Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Acolyte Episode 3.
The Acolyte, the first live-action depiction of the High Republic era, has just releasedits third episode. We’re diving even further back in theStar Warstimeline with a flashback episode, showing a young Osha (Lauren Brady) and Mae (Leah Brady), both of whom are played in her later years byAmandla Stenberg, as they grew up on Brendok with an exiled coven of witches. Taking place sixteen years prior to the first two episodes, we also see slightly younger versions of the four Jedi that will become the objects of Mae’smurderous pursuit. Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss),Sol (Lee Jung-jae), Torbin (Dean-Charles Chapman), and theWookiee Jedi Kelnacca(Joonas Suotamo) have come to investigate the coven, suspecting them of training children in unnatural methods of the Force. The series, created byLeslye Headland, takes place about 100 years before the events of the prequel trilogy, but this isStar Wars, so there are always plenty of Easter eggs, references, and callbacks worth catching.
The Acolyte
The Acolyte is a mystery-thriller that will take viewers into a galaxy of shadowy secrets and emerging dark-side powers in the final days of the High Republic era. A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated.
Mother Koril Reminds Us of Zabraks of Dathomir and Nightsisters
Mother Koril (Margarita Levieva) bears distinctive horns that will remind you ofa certain Sith Lordwhile offering insight into this new group of characters. Mother Koril is a Zabrak, the same species to whichStar Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace’s Darth Maul belongs. Canonically, two factions of Zabraks exist — those of Dathomir and those of Iridonia. While we don’t know the full story of this group of witches, Mother Koril’s appearance suggests that these witches are not strictly related to theNightsisters of Dathomirthat we met inAhsoka.Female Dathomirian Zabraks do not have the signature head horns like Darth Maul, while the Iridonian Zabraks do.
Spice Cream: A Sweet Treat With Star Wars History
This is just a fun one. The dessert that Osha and Mae banter back and forth about, excited to devour, is called a spice cream, and it actually exists!Star Wars — Galaxy’s Edge: The Official Black Spire Outpost Cookbook, an official recipe book authored byChelsea Monroe-Cassel, features the sweet treat. Their appearance inThe Acolytediffers a bit from their appearance in the book, but based on Osha and Mae’s excitement, we’ve got to give them a try.
‘The Acolyte’ Episode 1 & 2 Easter Eggs
The High Republic era of Star Wars comes to live-action for the first time.
Osha and Mae Share a Connection to Anakin Skywalker Through Immaculate Conception
The witches inform the investigative Jedi that the twins have no father. Through discussions between Mother Koril andMother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith), it seems we haveanother instance of immaculate conceptionin Star Wars. Mother Koril carried Osha and Mae to term inside herself, while Mother Aniseya, presumably through means ofdark magic of some kind, created them. While this is sounding like a particularly unique case, we can’t help but see the connection that’s forming between Osha, Mae, and Anakin Skywalker. Born to Shmi Skywalker (Pernilla August), Anakin was also without a father. The “Chosen One” concept, Biblical evocation notwithstanding, could bring a massive shakeup to the greater lore ofStar Warsif the parallels to Anakin Skywalker continue to unfold.
Torbin Makes References to Midi-chlorians
When Osha arrives at the Jedi camp to undergo testing, a young,Padawan version of Torbintakes a blood sample from her.Torbin doesn’t tell Osha the purpose of the sample, but we’ve seenThe Phantom Menace, so we know he’s testing formidi-chlorians. Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) retrieved a young Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) from Tatooine, suspecting a powerful connection to the Force, much like these Jedi are drawn to Osha and Mae. Taking a sample from Anakin, it’s explained thatmidi-chlorians are a microscopic form of intelligent lifethat allows the Force to speak through an individual. Those with a higher midi-chlorian count may possess a more powerful sensibility to the Force.
Osha’s Parallels to Anakin Skywalker With the Jedi Force Test
“In this test, you must divine what images appear on the testing screen,” Master Indara prompts Osha. By displaying images on a handheld electronic display kept out of the subject’s view,one can be tested on their Force ability when asked to identify what images are being shown. If they can sense the image without seeing it, they show an obvious connection to the Force. This sequence deepens the references thatconnect Osha and Mae to Anakin Skywalker, as this same test was performed on Anakin inThe Phantom Menace. Although Osha tries, unconvincingly, to appear as though she cannot pass the test, her abilities continue to create a parallel withyoung Anakin.
Osha and Aniseya Parallel Anakin and Shmi
Osha passes her initial Jedi tests with ease. Choosing to follow her heart and explore a pathindependent of her sister, Osha decides toleave with the Jedi. In a final, somber conversation with Mother Aniseya, Osha softly asks, “I’ll never see you again?” At this point, the connection to Anakin Skywalker cannot be denied. Just before he departed Tatooine to begin his Jedi training,Anakin turned to his mother and asked a strikingly similar question: “Will I ever see you again?” Mother Aniseya’s response to Osha is a bit more bleak than Shmi’s was. “You won’t,” Mother Aniseya answers simply. Shmi hears the pleading in Anakin’s question, and responds with a question of her own. “What does your heart tell you?” she asks. “I hope so… yes… I guess,” Anakin answers. “Then we will see each other again,” his mother offers back with a smile.
The Acolyteis streaming on Disney+.
WATCH ON DISNEY+
