Drink in that trailer, folks, because it’s a hearty taste of what’s to come on The Acolyte, premiering with two episodes on June 4! I know I’m still freaking out from how damn good it was! Set towards the end of the High Republic era (so around 100 years before The Phantom Menace), a series of Jedi murders brings about an investigation while a darkness sets to rise…which we get a tease of with a spinning red lightsaber in the closing minutes of the Jedi kung fu filled, eerie and tonally dark, trailer! Head below for all the latest details, from character names, interviews with showrunner/executive producer Leslye Headland, more about Vernestra Rwoh’s role in the show, to stills from the trailer, and so much more!
From yesterday’s teaser poster, the show’s synopsis was revealed:
In The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems….
Lee Jung-jae plays Jedi Master Sol, the one teaching the younglings at the opening of the trailer, and the official site’s character Databank describes him as, “…a wise, highly respected, powerful Jedi Master, strong in the ways of the Force, who is going through emotional conflict.” The High Republic books are no strangers to Jedi with emotional conflicts (cough Elzar Mann cough), but what is Sol’s? And how does it likely tie in with this “dangerous warrior from his past” Mae, whom Amandla Stenberg plays in a ferociously memorable way in the trailer? Was she his apprentice until something happened? And does her return begin to weigh on him, especially after what she’s become? It sounds like whatever is going on with Mae, it’s not completely in her control, or at least her fault, as the Databank says she, “…gets swept up into a sinister mystery—one that puts her into the center of a conflict in unexpected ways.” Their relationship and past look to form a big, beating heart to the series and I’m very interested to learn more.
The High Republic’s third and final Phase, Trials of the Jedi, is about to be wrapping up its first Wave of stories, so there’s plenty left to come we don’t know about what happens, especially with the likes of the Nihil conflict or the Nameless creatures. Showrunner Leslye Headland is adamant viewers of The Acolyte won’t need to read any of the books to watch the show, but as a giant fan of them, I’m still unwell from Celebration Europe last year learning Vernestra Rwoh, who is tied with Keeve Trennis as my favorite Jedi of the era, is set to appear in the show. We get some brief glimpses of her in the trailer, plus they’ve released an official hi-res image of her Celebration panel reveal, and I can’t wait to learn more about what she is up to in this era and how big her role is. According to two interviews, one with the official site and the other with Collider, Headland says Vernestra (played by Rebecca Henderson) is well revered by the Jedi at this point and goes over how she’s a perfect character to show where the Jedi are at the start of the series:
Vern was a character that really jumped out at me immediately as someone that I wanted to see as an arc for where we were with the Jedi when we come into this story . A character that started out as a prodigy, someone powerfully connected to the Force, almost in love with the Force, but also sassy enough to make her lightsaber into a whip. Someone [with] that experimentation, that energy, and then to see who she is in our show, and see what happens over the course of becoming a more and more powerful Jedi, and going from mission after mission, to council meetings, and protocol, and “how do we keep this institution going, how do we check it, how do we negotiate the level of power that we have.” She’s massively respected, and considered to be one of the most powerful Jedi at this particular time period.”
As for why she’s so respected, could it be her involvement with solving the plight of the Nameless against the Jedi Order, as her special Path from hyperspace savant Mari San Tekka seems to point towards? I just finished reading The High Republic: Defy the Storm and I don’t imagine the show will spoil what is yet to come in the books, as Phase III won’t wrap up until early 2025, but seeing what’s next for the character will be a joy, while given the amount of queer talent involved with the show, even in the writer’s room, maybe Vernestra’s aroace identity can be worked in or mentioned as well! As for if we’ll see other High Republic characters, Headland said Vernestra’s the only one we can expect in season one, saying she’s saving others for season two! There’s been zero confirmation of there being more than one season, but I have a high confidence level it could happen, as even Headland’s revealed she’s spoken to Kathleen Kennedy about her ideas for one and how there will be some lingering threads unresolved in the show’s finale. Besides characters carrying over from the books, having Master Sol in white robes at the Temple and then the ones we are more familiar with from the Prequels when out in the field is a great nod to High Republic era having Temple and Mission robes, and I’m glad to see the Jedi Order isn’t quite there yet to one robe fits all situations just yet.
Also going up against Mae’s character with some sick Jedi kung fu, which they modeled after wushu, is Carrie-Anne Moss’ Jedi Master Indara! It still doesn’t feel real we have Trinity herself, from The Matrix films of course, in Star Wars, but holy crap does it look like she’s going to bring her usual level of greatness to her role. And I love we’ll get a chance to one day have more about Indara, be it books, comics, or games, so there could always be more Moss despite her character’s fate.
Beyond the Masters, we have some other new Jedi characters as well: Jedi Knight Yord Fandar, played by Charlie Barnett, whom the Databanks says, “…is an overachiever and a rule follower. His need to be a by-the-book Jedi can cloud his mind.” which makes him feel similar to High Republic era Reath Silas; and Jedi Padawan Jecki Lon, played Dafne Keen, who is half human, half Theelin, and Master Sol’s current apprentice, with the Databank describing her as someone who, “…projects calm and conducts herself with maturity.” And lastly, but not least because who doesn’t want more Wookiees, is the previously revealed Kelnacca, who we learn is a loner, and I’m glad to see Joonas Suotamo step into the fur of someone other than Chewbacca! It’s only Dean-Charles Chapman’s Jedi character, and main cast member, who’s yet to be revealed…is it for a specific reason (Avar Kriss/Elzar Mann desecendant??) or because they just decided it wasn’t that important at this time?
But it’s not all Jedi and mysterious, angry maybe used to be Jedi characters we met with the trailer! There’s the stunning Mother Aniseya, who leads a, “…coven of Witches who value their independence and the preservation of their beliefs and powers,” and is played by Jodie Turner-Smith. There’s a lot of comparisons to The High Republic Phase II group the Path of the Open Hand, not just in the clothing styles she and her group wears, but more so in the manifesto, as her lines in the trailer point towards her faction being interested in removing the Jedi’s stranglehold on usage of the Force. This fits with Headland’s ideas for the show, talking about the Jedi Order being the institution since they are at the height of their power, and how Star Wars is always about the underdog vs the institution. Then there’s Manny Jacinto’s Qimir, a former smuggler who, “…now makes his living as a trader, procuring unusual things and enjoying a life of leisure,” but that’s about all we know.
There also remains questions on the identity of the red blade wielding character and if they are the same as the person Mae regards on a planet which looks eerily similar to Ahch-To. Are either of them Sith characters we’ve met or heard about in Legends or canon before? Headland teased she’s going to bringing us Zygerrian Jedi, canonizing a species we’ve not seen before, and pulling in Expanded Universe lore, which it’s clear she certainly knows what she’s talking about, so the sky’s the limit with what she might bring to screen…guess we’ll find out starting June 4 with the series’ two-part premiere! And while I suspect we’ll get another trailer and more features about the show as we get closer to June 4, an extended sneak peek will be included with the rerelease showings of The Phantom Menace in May, per AMC’s listing!
Beyond who is in front of the camera, we got some more details on those behind the camera. Scoring the series is the genius behind scores for films like Get Out and Us, Michael Abels, and if what’s in the trailer is just a taste of what he’s cooking, we’ll have a sonic feast ahead. As for directors and writers, there’s a fan made infographic that breaks it down, but I love seeing a writers room like what Andor did, as well as the various queer talent that’s helping bring this era to life, which has been pushing queer rep again and again since its debut. I also like how Headland revealed they’ll be showing events from different character’s perspectives, Rashomon style, like what Rian Johnson did in The Last Jedi, and it’s being done with many different writers and directors involved. Here’s the list:
- Episode 101: Writer/Director Leslye Headland
- Episode 102: Writers Jason Micallef & Charmain Degrate and Director Leslye Headland
- Episode 103: Writers Jasmyne Flournoy & Eileen Shim and Director Kogonada
- Episode 104: Writers Claire Kiechel & Kor Adana and Director Alex Garcia Lopez
- Episode 105: Writers Kor Adana & Cameron Squires and Director Alex Garcia Lopez
- Episode 106: Writers Jason Micallef & Jocelyn Bioh and Director Hanelle Culpepper
- Episode 107: Writers Charmain Degrate, Jen Richards, & Jasmyne Flournoy and Director Kogonada
- Episode 108: Writer Jason Micallef and Director Hanelle Culpepper
And it sounds like episodes will be around 30 minutes each, with the finale maybe the longest, around 40 mins. I’m sure we’re going to want a lot more once it’s all said and done.
UPDATE 3/20: Hasbro unveiled they’ve actually been working on figures for the series, as Master Sol, Master Indara, Yord, Jecki, and Mae are all coming to the Black Series line, while Sol and Mae will have The Vintage Collection releases too! Hopefully that means we’ll be seeing a Vernestra Rwoh figure soon, the first character from the books to get one! Otherwise, if you wanted to know whose lightsaber had the blood on it in the original teaser poster for the series, the toys seem to hint exactly whose it is! Also, the trailer broke records for Lucasfilm, surpassing views for the other series in the process in the first 24 hours!
Check back to the Manor in the months ahead for more news as it drops, our coverage of The High Republic overall, and of course our reviews of the series once it premieres on June 4!
Ryan is Mynock Manor’s Head Butler. You can follow him on Twitter @BrushYourTeeth. You can follow the website on Twitter @MynockManor and Instagram @mynockmanor.