(Jedi Padawan Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen) and Osha (Amandla Stenberg) | ©2024 Lucasfilm Ltd.)
A long long time ago, in a galaxy far far away, there was a timeline. This timeline was separated into three distinct areas, the age of republic, the age of rebellion, and the age of resistance. But then, the great mouse deity … you know the rest. Anyway, welcome to “Star Wars: The Acolyte,” the first live-action show that Disney has created within the pre-prequel side of the timeline, “The High Republic.” This zone, used mainly for comics, books, and a Disney Junior animated series now has a big boy show to call its own, but how does it hold up against titans like “The Mandalorian” and “Andor”?
To be objective, it is pretty good! One can tell that the level of craftsmanship is top-notch in the set design, special effects, and action sequences, which the first one feels like it was based on old-school kung-fu films. The acting is top-notch, with actress Amandla Stenberg playing dual roles as twin sisters Mae and Osha. These siblings were separated after a tragedy but were soon brought together again by the force as enemies. Massive props also have to be given to Lee Jung-Jae as Jedi master Sol, a man with many secrets and gravitas, but a kind heart to help out whatever way he can.
Now to talk about the Wookiee in the room, the blatant racism and vitriol directed towards the show. Is the show perfect? No, there are some pacing issues, especially in the first episode, and some stilted dialogue, but to be fair, stilted dialogue is Star Wars’s bread and butter. What won’t be stood for is racism which this show has been assaulted on all fronts by toxic trolls who say otherwise. The issue here is the same as in recent times, if you don’t believe the show is perfect, you are a racist. If you think the show is great, you are a shill for Disney. There is no middle ground, there is no center. It seems that criticisms are either nit-picks or pure mask-off racism and there are no honest opinions anymore. The real victims of this are sadly other creatives who may not get their chances to make their own Star Wars story due to Disney perhaps backtracking on inclusivity due to this loud backlash, a massive example of this is the benching of the character of Rose Tico in “Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker.”
“The Acolyte” is a good show, and it’s best to walk in not thinking about the screaming fanboys.
4 lightsabers out of 5.
Zipporah Pruitt, (she/her) is an L.A. homegrown journalist, who covers entertainment and culture. Follow her on X and Instagram: @zippzapps.
Edited by Nykeya Woods