Star Wars The Acolyte – Plagueis Returns?

There hasn’t been a lot of news about Star Wars The Acolyte for a while. However, a recent interview with the showrunner has kickstarted a bunch of rumors about what we can expect to see in the show. Here’s a round-up of everything we know so far, as well as the hottest rumors.

Latest News About Star Wars The Acolyte

Image: Lucasfilm/Disney

Currently, the most recent piece of Star Wars The Acolyte news indicates that the series is in pre-production. This essentially means that the show is still quite early in the creation process. According to showrunner Leslye Headland, filming will start soon for Star Wars The Acolyte.

The only thing confirmed about Star Wars The Acolyte is that the show will be set well before the films’ events. Namely, it will take place towards the end of the High Republic era. This is a period that Disney has recently delved into with comics, books, and other tie-in media. So, don’t expect to see any crossovers with the Obi-Wan Kenobi show, or from The Mandalorian.

Unfortunately, there’s no word on who exactly the acolyte in the title is. However, Headland gave some suggestions that point to an interesting piece of Star Wars The Acolyte news...

Who is the Acolyte?

Image: Lucasfilm/Disney

As mentioned above, the showrunner gave key hints that this ‘acolyte’ is going to be a member of the Dark Side. The dictionary definition of an “acolyte” is someone who “follows or assists a leader.” In Episode 1 – The Phantom Menace, Yoda says the infamous words, “always two there are a master and an apprentice.” In the case of the films, he was referring to Darth Maul, who was Darth Sidious’s apprentice.

However, what we know about Star Wars The Acolyte indicates that we won’t see Darth Maul in the show. After all, Maul isn’t born until 54 BBY (Before the Battle of Yavin), which means there’s no way he’ll appear. Additionally, the showrunner stated that they were taking some inspiration from the “Legends” Star Wars continuity. So, it stands to question – who is the “acolyte”?

Is Plagueis Returning for Star Wars The Acolyte?

Image: Lucasfilm/Disney

The latest rumors appear to suggest that Darth Plagueis may make an appearance in the show. After all, his Legends birth date coincides with the end of the High Republic era. Similarly, he was a deep follower of the Dark Side, as Plagueis was the Sith who practiced surviving beyond death. According to the Legends canon, his master was Darth Tenebrous.

So, perhaps these rumors about Star Wars The Acolyte might end up being true.

If Darth Plagueis does appear in the show, it will be interesting to see if they follow along with the Legends continuity. Previously, the book Darth Plagueis dealt with the fall of the Sith leader. However, we had little exploration of his rise to power. Perhaps the series will focus on his transformation into the terrible Sith lord we know today. Only time will tell!

The Lead Role in The Acolyte

Image: Lucasfilm/Disney

Unfortunately, we don’t know who the show’s lead character will be. We’re still waiting on official confirmation about the cast for Star Wars The Acolyte. However, there are mounting rumors that actress Amandla Stenberg will play the series’s protagonist. Previously, she starred in hit films The Hate U Give and The Darkest Minds.

Also, showrunner Leslye Headland discussed the show’s “heroine” and how “you’re not quite sure whether you can trust .” As such, maybe we’ll see a new apprentice for Darth Plagueis and witness his fall from power. This would contradict the Legends continuity but would provide an interesting way to bring this era of the show back to the official canon.

If so, this would make the unknown heroine Darth Sidious’s predecessor. Additionally, it’s unlikely that we’ll see anything in Star Wars The Acolyte that links her to a previous character. Most of the female Sith characters are from the Old Republic era. This precedes the time of The Acolyte by a few thousand years. So, no Darth Zannah or Darth Talon, unfortunately!

As such, there are a number of possible storylines they could go for. Maybe she fails the test and is ultimately killed by Plagueis. Or, perhaps she goes back to the light side. Whatever happens, it’s clear that this era is ripe for storytelling. For the latest rumors and news about Star Wars The Acolyte, we’ve got you covered.

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