The first episode of "Star Wars: It is a prequel of an unknown series and the show is filled with interesting details and references that suggest a lot of potential for the actual series. This is a show set in the High Republic timeline, 100 years before the events of ‘The Phantom Menace’ and it gives a new angle to the Star Wars universe. The first episode might look a bit plain and simple to most, fight scenes ending may be too quick, but rather than a full action sequence episode is more about the backstory they went with on the first episode instead of spreading it through a few more.
Platform: Disney+
Setting the Pace
The episode opens with a cryptic statement: "The Jedi live in a dream. An acolyte kills the dream." This sets a dark tone right from the start. The High Republic era is described as a time of peace and prosperity for the Jedi and the Galactic Republic, but there are hints of tensions and threats behind scenes where no one is looking at the moment.
The show is set approximately 100 years before "The Phantom Menace," placing it in a period where the Jedi are at peak of their power with probably thousands of them around the Galaxy. Yoda is the Grand Master of the Jedi Council and other familiar characters are also around. Since Ashoka I have been trying to understand more the sequence on how things happen despite I haven't seen all the animated series but this series look to explore the events leading up to the rise of the Sith and the eventual fall of the Jedi from my understanding been that they were at peak power while on other productions its backwards, example during the Mandalorian latest TV series, not many Jedi around.
Main Characters and Plot
The central characters in this episode are twin sisters, May and Osha. May was taken by the Jedi to train at the temple while Osha was left behind assuming she was dead, but was really the case because when Jord talks about her with Master Sol on the Ship, that does not seem to be the case, Master Sol look concern like they are about to uncover something he is hiding under the rug although Jedi are suppose to be pure, none the less the episode reveals that Mae is alive and Osha has a vision of them in a forest, just learning about her sister's survival.
May and Osha were born to a coven of Force witches, led by their biological mother, Mother Anasia, the sisters share a unique Force connection that can be described as a yin yang relationship with May leaning towards the dark side and Osha towards the light, that sets up an inevitable conflict between the two.
High Republic Context
The story is develop around the times of The High Republic era, some where between 500 and 100 years before "A New Hope" and this series takes place about 100 years before "The Phantom Menace", I had to look this up to make some sense to me like where is this series standing at??!! This time line is specially identify by the Jedi's peak political influence and power with thousands of Jedi active across the galaxy, however, political enemies and long term Sith plans are already in motion, aiming to bring about the Jedi's downfall, its not through brute force that Jedi become rare in the future rather than pure political power, not even Star Wars escape from its corruption.
Key Moments of First Episode
The Opening Title
The episode starts with an opening title that’s not quite a traditional Star Wars crawl but serves a similar purpose. It uses the standard blue Star Wars title contrasting with the Sith red used in the Ahsoka series, the title sets the stage for the series, highlighting the peace and prosperity of the Jedi Order and the Galactic Republic while hinting at the return of the Sith.
The Fight Scene
One of the standout moments in the episode is the fight between Mae and Jedi Master Indara, played by Carrie Anne Moss, how could they kill her so fast and easy?. The fight is very Matrix like with intense hand to hand combat enhanced by the Force, keep in mind the Force runs over time, its not something they can use or keep using when ever they want, they also run out of it as become tired. Mae uses a bartender to distract Indara a very ship shot expected from a Sith type and kills her with a knife that I wonder if it was any special knife or could had some sort of poison since it didn't look going that deep and very small, so how Indara fall so fast after been stab?
Force Visions and Connections
Osha has Force visions of her sister and comes to the conclusion that her sister is alive and could be the only reason how someone looking just like her could have killed Indara and why now in front of Jedi Jord she is the murder they looking for. Knowing that Mae is alive and the fact that Osha is having this visions that connect them through time and space, because lets consider when Osha had the vision Mae was not inducing this images to her, there is certain connection that just came alive probably because of the situation Osha is going through. This kind of connection between the sisters make the story more interesting as we can now only start to imagine what could happen if they battle each other using the force? could they know their attacks or read each other mind?
Jedi Temple and The Force
We also get to visit Jedi Temple where we are introduced to Master Sol a character portrayed by Lee Jones. During the first scene he is training young seedlings and he talk about the eyes being deceiving, this could be in advance of what visions can do to a Jedi from trick his mind and take him through the wrong path, another detail that got my attention is how within the temple Jedi like Sol use the force to things like opening doors or deactivating cell doors, I wonder if this would be for pure security reasons or as a constant training for their powers, same as an athlete might use weights on his ankles to walk on his daily routine and become stronger, Jedi might use the force daily to stay strong?? the more I look a this details the more I wonder as I'm not someone who knows much about Star Wars and is full of questions.
The Sith at the ending
The final scene of the episode features a Sith master with a changed voice that for my understanding is new to the entire Star Wars plus I have never seen in the past, the short cape with the odd helmet shape, which leaves much room for interrogates. This character has a crucial role in the development of both Mae and the main Sith’s plan to defeat the Jedi throughout the series but my biggest question and also the most obvious one is that he/she is the Sith who train Mae and now she is hunting down Jedi to build her own red light saber although there is that quote again "Acolyte kills without a weapon" considering that in order to be consider armed you need to have a light saber while Mae only had her knifes, in the first place this is why Indora refuse to fight her "Jedi do not attack the unarmed".
"Star Wars: The Acolyte” Episode 1 sets the tone for the series and decided to go with a full backdrop history of what happen in the past, which gives the audience a hint into the High Republic period and the events that occurred prior to the emergence of the Sith. The episode has connections to the larger Star Wars universe from the Phantom Menace, reference of how Master Sol and Osha are very similar to Qui-Gon Jinn and ObiWan Kenobi relationship. Mae and Osha are two complex and interesting characters and their story will be undoubtedly at the focus of the series.
It is going to be interesting to observe how as the series progresses certain secrets start to emerge as it is just too curious and interesting that Mae was alive and nobody including Master Sol did not know about it, he even mention she saw her dead, all these aspects evolve and tie into the broader story that is ahead. I am not that impressed with the first episode since for the most part we got flashbacks and bit of context of what had happen between Osha and the court but I am anxious to see the next episodes of the show to see how it unfolds.
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