Summary
The Acolyteepisode 3 did not insult Anakin Skywalker’s legacy, theStar Warssequel trilogy did. WithThe Acolytedelving into Darth Plagueis' powerof creating life using the Force, the show is tying itself massively to the prequel era. Given its placement on the franchise’s timeline - taking place a century before the firstchronologicalStar Warsmovie- this was to be expected. However, the exploration of the Force prevalent inThe Acolyteis causing a great deal of controversy.
The Acolyteepisode 3 furthered this controversy, creating arguably the biggestStar Warsdebate sinceStar Wars: The Last Jedi. Incidentally, the level of criticism aimed at the show may be unwise, asThe Acolyteepisode 3’s unanswered questionsmean the full story is not yet clear. That said, the revelation thatyoung Osha and Maewere created using the Force has caused quite a stir. A vocal section ofStar Warsfans are wrongly taking this plot point as an insult to Anakin Skywalker, when, in reality,it was the sequel trilogy that disrespected the Chosen One of the Force.
Star Wars: The Chosen One Prophecy Explained
The prophecy of the Chosen One lies at the heart of Star Wars' Skywalker saga - but where did it come from, and how did Anakin Skywalker fulfil it?
The Star Wars Sequel Trilogy Completely Forgot Anakin Skywalker
Anakin’s Legacy Was Drastically Diminished In The Three Sequel Movies
BesidesThe Acolyte, it is no secret that theStar Warssequel trilogy is the most divisive entry to the franchise under Disney’s tenure. The sequels were heavily criticized upon their release, and are still regarded by many as theworst-rankedStar Warstrilogy. While many of the criticisms of the sequels may seem overly harsh, the argument that Anakin Skywalker should have had a greater impact on the story is not one of them. One of the few things many can agree on is that Anakin should have had a much bigger bearing on the trilogy as a whole.
By being absent from the movies, Anakin Skywalker’s legacy as the Chosen One is diminished and even insulted by the sequel trilogy…
For much ofStar Wars: The Force Awakens, Star Wars: The Last Jedi, andStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,Anakin Skywalker’s legacy is reduced to his dark side alter ego, Darth Vader. Vader is prominent in the sequels as the object of Kylo Ren’s dark desires, but Anakin himself had no impact on the story of any film. Staggeringly,the word “Anakin” is not spoken at all in any of the sequels, and his only inclusion comes inStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalkerwhen he can be briefly heard speaking to Rey.
Anakin’s lightsaber is an important MacGuffin in the Star Wars sequels, but the weapon is never tied directly to him by name.
Given that Anakin Skywalker is the throughline of theStar Warsfranchise as the Chosen One of the Force, this fact is unbelievable. As someone who was prophesied to bring balance to the Force, Anakin should have been a major part of the sequels. By being absent from the movies, Anakin Skywalker’s legacy as the Chosen One is diminished and even insulted by the sequel trilogy in a wayThe Acolyteis being wrongly accused of.
The Acolyte Isn’t Even About The Chosen One
The Acolyte Has Minimal Impact On Anakin Skywalker’s Story
The sequels are three stories that tie directly to the overarching plot of the Skywalker Saga, meaning their neglect of Anakin Skywalker is an issue. Conversely,The Acolytedoes not have any connection to the Chosen One of the Force at all, yet is the subject of vitriol and hatred for apparently insulting Anakin’s journey. WithThe Acolyteepisode 3 revealing that Mae and Osha were created by Mother Aniseya using the Force, critics of the show are stating that this makes Anakin’s origins less special.
The Acolyte’s controversy has caused review-bombing on most major websites, giving it incredibly low-rated audience scores.
However, this could not be further from the truth. Since the beginning ofThe Acolyte’s production, Leslye Headland has reiterated that the story being told is about how the Sith infiltrated the Jedi, which led to the downfall of the Republic and the emergence of the Galactic Empire. As such, the show will explore how, eventually, Palpatine managed to defeat the Jedi. InStar Warscanon, it has been confirmed that Palpatine learned from Darth Plagueis, a Sith Lord so powerful that he could use the Force to create life itself.
Given Headland’s comments and this knowledge, it stands to reason thatThe Acolyteis simply exploring how Plagueis' dark side powers came to be. This has no connection to Anakin Skywalker at all, yet some are insisting the nature of Osha and Mae’s birth lessens the impact of Anakin’s. This is simply not true. The former two characters were createdusingthe Force, whereas Anakin was createdbythe Force.The Acolyteexploring this with Mae and Osha does not impact the origins of the Chosen One in any way and is instead likely exploring Plagueis' legendary powers.
Lucasfilm Is Clearly Trying To Honor Anakin Now
Anakin’s Star Wars Resurgence Is Here
Despite the fact that the sequels disrespected Anakin Skywalker, Lucasfilm has recently corrected this mistake. When Lucasfilm restarted production onStar Warsprojects shortly after Disney’s acquisition of the studio, most stories seemed cautious about including elements from the prequels given their poor reception in the early 2000s. This likely explains why Anakin Skywalker was not a big focus of the sequel trilogy, but Darth Vader was. The former is more associated with the prequels, and the latter with the originals.
As evident, this proved to be a mistake on Lucasfilm’s part. Regardless, recentStar Warsprojects have proven that Lucasfilm has learned its lesson;Anakin Skywalker is having a big impact onStar Warsfor the first time since the prequel era. This was proven by Hayden Christensen’s return inObi-Wan KenobiandAhsokaseason 1, and will continue in upcomingStar WarsTV shows with Christensen confirmed to play a big role inAhsokaseason 2. Finally, it seems Lucasfilm is honoring Anakin’s legacy in a way the sequel trilogy should have, a legacy completely irrelevant toThe Acolyte.
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.
