Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for the finale ofThe Acolyte.
Summary
Lee Jung-jae, who played Master Sol inThe Acolyte, recently shared his response to news of theStar Warsshow’s cancelation.The Acolyteseason 2was canceled just weeks after the first season ended. That news came very abruptly, and it’s caused some reactions from various formerStar Warsactors.John Boyega shared his support for Amandla Stenberg, andManny Jacinto was the first actor fromThe Acolyteto react. Now, Lee Jung-jae has added his voice to the growing list of reactions toThe Acolyte’s cancelation.
In an interview withEntertainment Weekly, Lee shared his reaction to the news ofThe Acolyte’s cancelation.
“To hear the news, I was quite surprised personally as well.”
Lee Jung-jae’s surprised reaction to the cancelation ofThe Acolyteis not at all uncommon.The Acolyteis the first canceledStar Warsshow in its history, and it took both viewers and actors by surprise. The show’s cancelation was even more unexpected given all the loose threads that theending ofThe Acolyteleft, and all the possibilitiesThe Acolyteseason 2 could have explored. From Darth Plagueis' cameo to the conclusion of Osha and the Stranger’s story, the fact that those threads won’t be followed was surprising to even Lee Jung-jae.
What The Acolyte Season 2 Could Have Been About
With The Acolyte officially canceled, we theorize what we could have seen in season 2 of the Star Wars show.
Lee Jung-jae Wouldn’t Have Been Returning, But He Clearly Loved The Show
Even ifThe Acolyteseason 2 wasn’t canceled, Lee Jung-jae likely wouldn’t have been in it. Master Sol died at the end ofThe Acolyteseason 1, and unless he could join the growing list ofStar Warscharacters who have been resurrected, he wouldn’t have appeared in the second season.Though it was always possible that Sol could have returned as a Force ghost, it seems unlikely thatThe Acolytewould have written him in for season 2. Sol’s death had a tremendous emotional weight to it, and it meant an enormous deal to Osha’s character development, so it probably would have stayed permanent.
Sol
Master Sol is a wise, highly respected, powerful Jedi Master, strong in the ways of the Force, who is going through emotional conflict.
While Lee wouldn’t have returned forThe Acolyteseason 2, he still wanted to see where its story led. Later in the interview, Lee spoke about how much he respectedThe Acolyte’s showrunner, Leslye Headland, and how he still hopes that she gets to finish the story she started.
“But personally speaking, I really loved Leslye’s writing. I thought that she was a great writer and director who was very talented in the storytelling, as well as creating characters and creating meaningful structures within the story. So I was actually personally really looking forward to watching a season 2 with her at the helm.
Honestly, I am hoping that maybe there could be changes in the future. Because you never know what’s going to happen. So on a personal level, I really hope we could get to see further stories of Leslye’s second season.”
Lee’s comments make it clear that he lovedThe Acolyte, and he’s one of many fans who wish it was renewed. JoiningThe Acolytein the first place was a big leap for Lee - he had to learn English for the series - and his continuing support of it shows that he was much more than just an actor. Even though it was canceled, the fact thatThe Acolytecould make a fan out of the actor it killed off in the finale is a very impressive feat.
The Acolyte Failed Because Star Wars Forgot George Lucas' Most Important Lesson
Lucasfilm and Disney have canceled The Acolyte after just one season, and the decision points to a major failure to learn from George Lucas himself.
Even thoughThe Acolytehas been canceled and Lee Jung-jae’s time as Master Sol has come to an end, both he and the show will continue to be big parts ofStar Warsfor a while yet. There are a fewplanned tie-in novels forThe Acolyte, which are set to expand upon characters like Jecki Lon, Yord Fandar, Master Kelnacca, and more. While Sol hasn’t yet been confirmed as a focus of those stories, he was a major part of those characters' lives, and he’ll likely appear in them. Still, it’s a bittersweet consolation for Lee Jung-jae andThe Acolyte.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
