The Acolyte has proven to be arguably the most divisive addition to the Star Wars canon, with fans heavily criticizing several aspects of the series. The mystery-thriller series stars Amandla Stenberg in the lead roles of twin sisters, who are embroiled in a conflict between the Jedi and the Sith. Actor Manny Jacinto’s performance has been the only saving grace of the polarizing series thus far.
During an interview, Jacinto commented on the nature of morality in the Star Wars universe. However, his comments and comparison of The Acolyte with previous entries were bafflingly misguided and might even have enraged Darth Vader himself. Here is what Jacinto had to say about morality in Star Wars and why his comments are inaccurate.
The Acolyte Star Manny Jacinto Discusses Morality in Star Wars
Created by Leslye Headland, The Acolyte takes place during the High Republic era of the Star Wars universe. The series stars actor Manny Jacinto as Qimir, a former smuggler with mysterious motives. However, in the later episodes, Qimir is revealed to be the Sith Master training Mae (Amandla Stenberg).
Before the show’s release, Jacinto discussed his role in The Acolyte in an interview with Total Film magazine. In the interview, Jacinto spoke about how the series would redefine the perception of good and evil in the franchise.
Even though ‘Star Wars’ has been pretty black and white in the past in terms of good guys and bad guys, I think with our show we’ll get audiences really thinking about whether they resonate with the light side or the dark side.
Jacinto made the above statement (via /Film) regarding the contextualization of morality and its complexities that the series aims to explore.
Jacinto’s comments mirror those of creator Leslye Headland who has called duality the primary theme of the series. Similarly, an episode of the series itself states it is about power and who gets to wield it. However, so far the theme has failed to resonate with the audience for several reasons.
Manny Jacinto’s Star Wars Statement Might Invoke the Ire of Darth Vader
Despite Jacinto summarizing the show’s primary theme in his statement, the actor certainly made a misstep while comparing it to the other Star Wars projects. In the past, his co-stars Amandla Stenberg and Charlie Barnett have drawn the ire of fans for misspeaking about the Star Wars canon or disrespecting the source material, an acquisition the series has faced as a whole.
Jacinto’s comments implied that the theme of duality, especially the morally complex nature of good and evil had never been explored in the franchise before. However, his comments could not be further from the truth, as franchise spearhead George Lucas has incorporated the theme in both the original and prequel trilogy of films.
The character arc of Darth Vader is the prime example of good and evil co-existing within the same person, which forms the crux of the Skywalker saga. Similarly, other shows such as Andor have also explored the nuance of good, evil, morality, and everything in between with great depth. Therefore, Jacinto’s suggestion that The Acolyte is the first time viewers will see an exploration of arguably the most prominent theme in Star Wars seems misinformed.
The Acolyte is streaming on Disney+.
