Summary
-
The Acolyte
‘s cancellation doesn’t mean its story has ended, as these characters could have their story wrapped up in a
Star Wars
novel. - Despite mixed reactions,
The Acolyte
episode 5 was a standout, and it proved that people do care about these characters. -
The Acolyte
‘s story arc could transition smoothly into a book trilogy, allowing for more exploration of complex characters.
With news of The Acolyte’s cancelation, there are a lot of loose threads about the short-lived show left, but it doesn’t mean the story is over. While The Acolyte enthusiasts will be sad that they won’t get to see Qimir, Osha, and Mae’s story play out onscreen, there’s still hope for these characters to have their story finished. Reactions to The Acolyte were widely varied, and the Star Wars TV show was even a victim of review bombing before episodes even dropped.
Some Star Wars viewers dislike certain storylines in The Acolyte and cite bad writing and choppy dialog as their biggest complaints. Others who loved The Acolyte looked past some issues the show had and immediately connected with characters like Yord (Charlie Barnett) and Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae). Despite this, The Acolyte episode 5, which featured a Jedi massacre and some of the best lightsaber duels seen in years, easily making it the show’s best episode. It’s disappointing that The Acolyte didn’t get the chance to live up to its potential with more seasons, but the story isn’t over.
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Star Wars: The Acolyte Season 2: Cancelation, Franchise Future, & Everything We Know
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The Acolyte’s Story Can Still Wrap Up—Just in Book Form
Star Wars Fans Can See These Characters Live On
While The Acolyte won’t be returning for a season 2, there’s no doubt that showrunner and creator Leslye Headland had a larger arc planned for these characters. The Acolyte season 1 truly felt like an origin story, with season 2 exploring Osha’s place in the Sith and Jedi like Vernestra Rwoh navigating how to cover up Sith involvement. It wouldn’t be too hard to see these ideas and story points adapted into a Star Wars novel. In fact, it would provide the characters’ inner thoughts and may help audiences relate to them a little bit more.
Star Wars has a long history of publishing novels that help expand audiences’ knowledge of a galaxy far, far away. All books published before 2012 are part of the Star Wars Expanded Universe (also called Legends) and are no longer considered canon. Since Disney acquired Lucasfilm, certain aspects of Legends have slowly been re-canonized. The Acolyte continued this trend by re-introducing cortosis ore, and having Darth Plagueis appear as a Muun in The Acolyte season 1 finale. With so few canon novels set before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, adapting The Acolyte would help fill that gap.
Darth Plagueis was established as a Muun in James Luceno’s
Darth Plagueis
novel, which is part of Legends. In canon, Plagueis’ species was never disclosed.
The Acolyte’s Season 2 Arc Would Work Great As A Book Series
Leslye Headland Must Have Many Ideas to Keep This Story Going
With so many complex characters introduced in
The Acolyte,
a book trilogy or series might be the best way to wrap up all of these very complex storylines.
While standalone Star Wars novels are not uncommon, some of the best novels are a part of a series. Book trilogies like Timothy Zahn’s Thrawn and Thrawn: Ascendancy are incredibly popular, as well as E.K. Johnston’s Queen’s trilogy, which follows Padmé Amidala and her loyal handmaiden Sabé. With so many new characters introduced in The Acolyte, a book trilogy or series might be the best way to wrap up all of these very complex storylines. It would also give the authors time to construct the story in a meaningful and entertaining way.
It’s hard to imagine that when Leslye Headland pitched and wrote The Acolyte, she didn’t have an ending pictured in her mind. After all, the events of The Acolyte couldn’t hinder anything that came after it in the Star Wars timeline, meaning she had to have a plan for how this story ended. Having all these plot points already established means that a book series would have direction. Instead of planning for a two or three-season arc, if Headland and her team could pivot to a trilogy, they still might be able to tell the story they sought to tell.
Lucasfilm announced multiple
The Acolyte
book spin-offs at San Diego Comic-Con, including ones that focused on Vernestra Rwoh, Yord Fandar, and Jecki Lon.
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Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode Guide – Cast Members, Biggest Takeaways & Easter Eggs
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Star Wars Has a Precedent of Canceled Storylines Becoming Novels
It’s Been Done Multiple Times
It’s unfortunate, but a part of the entertainment business, that not every idea and story arc can make it to the screen. However, Lucasfilm has been great at adapting scrapped storylines into successful Star Wars novels. One example is Christie Golden’s novel Dark Disciple, which was adapted from a canceled arc in Star Wars: The Clone Wars season 6. The book was a hit and allowed for an interesting character study of both Jedi Quinlan Vos and former Sith apprentice Asajj Ventress.
This has also happened with Solo: A Star Wars Story. Solo wasn’t a commercial success, meaning many loose threads needed to be resolved, especially when it came to Qi’ra’s role in Maul’s Shadow Collective. This led to a comic series that revolved around Qi’ra and tied up many questions about what happened to Han Solo’s first love. While The Acolyte enthusiasts may have preferred the show to continue, seeing these character’s stories continue in book form is just as good. The Acolyte may be canceled, but audiences may see these characters again.
The Acolyte
3.5
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes – all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
- Cast
- Amandla Stenberg , Lee Jung-jae , Joonas Suotamo , Charlie Barnett , Dafne Keen , Leah Brady , Manny Jacinto , Rebecca Henderson , Carrie-Anne Moss , Jodie Turner-Smith , Dean-Charles Chapman , Lauren Brady , Anthony J. Abraham , Thara Shöön , Danielle Xin Yao Waterman , Sienna Khiroya , Jeramiah Evans , Dan Milne , Thomas Coombes , Archie Singh Swali , Nick Court , Ed Kear , Jumayn Hunter , Scroobius Pip , Abigail Thorn , Margarita Levieva , Amy Tsang , Saskia Allen , Deborah Rosan , Tabitha Alege , Paul Bullion , Indra Ové , Derek Arnold , Lewis Young
- Character(s)
- Mae , Master Sol , Kelnacca , Yord Fandar , Jecki Lon , Little Mae , Qimir , Master Vernestra Rwoh , Master Indara , Mother Aniseya , Master Torbin , Padawan Torbin , Little Osha , Fillik , Tasi Lowa , Youngling , Restrained Convict , Convict , Olega Urchin , Olega Master , Olega Padawan , Scavenger , Ensign Eurus , Mother Koril , Ensign Rane , Scout Sarria , Ensign Shima , Elder Jaalyn , Master Lakshay , Master Holden , Master Ki-Adi-Mundi , Jedi Knight
- Seasons
- 1
- Streaming Service(s)
- Disney+
- Writers
- Leslye Headland , Charmaine De Grate , Kor Adana
- Directors
- Leslye Headland , Alex Garcia Lopez
- Showrunner
- Leslye Headland
