Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for The Acolyte episodes 1 & 2

Summary

  • The Acolyte features various Star Wars Easter eggs and references like Kubaz aliens, Nar Shadaa, and the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
  • Mae, Osha's twin sister, serves a dark master and wants to prove herself by killing Jedi, looking to be a dark Sith trial.
  • The show introduces new characters like Kelnacca, a Wookiee Jedi, and explores themes of the Force and dark mysteries in the High Republic Era.

High Republic Era, The Acolyte reveals a dark mystery involving the deaths of Jedi at the hands of a mysterious figure, one who seemingly carries a past with the Jedi Order itself. To that end, this new High Republic show introduces several new characters while also featuring key elements of the galaxy far, far away.

As seen in The Acolytes's two-episode premiere, a former Padawan of Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-ja) named Osha (Amandla Stenberg) is wanted for the murder of a Jedi Master. However, it's eventually revealed that the actual murderer is Mae, Osha's twin sister who was believed to have died when they were children. Instead, Mae serves a dark, mysterious master while seeking to prove her worth. To that end, here are 32 of the biggest Easter eggs and references from The Acolyte's premiere episodes.

Mae, Master Indara, and Mother Aniseya in The Acolyte in a combined image
Related
Star Wars: The Acolyte Cast & Character Guide

Here's everything we know about The Acolyte's cast and the characters they will be portraying in Star Wars' most mysterious project yet.

35 Kubaz

Same Species As New Hope's Imperial Spy

Kubaz Spy in The Acolyte

At the very beginning of the episode, Mae interacts with a familiar alien that looks like a Kubaz who points her in the direction of a Jedi. Featuring a hood and goggles while covering a long snout, it was a Kubaz named Garindan who helped the Imperials locate R2 and C-3PO in A New Hope. However, they still missed the droids thanks to Luke Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi's chartering age aboard Han Solo and Chewbacca's Millennium Falcon.

34 Parallels To Mos Eisley's Cantina

Where's Figrin D'an and the Modal Nodes?

Mae finds Jedi Master Indara (Carrie Anne-Moss) in a cantina. Naturally, this cantina is full of various alien species drinking and relaxing not unlike the Mos Eisley Cantina first seen in A New Hope. The only thing missing is the all-Bith musical band, though that would have severely undercut Mae's murder of Indara.

33 Nar Shadaa

The Smuggler's Moon

Skyline of the densely urban Star Wars planet Nar Shadaa, where buildings are illuminated by bright neon signs.

Operating as a meknek in the Outer Rim, Osha is asked by a fellow meknek named Fillik why she didn't the piloting crew on a fun trip to Nar Shadaa. Nar Shaddaa is a classic Star Wars location, also known as the Smuggler's Moon. Known for its entertainment, the moon is also a hotbed for criminal activity and is largely run by various underworld factions, most notably the Hutts.

32 Gonk Droid

Walking Power Generators

Gonk Droid in The Acolyte

Upon walking out of her room, a gonk droid walks past Osha while she talks with Filik. Gonk droids have been featured across the entire Star Wars franchise, and the High Republic Era is no different. This is because Gonk droids are essentially walking power generators, making them quite useful.

31 Nemoidians

The Trade Federation

Nemoidians In The Acolyte

The ship Osha is serving on is run by Nemoidians who work for the Trade Federation. As seen in The Phantom Menace, the Trade Federation's Viceroy Nute Gunray was a primary villain, having established the blockade around the planet Naboo and was in league with Darth Sidious. As seen in The Acolyte, the Trade Federation looks to be just as greedy 100 years prior.

30 Jedi Mind Probe

Associated with Kylo Ren

Upon the arrival of Jedi Knight Yord Fandar and his Padawan Tasi Lowa who searching for Osha, Yord implies that he could simply mind probe the Nemodians if they keep lying to him. This is a power that has become far more associated with the dark side thanks to Kylo Ren in the sequel trilogy. That being said, the cowardly Nemodians end up telling Yord the truth (no mind probe necessary).

29 Osha's Space Suit

Mirrors Ahsoka Tano's

Space Suits in The Acolyte

Despite the Republic's laws dictating that outer-ship repairs made by organics are illegal, Osha is well-suited to the task. As such, Osha wears a space suit to make repairs to the ship's shield generator. To that end, the suits are not unlike the space suit worn by Ahsoka Tano in her recent live-action series.

28 CorpSec

Located In The Outer Rim

Star Wars Cassian Andor Corporate Zone

Osha confirms to Yord that she largely works within the Corporate Sector of the Outer Rim. This is a region of space that's largely self-governed by the Corporate Sector Authority rather than the Republic. As such, the Corporate Zone largely ed the Separatist Alliance during the Clone Wars, and became a haven for Separatist holdouts and eventually Rebels with the rise of the Empire.

27 Jedi Vector

A Classic High Republic Ship Comes To Live-Action

Jedi Vector In The Acolyte

Having debuted for the first time in live-action with The Acolyte, Yord and Lowa arrive on a Jedi Vector. Vectors are impressive Jedi starfighters during the High Republic Era, having been featured in books, comics, and even the animated children's show Young Jedi Adventures. Their weapons system required a Jedi's lightsaber as a key, ensuring that the ships could only be used by the Jedi themselves.

26 White & Gold Robes

Traditional For High Republic Jedi

Yord and his Padawan also arrive wearing more formal Jedi robes. Dressed in white and gold, these were the original colors of the Jedi Order during the High Republic Era. However, they eventually fell out of use by the time of the prequel era with the Jedi wearing much more muted browns and tans as they do on missions.