EntertainmentTVSci-Fi ShowsStar Wars TV ShowsThe AcolyteStar Wars’ mysterious new witches in The Acolyte have a link to Darth MaulWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentTVSci-Fi ShowsStar Wars TV ShowsThe AcolyteStar Wars’ mysterious new witches in The Acolyte have a link to Darth MaulWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Lucasfilm / Disney)
Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte episode 3.
The Acolyte episode 3 answers some big questions about the mystery so far as we head back to Brendok to find out what happened to Osha and Mae all those years ago. Here, we meet their mother, Mother Aniseya, as well as learning a bit about what led to the terrible fire – and just how the Jedi were involved.
As well as deepening the context of the present-day mystery though, we also meet some intriguing new characters who we’ve not seen in live-action before. Among them is the Koril Mother, who is Osha and Mae’s other mother alongside Aniseya. We don’t learn how they are related to her, but simply find out that she carried them.
However, perhaps most intriguingly, she’s also linked to a key member of the Star Wars canon. The Koril Mother is Zabrak, just like Darth Maul, who is the Dathomirian Zabrak Sith Lord crucial toThe Phantom Menace. The near-human carnivorous species hail from planets Iridonia and Dathomir, but have been pretty few and far between in Star Wars on screen in live-action.
Are the witches in The Acolyte the same as the Nightsisters of Dathomir?
(Image credit: Disney/Lucasfilm)
In short, no. Despite the Coral Mother’s link to Dathomir, this group of witches are not the same as theNightsisters of Dathomir. If you’ll remember, they were introduced inAhsokaas Morgan Elsbeth’s ancestors, but they also played a key role in the animated shows and theJedi Fallen OrderandJedi Survivorgames. They’re magick wielding witches who use a sickly green mist from Dathomir as part of their powers.
The witches we meet in The Acolyte are something different altogether. Their magick seems to work through using the Force, which they refer to as a thread. There’s still a lot of mystery around who they really are though, as we only get a glimpse of their customs in this episode. We see that it’s an important part of their culture to have their descendants ascend and take on a mysterious mark, but not much more. They also hate the Jedi too, although that deep-seated distrust is never completely spelt out.
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Despite the devastating fire that ends episode 3 of The Acolyte, something tells us that we’ve not seen the last of these characters yet. Let’s just hope that more of their mysterious past comes to light as the show continues.
The Acolyte is streaming weekly onDisney Plus. For more on the show, check out our guides to:
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1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1Nemesis review: “A magical sense of tension”
1
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2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
2Arcs review: “A whole lot of game in a small package”
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3Path of Exile 2 review: “A stellar start to a thrilling and brutal dark adventure”
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4Indiana Jones and the Great Circle review: “The best adventure Indy has embarked on in over 30 years”
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5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
5Marvel Rivals review: “So preoccupied with trying to be like Overwatch that it forgets to play to its own strengths”
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1Sonic the Hedgehog 3 review: “Keanu Reeves as Shadow is wasted whilst Jim Carrey steals the show”
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2Mufasa: The Lion King review – “It’s no Hakuna Matata but this Disney origin story is a class above the 2019 movie”
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3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
3Kraven the Hunter review: “The insistence on an R-rating helps save this, with a decent helping of bloodthirsty action”
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4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim review – “An uninspired expansion of the most iconic screen take on Tolkien”
4
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5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
5Nightbitch review: “Amy Adams' disappointing dark comedy is all bark and no bite”
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1Squid Game season 2 review: “Secures its place as one of the best shows on television right now”
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2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2Doctor Who 2024 Christmas special review: “Ncuti Gatwa is as magnetic as ever in this delightful festive treat”
2
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3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3Secret Level review: “An uneven experience with serious highlights that ultimately make up for the misses”
3
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4Skeleton Crew review: “Perfectly captures the vibes of classic Star Wars with a swashbuckling twist”
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5Creature Commandos review: “James Gunn’s heartwarming, R-rated tale about super-monsters proves that the DCU is in good hands”
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