Warning! This post contains spoilers for The Acolyte.
Summary
Star Wars: The Acolytefinally revealed the identity of the masked villain presumed to be a Sith, but I believe he is something much better—and it will fix a majorStar Warssequel trilogy problem.The Acolyteepisode 5was absolutely full of shocking moments, but perhaps the biggest reveal in the episode was the identity of the masked master Mae answers to, officially called the Stranger. Although episode 4 had already dropped some major hints,episode 5 confirmed that Mae’s odd accomplice, Qimir, was the villain all along.
Many believe, based on the Stranger’s incredible skill with the Force, use of a red lightsaber, and search for an Acolyte, that he is a Sith Lord. However, episode 5 notably did not confirm that Qimir/the Stranger is a Sith; rather, the Stranger said that the Jedi may perceive him that way. Although subtle, this is one of manyclues that the Stranger is not a Sith, and, if my theory is correct, it’s going to fix a glaring issue in theStar Warssequel trilogy.
10 Theories About Who The Real Sith Master Is In The Acolyte After That Twist
Although Star Wars: The Acolyte episode 5 revealed the identity of the masked figure, these 10 theories suggest he may not be the Sith Lord after all.
Qimir Should Be The First Knight Of Ren
One prominent theory is that the Stranger is not really a Sith at all; rather,he may be the first Knight of Ren. Alongside his comment that the Jedi may consider him a Sith (rather than saying he is one), numerous things about Qimir make him an unlikely Sith Lord. For one, he has neither the classic Darth name nor the Sith yellow eyes. For another, he seems to be breakingthe Sith Rule of Two, as he currently has no apprentice and doesn’t seem to have a master.
Jedi Padawan Jecki Lon also held her own against the Stranger in battle and, while he did ultimately kill her, it would be quite odd for a Padawan to be able to fight a Sith Lord. Even outside the hints that Qimir isn’t a true Sith, though, making the Stranger the first Knight of Ren (or even an ancient Knight of Ren) would be so much more compelling. In truth,Star Warshas struggled to identify villains who aren’t Sith in recent years, as made evident by Emperor Palpatine becoming the ‘big bad’ inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker.
In part, this could be becauseit’s difficult to make the Sith story continually feel new. Yes, it would be cool for Qimir to be a brand-new Sith or be revealed as a major Sith’s apprentice, such as Darth Plagueis (another popular theory), but it would feel so much more innovative forThe Acolyteto break away from the old story of the Sith versus the Jedi. This would especially make sense, as the show has prided itself on and billed itself as something completely new toStar Warsmovies and TV shows.
It would feel so much more innovative forThe Acolyteto break away from the old story of the Sith versus the Jedi.
The Stranger Not Being A Sith Makes Much More Sense
One of the biggest complaints aboutThe Acolytethat started circulating before the show even premiered was that it seemingly retconned the prequel trilogy. From the moment the first trailer dropped, audiences were concerned that the introduction of a new Sith Lord would contradict what had been said about the Sith inStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace. InThe Phantom Menace, Ki-Adi-Mundi stated that the Sith had been extinct for a millennium.
While this was not true, as Palpatine and Sith before him had clearly been working in the shadows,Star Warsaudiences have begun to argue that it is the Jedi’s awareness of the Sith, not the Sith’s existence, that would be the retcon. After all, when Ki-Adi-Mundi made that assertion, no one on the Jedi Council contradicted him, suggesting they also believed the Sith to be eradicated (or, more ominously, were concealing the truth for some reason). Thus far, this remains an unaddressed problem inThe Acolyte.
It is the Jedi’s awareness of the Sith, not the Sith’s existence, that would be the retcon.
Although the Stranger did kill countless Jedi in episode 5, witnesses still remain, most notably Master Sol and Osha, who would undoubtedly report their discovery to the Jedi. In fact, while episode 5 concluded before Sol’s next steps could be revealed, presumably, he will immediately tell Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh, spreading the message that the Sith have returned even further. It sadly seems likely that Master Sol will not make it out ofThe Acolytealive, but unless Qimir kills everyone, it’s still unclear how the Jedi would have been oblivious to the Sith’s return.
If Qimir were not a Sith at all, this problem would be resolved. Although Sol may believe the Stranger to be a Sith right now, if he ultimately discovers he isn’t—perhaps because he is instead a Knight of Ren—then no retcon would be necessary. The Jedi would still believe the Sith were extinct and, likely, that Qimir was only a pretender. Moreover, whether another Sith is revealed inThe Acolytewould almost be irrelevant, so long as the Jedi never encountered or discovered them.
Ben Solo/Kylo Ren
Most important of all, in my view, is thatQimir being the first Knight of Ren would address the major issue I still have with theStar Warssequel trilogy,The Rise of Skywalkerin particular. Specifically, I believe Kylo Ren/Ben Solo’s arc was one of the biggest issues in the sequels. The introduction of Kylo Ren was fascinating, and many found him to be the best part of the sequel trilogy. He also represented an entirely new type of villain inStar Warsmovies, which should have given the sequels plenty of new material to work with.
Kylo Ren/Ben Solo’s arc was one of the biggest issues in the sequels.
Sadly,the Knights of Ren were barely shown on screen throughout the sequels, and their role in Kylo Ren’s story was minimal at best. Moreover, I found Kylo Ren’s redemption arc inThe Rise of Skywalkerdisappointing, as it didn’t feel new; it felt like a recycled version of Darth Vader’s story. Making Kylo Ren the true villain of the sequels and having him only grow more evil with time (as Adam Driver has indicated was originally the plan) would have been much more compelling, and it could have meant the Knights of Ren being front and center.
Now,The Acolytecan do right by the Knights of Ren. While only a few episodes remain, showrunner Leslye Headland has already expressed interest in additional seasons, meaning the history of the Knights of Ren could be laid out in much greater detail. This would also be an incredible connection to the sequels and would further legitimize them, whichStar Warsstill needs. While it remains to be seen precisely what the Stranger is, I’m hopingStar Wars: The Acolyteconfirms that he is indeed the first Knight of Ren.
New episodes of The Acolyte release on Tuesdays at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST on Disney+.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
