Geekville Radio #352: Examining The Acolyte Trailer

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Disney finally released a trailer and a premiere date for the next Star Wars TV series. The Acolyte will hit Disney+ on June 4th with a two-episode series premiere.

1:05 – What is The Acolyte?

The Acolyte is the first live-action series set in The High Republic era. Here is the Official Synopsis:

“In The Acolyte , an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems….”

There is a quote from showrunner Leslye Headland from a few years back teasing that the series will help explain why a Sith Lord could be in the presence of Jedi without being noticed.

My question when watching The Phantom Menace was always like, ‘Well, how did things get to this point?’ How did we get to a point where a Sith lord can infiltrate the Senate and none of the Jedi pick up on it? Like, what went wrong

Leslye Headland in Vanity Fair

However, a recent quote doesn’t sound as reassuring as that premise.

Whatever You Think The Acolyte Is, It’s Not

Star Wars Official Website

As for the setting, it takes place approximately 130 BBY (or 1847 in real years). Most of the characters will be new, but there is also a good chance we’ll see some of the physically older characters such as Yoda or Yaddle. We’re likely going to see more Jedi than ever before.

Speaking of Jedi, we’ve learned that some fights will use the Wushu fighting style, which is fitting because that is the Martial Art used by Ray Park when he played Darth Maul.

6:20 – The Trailer

The dagger used in the trailer looks familiar…
An assassin (Amandia Stenberg) approaches a town
Jedi Master Sol training a group of Kids– err younglings.
Jedi youngling
The obligatory cantina scene
Jedi youngling meditating with The Force
Carrie-Anne Moss’s Jedi Master sees the would-be assassin approach her
Carrie-Anne Moss’s character fights very defensively, which backs up one of Yoda’s most famous quotes.
Another hooded figure approaching another from behind
She even manages to Force Push to throw her assassin away
The assassin with her dagger drawn
Another fight with another Jedi
Yord (Charlie Bennett) and another Jedi exploring some sort of cave.
Yord questions why somebody would be murdering Jedi
Several Jedi look at the scenery on a forest planet. Could this be Takodana?
Joonas Suotamo portrays another Wookiee, this time presumably a Wookiee Jedi.
Sol using a Jedi Mind Trick
We have no idea who this guy is but apparently, he is weak-minded
A castle or fortress on the cliff
Yet another Jedi targeted by the assassin.
The assassin trying a kick that looks like something out of a Street Fighter game.
Sol using the force to freeze the would-be assassin in mid-air
A green skinned Jedi, perhaps a Faleen, uses the force to pen a doorway. Something we’ve all tried to do ast some point in time.
Jedi approaching an unnamed character
Carrie-Anne Moss again using The Force to freeze an enemy’s attack.
Could that dagger be similar to the one used in The Rise of Skywalker?
Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith) and her group of followers. Could they be… ACOLYTES?
Amandia Stenberg, presumably when she was much younger, running through a burning forest.
A ship that may or may not be a Jedi ship crashing on an icy planet.
Sol looks very worried as he runs to the scene, possibly to save a friend
A close up look at Aniseya
The assassin on a planet that looks strikingly like Achtoo
This scenery is remeniscent of Achtoo like we saw in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi.
Yord and Dafne Keen
A lightsaber thrown like a boomerang cuts through several trees.
Into the hands of presumably a Sith Lord.
Several Jedi gear up for battle, presumably against said Sith Lord
The Jedi getting swept up by a massive Force Push, or something that literally blows the ground up around them.

Showrunner Leslye Hedlund hinted that the show is potentially planned out for multiple seasons.

10:30 – So what does this all mean?

The training scenes may be part of a flashback involving Stenberg’s character and possibly Moss’s, hence why she wants to kill Jedi. Aniseya may be the Sith Lord in question, but the red saber looks to be handled in a gloved hand, so it could still be anybody. Two locations stand out because they look like Takodana and Ach-to respectively. The latter we know has one of the original Jedi Temples, so it would fit right in with a story set set so much earlier.

Geekville Radio
Geekville Radio
Geekville Radio

Geekville Radio is yout one stop shop for discussion on science fiction TV, movies, and comics. Regular topics include Star Wars, Marvel and DC comics and movies, Arrowverse TV shows (Arrow, The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends Of Tomorrow) and much more!

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