By Ben Wright (@iamzavagno | www.xgeeks.co.uk)
This review contains spoilers.
I’m back after my Glastonbury break last week and eager to dive into this week’s review by sharing my thoughts on last week’s episode.
First off, the Qimir reveal wasn’t a huge shock as hinted in the previous review, but the execution was brilliant and deserves high praise. Losing both Yord and Jecki was shocking and brutal, though somewhat expected, albeit a bit early. I loved seeing “The Stranger”’s helmet – presumably made of Cortosis, a metal that can short out lightsabers and withstand blaster bolts. Incorporating this into the fight scenes was fantastic! The lightsaber duels featured nice long wide shots, logical move progression, and stunning choreography. The camera work integrated seamlessly with the fights, enhancing the move executions and choreography. It’s the most excited I’ve been about a lightsaber fight in a long time! Overall, it was a great episode. Regarding the bait and switch, we’ve already seeded the tattoo concept, so it will be interesting to see how that plays out – if at all!
Now, onto Episode 6 of The Acolyte… I love how Osha, despite having many unanswered questions, leaned into Qimir for knowledge despite everything he has done. This adds a layer of complexity to her character. Despite Qimir killing Jecki, Osha, while showing emotion over this loss, still cannot embody the “pure light” the Jedi desire. Her anger and fear, traits of the Dark Side, persist. The balance in her character is incredibly fascinating, and Amandla Stenberg’s portrayal is exceptional! Similarly, Mae is leaning into Sol, finding glimmers of hope and light, which makes for an intriguing dynamic. Sol’s subduing Mae before she could act further adds to this complexity.
Back on Coruscant, Master Vernestra prepares a rescue team, aware that exposure to the incident could tarnish the Jedi Order’s reputation. Upon arriving on Khofar, we witness Vernestra’s Lightwhip in action! It was thrilling to see this weapon transition from page to screen. Despite some fans disliking the weapon, I personally enjoy it. With Sol leaving the system and hints of him going “rogue”, Vernestra’s next steps will be interesting to watch.
The episode’s ending, a classic callback to Darth Vader, doesn’t necessarily mean Osha is now a Sith. Both she and Mae are about to learn truths that could alter their characters. I doubt there will be a straightforward swap of allegiances; instead, they might take teachings from both Qimir and Sol to develop aspects of themselves that align with their personalities. The writing is continuously evolving, and we won’t see the final results until the season finale. The story and character elements are just as engaging and exciting as last week’s stunning lightsaber duels.
What did you think of the latest episode of Star Wars: The Acolyte? Let us know in the comments!
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