Editor's Note: The following contains spoilers for episodes 1 and 2 of The Acolyte.
The big picture
- The Jedi of the High Republic were different from those of the Skywalker Saga.
- The Jedi enters
the acolyte
seems to prioritize the political image over justice. - The inability to delegate tasks and decisions may lead in part to the downfall of the Jedi.
One of the coolest things the acolyte what he's doing is bringing to live action a beloved character from the Star Wars books and comics, Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson). He's seen a lot of action during the High Republic era, and at the time of the new Disney+ show, he's a well-respected member of the Jedi Order. She does, however, show some of the typical Jedi flaws and issues we're used to, showing that these issues have been rooted in the Order for centuries — and we've already seen some in the first two episodes.
The Jedi of the High Republic were once different from those of the Skywalker saga
Novels and comics set in the High Republic era of galactic history are among the best things about Star Warss has ever turned off Focusing primarily on the Jedi of that era, between three and a century before the events of Star Wars – Episode I: The Phantom Menace – these stories show the Order at the height of its power and influence, and also a bit different from the Jedi we are used to seeing in movies and other TV series. While the Jedi we know tend to be more stern and serious, in the High Republic things were lighter and they were allowed to be more passionate and compassionate.
Vernestra Rwoh became a beloved character in those stories because she is introduced as a young prodigy in the Jedi Order. The youngest Jedi to reach the rank of knight, she always felt she had to make up for her lack of experience by devoting herself to studying and training even more, so he became a very “by the book” sort of Jedi.. He takes on a Padawan early on and aids in the effort against the Nihil Pirates during the most serious crisis the Republic has yet faced. And the Nihil are precisely the problem in this context, because, in many ways, they have succeeded in shaking the faith that the galaxy had in the Jedi, and that the Jedi also had in themselves.
During the Nihil Crisis, the Jedi became extremely important politically, leading the fight against the enemy and acting in collaboration with Chancellor Lina Soh and the Galactic Senate in all matters. They had to deal with many secrets about coming to light, especially since they were not invincible or infallible. For example, the leader of the Nihil, Marchion Ro, descends from an anti-Jedi cult called the Way of the Open Hand, and uses a living weapon against them called Nameless, which feeds off the Force and reduces users of the Force to literal ashes. . This is the kind of threat that could spread panic within the Order itself, so when the Nameless were first revealed, Master Yoda himself chose to keep them a secret from the other Jedi and the galaxy It was the first time it was recorded War of the galaxies history that the Jedi made this decision, but it would not be the last.
“The Acolyte Jedi are already more concerned with political capital than doing the right thing
In episode 1 of the acolyteVernestra is the one who will tell Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) that his former Padawan, Osha Aniseya (Amandla Stenberg), is the prime suspect in the murder of Master Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss). The two have a brief discussion about who should lead the investigation, but the main concern is keeping everything secret to avoid political complications. The Jedi are more concerned with how the case might affect their political standing rather than solving it. Yord Fandar (Charlie Barnett) has already begun investigating the murder, but the less people know, the better.
Over the millennia, the Jedi Order has cultivated the image of being the guardians of peace and justice in the galaxy. That's how everyone thinks of them, and that's a great compliance effort. It is very likely, for example, that the murder of Mistress Indara is still a secret to most of the Order, and even when it is known, it will likely be said that she died under circumstances other than the one in which she was killed by a dark side acolyte. In The Phantom Menacefor example, the Jedi Council talks about how the Sith have been extinct for millennia, though the acolyte now he is not only proving otherwise but also that at least some Jedi were aware of it. Like what happened to the Nameless, Return of the Sith will likely be covered up by the Council
This unfortunate tradition of subterfuge likely originated during the Nihil Crisis, with the Jedi gaining more and more political capital as the enemy began to lose (TheHigh Republic the novels and comics haven't gotten to that point yet, but we're hoping!). The problem with politics is that it's not a game that can be dropped, especially an institution as large as the Jedi Order. And, like any political faction, the Jedi are sure to have opposition in the Senate, so looking good is important. Knowledge of threats like the Nameless and enemies like the Sith among members of the Order could have made things easier, but the need for secrecy in the political sphere is an obstacle — one that will ultimately contribute to his downfall.
'Acolyte Jedi are hampered by their inability to delegate
Another thing that will eventually end up facilitating the downfall of the Jedi is the inability of the Order to compartmentalize and delegate. In Episode 2, Master Sol and his team head to the planet Olega after someone who looks exactly like Osha tries to kill Jedi Master Torbin (Dean-Charles Chapman) at the local Jedi Temple. As they talk via holo, Vernestra outright forbids Sol from going to Olega, arguing that they need to regroup and deliberate their next steps, but Sol refuses and travels to Olega anyway.
Vernestra acts as the voice of the Council in this context, so what she says carries all the weight of all the Masters. Not long after the Crisis on Nihil, it's only natural that the Council prefers that the Jedi handle everything before proceeding. The problem is that this will only intensify over timeto the point that even the recruitment of young potentials will become a matter for the Council, such as the young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) in The Phantom Menace. This intense control over everything each Jedi does prevents some members of the Order from taking decisive action in some contexts, while in others it creates unnecessary friction with other Jedi who may have different views on how to proceed, but who they are equally wise.
The best example is Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) pleading with his master, Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) not go against the Council regarding Anakin's training, again in The Phantom Menace. Obi-Wan eventually becomes famous for being a stickler for the rules and even becomes a member of the Council, while Qui-Gon is often regarded as a maverick Jedi. For someone who was older than usual to be accepted into the Order and was rebellious and argumentative by nature, Anakin would have benefited more from training with Qui-Gon, and he might not have become a Sith Lord. But who knows?
The first two episodes of the acolyte are available on Disney+. New episodes air weekly on Wednesdays.
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