The Acolyte, the latest series from the Star Wars universe, is getting a lot of mixed reactions, with its audience and critics as parallel as the Forces. But while the storyline of the same has been deemed widely controversial, it seems the series hasn’t left out on the adventure and the easter eggs as all those die-hard Star Wars fans may have been expecting.
This comes after the apocalyptic scene in the third episode of the saga aired, which featured a major and incredibly sneaky tribute to one legendary character from the lore. That’s not all; this thoroughly slyly crafted scene, which many fans must have missed to study properly, even hints at the fate that may await Mae Aniseya in the later events of the series.
The Acolyte Episode 3 Pays Homage to One Legendary Character
First off, if you haven’t seen The Acolyte and wish to, please don’t read ahead as this article features spoilers for the third episode of the series.
Second, Leslye Headland‘s Star Wars series is getting really sneaky on some stuff. Like paying homage to the legendary fan-favorite character Anakin Skywalker, for instance.
As those who have already seen it must know, this episode features an extended flashback revealing that young Osha (Lauren Brady) and Mae Aniseya (Leah Brady) were raised by a coven of witches who were not the Nightsisters of Dathomir.
Moreover, this also shows how Mae sets the temple on fire (accidentally) when Osha decides to go with some visiting Jedis. This fire not only led to the mass killing of everyone who was trapped (even though the temple was made of metal and stone) but also extended a tribute to Darth Vader.
This happens in the most sneaky way possible as the door to the room where Osha was trapped gets lit up in the most ironic way, and the shape of Anakin is evidently visible on the door that is being engulfed in more and more flames with each passing second.
we all see vader shape here right pic.twitter.com/vcMoS9q3hz
— Caitlin ✨ (@caitlinplesher) June 12, 2024
A fan on X, @caitlinplesher, also pointed out the same, as the above-embedded tweet explains. And as can be already understood from the comments on this tweet, this particularly sly tribute must have been missed by quite a lot of fans.
At the same time, this also raises a question: This series has been set around 100 years before even the events that happened in the original prequel trilogy. So what could possibly mean by paying such a tribute to Vader when he was actually years away from even being born then?
While the answer to this is yet to be known, it is being widely speculated that this coupled with the other similarities between Anakin and Mae (about how they were both tempted to join the Dark Side by a Sith Lord, etc.) could hint that both these characters just may be passengers of the same fate.
Fans React to This Ironic Tribute to Darth Vader in The Acolyte
Although the real reason why this was included is yet to be known, this addition of an undeniable tribute paid to Anakin Skywalker raises a lot of questions about the relationship that he and Mae could possibly share that fans were definitely not ready for.
In fact, a lot of them weren’t even aware of this in the first place, but after @caitlinplesher pointed it out on X, they claim that they can perfectly see it now all the while mentioning how this particular episode was pretty much dripping with those Vader vibes.
All in all, here are some of their reactions on X:
Commenting since nobody can see I liked your reply: I AGREE and nothing is done by accident like this! Also this episode was SO VERY ANAKIN
— Mollie 🍊 (@DarthMaullie) June 12, 2024
I somehow see both his mask/helmet and his silhouette
— Sipher (@B_Mike95) June 13, 2024
Oh got catch!!!! I thought that it seemed like the silhouette or shadow of a person in the middle but yeah now I can see the helmet clearly.
— Poncho (@JavierAIfonso) June 13, 2024
Holy hell I didn’t notice that at first. Great find!
— Payton Payne (@StonePayneProd) June 13, 2024
OH MY GOD?!?!? What a call out. This is blowing my mind rn🤯
— Emma Parke (@ermajedi26) June 12, 2024
I did not notice this 😲
— Brian Marx 🦐🦀 (@BrianPatM) June 14, 2024
I was getting “Anakin parallels” vibes the whole episode.
— Eos//G, The Game Maker (@dawnknightx) June 13, 2024
Well, NOW I DO
— Frank Janisch (@FrankieJ29) June 12, 2024
Remind me a bit of Vader’s entrance in Jedi Survivor ngl pic.twitter.com/xgt4m3OEgi
— Pericute the White🤍 (@perifofo) June 14, 2024
With all of this being said, it can’t be denied anymore how this just couldn’t be unintentional and could probably even hold a major connection to what happened with Anakin in the later events of the Star Wars lore.
At the same time, nothing about the connection between Mae Aniseya and Anakin Skywalker is confirmed yet, so we might as well take this with a pinch of salt to avoid any disappointment that may trail forward later on.
You can stream The Acolyte on Disney+.
