‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ Episode 8 Review - An Expectedly Dull Season Finale

The eighth and final episode of the first season of The Acolyte picks up from where the sixth episode ended: Osha sitting with a mask on her face. The mask belongs to Qimir, and the first thing you whisper when you see it is, "What a ridiculous helmet." No wonder Qimir's initial reaction when he sees Osha is to chuckle a little. If you want to watch something really menacing, observe the face of that ghost-like figure who secretly monitors Osha and Qimir. He brings images of Palpatine to your mind. I guess you shouldn't be surprised by this comparison given that this character is Darth Plagueis - a Sith Lord who mentors, well, Palpatine (like master, like disciple?). With faces as scary as these, the Sith Lords can work in horror movies. Here's another amusing thought that pops up in your mind when Mae uses the Pip Droid to free herself from Sol's shackles. The machine merely opens one cuff, but it ends up releasing Mae's other arm as well. What a terrible design! I certainly wouldn't restrain my enemies with such a poor and flawed invention. The Jedi must have mastered the Force, but they need to do a little more work in the field of technology. Hire more testers for your gadgets before throwing them on your enemies.

But then, who has time for such tasks in The Acolyte, given everyone is busy fulfilling plot duties. We move from one event to another with a semblance of urgency, though nothing on the screen appears crucial or necessary. The characters assemble on Brendok for the final showdown, but the last few scenes tell us nothing about this episode should be considered "final" - it's not The End. There will be a second season, and the evidence lies in the brief appearance of Darth Plagueis. Also, that moment in the end makes you think, "Is that Yoda I see?" These cameos look like feeble attempts at getting us excited for a second season. We would have welcomed this promise more excitedly if the first season had not been so disappointing.

For something that comes under the genre of science fiction, The Acolyte fails to spark your curiosity about its world, its vast galaxy. The outer space resembles a dark wallpaper, and the machines, the buildings stick out as artificial, computer-generated designs. The landscapes are ugly - the colors are muted and devoid of life. You sense what this show could have been during that scene where Mae's memory is wiped. You detect traces of heartbreak, of tragedy. None of these emotional elements, however, come to the foreground forcefully or passionately. What you are left with is a show where actors act competently, but their characters move around the screen lifelessly. By showing the Jedi as people who, for all their commitment to goodness and righteous duties, also lie to save their skin, The Acolyte says, "Hey, even those who claim to be good can make a dishonest choice." Well, you don't require eight dull episodes for a lesson that's not exactly innovative.

Final Score - [4.5/10]