As one of the oldest and most popular major franchises in Hollywood, the canon of existing Star Wars material is about as extensive as it can get. With 15 feature films, a myriad of live-action and animated series on Disney+, an innumerable amount of comic books, novels, video games, and so much more, it’s easy to think that pretty much every inch of the galaxy far, far away has been covered at this point. However, despite lackluster additions to the franchise like The Book of Boba Fett, there are still ways in which the brand is actively being pushed forward and forced to evolve. One of the most notable at the moment is through the series Andor, which is the most openly political and brutally anti-fascist Star Wars has perhaps ever been on such a big platform.
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This trend of evolution, thankfully, doesn’t look to be ending anytime soon. There are a number of new Star Wars films and series in the works that are hoping to bring new life and energy to the franchise. While some, such as Ahsoka and Lando (if the latter ever actually happens), are focused on existing characters, there are also several that will tell entirely new stories with new heroes and villains. The Acolyte is an upcoming Disney+ series that was announced several years back, and, despite numerous delays and setbacks, it finally seems to be on course for a release sometime in 2023 or 2024. With the recent casting announcements paired with the news that production is officially underway in the U.K., fans can actually start looking forward to this new chapter in the Star Wars series. So, what is the show, and how does it differ from what has been seen before? Here’s what you need to know:
A New Time Period
Disney / Del Rey
First of all, The Acolyte will take Star Wars fans to an era of the galaxy that has as of yet been completely unexplored on-screen. The series will be set roughly 100 years prior to the events of Episode I – The Phantom Menace, at the end of the High Republic era, which has been detailed in recent years through various books and comics. The High Republic era was a time in which the Jedi were at the height of their power. The Jedi, in addition to sporting fancy new (old?) white robes, were focused on protecting the galaxy from any number of threats, most notably a Viking-esque society known as the “Nihil.” However, during this time, the Sith were mysteriously absent. The Jedi believed their evil counterparts in the Force to be gone forever, and as such, they paid little attention to the subtle ways the Sith were still involved in and influencing the direction of the galaxy.
When The Acolyte takes place on the Star Wars timeline, the High Republic is entering its final years before the Republic would begin falling into disarray, leading to the Fall of the Jedi, as depicted in George Lucas’s prequel trilogy. This point in time is little explored in the overall Star Wars canon, and it is entirely new ground when it comes to live-action and animated series and films. As such, The Acolyte will serve as an introduction to the High Republic for a majority of Star Wars viewers. The galaxy will not operate in quite the same way as it has been seen before, and while some characters, such as Master Yoda, will still be around, the presence and purpose of the Jedi will be unlike anything seen before.
What’s the most exciting about this change in time period is the amount of creative freedom it puts into the hands of the series creator and showrunner Leslye Headland (Russian Doll). Since The Acolyte is so far removed from the Skywalker Saga and pretty much all the existing Star Wars stories that have been told on-screen, it does not need to be too concerned about tying into or referencing the events of those adventures. Instead, The Acolyte will stand almost entirely on its own. It will serve to expand the overall canonical lore of the Star Wars galaxy, while also telling a compelling and foreboding story that is sure to bring a breath of fresh air to the nearly half-century-old franchise. The Acolyte has an open playground to build in, and as such there can be actual stakes and a sense of tension to the show.
Focusing on the Sith
Disney+
Another way in which The Acolyte will stand out from the pack of other Star Wars films and shows is in its general approach to its story. The series will have much more focus on the Sith than fans may be used to. While, in the past, the Sith have played key antagonistic roles within the Star Wars canon, The Acolyte will explore the Dark Side of the Force in a detail not seen before. As can be guessed from the show’s title and logo, the titular and likely lead character of the series will be a Sith apprentice. For the first time, it appears that a Star Wars story will be told primarily not from the perspective of the Jedi, but from that of the Sith.
That’s not to say the Jedi won’t play a role, though. In fact, the vague description of the show that Lucasfilm has released seems to indicate that there will also be Jedi lead characters. The description reads: “The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.”
This newfound focus on the Dark Side is exciting for a number of reasons, the biggest of which is that the series will be able to explore the religion, perspective and lifestyle of the Sith in an entirely new light. It’s not just going to be the traditional hero’s journey that has been seen time and time again in the franchise. Rather, The Acolyte will be taking a darker approach to the material, which is sure to be full of all sorts of intrigue and ethical dilemmas. Focusing the series around the perspective of the Sith, especially at a time in which they are in-hiding and completely off-the-radar of the Jedi, could make for a Star Wars story unlike any other. Some of the most interesting canon and non-canon Star Wars characters (such as Revan, Palpatine and Maul, to name a few) are Sith, and there is immense potential in exploring that kind of tale on-screen.
