It’s the beginning of the end for the High Republic.
The Acolyte had a daunting task ahead of it, and not a whole lot of time to do it. Its eight-episode season patiently unfurled an emotional tale of revenge, and flirted most thoroughly with the dark side in the process. For all its latent potential, though, some doubted that showrunner Leslye Headland could resolve the season’s biggest questions in one satisfying swoop. Could The Acolyte reunite its disparate twin sisters, Mae and Osha Aniseya (both played by Amandla Stenberg), and explain how they were created? Which side would Osha, a former Jedi padawan, choose in the end: the comfort of the light and her old master, Sol (Lee Jung-jae), or the lure of the dark with a new teacher in Qimir (Manny Jacinto)?
Fortunately, The Acolyte’s season finale has more than put those doubts to rest. Episode 8 sees a major clash between heroes and villains alike; though it does keep a few mysteries dangling for a potential future season (#RENEWTHEACOLYTE), the finale delivers just enough to leave us wanting more. One thing is certain: whatever we thought The Acolyte would be, it’s defied those expectations at every turn. But that instinct to subvert has massively paid off, thanks to a few crowd-pleasing cameos, some deep cuts, and an emotional rollercoaster of a finale. Let’s review where everyone stands at the end of The Acolyte Season 1, and the secrets that could upend the status quo in Season 2.
Spoilers ahead for The Acolyte Episode 8!
The Acolyte Season 1 ending, explained
Episode 8 of The Acolyte finally brings its central conflict to a head: Mae and Sol clash with Qimir and Osha on Brendok, the twins’ home planet. While Qimir spars with Sol, Osha finally discovers who really destroyed her family. She also learns that she and Mae aren’t twins. “You’re not even sisters,” Sol later says. “You’re the same person.”
Osha naturally doesn’t believe that Sol would murder her mother, but once she hears it from his lips, all bets are off. She fully gives into her hatred and fear, and attacks Sol with the Force — answering Qimir’s order to slay a Jedi without a weapon. More than that, she manages to do what no Force-user has done in live-action until now: “bleed” the kyber crystal that powers a lightsaber.
Osha turns Sol’s blue blade red, and makes the choice to train under Qimir... but only if he allows Mae to live. With a group of Jedi — including Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson), Qimir’s former master — on their way to confront them, Mae consents to having her memory wiped. That way, when the Jedi apprehend her, she won’t trace them back to Osha and Qimir.
Our dark duo return to Qimir’s unknown planet to hold hands ominously and stare into the sunset. But they aren’t alone on this windswept beach: there’s also a mysterious Muun lurking in the shadows. Darth Plagueis, maybe?
The finale also reveals just how fraught things currently are for the Jedi in Coruscant. Vernestra finds an unlikely adversary in Rayencourt (David Harewood), a senator with a valid mistrust in the Order. Sol’s misdeeds on Brendok are just one of many issues that could weaken the Jedi’s credibility, especially with Rayencourt pushing for an external review of the Jedi. Vernestra tasks amnesiac Mae with locating Qimir, and — following in the footsteps of the Jedi who came before — totally lies about everything that happened on Brendok. With Sol dead, she can pin every mistake on him. That may not totally save the Jedi from scrutiny, though, which forces Vernestra to turn to a familiar ally: Master Yoda. (And not just any Yoda: puppet Yoda is back!)
How the The Acolyte’s finale sets up Season 2
The Acolyte was never going to resolve every narrative thread in its first season, but the issues it does address only make this mystery that much more enticing. A lot happens in Episode 8, but there’s still a lot we don’t know. What happened between Qimir and Vernestra? Why is Plagueis skulking around in caves? And why is Vernestra seeking Yoda out? Those questions could easily create a twisty story for The Acolyte’s second season, if one does finally materialize. But it’s safe to assume that Season 2 will focus much more on the drama in Coruscant, especially with the introduction of Senator Rayencourt and Yoda.
If the Jedi weren’t struggling before, a potential Season 2 will definitely show how the Order became bogged down by bureaucracy and political obligation. The Acolyte is also setting up the origins of Darth Plagueis the Wise, the Sith lord that goes on to train Darth Sidious. Was Qimir his first pupil, and will Osha be his next? It’s clear Leslye Headland is thinking several steps ahead with the series. Hopefully The Acolyte will get the chance to continue this story in future seasons. It managed to pull off its balancing act in Season 1; one can only imagine what Season 2 would have in store for the High Republic.
