The Acolyte concluded its eight-episode Season 1 run on Disney+, and fan reactions have been as divided as expected from any new addition to the franchise. The final episode answered many questions but also left plenty of teases for a potential second season, including a tease of the villainous Darth Plagueis. One element that certainly had fans talking was the dynamic between the villain Qimir (Manny Jacinto) and Osha (Amandla Stenberg), with the two holding hands in the episode’s final moments getting a lot of attention online.
The Acolyte
2/5
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
- 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
- Seasons
- 1
- Studio
- Disney+, Lucasfilm
- Franchise
- Star Wars
- Number of Episodes
- 8
It appears the two holding hands was a last-minute addition to a potentially more romantic ending. Speaking with Vulture, Manny Jacinto revealed that Qimir and Osha were originally supposed to kiss, confirming many fans’ theories of sensual romantic undertones. While the scene was shot, it was changed in the end as it felt “inappropriate” following Qimir killing Osha’s friends and former master. However, he teased that this potential romance is something they could explore in season two if Lucasfilm and Disney+ give the go-ahead. Read the full quote below.
“I’m just going to put it out there. There was a version that we filmed where Osha and the Stranger actually kiss but we felt that it may have not been too earned at that moment. I think it was just too early on. The Stranger killed a bunch of her friends, and she just killed her fatherlike figure [Sol]. For them to have this sensual moment just didn’t feel like it was appropriate. It’s just on the cutting-room floor. But I suggested, ‘Maybe not the kiss, but how about a hand-hold?’ Some sort of wanting to console, some sort of physicality that expresses that he cares for her and feels for her and that they’re in this together now. That’s something that, if we do a Season 2, maybe we can work toward if the fans want it.”
Being Seduced By the Dark Side of the Force
Following the reveal that The Stranger was Qimir, there was a large swell of fans that fell in love with the character. While Star Wars certainly has a lot of memorable villains, Qimir was the first time it felt like the franchise had deliberately tried to cash in on the attractive villain that Marvel has found incredibly successful with the likes of Loki. Qimir’s role in The Acolyte looked to give new meaning to being seduced by the dark side of the Force.
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It also felt like an attempt to appeal to the same audience that latched onto the romantic chemistry between Rey and Kylo Ren in the sequel trilogy. That story left many disappointed with how their story ended in The Rise of Skywalker. The pipeline of “Reylo” fan-fiction turned published work is certainly profitable, as popular books like The Hurricane Wars and Love Hypthoesis have shown. Star Wars wanting to court that audience is not a bad idea, and could be good for reaching a new audience while recapturing some of its wavering existing fans.
While many fans certainly would have loved to see the kiss between Qimir and Osha, the decision to cut it was the right one in the end. Jacinto is right; it would have come off as in bad taste, particularly after he killed Osha’s friends three episodes prior. Man of Steel was criticized for having Superman and Lois Lane kiss on the mounds of destruction and dead bodies. Yet now that the idea of a romantic relationship between master and apprentice has been teased, it certainly opens the door for some exciting prospects for future stories for The Acolyte if season two becomes a reality.
The Acolyte
is streaming on Disney+