EntertainmentTVSci-Fi ShowsStar Wars TV ShowsThe AcolyteThe Acolyte is a cop show in disguise, and it’s the perfect genre for Star Wars’ expansionWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
EntertainmentTVSci-Fi ShowsStar Wars TV ShowsThe AcolyteThe Acolyte is a cop show in disguise, and it’s the perfect genre for Star Wars’ expansionWhen 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)
AfterThe Mandalorian’s homage to Westerns andAndor’s foray into political drama,The Acolytebrings crime TV to the Star Wars universe. Kicking off with a murder investigation, the first two episodes are structured like a cop show, portraying the Jedi Order as a worryingly flawed galactic police force.
We quickly learn that Osha is innocent. The real killer is her long-lost twin sister Mae. However it takes a while for the Jedi investigators to figure this out, in a story that utilizes familiar cop TV tropes while highlighting the fallibility of the Jedi.
Good Jedi, bad Jedi
(Image credit: Lucasfilm)
Consider our introduction to Osha’s former teacher Sol (Lee Jung-jae). He’s depicted as empathetic and kind, contrasting with the no-nonsense Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson), a senior authority at the Coruscant temple. When Vernestra informs him of Osha’s supposed crimes, she’s openly concerned about political backlash if the story gets out. A homicidal ex-padawan could damage the Order’s reputation.
“Discretion is important,” she says, emphasizing the need for a swift arrest. Her dialogue is peppered with noticeably un-Jedi-like law enforcement buzzwords like “suspect” and “custody.” Sol, meanwhile, struggles to believe that Osha would commit murder – a belief rooted in lingering feelings of trust and affection for his old padawan, a level of attachment that’s frowned upon in Jedi culture.
Sol’s role echoes Qui-Gon Jinn’s clash with the Jedi Council in The Phantom Menace, setting him apart from his more conservative peers. In the narrative language of crime TV, this conflict also establishes Sol and Vernestra in two archetypal roles: the maverick detective and the strict police chief who tries to keep him in line.
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Sabers up
(Image credit: Lucasfilm)
The Acolyte’s first scene highlights a direct analogy between Jedi lightsabers and a police officer’s gun, with Mae telling Master Indara, “A Jedi doesn’t pull her weapon unless prepared to kill.” With that context in mind, Yord is worryingly quick on the draw. At one point he reaches for his lightsaber because he assumes Osha is armed, when really she’s just retrieving her droid.
The show isn’t exactly subtle about framing Sol as a “good” Jedi, inviting comparisons with his more hardline colleagues who prioritize obedience and tradition over independent thought. I wouldn’t go as far as to say this is an edgy critique of copaganda storytelling (let’s leave that to Andor), but The Acolyte is already making some smart choices in its use of crime drama tropes.
The Acolyte airs weekly onDisneyPlus. For more on the show, check out our spoiler-filled guides to:
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