‘The Acolyte’ Finally Showcases Wookiee Jedi in Action, Raises New Questions
The latest episode of ‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ unfolds as another flashback, revisiting events from episode 3 through the Jedi’s viewpoint.
Fans expressed disappointment with the episode, primarily because it portrays the Jedi as irresponsible and highly irrational antagonists. However, there were some notable highlights.
In Episode 4, Kelnacca’s off-screen death disappointed fans, with budget constraints cited for omitting his fight scene and breaking the narrative point of view. However, ‘The Acolyte’ somewhat redeemed itself by showcasing Kelnacca in action, albeit not in the expected manner.
During the episode’s climax, the Jedi infiltrate the fortress of the witches of Brendok. A misunderstanding leads Master Sol to fatally confront Mother Aniseya, sparking a fierce battle.
In a pivotal moment, the witches manipulate Kelnacca’s mind, compelling him to turn against his Jedi comrades with formidable strength. Only when Indarra intervenes does she break the witches’ control over him.
Kelnacca’s portrayal as a formidable adversary aligns with his reputation. Despite Wookiees being perceived as primitive, they possess advanced civilizations and are formidable warriors. The rarity of Wookiee Jedi has long intrigued fans, making this live-action debut highly anticipated for decades.
It turns out that a Wookiee trained as a Jedi is so powerful that he can effortlessly engage multiple Jedi during combat. If Indarra hadn’t intervened to break the hold on his mind, he might have ended up defeating them all.
However, there are puzzling aspects surrounding this situation. The show finally unraveled the mystery of the strange drawings found in Kelnacca’s cabin on Khofar, suggesting that the Wookiee had been haunted by the incident ever since, much like Torbin.
Yet, the show failed to explain why Kelnacca was the easiest target for manipulation by the witches. After all, Torbin, Indarra, and especially Sol demonstrated susceptibility to emotions, corruption, and impulsiveness, making them potentially easier targets than the innocent Wookiee, who appeared to have done nothing wrong as far as we could tell.
The show also failed to adequately explain why the witches could resist the mental strength of a Wookiee Jedi but not that of Master Indarra, which made the entire conflict seem like a case of “plot armor.”
While I’d like to hope these questions will be addressed in the final episode, it seems unlikely. The penultimate episode was dedicated to a flashback, leaving the final episode with numerous unresolved plot points.
What are your thoughts on this? Share your opinions in the comments below!
