The galaxy of Star Wars took a bold step into uncharted history with The Acolyte, a Disney+ series that pulled fans deep into the High Republic era, centuries before the Skywalker Saga. Under the guidance of showrunner Leslye Headland, the series set out to capture the Jedi’s Golden Age while tracing the quiet rise of the Sith—an ambitious attempt to reframe the mythos of the Force.
Like Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII–The Last Jedi (2017), The Acolyte became a flashpoint among fans, sparking debates about canon, identity, and the direction of the franchise. Despite its eight-episode run offering more questions than answers, the show was canceled, reportedly due to weak viewership.
For many, the move felt like Lucasfilm giving in to relentless online criticism. Cast members including Amandla Stenberg (Osha/Mae Aniseya), Lee Jung-jae (Jedi Master Sol), Rebecca Henderson (Vernestra Rwoh), Manny Jacinto (Qimir/The Stranger), and Jodie Turner-Smith (Mother Aniseya) were frequent targets of that backlash.
The Acolyte had been scrutinized since its announcement as a “female-centric” project. Supporters championed its diverse cast and Headland’s leadership as a queer woman, while detractors dismissed it as “woke” and too steeped in social commentary. Disney Entertainment co-chairman Alan Bergman pointed to its budget when asked about renewal, but data told another story.
According to Parrot Analytics, The Acolyte actually outperformed Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Book of Boba Fett, and Ahsoka in demand metrics, suggesting financial costs may have outweighed genuine interest.
Had the series returned, it was poised to expand on its characters, with the companion book “Star Wars: The Acolyte Visual Guide” filling in details. The guide confirmed Qimir’s backstory, including the reveal of Darth Plagueis on his stormy oceanic homeworld. The planet is described as hosting “an intelligent reptilian species that lives far from the islands.”
Fans speculated, via The Holo Files (per The Direct), that this could be Bal’demnic, a Legends planet tied to Plagueis’s rise and rich in cortosis, the rare material in Qimir’s armor.
The guide also linked Qimir to Hutt Space, noting he “spent some time gunrunning” in the criminal stronghold. With Jabba the Hutt and his clan long dominating the sector, this detail positioned Qimir as more dangerous than he first appeared. His age is listed as “unknown,” while his mastery of pharmaceuticals—including a “rare nori-inkal from Boothi IV” with “an oily serum that revitalizes aged skin and eliminates wrinkles”—suggests he may be older than his appearance.
Despite his power, the guide labeled him “a pretender to [Sith] lineage… Whether he is the true heir to the Sith is a mystery no one will survive to solve.” Even his helmet is revealed to be purely “cosmetic,” leaving him to fight blind with only the Force.
Speaking at Fan Expo Chicago, Manny Jacinto reflected on how his character reshaped perceptions of the dark side.
“I mean, that’s what I loved about this character. Leslye [Headland] in her head, the whole theme of this storyline was, what is it like to really be seduced by the dark side and in various aspects? One of the aspects was, yeah, like, how do you have a convincing argument to be able to come [to the dark side]?” Jacinto said. “Because, from what we’ve seen before, no offense, I never really bought it per se. Like I see it and it’s cool, but I don’t think I would have crossed over sides just for that.”
Jacinto continued: “But I think what we really wanted to do is have a strong argument in regards to, I just have a different way of life, if you don’t accept that, then it’s fine. Just seeing the outsiders’ point of view and how, regardless of the people in power, there can be an abuse of power, regardless of if you’re considered good or bad.”
“It was a fine line to play, was a great character to kind of lean into, with the guidance of Leslye, because, again, it’s just like, how do you convince some people who love the Jedi so much to come over to the dark side?” he concluded.
As Screen Rant put it: “The Acolyte did, however, lean more into the gray areas of Star Wars than many other stories have. As Jacinto mentioned, much of the Stranger’s plan hinged on simply presenting his way of life to Osha and letting her decide if she wanted to follow him. It’s an interesting take on the Jedi/Sith dichotomy, and hopefully one that Star Wars won’t abandon entirely.”
Though divisive, The Acolyte stood out for its depiction of a morally complex Jedi Council, its layered Osha-Qimir relationship, and its expansion of Force lore. Darth Plagueis’s live-action debut only amplified its impact.
With Andor concluded and Ahsoka Season 2 in development for 2026, the franchise’s TV future is uncertain. On film, The Mandalorian and Grogu is set for 2026, replacing The Mandalorian Season 4 and paving the way for Dave Filoni’s “Heir to the Empire” crossover, while Shawn Levy’s Star Wars: Starfighter follows in May 2027.
Beyond those, Lucasfilm’s film slate remains unclear. Simon Kinberg is attached to a new trilogy, though whether it will connect to Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy’s Rey-led New Jedi Order project is still unknown.
As Alan Bergman put it: “…we’re looking at a number of additional series that are in development. We’ll see what we decide to do. As I said earlier, they have to be great, and when we’re in the position where we think we have what we want, we’re going to move forward.”
What are your thoughts on Star Wars’ next chapter? Share your take in the comments.
