I understand this article might rattle some cages. The Acolyte is still a sore subject for many, considering how poorly it was received by fans. The show understandably had its flaws, but I believe it was a project with immense potential.
In all honesty, I forgot the show even existed until earlier today. I was scrolling through TikTok and came across a highlight reel of Qimir, and it hit me. The Acolyte could’ve been saved by a second season. I believed that when it was canceled, and I believe it even more now that the smoke has settled.
Whilst I can’t embed TikTok’s on our articles, I can embed YouTube videos. This one is pretty similar to the one I found on TikTok, although the TikTok one was more hyped up:
The show’s biggest problem, in my opinion, was how it disregarded established lore. While some creative liberties can be justified, one scene in particular really broke immersion for me: Osha bleeding the kyber crystal.
She did it far too easily, with barely any emotional weight or resistance. That goes completely against everything we’ve learned about how kyber crystals work. Bleeding a crystal isn’t as simple as getting angry mid-fight and gripping it. It’s a ritual. It’s emotional. It’s meant to be painful and spiritually intense for a dark side user to dominate the will of the crystal.
To see it treated so casually felt like a huge slap in the face, especially considering how much other Star Wars media respects kyber crystals, even if the majority (if not all) we’ve seen is the Jedi obtaining the crystal. Fallen Order showed Cal’s journey to obtain a new crystal, and it was one of the most emotional parts of the game. Rebels had a similar moment that emphasized how meaningful the crystal connection is. That depth and meaning were completely lost here.
Despite its flaws, I still believe The Acolyte had room to grow, especially through characters like Qimir and possible threads involving Darth Plagueis. A second season could’ve saved the show.
We could’ve seen the Jedi’s power slowly evolve to the point of comfort that we see in the Prequels, maybe even introducing a young Palpatine. With a new showrunner who genuinely understands and respects the lore, this project could’ve been turned into something brilliant.
I do get it, the fan backlash probably made a renewal impossible. But the setting alone made it stand out. It takes place around 100 years before The Phantom Menace, which places it far outside the overused Skywalker era.
That kind of freedom is rare.
With that timeline, you still have room for a known Jedi character — Yoda. Seeing a younger Yoda, more in his prime, going toe-to-toe with rising Sith threats? That’s a goldmine. It’ll be like watching Yoda vs. Count Dooku again for the first time. I still remember watching that as a kid for the very first time in Attack of the Clones. What a moment it truly was.
And then there’s Qimir, easily the best part of the show. Watching him dismantle Jedi with ease was ridiculously entertaining. His mask, his outfit, his fighting style, and his presence? Everything about him worked. He’s the one character I genuinely want to see more of.
I know this sounds harsh, but Osha and Mae added nothing. You could easily remove them and build the story around stronger elements: the Sith rise, the corruption of the Jedi, and the dark side lore. Those two characters were underdeveloped and never carried any real emotional weight.
To its credit, The Acolyte did offer a fresh perspective. And whether you liked it or not, we can all agree that Star Wars needed that. Every major live-action project so far has existed between:
Episode I: The Phantom Menace — Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker
So to see a story set before all of that was refreshing. I’ve been calling for projects like this, such as a Revan story, for years. These kinds of settings allow for creative freedom, experimentation, and world-building. But even with that freedom, creators still need to respect the established lore. That’s where The Acolyte failed.
And that’s why, in the right hands, it could’ve been something special.
All you need to do is look at The Mandalorian, a show clearly made with love and attention. It blends canon and Legends in a way that hardcore fans appreciate, but it’s also accessible to casual viewers. It works for everyone. Unlike Ahsoka, which requires deeper knowledge of Rebels, The Mandalorian is a universal entry point.
The Acolyte should’ve been that kind of show. One that brought everyone in. The reality is that 80–90% of fans had complaints, while a smaller group continued to defend it. And honestly? Both sides are justified.
Ultimately, personally, the show sucked. But if done right, with new leadership and a tighter grip on lore, it could absolutely be a hidden gem in the Star Wars universe. It still has that potential. It just needs the right hands to bring it to life.
