics data suggested the series outperformed Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka in demand. That data reframed the cancellation as a financial decision rather than a rejection by audiences.
Season 2 would have leaned further into character history, particularly Qimir’s shadowy past, elements of which were confirmed in “Star Wars: The Acolyte Visual Guide”.
The Acolyte Season 2
Episode 8 teased Darth Plagueis on Qimir’s storm-lashed homeworld. The guide describes the planet as home to “an intelligent reptilian species that lives far from the islands,” fueling theories—reported by The Holo Files (via The Direct)—that it may be Bal’demnic from Legends lore, long associated with Plagueis and cortosis mining.
The guide also confirms Qimir “spent some time gunrunning in Hutt Space,” tying him to the galactic underworld and reinforcing his dangerous versatility.
Qimir’s age is listed as “unknown,” with references to rare rejuvenating substances suggesting unnaturally long life. His Sith status remains unclear, described as “a pretender to [Sith] lineage… Whether he is the true heir to the Sith is a mystery no one will survive to solve.” His helmet, revealed as purely “cosmetic,” forces reliance on the Force in combat.
The Acolyte Season 2 and Disney’s Sequel Trilogy
With renewed attention on the series ahead of “The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte (Season One)” (2026), Headland revealed deeper plans connecting Qimir to the sequel trilogy.
“It was in the design of the character, as well as knowing that we were going to introduce Darth Plagueis, who has to end up with Palpatine as his apprentice,” Headland said, per SFFGazette.
“Following the Rule of Two… one way to keep it going is if the Stranger is the first Knight of Ren, part of a Sith-adjacent cult that we know eventually survives.”
The implication positions The Acolyte as a missing link in the saga’s long-term dark side lineage.
Who Are the Knights of Ren?
Introduced in Star Wars: Episode VII–The Force Awakens (2015) and expanded in Star Wars: Episode IX–The Rise of Skywalker (2019), the Knights of Ren represent a raw, cult-like devotion to the dark side. Led originally by Ren and later by Kylo Ren, the group operates outside Sith structure, embracing chaos and strength.
Their origins are detailed in “Star Wars: The Rise of Kylo Ren” (2019–2020) by Charles Soule and Will Sliney, along with various guides and novels. Though absent from animation, their mythology echoes through stories examining early dark side movements, including The Acolyte.
The Acolyte Ends, But What’s Next?
Though polarizing, The Acolyte connected with many viewers through its character-driven storytelling, its critique of Jedi authority, and the live-action debut of Darth Plagueis.
Looking ahead, Ahsoka Season 2 remains the only confirmed live-action series, targeting a 2026 release and potentially concluding its arc. On the film side, The Mandalorian and Grogu arrives in 2026, followed by Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter in 2027. Simon Kinberg’s planned trilogy and the Rey-led New Jedi Order project remain in flux.
Bergman recently reiterated Lucasfilm’s cautious approach to expansion, stating: “…we’re looking at a number of additional series that are in development. We’ll see what we decide to do… they have to be great.”
For now, The Acolyte stands as a bold, unresolved chapter—one that hinted at a much larger role in shaping Star Wars’ future. But The Acolyte is not the only project to occupy the High Republic space. In fact, one other series has reached a third season, and Disney just upgraded it.
The High Republic Gets an Upgrade
Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures marks a notable first for Lucasfilm Animation as the franchise’s first series created specifically for preschool audiences, while still firmly rooted in established Star Wars lore. Streaming on Disney+ and airing on Disney Junior, the animated show is set during the High Republic era—roughly 200 years before Star Wars: Episode I–The Phantom Menace—and follows a group of young Jedi initiates learning the ways of the Force through small-scale adventures, galactic travel, and plenty of heart.
The series premiered on May 4, 2023, launching on Star Wars Day with its first season, which ultimately rolled out 25 episodes across 2023 and early 2024. Building on its early success, Young Jedi Adventures returned for a second season, debuting its first batch of episodes on August 14, 2024, followed by a second wave released on March 19, 2025. Lucasfilm later confirmed the show would conclude with a third and final season, which arrived in full on December 8, 2025, bringing the animated journey to a close after three seasons.
Interestingly, for the third season, Disney has upgraded the format in which audiences can experience the episodes. As identified by The Direct, this marks a milestone in the Star Wars franchise on the House of Mouse’s streaming service.
“Star Wars: Young Jedi Adventures returned to Disney+ for its third and final season, and with that comes a technical milestone: Season 3 is now available in 4K, whereas the first two seasons are still offered only in HD,” the outlet noted. “This makes Season 3 the first Star Wars series on Disney+ to receive a format upgrade between seasons, a distinction not achieved by The Mandalorian, The Bad Batch, Andor, Visions, or any other franchise title on the service.”
At the center of the story are Jedi younglings Kai Brightstar (Jamaal Avery Jr.), Lys Solay (Juliet Donenfeld), and the instantly popular Nubs (Dee Bradley Baker), alongside their non-Jedi friend and ace pilot Nash Durango (Emma Berman) and loyal droid RJ-83 (Jonathan Lipow).
The group is guided by Master Yoda (Piotr Michael) and their primary mentor, Master Zia Zanna (Nasim Pedrad). While clearly aimed at younger viewers, Young Jedi Adventures carved out its own niche in the galaxy, blending classic Star Wars themes with accessible storytelling designed to welcome the next generation of fans into the franchise.
How do you feel about how Disney and Lucasfilm handled the High Republic era? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!