Summary

• The Acolyte draws inspiration from Star Wars' High Republic era and Legends lore for an exciting story.
• Showrunner Leslye Headland hints at central mysteries surrounding Jedi killings and mysterious characters.
• The title "The Acolyte" references a concept from the deep EU - a Sith warrior below the Sith Apprentice in the dark side hierarchy.

Star Wars TV show is naturally taking elements from the canon High Republic books that have been in circulation since 2021. That said, The Acolyte's exciting story will also be influenced by Legends' stories, despite them not being considered canon to the franchise.

This was outlined by The Acolyte's showrunner Leslye Headland in the latest issue of Empire Magazine. Headland was asked about the central mysteries provided by The Acolyte's first trailer, from who is killing the Jedi and who Amandla Stenberg's mysterious Mae is to what the titular Acolyte refers to. Upon hearing these questions, Headland had this to say:

"It's a position, essentially, that someone is going to fulfil, or step into. We know with the Sith that there is a Master, we know that there is an Apprentice. But in deep EU (Extended Universe), there's a concept of an Acolyte, which is underneath Apprentice. So that is where I got the title from."

What Is A Sith Acolyte?

It has been made clear in several canon stories that Sith worshippers are prevalent in Star Wars...

Regarding what a Sith acolyte is, the answer is essentially exactly what Headland describes. In Star Wars canon, there has long been the Sith Rule of Two. This rule states that there can never be more than two Sith, a Master and an Apprentice. That said, it has been made clear in several canon stories that Sith worshippers are prevalent in Star Wars, from the Sith Eternal in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker to the likes of Vaneé, Darth Vader's attendant in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

These types of characters are likely what would be classed as Sith acolytes - those beneath the rank of Apprentice who are not as skilled in the dark side of the Force, yet who still revere the Sith and their sinister ways. Perhaps the most exciting part of The Acolyte is to discover who the titular Sith worshipper is; could it be Stenberg's Mae, or another, more sinister force looking to disrupt the High Republic? The answers will certainly be provided in The Acolyte when the show releases on June 4, 2024, and will seemingly take inspiration from Star Wars Legends.

Source: Empire Magazine