‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ Episode 3 Review - The Jedi and The Witches

Fans can sometimes act repulsively. Treat them like a child, tend to their needs, and they will reward you with pompous glory. However, as soon as you deviate from their expectations or try to do something different with their beloved franchise, they will go after you like bloodthirsty beasts. Fans of franchises like Star Wars, Marvel, and DC have often made it clear that they are content with being fed the same old things. They want their shows and movies to be violent, masculine, and - this is strangely funny - white. According to an article on the Screen Rant website about the backlash received by The Acolyte, there are YouTube videos showing people watching the trailer carefully to count the number of white characters in it. What a sad life these individuals must be living!

The backlash received by The Acolyte doesn't seem surprising. It was review-bombed on Rotten Tomatoes and Metacritic, which, for the fans in this digital age, is an act equivalent to the burning of witches by tying them up to a pole or a tree. Women who refused to follow the rules of the society were labeled as witches and punished. The Acolyte doesn't fulfill the expectations of the Star Wars devotees and is being severely criticized. The fans are irked by the representation and the increase in diversity in the franchise. Their reasons are, of course, stupid. This situation, for me, has become more funny than depressing. Fans shouldn't bother attacking The Acolyte for its diversity. They should try welcoming it. If you want to criticize The Acolyte, berate it for its blandness and unremarkable story.

Even after three episodes, The Acolyte remains yawn-inducing. This week, it transports us to the past, gives us a young Mae and Osha, and tells us their story. The girls on the planet of Brendok prepare themselves for the Ascension Ceremony. They are guided by Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith), the leader of a coven of Force witches, and Mother Koril (Margarita Levieva). The former is all kind and friendly, while the latter is strict and overly protective. Mae is looking forward to the ceremony - she is an obedient kid. Osha, though, wants to see unknown, unfamiliar sights. She wants to explore outer space instead of being confined to a single location doing a duty she doesn't like for the rest of her life. Osha is open to different experiences, while Mae is afraid of change. Mae even forces Osha to promise she will purposefully fail the Jedi test.

Osha, however, really wants to be a Jedi. Is her desire purely motivated by the thought of getting to stay in the new surroundings? Because it's never made clear if the witches ever talked to the girls about Jedi. Osha immediately accepts going with Indara, Torbin, Sol, and the Wookiee Kelnacca without asking questions about the responsibilities she would end up taking. When she says Jedi are good, you can't help but wonder how this little kid can express such a sentiment when it seems she doesn't know anything about Jedi Knights. It's unlikely that the witches ever educated them about the Jedi, or even if they did, they must have told bad things about them to protect the sisters from leaving the coven as well as their home planet.

The Acolyte doesn't clarify these doubts for the audience. It treads on a predetermined path without imagination. The Jedi test that Osha and Mae take is not entirely shown to us. Osha says hi to Wookiee Kelnacca and is met with a response in Shyriiwook language. Her reaction, however, is never displayed. Does she feel confused? Does Kelnacca's voice put a smile on her face? Does Osha mention that she doesn't understand the language? The third episode is primarily interested in telling us what we know: Osha and Mae separate, and the latter is considered dead. We do, however, learn that Mae could be behind the death of her mother and other witches. I say "could" because you never know what twist The Acolyte might throw at you in the future. Whether the twist will make sense or not, only time will tell.

Final Score - [4.5/10]