I don’t know about you, but I am pleased that The Acolyte releases weekly. The impact of this Star Wars narrative is maximized by experiencing one episode a week. After the last two episodes, the latest one is more proof of that. The Acolyte 1×07 is another flashback episode that answers many questions and adds even more effective moral shading to the storytelling.
This show handled its themes and plotting well from the beginning. Then came episode 5. The incredible action and stunning plot points in that episode marked a step up in the story. We needed that week until the next episode to recover. Then came episode 6, and we needed that week again, in a different way. Whether it was the loss of likable characters or a temptation toward the Dark Side, the time to process between episodes was welcome. The writers made a good decision to pause the main action and give us another flashback episode this week. It was time for the viewers to have all the information about the past, and for the full scope of the story to take shape.
With one episode left to go, The Acolyte 1×07 shifts our perspective on certain characters and deepens our investment in the emotional stakes between them. It has the most tragic undertone of any episode in this series.
“Do not center around your anxieties.”
The twins Osha and Mae (both played by Amandla Stenberg) and their opposing ideologies are the main characters of this show. But their journey, both as children and adults, has been inextricably tied with Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae). This episode makes that even more obvious. The earlier flashback episode gave us Osha’s perspective on the night she and Mae lost their family on Brendok. This time, we see the same events from the Jedi’s point of view. Sol is the one who spots the girls first and sees them using the Force. He even goes so far as to sneak into the witches’ fortress where they live to spy on them as they train. He is adamant the girls are in danger, and he wants Osha to be his Padawan.
Sol is worried about the girls because the witches they live with use the Force in a way that seems more like the Dark Side than anything the Jedi do. When the Jedi come to ask permission to test the girls, their mother, Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith), takes over the mind of Padawan Torbin (Dean-Charles Chapman). This time, we get to see what was going on in his head when this happened. It definitely has a Sith vibe to it. Besides that, the witches emphasize the “power of two” when referring to the twins, which is very much a Sith thing as well. We agree with Sol’s concern for these children, especially Osha. She didn’t want to be a witch to begin with.
“I would always let you have what you need.”
The big reveal of this trip into the past is how Mother Aniseya actually died. While Mae had Osha locked in her room to try to stop her from leaving, Torbin confronted the witches. He was too hostile, but another witch, Mother Koril (Margarita Levieva), is only too happy to escalate to violence. Sol tries to help, but things only get more chaotic. Mae rushes in for help because the fire she started got out of control. Sol thinks she’s Osha. When Mother Aniseya uses her power to turn herself and Mae into smoke, he stabs at her with his lightsaber. Mother Aniseya thought she was protecting Mae, and Sol thought he was protecting Osha. It’s just sad all around. Sol’s mistakes don’t stop there, either. Later, he tries to save both girls but isn’t strong enough and has to make a choice. He chooses Osha.
In terms of the bigger picture of the Star Wars universe, the show has drawn parallels between Anakin Skywalker and these twin girls. Like Anakin, Osha and Mae were created through the Force, not born. We learn more about this in this episode. The Jedi team were on Brendok investigating why the planet was now thriving with life despite a hyperspace accident. They are looking for a vergence, a concentration of Force energy around a certain location. Clearly, the witches are responsible for the vergence on Brendok. And Osha and Mae are part of it too.
Sol has always been empathetic, and he still is even though his flaws have now been fully expressed. He wants to throw himself on the mercy of the Jedi Council. Master Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss) insists that will only make Osha’s loss more intense. The Acolyte 1×07 has set up high stakes for adult Osha and Mae in next week’s finale, and I can’t wait to see them play out.
The Acolyte is streaming on Disney Plus.
