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A Recap of ‘The Acolyte’ Episodes 1 & 2

Written by Michael Lee

*All Media used in this article is courtesy of Lucasfilm Ltd. & Disney

Cast & Crew Interviews: ‘The Acolyte’

‘The Acolyte’ - Official Trailer

Video via Disney

The ‘Acolyte’ Episode 1 Recap: “Lost / Found”

©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd. & TM. All Rights Reserved.

It is the New Republic; an era of time previously unseen by any Star Wars live-action media. The galaxy knows peace and peace alone. The Jedi believe the Sith to be extinct. The Galactic Republic has not seen war. The Jedi have prospered as peacekeepers for ages without malignant foes. It is one hundred years before the rise of the Empire. A time well before the likes of Anakin, Obi-Wan, Rey or even Cassian Andor. But in the dark corners of the galaxy, a powerful mysterious few are learning the powers of the Force in secret.

The episode begins on the planet Ueda as a masked vigilante assassin threatens a Jedi Master named Indara in a local bar. Indara is a powerful Jedi warrior proficient in what is called “Force-fu” combat. Indara denies the vigilante, but she persists, disrupting the peace in a local bar until Indara takes the bait and the two engage in a Force combat. Indara then commlinks to the Jedi Order, informing them she is about to battle with someone who is Force sensitive. The assassin has only blades and The Force as her weapons, but she wields them powerfully. Indara draws her lightsaber, only for the assassin to call on her to withdraw her blade, to which Indara agrees. The assassin makes quick haste of the situation, distracting Indara by threatening an alien citizen. When Indara’s defenses are down, the assassin deals a killing blow as Indara crumples to the ground, dead.

We then cut to a woman named Osha, a meknek on a Trade Federation ship far from the galaxy’s capital, Coruscant. Her sleep is interrupted by some breathless nightmare. Her droid, Pip, and her friend Fillik are then called to a meknek job on the ship's surface. A fire erupts on the surface of the ship and Osha loses her attention, as she begins to hear sinister voices and wrenching screams coming up from the flames. The Nemodians of the Trade Federation then welcome two Jedi on board. One is Yord Fandar, a Jedi Knight and his padawan, Tasi Lowa. They are looking for a former Jedi, Osha Aniseya, the very same Osha working as a meknek aboard the ship. Yord informs Osha that Jedi Master Indara has been killed on Ueda, with descriptions matching Osha. The two question Osha, believing her to be the suspect in question. This is confirmed by the bar owner, who too is aboard the ship, and informs the Jedi she is the woman in question. We learn that Osha has left the Jedi Order and it was not an easy decision for her to make, but she needed a job in which to pay her debts. The Jedi order Osha to board a prison ship to Coruscant, where she will wait by trial by the Jedi Council.

On Coruscant, Jedi Master Sol is teaching a group of Jedi younglings about the power of the Force and how the Force moves through every living thing. This teaching is soon interrupted by Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh, who informs Sol that Osha is a suspect for the death of Indara and she is being transferred here by prison ship. Sol disbelieves Rwoh, who still sees his former Padawan Osha as a friend of the Force. The two exchange further words about the circumstances, as Rwoh and Sol agree to keep this death quiet, as it threatens the Jedi politically.

Back on the prison ship, Osha is behind bars where she meets the other prisoners, a hodge-podge group of men, aliens, and creatures. They inform Osha that they mean to escape, to which Osha laughs. Eventually though, with a small, seemingly Jedi mind trick, one of the prisoners manages to override the droids, pulling the ship out of hyperspace. The group breaks free but does not free Osha, as they refer to her as “Jedi Killer”. The group launches an escape pod as the ship stumbles through an asteroid field. Osha attempts to use the Force, but is unsuccessful. Osha braces for landing as the ship lands on a mysterious Ice planet.

Back at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Sol is reminiscing about Osha. We meet his new Padawan, ayoung Jedi named Jecki Lon. Jecki inquires about why Sol keeps his former Padawans in such high regard, as Jecki informs her Master Sol that attachment is forbidden in the Jedi Order. The two make their way to the detention level as Rwoh has captured the prisoner group that escaped from the prison ship with Osha aboard. They blame everything on Osha, the “Jedi Killer”. Sol wishes to travel to the Ice planet to investigate Osha, but Rwoh thinks Osha is dead. Rwoh grants Sol permission, but urges him to travel with Jecki and Jedi Knight Yord Fandar to investigate. We cut quickly to Osha as she escapes the ship to explore the new planet.

Osha begins having flashbacks or, quite possibly, hallucinations, in which we learn she was a twin. Her twin, Mae, appears to her as a youngling, and Mae tells Osha “Always one, but born as two”. Mae’s voice cracks to reveal a much deeper voice as the two reconcile old lullabies the two shared as children. Osha asks Mae if she is still alive,as she presumed her dead, to which she replies “Yes”. Osha again asks “Did you kill Indara?” to which Mae replies. “Yes. I will kill them all”. Osha awakens, clearly rattled.

Sol, Jecki, and Yord are aboard their ship, heading to find Osha, as the three discuss Osha and her past. Sol reveals that sixteen years ago, he was enlisted to Osha’s home planet. He reveals that Mae set their childhood home ablaze, killing everyone but Osha. Sol took Osha as his Padawan. We cut to scenes of a younger Sol and Osha, as his attention is diverted when Osha begins to describe the Force as a ‘great fire’, which concerns Sol greatly, though he does not speak on it further. They eventually land and find Osha quickly as the two reconnect, though Osha is at the head of a cliff, looking to fall. She slips, but Sol uses the Force to bring her back to land. Osha tells Sol she didn’t kill Indarra, but the three escort Osha back to their ship to detain her.

On what looks to be the planet Ahch-To, (the planet Luke Skywalker exiled himself to, which also happens to be the planet that housed the first Jedi Temple), we see the assassin, now presumed to be Mae, as she meets with a dark figure. The figures waxes that the “Jedi live in a dream. A dreamthey believe everyone shares..”. as he withdraws a red Sith saber and calls Mae “The Acolyte”.

The ‘Acolyte’ Episode 2 Recap: “Revenge / Justice”

The episode begins with Mae on the planet Olega, attempting to make her way into the local Jedi Temple there. She seeks a Jedi Master Torbin, who she finds meditating idly, surrounded by a Force barrier so strong that Mae cannot possibly break it. Torbin has been in a Force meditation for over a decade, remaining silent and taking no visitors. Mae bribes a small local girl to splice the droid security at the Jedi Temple, which allows her easy access. She finds Torbin, but she cannot break his focus. She leaves, albeit angrily.

Osha is awoken by Jeckie attempting to repair a small technological blip on the ship's mainframe computer as Osha instructs Jeckie how to fix it. Sol and Yord argue over Osha’s innocence, with Yord still suspicious of Osha and her intentions. They are then informed by Jedi Master Vernestra that there was an attempted attack on Master Torbin’s life, with descriptions again matching Osha. Sol and Vernestra agree that it is not Osha, but Mae, who is responsible for the death of Indara and the attack on Torbin. Verenestra advises Sol to bring the whole crew to Olega, which includes Osha, as she could be a valuable asset.

We cut to Mae wandering around Olega, stopping at a local apothecary shop, which is strewn about with several potions, liquids, and brews. We meet Qimir, a former smuggler. He doesn’t work at the apothecary shop, but is masquerading as if he does. Qimir asks if Mae managed to kill the Jedi Torbin, but Mae expresses her failure, claiming she needs a weapon, a poison. She asks Qimir to concoct her one, to which Qimir hesitantly agrees. It is here we learn of Mae’s plan to kill four Jedi, including a Wookie Jedi named Kelnacca. Indara, Torbin, Kelnacca and Sol are revealed to have been stationed at Osha and Mae’s home planet of Brendok at the the time of the fire, and Mae wishes to kill the four, for reasons still unclear. Qimir too speaks ill of the Jedi, saying they justify their galactic dominance in the name of peace, yet they do not know true peace. Peace is a lie and Jedi only think they have found peace. He also informs her that her Master still requires to kill one Jedi without the use of a weapon. With her poison potion in hand, Osha leaves.

Sol and Osha reconnect aboard the ship, reminiscing about their shared past and the traumas they both endured, hinting at the reason Osha was exiled from the Jedi Order. The two attempt to figure out how Mae is still alive, but cannot comprehend the reason. They both try to reckon with accepting peace, but they are clearly still troubled by the past. The group then arrives at Olega and connects with the overseeing Jedi Master of the Temple. Sol informs him that they are investigating the attempt on Torbin’s life and the death of Indara, assuming the two crimes are related. Mae has made her way back to Torbin, who breaks his meditation which we learn is called the Barash Vow. Mae reckons with Torbin about his haunted past. She offers him a choice of confessing his crimes to the Jedi Council or take the forgiveness he seeks from Mae. Torbin awakes, informing Mae he has been waiting for her. Mae offers the poison to Torbin as absolution for his past. He stops meditating and willingly takes it, dying just as the others arrive.

Osha finds Tobirn’s dead body before the others, and the crime scene implicates her as the murderer, though Yord steps forward and vouches for her innocence, as he has secretly followed her, still distrusting Osha. The group comes up with a plan to apprehend Mae, with Jeckie devising a plan to bug Osha while she disguises herself as Mae in front of Qimir, hoping he gives some implication or confession of the crime. Osha agrees, and the group ponder their approach. Osha makes her way to the apothecary shop and engages with Qimir, with Qimir referencing a shared master; “He will be so pleased”. Qimir catches on to Osha, claiming she looks exactly like Mae. Sol, Jeckie, and Yord then apprehend Qimr, who questions his relationship to Mae. He reveals he used to be employed by the Hutts. Sol asks who “He” is but Qimir dodges the question, attempting to claim his innocence. He reveals the existence of Mae's master and her overall plan.

Sol and Osha argue over who will confront Mae, as they disagree wholeheartedly as to who will apprehend her. The two of them bicker, referencing their past fraught relationship as Master and Padawan. Osha inforrms Sol that Mae wishes to kill him, too. But ultimately, Sol is the one to confront Mae, and he does. The two of them engage in a highly-stylized but weaponless fight with Sol attempting to figure out who Mae’s Master is. But Mae doesn’t know, as her Master has taken great lengths to protect himself and his identity. We come to find out that Mae believes Osha to be dead and Sol informs her Osha is alive, but she doesn’t believe them. Yord joins in the duel as Jeckie attempts to arrest Mae, but Mae escapes in a cloud of dust. As she escapes, Osha and Mae meet again. Osha attempts to stun Mae, but Mae escapes.

Later, Mae comes back for Qimir and threatens him over talking to the Jedi, but he convinces her to leave him alive because he has learned that Kelnacca is living on the planet Khofar. We cut to Khofar and meet two rogue explorers speaking Huttese. The two are apprehended by Kelnacca, the Wookie Jedi, as the screen fades to black.