Summary
Star Warshas officially canceledThe Acolyte, leaving these 11 unanswered questions hanging in the balance. Many had anticipated thatThe Acolyteseason 2 would be added toStar Wars’upcoming TV shows, yet when that announcement didn’t come at D23 2024, questions began to be raised about whether this most recentStar Warsshow was being renewed at all. WhileThe Acolyte’scontroversieswere significant, many viewers liked the show, and a second season had been heavily teased by the showrunner for quite some time.
Now, however,Star Warshas confirmed thatThe Acolytewill not be returning. While this is a shame for a number of reasons, ranging from lessStar Warscontent to the missed opportunity to bring some brilliant actors back to the franchise, this decision also means thatseveralStar Warsmysteries introduced in the show may never be explained. Of the questions that remain followingThe Acolyte, these 11 are some of the most significant.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Season 2: Cancelation, Franchise Future, & Everything We Know
Will The Acolyte season 2 happen, and if it does then what’s next for this ultimate Star Wars prequel? Here’s everything we know to date!
Mae
InThe Acolytefinale, Mae and Osha were forced apart yet again, as Osha agreed to train with Qimir, and Mae was captured by the Jedi. Knowing that the Jedi would attempt to use Mae to get to Osha, Mae agreed to have her memory wiped by Qimir. In the end, her prediction was correct, and Mae was taken into custody by the Jedi and later questioned by Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh. Of course, she had no answers to give Vernestra because she had no memory of Osha whatsoever.
Despite the severity of completely wiping Osha from Mae’s memory, the twins seemed convinced they would see one another again someday. In fact, the finale more or less promised an eventual reunion between the two. Now, though, withThe Acolytecancelation,Star Warsis unlikely to ever reveal whether Mae and Osha reunite. While, sadly, their relationship did not end up being one of the most compelling aspects of the show, it’s a shame that this will presumably forever remain a mystery.
10Did Mother Koril Survive?
Koril’s Body Did Not Seem To Be Among The Dead
Mother Aniseya certainly seemed to be the more central mother of Osha and Mae, but Mother Koril’s fate ended up being the more interesting of the two. Specifically, although the witches of Brendok met a terrible fate inThe Acolyte, Mother Koril didn’t seem to be among the dead. Moreover, in interviews,The Acolyte’sshowrunner Leslye Headland indicated that Mother Koril not only may have survived but also could have ended up joiningthe Nightsisters of Dathomir.
Some viewers had even speculated that Mother Koril may have been the secret Sith master all along, although that proved not to be true. Even so, her story held incredible potential, and this could have proven to be a very interesting tie-in to the Clone Wars era through the Nightsisters. Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that Mother Koril’s story will ever be explored in any greater detail now thatThe Acolyteis not being renewed.
Vernestra Rwoh
One of the biggest revelations ofThe Acolytewas Vernestra Rwoh’s role in a Jedi cover-up. It was Vernestra who uncovered (most of) the truth about what had happened throughout the show. Vernestra was aware of Master Sol’s responsibility in the death of the twins' mother, and she was well aware that it wasn’t truly Sol who had killed the other Jedi or himself. After all, it was her former Jedi Padawan, Qimir, who had been at the core of many of these vicious attacks.
However,Vernestra did what she had to do to safeguard the future of the Jedi. The Senate was clearly growing increasingly concerned about the Jedi Order, as made clear in the very pointed accusations by Senator Rayencourt. To guarantee that the Senate would not launch a full-blown investigation of the Jedi (as Rayencourt wanted), Vernestra lied and implicated Sol in all the horrible events that had transpired.
Master Yoda’s cameo at the end ofThe Acolytealso heavily hinted that he, too, helped with this cover-up.
Interestingly, Master Yoda’s cameo at the end ofThe Acolytealso heavily hinted that he, too, helped with this cover-up. This is particularly surprising, as it suggests that Yoda knew a darkness was growing prior to the prequel trilogy era and perhaps was not all that shocked when Darth Maul emerged. Sadly, neither the full cover-up plot nor Master Yoda’s potential culpability is likely to ever be revealed inStar Wars.
8Did The Lightwhip Cause Qimir’s Scar?
The Acolytemade it abundantly clear that Vernestra Rwoh and Qimir had a complicated history that went far beyond Qimir being Vern’s former Padawan. In fact,the show heavily hinted that Qimir’s gruesome scar all across his back was caused by Vernestra Rwoh’s lightwhip. Sadly, not only didThe Acolytenever confirm that history, but it also failed to show the lightwhip truly in action; Vernestra used it at one point to kill a bug-like creature, but she never used it in battle.
Both the absence of the lightwhip throughoutThe Acolyteand the lingering mystery about Qimir’s scar are rather disappointing. This was the lightwhip’s live-action debut, and it isn’t clear when or if the weapon will return toStar Wars. A flashback confirming that Vernestra and Qimir had once had a brutal battle would have been a wonderful way to show the lightwhip in action and reveal what had truly transpired between master and apprentice.
This was the lightwhip’s live-action debut, and it isn’t clear when or if the weapon will return toStar Wars.
7Was There Actually Something Romantic Between Osha And Qimir?
The Two Seemed To Be Much More Than Master And Apprentice
One of the aspects ofThe Acolyteviewers seemed to most enjoy was the budding romance between Osha and Qimir. Although Osha initially rejected Qimir in more ways than one, it was clear that Qimir wanted more from Osha than just her agreeing to be his acolyte. In fact, after murdering multiple Jedi inThe Acolyteepisode 5, Qimir had an odd moment of tenderness, covering Osha with his cloak as though it were a blanket. Then, both episode 6 and the finale episode saw Osha and Qimir growing increasingly close.
Thrillingly, in the finale, Osha agreed to train with Qimir, and one of the last shots of the show was Qimir and Osha holding hands. This was truly exciting, asStar Warshad yet to truly show a relationship of this kind; both Anakin and Kylo Ren had asked their respective love interests to join them, but Padmé and Rey had refused. Finally,Star Warswas showing a woman who made a completely different choice. Devastatingly, though, this relationship is unlikely to ever be developed, robbingStar Warsaudiences once again of a dark side relationship.
6Was Qimir A True Sith?
There Was Considerable Speculation That Qimir Was A Pretender
While Qimir was undoubtedly one of the characters audiences liked the most inThe Acolyte, his true status in the franchise was debatable. In episode 5, he told Master Sol that the Jedi may call him Sith; however, he did not himself take on the title. Of course, Qimir showed many other signs that he was a Sith, from his red lightsaber to his mastery of the dark side of the Force. Yet,plenty about Qimir suggested he wasn’t a Sith Lord at all.
For one, Qimir seemed to have no Sith master, and he didn’t seem to be one himself; he was seeking an acolyte, not an apprentice. For another, Qimir was incredibly powerful, but he also seemed immature and undisciplined. He just didn’t fit withStar Wars’most powerful Sith. If anything, he seemed much more like Kylo Ren, who was also a dark side Force-user but not a Sith. Presumably, there was an interesting underlying story here, but now, it is unlikely to ever be revealed.
5Is This How Darth Plagueis Learned To Create Life?
Many Thought This Would Be Anakin’s Origin Story
AlthoughThe Acolytewas intended to be a standalone show, it ended up having a number of direct connections to the prequel trilogy, some more popular than others. One very controversial decision the show made was to reveal that Osha and Mae had been created with the Force by Mother Aniseya. Immediately, many viewers were outraged, as there was concern that this infringed upon Anakin Skywalker’s uniqueStar Warsstory andthe Chosen One prophecy.
However, when Darth Plagueis was revealed in a cameo in the finale, many began to speculate that, rather than stealing from Anakin’s story,The Acolytewas building upon it. Specifically, it seemed as thoughOsha and Mae’s creation may have helped Darth Plagueis learn the ability to create life, perhaps leading to the creation of Anakin—this seemed even more likely once Plagueis was shown watching Osha on the Unknown Planet. WithThe Acolyte’scancelation, though,Star Warsmay never answer whether this was indeed how Anakin was created.
Emperor Palpatine / Darth Sidious
In addition to possibly revealing more about Anakin’s origins, it seemedThe Acolytewould inevitably reveal more about Palpatine’s history. Darth Plagueis is confirmed to be Palpatine’s Sith master in canon, so Plagueis' appearance at the end ofThe Acolytesuggested that Palpatine was set to tie into the show in some way. This was particularly interesting, as Qimir and Osha both seemed like possible Sith apprentices to Darth Plagueis, raising questions about how Palpatine could factor in.
Some speculated that Plagueis might ultimately destroy them both, assuming Qimir was little more than a Sith pretender after all. However, there were a number of exciting possibilities, including that Osha betrayed Qimir and joined Plagueis or that Palpatine came along and killed them both, proving himself to Plagueis. It’s truly a shame that these possibilities will likely never be explored, as a Sith story of this kind hasn’t been seen in the franchise before.
3Will Darth Plagueis Ever Return To The Star Wars Screen?
Darth Plagueis' Story Is One Of The More Interesting Possibilities From The Acolyte
OutsideThe Acolyte, Darth Plagueis has only been mentioned on-screen once inStar Warscanon, inStar Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sithwhen Palpatine shared Plagueis' story (or ‘tragedy’) with Anakin Skywalker. This makes the cancelation ofThe Acolyteeven more disappointing. This seemed like the franchise’s biggest opportunity to truly tell the story of Darth Plagueis and reveal the full strength and power of the character. In fact,given the timeline,The Acolyteseason 2 could have even seen Darth Plagueis in his prime.
In an ideal world,Star Warswould simply change directions, perhaps introducing a brand-new show focused on the story of Plagueis and Palpatine. In fact, this could even be a spin-off show ofThe Acolyte. However, given the franchise’s rather quick and abrupt decision to cancel the show, this seems very unlikely. It is truly a shame that this turn for the worse forThe Acolytemay mean Darth Plagueis' one and only appearance on-screen.
It is truly a shame that this turn for the worse forThe Acolytemay mean Darth Plagueis' one and only appearance on-screen.
Yoda
Curiously, inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Master Yoda describedthe Sith Rule of Twoto Mace Windu, clearly demonstrating some level of familiarity with the Sith dynamic. However, it’s unclear precisely how Yoda came by that information. In light of Vernestra Rwoh seeking Yoda’s assistance with her cover-up, though, it seems possible that Yoda may have either had direct dealings with the Sith betweenThe AcolyteandThe Phantom Menace, or, at least, been concerned about the return of the Sith and sought that information through ancient texts.
Sadly, Yoda’s level of awareness of the Sith’s return and the manner in which he learned about the Sith Rule of Two will likely always be a mystery inStar Wars. This is yet another truly disappointing aspect ofThe Acolyte’scancelation. The story of Yoda’s discovery of the Sith and the decisions he made to keep the Jedi in the dark prior to the prequels could have proven fascinating. Now, it’s more likely that Yoda’s participation in the cover-up will stay a mystery.
