The Acolyte wrapped up a juicy season with a finale that tied up the emotional arcs but left some unanswered questions and possibilities for future stories – the better to ponder, my dears. If you have questions about who that was or why the twins did that, let me help.
The season finale took place on Brendok, the planet where Osha and Mae grew up in a coven of Force witches before a conflict with visiting Jedi ended with their destruction. Sol arrived with Mae. Her sister Osha–who had a vision that her old Master and Mae would be there–arrived with the former Jedi turned Dark Side hottie Qimir. The four of them had a lot of This is a show about letting yourself feel your feelings. Here's what happened.
Sol wants to finish his mission.
The reason that Jedi Master Sol took Mae to her home planet was so that he could finally prove that there was a vergence (an immense concentration of Force energy capable of making life itself) on Brendok. He thought that with proof he could come clean to the Jedi Council about what happened there. He thought it would be enough to show the Jedi and Osha that they they were doing the right thing by interfering with Aniseya's coven.
A spooky face popped out at Osha and Qimir as they left.
Who the EFF was that hiding in the cave with the creepy hand???? Talk about a jump scare. A lot of Star Wars fans think it is Darth Plagueis, a Sith Lord infamously mentioned in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.
Did Osha find out what really happened to her mother?
More or less, yes. When she confronts Mae in their childhood bedroom on Brendok, Mae tells her that Sol killed Mother Aniseya. When Sol confirms this moments later, Osha's overwhelming anger chokes Sol to death. That's how you kill a Jedi without a weapon, it turns out. And we should have known! Force choking became one of Darth Vader's favorite ways to kill and intimidate his employees. Osha then takes Sol's lightsaber and it "bleeds" from blue to red as she goes full Dark Side. Honestly? After what happened to her, and the way Sol and the others lied to her? I'm all for it.
Osha went with Qimir to be trained.
The Jedi, lead by Vernestra, arrive on Brendok moments after Sol dies. They need to get out of there quickly, but Mae made a deal with Qimir. By agreeing to go with Qimir and become his acolyte, Osha can free Mae from her obligation to her former master. She promises to go with him if he lets Mae go. I also think that, after Force-choking Sol, Osha realizes that maybe Qimir has a point about her needing to learn more about the Dark Side of the Force and how to use her powers. And finally... they're clearly crushing on each other. That's the only reason she needed IMHO.
Mae had her memory erased.
Osha's sister turns herself in to Vernestra so that she can learn the truth about how the Jedi destroyed their coven. But before she does Qimir offers to erase her memories of the last 16 years so that she can't incriminate herself or lead the Jedi to Osha and Qimir. She remembers Sol killing Mother Aniseya, but that's it. It's a good plan, but very sad!
The Jedi are getting audited... maybe?
At the beginning of the episode, a senator named Rayencourt visits Vernestra and questions her about the murder investigation she and Sol are conducting. He wants the Senate to review their practices. "I think the Jedi are a massive system of unchecked power posing as a religion," he says, "a delusional cult that claims to control the uncontrollable." Tea!!!! But what he's talking about isn't power or the Force; it's emotions. Repressing emotions, sooner or later, will cause one of them to snap. (If you've seen the Star Wars prequels, you know that to say Anakin Skywalker "snaps" is an understatement.)
Then, at the end of the episode, Vernestra meets with senators including Rayencourt, and pins the events of the entire season on the late Master Sol. She tells that that he killed Indara, Kelnacca, and Torbin. She also tells them that he was responsible for the travesty on Brendok that got them into this mess. By covering up what happened, and framing these deaths as the work of one rogue "bad apple" Jedi Master, Vernestra can maintain the illusion of the Jedi Order's integrity. She can also keep the Senator's request for an external review temporarily at bay.
However, there is one remaining thread as far as Vernestra is concerned. She recognized Qimir when she sensed his presence on Brendok. He's her old padawan! Dun dun dunnnn! She admits this to Mae and basically asks for her help locating him. I'm not sure how much she can be with a magically muddled memory, but it is an interesting position for Mae to be in at the end of the season.
A friendly familiar face showed up at the very end.
Well... the back of a familiar head, that is. At the very end of the episode, Vernestra goes to see none other than Master Yoda (the old one, not the baby one) and gives him the old "we need to talk" – oooooh!! Please, please renew this show for Season 2 ASAP!
