Summary
The Acolytejust proved thatLuke Skywalker’sdark side parallel inStar Warsisn’t really Anakin Skywalker—it’s Osha Aniseya.Star Warsmovies and TV showshave long been known for their parallels, or, as George Lucas said, their ‘rhymes.’ Theparallels between Luke Skywalker and Anakin Skywalkerare plentiful, not only because they are father and son, but also because their backstories share many commonalities.
However,The Acolyte’sfinale revealed that, at leastwhen it comes to Luke’s dark side counterpart, his story is mirrored not in Anakin’s but in Osha’s. Yes, Luke and Anakin’s stories are permanently intertwined, but thedefining moments in Anakin’s path to the dark sidewere quite unique. Osha’s dark side journey, by contrast, included many of the same elements Luke’s original trilogy story did.
Mae & Osha’s Origin Reveal Explains Why They Aren’t The Chosen One
The Acolyte episode 7 confirmed brand-new details about Mae and Osha’s backstory, thereby solidifying that they are not the Chosen One.
Luke Skywalker
The Acolytekept true to its word about being a mystery thriller, as it wasn’t ever clear where the story would go next. At the beginning of the show, Osha seemed like a character fully committed to the light side of the Force and disgusted by her sister, Mae’s, behavior. Of course,Star Warshas always been a franchise built on the idea that even the most innocent or purest of heart can become corrupted, butit was nevertheless shocking to see Osha accept the dark side of the Force and agree to become Qimir’s Sith acolyte in the finale.
The steps that led to this turn to the dark side are precisely the aspects of her story that make Osha the dark side opposite to Luke Skywalker.
However, the steps that led to this turn to the dark side are precisely the aspects of her story that make Osha the dark side opposite to Luke Skywalker. The most obvious similarity between the two is that they are both twins, although the finale revealed that Osha and Mae aren’t exactly twins after all. However, the importance of that story remains the same; both Osha and Luke were separated from their siblings early in life, and that relationship became a defining part of their history and potential path to the dark side.
In fact,it wasn’t until Darth Vader threatened to attempt to turn Leia that Luke lost control inReturn of the Jedi, and Osha was kicked out of the Jedi Order because she couldn’t let the resentment toward her sister go. Clearly, these sibling bonds (undoubtedly because they represent attachments) had a major effect on Luke and Osha. Moreover, Osha and Luke both suffered parental loss at a young age, which shaped their relationship with the dark side of the Force considerably.
For Osha, the loss of her mother directly led to her joining the dark side.
Really, Luke lost his parents twice, once when Padmé died and Anakin became Darth Vader when he was an infant, and again inA New Hopewhen Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru were murdered. However, for Luke, the mystery surrounding his father in particular plagued him, and when he discovered the truth about his father, it haunted him and made him fear his own potential pull to the dark. For Osha, the loss of her mother directly led to her joining the dark side. When she discovered Sol killed her mother, she killed him, finalizing her turn to the dark.
Why Did Sol Kill Mae & Osha’s Mother
The Acolyte episode 7 finally revealed what really happened on Brendok 16 years ago, including that Sol killed Mother Aniseya for complex reasons.
Perhaps most important on a character level, though, Osha and Luke were presented as very similar from the beginning. At the beginning ofThe Acolyte, Osha was introduced as a charming, funny, but also deeply sad character who wanted to do the right thing—this, too, was true of Luke Skywalker. However, Luke and Osha were then also faced with the same obstacle: a masked figure using their personal history (and tragedy) to lure them to the dark. In the end, though,Luke Skywalker resisted the temptation to join the Sith, while Osha embraced it.
Will Osha Show What Luke Could Have Become?
Now,The Acolyteseems primed to reveal what Luke Skywalker’s trajectory could have looked like had he decided to join Darth Vader. Of course, in Luke’s case, this would have meant joining one ofStar Wars’most powerful Sithat a time when Sith ruled the galaxy, which certainly isn’t the case with Osha and Qimir. Even so, though, Osha is a fully corrupt ex-Jedi who is leaning completely into her dark side, suggesting what Luke’s own transformation might have been like. Not to mention,with Darth Plagueis on the Unknown Planet, who knows what Osha’s story could entail?
Admittedly, it’s also a nice break from the traditional narrative structure inStar Warsfor the ‘good guy’ to have truly gone bad. Outside Anakin Skywalker, who is clearly the franchise’s ultimate good guy gone bad, Jedi have repeatedly faced the offer to join the Sith, from Rey to Luke to even Obi-Wan Kenobi, but they have maintained their dedication to the light. Seeing Osha fall was thrilling, and it means that ifThe Acolytegets renewed, it could reveal even more whatLuke Skywalker’sown turn could have looked like.
The Acolyte
Cast
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.
