Every Star Wars Prequel Trilogy Reference In The Acolyte

Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Acolyte episode 1 & 2.

The Acolyte may take place 100 years before the Star Wars movies, but it contains several references to the prequel trilogy. While it is the chronological beginning of the Skywalker Saga, the Star Wars prequel trilogy also saw the end of the old Jedi Order and the Republic. Having a new live-action show set during the High Republic era means the franchise has another opportunity to expand on the Jedi Order’s history.

Even so, the creative team behind The Acolyte made sure to include plenty of references to the films that form the foundation for its story. Some of these are clear parallels that most fans will pick up on, while others are more subtle and require a second viewing to fully appreciate. This allows The Acolyte to strike a balance between telling a standalone story with fresh elements and honoring the Star Wars movies.

9 Two Jedi Visiting A Trade Federation Vessel

A nod to Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi

One of the first and most noticeable references to the Star Wars prequel trilogy was Jedi Knight Yord Fandar and his Padawan Tasi Lowa arriving at the Trade Federation ship. The Neimoidians are caught off guard and visibly shaken by their presence, knowing that they currently have humans performing work that Republic law says should only be done by droids. Although the Neimoidian in charge tries to feign innocence when they ask about a former Jedi being employed on their ship, Yord only has to raise a hand to convince the other to tell them where she is.

The scene effectively parallels Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi paying the Trade Federation a visit in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. Unlike the movie, The Acolyte has the Jedi and the Neimoidians meeting face to face, showing the guardians of peace and justice from their point of view. It’s easy to see why the Neimoidians would be terrified to face Jedi ambassadors in The Phantom Menace, knowing that their answers had at least one close call over their illegal activities.

8 Only R2 Droids Are Supposed To Do Outer Ship Repairs

A reference to R2-D2 saving the Naboo cruiser

Osha Aniseya is introduced as a meknek, performing dangerous repairs on the outside of ships, and the episode immediately shows how risky the work is when a simple repair turns into an overload that starts a fire. When the Jedi arrive looking for Osha, the Trade Federation representative tries to dismiss her presence by saying that Republic law dictates that only droids are supposed to perform this kind of work. The next episode specifics that R2 droids are supposed to perform the sort of shield repairs that Osha was doing, but she believes humans are more flexible.

Both instances reference R2-D2’s first scene in The Phantom Menace when he and several other astromech droids are dispatched to repair the shield generator on the outside of the ship. Whereas The Acolyte has characters repairing a Trade Federation ship, R2-D2 and his fellow droids fix the damage to a Naboo cruiser trying to get past a Federation blockade. The scene also demonstrates why this job is designed for droids, each getting blasted away before making substantial repairs, though R2-D2 fixes the shields just in time to save the ship.

7 Osha Aniseya Joined The Jedi Later Than Most Younglings

Anakin Skywalker was also considered too young to be a Jedi

One reason the Jedi suspect Osha of killing Master Indara is the circumstances surrounding her admittance to the Jedi Order. Jedi are usually only accepted at a very young age, allowing them to grow up in the Order and not have to detach themselves from their old life. Osha was an exception, with the Jedi Council allowing her to begin training at eight years old when her entire family was killed. She could not let go of what had happened to her, so Indara recommended her training be ended, although Osha ultimately decided to leave.

Osha’s situation is similar to Anakin Skywalker’s in the prequel trilogy, who the Jedi Council initially rejected because he was nine years old. Like Osha, Anakin knew his family before joining the Order, though he would not lose his mother until years later. Anakin never mastered detachment like other Jedi, missing his mother and later falling in love with Padmé Amidala, and the Masters were worried about who he would become. Interestingly, Osha made the hard decision to leave the Jedi Order herself, whereas Anakin chose to stay and eventually turned to the dark side as Darth Vader.

6 The Jedi Are Becoming Too Emotionally Detached

Foreshadowing one of their greatest flaws

The Acolyte does an excellent job differentiating this incarnation of the Jedi Order from the one seen in the prequel trilogy while foreshadowing certain developments. One recurring aspect of The Acolyte is the Jedi calling out emotional attachment, especially with Master Sol, who still cares for Osha after many years. When he hears the charges against Osha, Master Vernestra Rwoh is surprised by his strong attachment to her, and Jecki Lon gives him a speech about its dangers when she catches him looking at an old holo of Osha.

Neither Jedi is cruel or judgmental toward Sol, but it does reveal that the Order is beginning to put too much emphasis on emotional detachment. While a Jedi must put the greater good above their emotions, love and friendship are a natural result of trusting one’s feelings and being in tune with the Force, so they shouldn’t be completely discounted. Master Rwoh is willing to sentence Osha quickly to protect the Order, while Yord Fandar treats her with nothing but suspicion despite their past friendship. It foreshadows the Jedi’s greatest flaw in the prequels that will contribute to their downfall.

5 Master Sol Teaching A Class Of Younglings

Just like Master Yoda

Master Sol is first seen in The Acolyte teaching a class of younglings, guiding them through meditation and encouraging them to explore the nature of the Force. Despite their age, the younglings are surprisingly astute, impressing Sol by noting how they feel balance and life, and even describing the Force as fire that can grow out of control. Sol ends the class when he sees Master Rwoh at the entrance, greeting her and offering to help with whatever has brought her to his class.

Much of this scene mirrors Yoda’s class in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones, only he is teaching his students to block laser bolts with a lightsaber. Yoda is also impressed by one of his students when he realizes the answer is simple instead of coming up with a complicated solution. He then ends the class and dismisses the students to confer with Obi-Wan Kenobi about a mystery plaguing the Jedi Order.

4 Osha Aniseya Has A Twin Sister

A callback to Luke and Leia

Continuing a Star Wars family tradition, The Acolyte reveals that Osha and Mae are twin sisters, a fact not included in Osha’s file. Osha resents her sister for starting the fire that destroyed their home, and until recently, each sister believed the other was dead. Mae thought Osha died in the fire and grew up to be a Sith acolyte, hunting down the Jedi Masters present the day her home was destroyed. However, Osha learned Mae was alive thanks to a vision in the Force, while Mae was shocked to see her sister alive and pointing a blaster at her.

This reveal harkens back to Luke Skywalker discovering that Princess Leia Organs was secretly his twin sister in Return of the Jedi. However, while the twist is most commonly associated with the original trilogy, it was also part of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith when the characters learn that Padmé is carrying twins. Like Osha and Mae, Luke and Leia are separated and don’t reunite until adulthood, saving them from being discovered by the Sith. Mae, however, is now a servant of the Sith and has to flee from her sister instead of joining her.

3 “Always One, But Born As Two.”

Similar to Yoda’s description of the Rule of Two

When Osha first experiences a vision of her long-lost sister, the young Mae speaks in riddles and comments on their relationship as twins. One of these lines, “Always one, but born as two,” perfectly describes this dynamic and foreshadows what Mae has become. The quote is similar to Yoda’s description of the Sith Rule of Two at the end of The Phantom Menace: “Always two there are. No more, no less.” It hints at Mae’s master and that she had become a dark-side acolyte hunting down Jedi.

Of course, referencing this line also raises more questions and possibilities for future episodes. When Yoda cites that there is always a Sith Master and an apprentice, Mace Windu wonders which one was destroyed. If Mae’s master is a Sith Lord, which the show constantly implies, then Mae does not seem to be the apprentice. Mae reminds Osha that they are one despite being two people, meaning that Osha could help redeem her sister or join her on the dark side.

2 “In The Name Of The Galactic Senate Of The Republic, You Are Under Arrest.”

The same dialogue as Palpatine’s arrest

The Jedi answer to the Galactic Senate when on official business and will invoke this authority when taking down dangerous enemies. When Master Sol fails to reach Mae and their fight goes on, Jecki Lon shines a spotlight on her and points the ship’s weapons. She orders Mae to stand down and says she is under arrest in the name of the Republic Senate.

This quote is exactly the same as Mace Windu’s line when he and his fellow masters attempt to arrest Chancellor Palpatine in Revenge of the Sith. Obi-Wan reminded Anakin that the Jedi Order’s allegiance is to the Senate, not to its leader, but Palpatine claims that he is the Senate. Like Mae, Palpatine doesn’t surrender easily, but while Mae is an acolyte, Palpatine is a Sith Lord.

1 A Master Butting Heads With Jedi Leadership

Sol and Qui-Gon Jinn are kindred spirits

The Jedi of the prequel trilogy were presented as rigid and dogmatic, and it seems this was the case 100 years earlier. Master Sol continually deals with Master Rwoh not trusting his judgment, dismissing emotional attachment, and even ordering him to stand down so she can form a small council. It’s easy to understand why Sol is so frustrated by the end of the second episode when he knows what needs to be done but is ignored by his leaders.

Qui-Gon Jinn dealt with many of these problems in The Phantom Menace when dealing with the Jedi High Council. He was much less orthodox than most Jedi, costing him a seat on the Council and constantly putting him at odds with them. Whether in The Acolyte or the Star Wars prequel trilogy, it seems the struggle between strict tradition and the freedom to follow one’s feelings is eternal in every era of the timeline.

The Acolyte

The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes – all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.

Cast

Dafne Keen , Lee Jung-jae , Amandla Stenberg , Jodie Turner-Smith , Joonas Suotamo , Carrie-Anne Moss , Margarita Levieva , Charlie Barnett , Dean-Charles Chapman

Seasons

1

Streaming Service(s)

Disney+

Writers

Leslye Headland , Charmaine De Grate , Kor Adana

Directors

Leslye Headland , Alex Garcia Lopez

Showrunner

Leslye Headland

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