Star of ‘The Acolyte’ Reveals Reason for Not Using Lightsaber: “The Series Relies Upon Very Specific Tropes and Archetypes”

‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ marks the upcoming installment in the ‘Star Wars’ franchise, debuting on Disney+ on June 4th, offering a distinct and fresh adventure.

Set in the High Republic Era, often referred to as the Golden Age of the Jedi Order, the series aims to explore a different perspective. Headland, the creator, seems to utilize this setting to challenge the notion that Jedi exclusively wield the Force for good, suggesting that they, too, can have a darker side given the right circumstances.

The show has faced significant criticism, particularly regarding its weapon selection. Recently, social media erupted with fans ridiculing the introduction of the “lightwhip” as a live-action weapon. Despite being Force-sensitive, Amandla Stenberg’s character Mae, a key figure in the series, is depicted wielding knives instead of a lightsaber in various trailers, teasers, and promotional materials.Stenberg addressed the rationale behind her character’s weapon choice in her recent interview with Empire Magazine:

Well, being in the High Republic era opens up the terrain a bit for what kinds of weapons we might be interested in. The series relies upon very specific tropes and archetypes, and we wanted to follow in that lineage. So that’s why those knives are there. I also just think they’re super cool. It’s a time in the galaxy where the way people use the Force is… in canon, it’s very expansive. It doesn’t necessarily have the more rigid conceptions that it might have later in the Galactic Republic. So that provides us the opportunity to maybe explore the different way this character relates to the Force.

Leslye Headland has openly shared that the High Republic books serve as a major inspiration for her. Consequently, viewers can anticipate numerous references to these books, along with a reimagining of some of their most significant concepts in the show.

‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ premieres on Disney+ on June 4th with its first two episodes. Have anything to contribute? Share your thoughts in the comments below!