Star Wars: The Acolyte: Episode Eight: Compelled

[Dave]

After having a vision of Mae apparently killing Sol without a weapon, Osha and Qimir head out to find them while being watched by Darth Plagueis. On the ship, Mae breaks free and crashes on Brendok in a capsule while escaping Sol. Meanwhile, Vernestra gathers a group of Jedi to bring in Sol. On Brendok, Sol, Qimir and Osha begin searching for Mae. Inside the fortress, both parties confront and fight each other. Mae disarms Sol, but chooses to let him live so he can confess his crimes before the Council. Sol reveals that she and Osha are the same person and admits to killing their mother. An angry Osha uses the Force for the first time and chokes Sol to death, corrupting the Kyber crystal in his lightsaber which turns red. She and Mae escape together before Vernestra arrives and discovers Sol's corpse. As the sisters reconcile, they are found by Qimir and Osha agrees to train with him. In order to protect the pair from the Jedi, Qimir wipes Mae's memory before she is apprehended by the Jedi. Back on Coruscant, the Senate grows weary of the Jedi's actions and launches an investigation into the order. Vernestra decides to cover up the recent events on Brendok and murders of Torbin, Indara and Kelnacca by putting the blame entirely on Sol, and reveals that Qimir was once her apprentice. She later visits Jedi master Yoda to discuss the situation.

Just creating the thread here. Not seen this yet to talk about it.

 

[Dave]

This was a painting by numbers ending except for the way that Sol was treated after his death. Yes, he was the cause of everything that had happened, but never deliberately or with any malice, and to exonerate the Jedi Council by saying that he murdered the other Jedi is a very unpleasant thing for Vernestra to have done. Also, Vernestra quoting Obi Wan left a sour taste for me (as it was probably meant to.) I was about 17 when I first watched Star Wars, but if slightly younger I could have seen the Jedi as former Galactic heroes who could have their day in the sun once again. Now the idea that their ancient hokey religion never deserved that honour has been set in stone. Instead, they are a much too powerful, corrupt supra-governmental entity without oversight, cloaked in secrecy, who lie and conspire, and preach values that they don't respect themselves. The parallels with current affairs is as obvious and as subtle as a brick.

I also thought that Qimir wiping Mae's mind was as plot convenient as it was quick. Surely it at least needed some candles and incantations, at the very least a physical touch like the Vulcan Mind Probe? If Qimir can do that in only five seconds, who needs the Force-choke to kill Jedi? Just wipe everyone's mind instead.

 

[Culhwch]

I was fairly underwhelmed with the finale.

I was disappointed in the way Sol's story ended. Of all the characters in the show, I thought he was developed the best - at heart a good person who made some terrible mistakes in trying to do what he thought was the right thing for others. The way he was painted as the culprit in the end to cover up the threat of the Sith - not a fan, as I guess is intended.

I did not buy Osha's sudden turn to the Dark Side at all, nor Mae's willingness to have her mind wiped and be left behind - I don't even understand the reason for the latter (given Qimir knew Vernestra knew he was lurking about - it wasn't really going to put the Jedi off his and Osha's trail...?). The turn was all executed so quickly, with very little in the way of development of that thread. The way Osha and Mae were both written and acted just left me cold in the end - I didn't connect with them at all. And I just didn't buy that Osha would turn on Sol like that.

I liked Qimir as a villain overall, and there's an interesting story somewhere there about his past with Vernestra and obvious links to Darth Plagueis. I just don't really want to see another season about Osha and Mae.

Vernestra meeting with Yoda at the end seems to indicate he knows about all this in the prequels, and I guess he does seem more wary of the Sith threat there, so i guess that checks out. How involved he is in the conspiracy though would be interesting to know.

I think a more interesting story would have been had Jecki survived the initial fight with Qimir, and then witnessed Osha's turn and murder of Sol - setting up a rivalry between Jecki and Osha.

I did like seeing a different time period to the PT/OT/ST era. It would be good to see more shows like this, but just a bit better.