TV Review: ‘The Acolyte’ Picks Up The Pace In Episode 2
by Frank Martin
While the first episode of The Acolyte focused on setting the stage and introducing characters, it felt as if the second episode really got into the meat and potatoes of what the series is all about. This show has a very different feel to it than anything Star Wars has done on Disney+ thus far. It’s also in a completely different era, so it has to stand on its own without relying on previously known characters and storylines. This episode manages to accomplish that by moving events toward mystery in a meaningful way with some great Jedi action and suspense.
After rescuing his former apprentice, Osha (Amandla Stenberg), from her crashed ship, Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) goes on the hunt for the assassin, Mae (also Stenberg). This brings him to the location of another Jedi Master who is undergoing the Barash Vow, a Jedi ritual of meditation. After failing to attack the Jedi Master directly, Mae convinces him to take poison and kill himself for what he had done to her in the past. Sol then fights Mae while trying to learn who trained her. The episode ends as the series introduces the assassin’s next target: a Wookie Jedi called Kelnacca (Joonas Suotamo).
There was a lot going on this time. The pacing picked up from episode 1 and introduced the Barash Vow, a fan favorite aspect of the Jedi from expanded media, into live action canon. It also gave audiences a little bit more of an insight into Mae as it hinted at some past wrong she pins on the Jedi. Looming over this entire story is a Sith who has been training her. That’s ultimately who Sol is after, and he understands that well. It will be interesting to see how he acts like a detective to uncover the mysterious Sith’s identity.
The Acolyte streams Tuesdays on Disney+.
