Why All Those Deaths in ‘The Acolyte’ Were an Absolute Necessity to Establish a New Sith Lord

Episode 5 of ‘The Acolyte’ has just been released, stunning fans with its sudden shift in pace, direction, and brutal intensity. After several slow-burn episodes with minimal action, this installment takes a drastic turn.

In episode 5, virtually the entire main cast meets their demise as The Master delivers fatal blows. If you haven’t watched the episode yet, beware—spoilers ahead.

In ‘The Acolyte’, the revelation of Qimir as the Sith Lord seemed both obvious and controversial. We had already speculated about his identity based on subtle clues. Initially portrayed as Mae’s mischievous and somewhat clumsy companion, Qimir’s darker side made him a logical choice for the Master, especially since he was the only other significant character on the planet besides the Jedi search party and Mae herself.

Episode 5 naturally begins with The Master dispatching several Jedi, fulfilling fans’ expectations that they would serve as cannon fodder or redshirts unlikely to survive the encounter.

There were moments where it seemed the episode might fall into the usual pattern of sparing the main cast while disposing of redshirts. Fortunately, this didn’t happen. Yord narrowly avoids death, rescued by Osha, only to have his neck snapped by The Master.

Jecki Lon demonstrates her formidable combat skills in an attempt to apprehend Mae and assist her master, appearing poised to save the day—until she is mercilessly struck down by multiple lightsabers, meeting her end as well.

The deaths of these characters were crucial. Without them, fans might not have taken Qimir seriously as the Sith Lord, especially considering he was initially seen as an unlikely choice. While theories pointed to Master Sol or Mother Aniseya as potential Sith Lords, the decision to make Qimir the villain required a bold move to establish him as a genuine threat.

So who remains to confront him? Among the Jedi, only Master Sol survives the ordeal. Osha has been captured by Qimir, while Mae has assumed her sister’s identity and departed for Coruscant with Master Sol.

There’s also Vernestra Rwoh and her formidable lightwhip, which has yet to be unleashed in action. What are your thoughts on the latest episode of ‘The Acolyte’? Share your opinions in the comments below!