Mini Series The Acolyte 1.03 - Discussion Thread (Spoilers Allowed)

Yes, that too. I didn't clarify that because the entire theme of the episode is that Osha should have the freedom of choice.
Which honestly is a great lesson in this episode.

Outside of the whole "this person used the dark side to create life" conundrum which I won't really evaluate until we know more about it, but at the moment it seems like a stupid idea IMO.

 

Yes, clearly there is something that happened that we didn’t see. So you’re supposed to be confused.

 

Wonder if the next episode will end with parallel scenes - flashback about young Mae meeting Smiling Helmet/him arriving to save her from the Jedi in the present.

 

I liked the episode, but it convinced me that the show, given its broad and sorta cartoony style, is less effective without humor. Yord and Jecki were sorely missed.

 

Does anyone who has been around 4 year olds, think you could get their cooperation in training if they weren't into it?

I did think at one point this show was going to burst into a musical number and Bea Aurthor was going to start singing. That would have been the end of SW for me. It did come close.

I hope there is a lot more flashback to come. Something to clarify Torbin's intense guilt. I think Mae could have killed all the witches, but why would she, she wanted to be a part of them.

 

The singing moment was definitely dangerously close to taking me out of the moment due to the way it was handled. Felt too broadway and not chant-y enough. Chanting would have been a better choice there.

 

Spoiler

Honestly how is Darth Vader still a "Chosen One" after this show? 2 twins were born like him about 100 years ago one of them was a Jedi im sure Anakin was born by the methods of those witches but this is no longer Lucas Star Wars maybe the Prophecy was always a myth im sure the Sith is one of the mothers a witch or even one of the Jedi but how Yoda and Mace part of the Jedi Council never know about Osha? unfortunately Plagueis cannot be a woman since Palpatine refers to Plagueis as his and not her in ROTS so Mae and Osha cannot be Darth Plagueis

 

"A prophecy misread could have been" - Yoda

 

Because they (might) have nothing to do with balancing the Force. Anakin was a Chosen One because that was his role.

However, Dark siders performing this bit of magic might in fact be the final straw that unbalances things in the first place. And it doesn't seem like the twins are created by the Force itself, but by these witches misuse of the Force (doing unnatural things)

I'm also reminded of our own history here on Earth. During the time of Jesus there were many who were claiming that they were the messiah. There were many contemporary messianic savior cults running around during that time period. Many were yearning for a savior to rise up and free the Jews. But it would seem, only one was the real deal. (Or at least one that stuck and got passed down through the ages)

Perhaps in the GFFA, many are again yearning for a Chosen One. Many are looking for a figure, or figures, to save things. These witches certainly seem to have a desire to end the 'balance' of who gets to control things. And so they create false ones, or perhaps genuinely believe that they are the real deal. Only for the real Chosen One to come later on.

 

I see some people speculating that Mae's actions are the result of a Sith influence in her life but I think it's more likely that her insane behavior is the result of bad melodramatic writing. Mae tried to kill her sister because she was mad that Osha was leaving. It's not logical and frankly I think it's corny but I think that's the only explanation for Mae's behavior. This isn't going to be a situation like Palpatine via Snoke influencing Ben Solo.

Exactly! While I don't have a problem with Osha not wanting to get on the witch train I just didn't buy that she'd be so willing to join the Jedi right away. If they showed that Osha had a horrible, abusive life in the coven then I'd get why she'd be so willing to go with the Jedi but that's not what we saw.

As for the Jedi recruiting children there's clearly a power imbalance between the Jedi and the children and families of the children so even if technically the children and the parents are giving their consent to let the kids train with the Jedi there's something icky to me about a very powerful influential group approaching a family with far less power and influence than the Jedi and asking them to surrender their children to the Jedi. I can't articulate it right now at the moment but it doesn't feel like the Jedi and the parents and children are on the same level playing field which makes me think that there might be some inherent pressure on the family to ship their kid off with the Jedi. What parent would willingly want to send their child away, never to see them again even if it meant that they're kid would become a Jedi? I found it hard to swallow when I believe Sol mentioned how sad he was to leave his family but then took comfort knowing that he was around a bunch of other kids that were also basically abandoned by their kids.

 

Spoiler

Originally Darth Vader was the Chosen One for George Lucas his birth condition was unique but the Prophecy was contradicted in the EU in Disney Universe the Prophecy can be changed

 

I don't think its about having a horrible abusive life in the Coven, its more that the Coven is just not for her. She doesn't feel at home there. She doesn't want what they're offering her. And as we see, her sister constantly bugs her and does things that don't align with her values. That might represent the larger group as well.

As shown, she has sketched the Jedi symbol even more meeting the Jedi, or knowing who they are. So maybe she's had visions of them or this symbol for a while. And when they show up one day, she instantly feels at home with them.

 

Much better. I also seem to remember the words being a bit on the nose and cheeseball. Something like “one, two, maaaaany?” A more ancient-sounding and mysterious chant would’ve been far better. Part of the cartoony feeling of the show, I think. But a missed opportunity for deeper worldbuilding and a richer atmosphere.

She clearly knows who the Jedi are before meeting them.

 

And I get that Osha doesn't want to be a witch and wants to see the galaxy and is frustrated that her family wants her to stay in hiding because they don't want anybody to discover them but it still feels weird to me that Osha would hitch her wagon to the Jedi and be okay with never seeing her parents again.

Everybody is saying that Mae is the crazy one but it's pretty bananas that Osha, a ten year old kid would willingly turn their back on their loving parents and fly off with a bunch of strangers she just met who lied to her parents multiple times. Why does she trust the Jedi when they clearly lied about nothing knowing the planet was inhabited and that they were only there because the Republic has a law about training kids? All of that was BS. The Jedi were there specifically to get Osha and Mae but weren't initially honest about that and these are the people that Osha wants to spend the rest of her live with?

 

Spoiler

I think the Jedi eliminated the witches and thats why Mae turned evil but who knows i think at least one witch survived

 

They clearly look like different people? They wear the exact same cloths, exact same color belt, exact same shoes, exact same hair in the opening scene.

I'm not saying it was super hard to tell them apart overall, but if your going to make broad, sweeping statements that nobody had trouble telling them apart - well you just admitted you did not know who was onscreen without the verbal cue.

As for the Jedi, you, me or the next person don't know how that may have played out beyond the Jedi words.

I don't think Sol would have taken anyone against their will. Indara on the other hand comes across differently despite her forced words.

If the children were deemed illegal under Republic law, then it would be the Republic taking the children.

I mean the Jedi were already sneaking around the forest spying on the kids, then lied to the Coven about why they were there.

The Jedi are meant to be questioned by the narrative of the show in general, as is the Coven. Its something the show did well.

 

My theory of what took place:

Mother Korel and some of the other witches on her side revolted against Mother Aniseya. The episode makes it very clear that Mother Korel is much more aggressive than Mother Aniseya, and also that many of the witches are ready and willing to kill the Jedi.

So it makes perfect sense that a revolt takes place, the Jedi get in the middle of it, and soon we have a slaughter.

 

Originaly Star Wars was something totally different than what we got. This is not me doing a personal attack on you, you know? I always thought that line by Yoda was interesting because that means that the prophecy could have been misread, or not. Like leave something up in the air for the individual viewer to decide.

 

While I agree this could have been written and acted better...in universe I wouldn't lean towards Sith influence at this point. Just what I said above about psychopathic or sociopathic tendencies. Fed by the coven and their mom treating them like they are somehow more special that everyone else.

 

I want a Mother Aniseya action figure. And Qimir.

I haven’t seen the episode yet but am delightfully semi spoiled and hope to see more layers of the onion unfold.

but if ogres are like onions, does that make them acolytes?

 

I suppose that 'knows' is doing a lot of heavy lifting in my comment. She's aware of them as ... something. She knows the symbol. Maybe she's had visions. But I meant, like know-know them. They tell her who they really are, that they don't just take kids, that they work with the Republic, that they get lightsabers after years of training, and she becomes affectionate with Sol. That affections is quite different than the ones from her sister and other witches (besides her mom).

 

Parents who believe Osha & Mae are the messiah(s) and force them to do an extremely awkward ceremony forcing them to commit to a life of servitude to the Coven?

Say what you will about the Jedi, I believe me I do, but Osha is a starship mechanic later in life because the Jedi are far more reasonable than this Coven is.

 

I knew who was who from the outset - based on episode one’s vision. I was just saying that for other viewers, once you put a name to each, there seems to be very little trouble telling them apart, given that despite their identical clothing and hairstyles, they have distinctly different faces.

 

I think, more than specific Sith influence i believe the witches were unwillingly dealing with the dark side of the Force and that was what was causing the trouble. Mae only got derranged after the ritual . Also the coven seemed to believe they both had to be kept together forever for some magical reason and that's what Osha wasn't buying in and wanted to leave.