The Acolyte Fails by Lacking Key Star Wars Staples: Morality and Hope

The latest Star Wars show, The Acolyte, has wrapped up its run on Disney+. Unfortunately, it has been met with significant criticism. The show struggles with bad writing, poor acting, and subpar production design. However, perhaps its most critical flaw is that it doesn’t feel like a Star Wars show and seems to misunderstand the core elements that make the franchise beloved.

The main storyline follows twin sisters Osha and Mae. Raised by a coven of Force-sensitive witches on a remote planet, they are discovered by a group of Jedi who wish to take them to Coruscant for training. A series of misunderstandings escalate into a conflict resulting in the extermination of the witches. Osha is taken for training, while Mae, thought to be dead, embarks on a journey of revenge.

The Acolyte’s narrative stands out because it attempts to blur the lines between good and evil, suggesting that morality is subjective. The Jedi are portrayed as invaders who should be punished despite their good intentions of rescuing the twins. Mae’s quest for revenge is depicted as justified, even though she resorts to murder, and Osha inexplicably emerges as a protagonist despite her ruthless actions. Star Wars has always had a clear-cut sense of good versus evil, primarily through the use of the Force, which either aligns with the Light or Dark Side with no room for middle ground.

The Star Wars saga doesn’t entertain ambiguous morality when it comes to using the Force. Tapping into the Dark Side for good is impossible, and those who follow this path are inevitably consumed by darkness. Characters like Qimir cannot be seen as simply another Force user with different abilities; he taps into pure evil. Similarly, Osha’s alignment with Qimir marks her as a follower of the Dark Side.

Attempting to present morality as subjective works well in shows like Game of Thrones but feels out of place in the Star Wars universe. Even Andor, another Star Wars spinoff, manages to navigate moral ambiguity by avoiding significant involvement with the Force.

While the Jedi are flawed, they draw upon the Light Side of the Force, making them fundamentally opposed to evil. Despite their mistakes, the Jedi are a force for good. The Acolyte’s gray moral stance eliminates the clear distinction between heroes and villains that has been a Star Wars hallmark. Characters like Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi exemplify the franchise’s fundamental belief in good triumphing over evil. They are moral compasses, rising to challenges and always striving to make the galaxy a better place.

Another significant issue with The Acolyte is its absence of hope, a central theme in Star Wars. From the first movie, later renamed A New Hope, the franchise’s essence has been about the possibility of a better future. This belief in hope drives characters through countless adversities, fueling their victories.

Even in darker moments, such as The Empire Strikes Back, hope remains. Despite setbacks, characters like Luke and Leia demonstrate an unwavering resolve to overcome obstacles. Throughout the original trilogy, hope is a constant presence, inspiring the heroes and vindicating their struggles.

This sense of hope continues in the prequels and even finds moments in Disney-produced movies. However, The Acolyte’s moral ambiguity means it lacks the franchise’s signature hope, mainly as it avoids labeling anything as genuinely evil that must be overcome. It also treats characters in ways that offer no redemption, contrary to the Star Wars tradition of forgiveness and the possibility of redemption, as seen with Luke’s forgiveness of Vader.

Ultimately, The Acolyte introduces a sense of moral relativity that seems out of place in the Star Wars galaxy. The responses to events in the series imply there is no absolute moral standpoint, reducing the emotional impact and cohesion of the story.

The themes of good versus evil, and the enduring promise of hope, are vital parts of the Star Wars identity. Ignoring these elements makes The Acolyte not just a misstep but fundamentally a poor addition to the Star Wars universe.

Source: Winter Is Coming