The Acolyte's Backlash & Controversies Revisited Now The Series Is Over (2024)

WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for The Acolyte episode 8.

The Acolyte has been a divisive show since its premiere, but now that all of The Acolyte season 1 has been released, some of the major controversies don’t seem as big as they once did. The Acolyte has been the victim of review-bombing, often before episodes even premiered, and it has caused the Star Wars fandom to be quite divided on the show. Many viewers enjoy the show and its compelling storytelling, focusing on the mistakes and imperfections of the Jedi, while others feel the show has rewritten or contradicted previously established canon.

Now that The Acolyte episode 8 has premiered, it’s a good time to look back at all the controversies to see whether they were worthy of all the conversations they caused. Many Star Wars viewers stood behind the Star Wars Expanded Universe (also called Legends) to justify their criticisms of The Acolyte, despite Legends no longer being canon. While Star Wars has done a great job re-canonizing a lot of Legends elements, things like timelines and characters' ages have certainly changed and, while it’s a non-issue for some, others feel it’s completely changing the Star Wars they grew up loving.

Why The Acolyte Was Controversial From The Beginning

Many Feared It’d Rewrite Star Wars History

Because The Acolyte takes place at the end of the High Republic Era and about 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, the Jedi should not have known of the Sith’s existence. Based on a line that Master Ki-Adi-Mundi said in The Phantom Menace, many believed that the Sith having interactions with the Jedi Order during this time wouldn’t make sense. It was argued that the Jedi, especially ones on the Jedi High Council, would’ve remembered Jedi being murdered, and that it wouldn’t have been easy to cover up.

The Acolyte season 1 finale showed how Master Vernestra Rwoh was able to conceal what really happened on Brendok and blame it on Master Sol going rogue. Keeping the events of the show quiet within the Jedi Order means that the Sith being alive and operating in the shadows wouldn’t be widely known. In fact, the events of The Acolyte and the true story of Brendok may eventually die with Master Vernestra. Using a deceased Sol as a scapegoat for the murder of multiple Jedi covers up the larger Sith conspiracy.

So... Was The Acolyte Even "Woke?"

Diversity Is Not Wokeness

Some Star Wars viewers believed that The Acolyte’s creator and showrunner Leslye Headland would make the show “woke” because she is queer. However, Headland set out to tell a compelling story that integrated many little aspects of Legneds back into canon. One notable re-addition to Star Wars canon was cortosis, an ore that Qimir used on his helmet to disable lightsabers. Despite the product that has been released, some still call The Acolyte “woke.”

If nothing else, The Acolyte is exceptionally diverse, both in its casting and in the way its characters appear on-screen. The Acolyte has multiple people of color in prominent roles, with these characters ranging from Jedi to witches and Sith Acolytes. The show also showcased many different species from Star Wars, with Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen) being part human, part Theelin. When showing so many different planets and so many different Jedi, showcasing the diversity of the galaxy only feels natural. This doesn’t make The Acolyte “woke,” it makes it accurate.

Has The Acolyte Changed Star Wars Canon At All?

Yes…But Also Not Really

Because other stories outside the Skywalker saga were previously defined by the non-canon Legends, much of what has “changed” in The Acolyte hasn't actually changed at all. While storylines and aspects from Legends certainly influenced the direction of the show, The Acolyte was not bound to them in the slightest. Each new television show, movie, or book changes Star Wars canon in some way, or at the very least helps reframe some aspects of other titles. Because The Acolyte takes place before the Star Wars prequels, it’s not surprising that the Jedi are somewhat different.

It's unclear what Master Vernestra told Master Yoda in his cameo at the end of The Acolyte, but it’s likely that the legendary Jedi doesn’t get the full story. This wouldn’t change Yoda’s story, but instead enrich his story from The Phantom Menace where he knew more about the Sith than other Jedi High Council members. If anything, Yoda’s appearance may pose the greatest risk of changing Star Wars canon, but until it’s revealed what Vernestra told him, it’s all speculation.

Some Acolyte Controversies Prove This Wasn't All In Good Faith

Ki-Adi-Mundi’s Birthday Was Extra Special Because of The Acolyte

One of the last Jedi audiences expected to appear in The Acolyte was Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi for many reasons. For one, he was the Jedi who stated that the Sith had been extinct for nearly a millennium in The Phantom Menace, so him potentially knowing about the Sith seen in The Acolyte teetered on breaking canon. However, the biggest controversy arose because in Legends, Ki-Adi-Mundi wouldn’t have been born yet. His previous birthdate was 93 BBY, but now in canon, it’s not clear when he was born, or how long his species, the Cerean, can live.

In the case of Ki-Adi-Mundi, it’s clear that people were looking to find things wrong or unlikable in The Acolyte. When Wookieepedia, the Star Wars Wiki changed the Ki-Adi-Mundi's date of birth on their website, users sent death threats and slammed the free site. It’s clear that this was an overreaction to a television show, and it’s a shame that some feel that those actions were justified because something from Legends wasn’t carried over into canon.

What Lessons Can Lucasfilm Learn From The Acolyte Backlash?

The Acolyte Was a Lesson in Sticking To Your Guns

It’s clear from the many controversies that no matter what the final product of The Acolyte was, there were always going to be portions of the Star Wars fanbase that hated it. However, despite the many unnecessary criticisms of The Acolyte, hopefully, Lucasfilm learned that pleasing everyone is impossible and that when people get mad over the minute details like fire in space or Ki-Adi-Mundi’s birthdate, it’s best to ignore those people. In the grand scheme of Star Wars, those details don’t matter and don’t risk harming the galaxy George Lucas created.

It's unfortunate because these over-the-top criticisms take away from legitimate criticism. The Acolyte was not a perfect show and did have some clear issues that need to be rectified if the show gets a season 2; however, a fandom divided doesn’t always make for great discussion about where things went wrong. It’s important for Star Wars viewers and Lucasfilm to not let silly bad-faith criticisms damage the franchise’s future. The Acolyte has such an interesting and unique concept, and while it’s not the best project Lucasfilm has ever put out, it didn’t deserve the range of controversies it received.

All episodes of The Acolyte are now steeaming on Disney+.

The Acolyte

Where to Watch

Season

*Availability in US

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

• stream
• rent
• buy

Not available

Not available

Not available

The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.

Cast

Amandla Stenberg , Lee Jung-jae , Joonas Suotamo , Charlie Barnett , Dafne Keen , Leah Brady , Manny Jacinto , Rebecca Henderson , Carrie-Anne Moss , Jodie Turner-Smith , Dean-Charles Chapman , Lauren Brady , Anthony J. Abraham , Thara Shöön , Danielle Xin Yao Waterman , Sienna Khiroya , Jeramiah Evans , Dan Milne , Thomas Coombes , Archie Singh Swali , Nick Court , Ed Kear , Jumayn Hunter , Scroobius Pip , Abigail Thorn , Margarita Levieva , Amy Tsang , Saskia Allen , Deborah Rosan , Tabitha Alege , Paul Bullion , Indra Ové , Derek Arnold , Lewis Young

Character(s)

Mae , Master Sol , Kelnacca , Yord Fandar , Jecki Lon , Little Mae , Qimir , Master Vernestra Rwoh , Master Indara , Mother Aniseya , Master Torbin , Padawan Torbin , Little Osha , Fillik , Tasi Lowa , Youngling , Restrained Convict , Convict , Olega Urchin , Olega Master , Olega Padawan , Scavenger , Ensign Eurus , Mother Koril , Ensign Rane , Scout Sarria , Ensign Shima , Elder Jaalyn , Master Lakshay , Master Holden , Master Ki-Adi-Mundi , Jedi Knight

Seasons

1

Streaming Service(s)

Disney+

Writers

Leslye Headland , Charmaine De Grate , Kor Adana

Directors

Leslye Headland , Alex Garcia Lopez

Showrunner

Leslye Headland