Star Wars Rewatch, Part 1: The Acolyte

Welcome to my Star Wars Rewatch; a full chronological journey through the galaxy far, far away, from the mystic shadows of the High Republic to the fractured futures of the sequel era. With each film and series, I’ll be diving into the themes, characters, and cultural ripples that make Star Wars more than just space opera. Whether it’s the quiet tragedy of a fallen Jedi, the rise of a powerful villain, or the shifting philosophies of the Force itself, I’ll be exploring what still resonates, what challenges us, and what deserves a second look. The Force may bind the galaxy together, but it’s the stories that keep pulling us back.

Let’s get started with part 1, The Acolyte!

“This isn’t about good or bad. This is about power—and who is allowed to use it.”
— Mother Aniseya, The Acolyte

The Acolyte arrived with the weight of expectation and the sting of scepticism. Set a century before The Phantom Menace, it promised a fresh lens on the Jedi Order; one less polished, more vulnerable. What we got was a series that dared to challenge the binary of light and dark, even if it stumbled in its execution.
Critics were mixed, and fans were… louder. The show was review-bombed. Its dialogue was mocked, and its pacing questioned. But beneath the noise lies a series that, while imperfect, deserved far more credit than it received.

A big focus of this series, like in the Ahsoka series, The Clone Wars, and others, is Force Witches. Look, at this point, Disney’s fascination with Force witches is pretty clear. From the Nightsisters in The Clone Wars to the Brendok coven in The Acolyte, the mystical feminine has become a recurring motif. Here, the witches are not just spellcasters; they are political dissidents, spiritual radicals, and mothers of miracles.

Yes, the emphasis is heavy-handed at times. The Brendok coven’s arc feels like a thematic echo of the Nightsisters, but without the same narrative finesse. Their ideology, “power belongs to those who claim it,” is compelling, but the show leans so hard into their mystique that it risks overshadowing the Jedi’s own moral ambiguity.

Still, the witches offer something rare in Star Wars: a Force tradition that is neither Jedi nor Sith, but something older, stranger, and defiantly feminine.

Let’s talk about that villain.

Qimir, played with chilling charm by Manny Jacinto, is a revelation. His transformation from sly sidekick to masked Sith (dubbed “Darth Teeth” by fans) is one of the show’s most brutal and effective turns. His duel in Episode 5 is a masterclass in tension and choreography, and his philosophy. rooted in pain, seduction, and freedom. feels like a dark mirror to the Jedi’s rigid dogma.

He’s not just a villain. He’s a critique, and a much welcome one at that.

Lee Jung-jae’s Master Sol is the emotional anchor of the series. Compassionate, conflicted, and quietly haunted, he embodies the Jedi at their best… and worst. His relationship with Osha is tender and tragic, and his moral clarity is tested in ways that feel earned.

Sol doesn’t just fight the dark side. He questions the light.

Look, I know this series was generally not well-received, but I liked it. I liked it a lot more than I’ve enjoyed several of the movies. The Acolyte is not flawless. Its dialogue can be clunky, its pacing is uneven, and its ambition occasionally outstrips its execution. But it is also bold, atmospheric, and thematically rich. It expands the Star Wars mythos in ways that matter, even if not everyone was ready for it.

To rhyme off a few more things I enjoyed…

• Seeing a Wookie Jedi in action
• Carrie-Anne Moss with a lightsaber
• Star Wars embracing the fact that it is space-fantasy, rather than science fiction
• Lighsaber whip
• Political intrigue involving the senate and Jedi (nothing changes, eh?)
• Some excellent fight scenes
• An aesthetic that feels quite… 1980s

I liked it.

If this is the beginning of the High Republic on screen, it’s a worthy, if wobbly, first step. I hope that fan reaction hasn’t completely killed off any possibility of further exploring this era.

Rating: 7/10
Come for the mystery. Stay for the villain. Question everything.

Next up will be Episode I: The Phanton Menace