Warning! This review contains spoilers for The Acolyte episode 3.
Summary
The Acolyteepisode 3 builds on the strong foundations of its premiere with an exceptional flashback episode, filled with compelling fantasy, excellent performances, and a deeper exploration of the show’s philosophical themes. As ofThe Acolytepremiere’s ending, I was left satisfied. I enjoyed what showrunner Leslye Headland was building, albeit with a few drawbacks in the pacing department. Nonetheless, after watchingThe Acolyteepisodes 1 and 2, I was excited to see more, an excitement that was more than satiated thanks to the brilliant episode 3.
The Acolyte Episode 3’s Flashback Perfectly Deepends The Show’s Mystery
Questions about Mae & Osha’s past are both answered and raised
What I found most compelling aboutThe Acolyte’s premiere was the show’s central mystery —why Mae was killing Jedi, what happened to Mae and Osha as children, and how the Sith tied into events.The Acolyteepisode 3 provides hints at answers to all three, to varying degrees. The episode takes us to the planet Brendok, teased as the site of a tragedy for Mae and Osha. This flashback details the twins' childhood with their mother, Aniseya, with the two being raised as the future of a coven of Force-sensitive witches.
Not only does episode 3 show the difference between Osha and Mae, but it explains why the latter hates the Jedi where the former does not. Osha’s disillusionment with Aniseya’s coven starkly contrasts with Mae’s devotion, perfectly showing how children can react differently to dogmatic teachings. With the Jedi coming to lure Osha away from Mae’s perspective, the latter’s murderous vendetta from the premiere comes into focus.
The lack of burn marks clouds the witches' deaths in the unknown, hinting that Mae’s perspective of events will only reveal Acolyte’s mystery…
These answers are incredibly welcome, but what makes episode 3 even better is the raising of more questions. The climactic tragedy that has been hinted at, a fire that was started by Mae, is shown strictly from Osha’s point of view. As Osha escapes, she finds Aniseya and the witches dead, with only Sol and Mae left. Mae falls to her apparent death and Osha is taken in by Sol. However, the lack of burn marks clouds the witches' deaths in the unknown, hinting that Mae’s perspective will only reveal Acolyte’s mystery – and the Sith villain.
Who Is The Real Villain Of Star Wars: The Acolyte? All 6 Theories
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The Acolyte’s Cast & Production Design Continue To Impress
The show’s central characters are improved amid the beautiful landscape of Brendok
What immediately stood out asThe Acolyteepisode 3 opened was how beautiful it looked. The sweeping establishing shots of Brendok were awe-inspiring, and the medieval-like fort that houses Aniseya’s coven sparked a feeling of wonder that onlyStar Warscan provide. The CGI elements of Brendok — from the spiritual tree and its otherworldly creatures where Osha and Mae hang out to the blue and red moons that lend themselves toThe Acolyte’s logo — all blend seamlessly. This lack of jarring CGI made the cast stand out even more, one the episode’s greatest strengths.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Cast & Character Guide
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Lee Jung-jae continues to imbue Jedi Master Sol with a sense of compassion and empathy rarely seen fromStar Wars' space wizards, complete with a stirring show of emotions as tragedy descends in the final act. Where Amandla Stenberg shone as Mae and Osha inThe Acolyte’s premiere, this time the praise falls squarely on young twin actors Leah and Lauren Brady, who play each respective twin. The Brady twins provide subtle differences so that, even with Osha and Mae looking almost identical, it is not difficult to separate the two thanks to the Bradys' nuanced performances.
The cast member who steals the show inThe Acolyteepisode 3, however, is Jodie Turner-Smithas Aniseya. Turner-Smith effortlessly strikes the difficult balance of Aniseya’s character, switching between a mother who wants what is best for her children and a leader who wants what is best for her coven with ease. Like Jung-jae, Turner-Smith’s show of emotion is endlessly moving, as she comes to terms with the future of her children and her entire way of life.
The Acolyte Episode 3 Introduces Intriguing Philosophical Star Wars Debates
Who the Force belongs to is a central question of The Acolyte
While I appreciated the themes ofThe Acolyte’s premiere, the deeper questions at the heart of the show’s story come to light in episode 3.The exploration of the Force and how that differs between the Jedi and Aniseya’s witches is fascinating to watchunfold. Aniseya’s lesson to Mae and Osha about the power of one, power of two, and the power of many is brilliant, and ties into later exploration that the Force is not a power for someone to possess, but rather something that belongs to everyone. This philosophy comes into question with the appearance of the Jedi.
The Jedi and the witches are not so dissimilar, yet both think their way of perceiving and using the Force is correct…
This marks a standoff where the moral lines are blurred. There are good and bad decisions made on both sides as the Jedi and the witches stand for their own beliefs. Through these scenes, episode 3 explores the morally gray areas ofStar Warsbetter than most other projects. The Jedi and the witches are not so dissimilar, yet both think their way of perceiving and using the Force is correct. As someone who loves whenStar Warsdelves below surface level, like inThe Last Jedi,The Acolyteepisode 3’s complex exploration of philosophy was thrilling to experience.
Intriguingly,The Acolyteepisode 3 does not clearly define who is right and wrong. The Jedi mean well but are flawed; they take children from their families and dismiss other Force users, believing their way is correct. Conversely, the witches want to live in harmony and pass on their teachings only with dark-side-inclined powers. Whose way is correct is not important toThe Acolyte,with the show instead content to explore how these ideologies clash. This is a compelling change from the black-and-white ofStar Wars’ Rebellion vs. Empire, Jedi vs. Sith, and light vs. dark.
Star Wars has long thrived in the gray area, with more morally challenging projects like Revenge of the Sith, The Last Jedi, and Andor standing tall as the franchise’s best stories.
With themes as heavy asThe Acolyteepisode 3 tackles, it is remarkable that the rest of the show’s strengths are not lost in the process. This is a testament to Leslye Headland’s clear plan for the show, with these themes and ideologies all tying perfectly to the mystery of the Sith. Despite lacking outright action sequences and a jarring, instant switch of time periods,The Acolyteepisode 3 is a remarkable installment that captures the best aspects ofStar Wars,such as a deeper exploration of the Force, without losing sight of the mystery the show is telling at its center.
The Acolyte
Cast
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.
