‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ Explores Force Vergence: What Are the Implications for Canon?

‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ unveiled its seventh episode, a flashback that revisits the night of the Witches of Brendok’s demise from the Jedi’s viewpoint. It reveals the true catalyst behind the coven’s downfall and explores the origins of Osha and Mae.

In the episode’s opening, we discover the Jedi’s purpose on Brendok: they were seeking a phenomenon called Force Vergence.

A vergence is a locus where the Force is potent and flows freely, enabling manipulation and use by Force-sensitive individuals who are attuned to it. It’s also referred to as a “Force Nexus,” serving as a convergence point for powerful Force energies that amplify the abilities of those nearby. Vergences can encompass locations, individuals, or even objects.

Master Indarra explained to Torbin that they suspected Brendok harbored a Force Vergence, as despite a past hyperspace accident rendering it barren, the planet teemed with life.

Later in the episode, during their analysis of the twins’ blood, the Jedi deduced that Vergence played a role in their creation. The girls exhibited exceptional Force sensitivity, with a unique force signature suggesting they were a single person split into two—a phenomenon achievable only through Vergence.

The exact nature of their connection to Vergence—whether they are embodiments of it or were created through its manipulation—remains unclear. However, their status as pivotal figures in the High Republic Era is unmistakable, a development some viewers may have hoped the show would avoid.

However, despite this, there’s nothing in this episode that contradicts canon, as Vergences are a well-established concept in Star Wars lore.

Vergences, or Force Nexuses, appear frequently in Star Wars, such as the Force Nexus in locations like the cave where Luke trained on Dagobah in ‘The Empire Strikes Back,’ or around Skywalker’s lightsaber.

The discovery of the twins also echoes a familiar theme from the movies. Qui-Gon Jinn famously encountered a vergence centered around a child (Anakin), who turned out to be extraordinarily special as the chosen one destined to influence the fate of the entire galaxy, for better or worse.

The twins were also identified as unique: born without a father and exhibiting profound Force sensitivity—connect the dots.

Interestingly, Vergences are typically associated with negativity and the dark side, likely due to the uncontrollable power they represent. However, in practice, they have proven beneficial to the Jedi. It’s speculated that the Jedi’s pursuit of these power sources contributed to their prosperity during the High Republic Era.

While nothing in the episode contradicts canon, it treads carefully towards the idea of Anakin Skywalker as the second (or third) chosen one, destined to bring balance to something influenced by the events involving the Witches of Brendok a century ago, which resulted in the creation of two Force Vergences.

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