Since Disney rebooted “Star Wars” in 2015 with JJ Abrams’ “The Force Awakens,” the strongest entries in the franchise have had one common trait. Rian Johnson’s “The Last Jedi” and Tony Gilroy’s “Andor” both chose to take the franchise in bold new directions, opening up exciting new possibilities for what a “Star Wars” story could be. “The Last Jedi” shifted the main narrative away from the Skywalker family, implying that anybody could become a Jedi and therefore a hero. “Andor” used familiar settings as a backdrop for an adult political drama about rebellion and imperial administration, rejecting heroes entirely in favor of the individuals who made up mass movements. Fans may not have always seen them as such – “The Last Jedi” faced backlash from fans, while “Andor” season 1 paled in viewership compared to “The Mandalorian” – but these projects offered a lifeline to a struggling saga. find a way forward, particularly at the multiplex. Longevity requires vitality, which in turn requires flexibility.
“The Acolyte” is not “Andor” or “The Last Jedi,” nor is it trying to be. (In fact, it’s virtually the opposite of Gilroy’s show: where “Andor” eschews the supernatural in favor of foot soldiers, “The Acolyte” goes all-in on the Jedi order and its Force-wielding space wizards.) But the latest “The Star Wars series, created by Leslye Headland of “Bachelorette” and “Russian Doll,” shares with its predecessors the desire to put its own spin on a sacred tradition. In the four episodes – of an eight-episode season – shared in advance with critics, “The Acolyte” combines the classic elements that give “Star Wars” enduring appeal with new additions to the canon, a strong cast and a brisk pace. “Star Wars” was learned in the past, even if it didn’t really take to heart: you don’t need to recycle elements of the main narrative to make its ramifications compelling. In fact, the opposite approach. is often more rewarding.
Set a century before the collapse of the Republic, in a sort of prequel to George Lucas’s prequels, “The Acolyte” begins as a mystery. In the open air, Jedi Master Andara (Carrie-Anne Moss) is confronted by a warrior (Amandla Stenberg) who appears to have a personal grudge against Andara in particular and Jedi in general. Their deadly confrontation then shifts towards a naval mechanic, Osha (also Stenberg), a former Jedi trainee who left the order six years earlier. Osha doesn’t do it seem as the type to attack anyone with knives, but the Jedi sent to investigate a suspect matching his description, including his former classmate Yord (Charlie Barnett, during a “Russian Doll” reunion with Headland ), have doubts.
Yet “The Acolyte” is quick to explain the relationship between Stenberg’s two characters, both to the audience and to Osha’s investigators. It turns out the series has more interesting topics to focus on, like the relationship between Osha and her former mentor Sol (“Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae). Along with Andara, Sol was once stationed on the home planet of Osha, where a fire claimed the lives of her entire family, including, or so she thought, her twin sister, Mae. Osha, then eight years old, went to Coruscant with Sol, who retains a weakness for his guilt-ridden former student, while Mae trained with an anonymous master. No one says the words “dark side” or “Sith”, but the red lightsaber speaks for itself.
There are obvious echoes of Luke and Leia in the story of twins separated as young children, and of Darth Vader in a villain who wears a mask and speaks with a distorted voice. But later episodes contain revelations that subvert, and even threaten to upend, our notions of the Jedi and our binary conception of the Force.
The fallibility of the Jedi has long been one of the most interesting and under-explored themes in Star Wars. In their quest for a chosen one, the warrior monks inadvertently sowed the seeds of their own destruction; Luke Skywalker was so disappointed in his life’s work that he swore the order would die with him. “Star Wars” has always been, on some level, a Greek tragedy disguised as a children’s blockbuster. But while a slew of spinoffs can dilute a brand’s cachet, as is the case for sister company Marvel, they can also allow for a narrower focus. When not forced to (literally) share space with armies and outlaws, the Jedi have never been more focused or scrutinized than they are in “The Acolyte.”
Lee’s Sol emerges as the empathetic face of this ambivalence. Viewers familiar with the actor’s work in South Korea won’t be surprised to see him as an action hero with heart, but for Americans who know him only from the Netflix sensation, the role is a showcase of scope on one of the biggest stages. in the English-speaking media. Stenberg, of course, takes on his dual role, developing the physical aspects of Mae and Osha as well as their different views of the Jedi. (Though this indicates that even Defender Osha chose not to join their ranks because she couldn’t let go of her emotions in her unprocessed grief.) Manny Jacinto plays Mae’s accomplice, a performance reminiscent of his character clumsy and clumsy from “The Good Place.” with more sinister undertones, and Dafne Keen of “His Dark Materials” conveys her very curious young Padawan under a mountain of makeup and CGI. Together, the ensemble draws inspiration from established “Star Wars” types while leaving its own mark.
“The Acolyte” is powered by plenty of action, much of which is hand-to-hand combat heavily influenced by martial arts. (When Moss elegantly connects a railing in the opening scene, probably assisted by wires, you could easily watch a Wuxia film.) But the action itself is rooted in conflict with stakes both large and small for the characters we quickly become interested in. The question of whether Osha and Mae can reach some form of understanding is linked to existential questions about whether the Jedi, or themselves, can be trusted as arbiters of Justice. By allowing itself to delve into the mythology of “Star Wars,” “The Acolyte” cultivates the same sense of curiosity that it manifests for its own universe. Too often, franchise series feel like a superficial expansion exercise. When my screeners for “The Acolyte” ran out, I wanted to know what happened next, even though we already know where the Republic is going.
The first two episodes of “The Acolyte” launch on Disney+ on June 4 at 6 p.m. PT, with the remaining episodes airing weekly on Tuesdays.