This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte episode 5.

Summary

• The Acolyte episode 5 reintroduces the forbidden Trakata lightsaber technique, used by Sith Lord Qimir.
• Qimir's unique lightsaber style and dark side Force powers overwhelmed Jedi, leading to a brutal defeat.
• Trakata, a dishonorable Jedi technique, uses deception and misdirection in combat.

The Acolyte just brought back a 30-year-old Legends lightsaber technique, one the Jedi forbade. The mysterious Sith Lord was finally unmasked in The Acolyte episode 5, confirming everything viewers had long since suspected. "The Stranger" is in fact Manny Jacinto's Qimir, and he is a true force to be reckoned with; the Sith Lord cut a swathe through an entire squad of Jedi.

The Stranger had many advantages. The Sith Lord's lightsaber is a new one, and he can split it apart with a twist. This gave him the upper hand against Jecki Lon, who he cut down brutally. That wasn't the only thing in his favor, though; he also had an unusual lightsaber style, one that confused the Jedi because they'd never faced anything like it. He tended to switch his lightsaber on and off during combat, leaving his foes unbalanced as their swings failed to connect. It's a concept lifted straight from Legends - and it's incredibly dangerous.

Trakata Is A Forbidden Lightsaber Combat Technique

Introduced 30 years ago in the Star Wars: Dark Empire audio-drama, Trakata is the perfect lightsaber technique for the Sith, because iit involves deception - activating and deactivating a lightsaber during combat, creating openings the Sith can exploit. It's particularly effective when combined with another lightsaber technique called Jar'kai - the use of dual lightsabers. The Stranger's unusual lightsaber means he can use both techniques in concert.

The Jedi considered Trakata to be a forbidden form.

In Legends, the Jedi considered Trakata to be a forbidden form. It is, after all, the ultimate "dirty fighting" - a way of deceiving your opponent during combat. A practitioner of Trakata feigns one move, misdirecting their opponent, then kills them. It's easy to see why the Jedi thought Trakata to be dishonorable, and so discouraged it. It's likely the same is true in Legends as well, meaning the Jedi who fought the Stranger struggled to adapt.

The Stranger's Force Powers Helped Him Do Battle Against The Jedi

The Stranger's unusual dark side Force powers gave him another edge. Like the witches of Brendok, he possessed the ability to get inside the minds of the Jedi, confusing them and leaving them uncertain how best to respond to his attacks. Their uncertainty, their wild swings, combined with the deceptive technique of Trakata to leave them utterly unbalanced. Little wonder The Acolyte episode 5 swiftly devolved into a Jedi slaughter.

Tricks like Trakata, Qimir's unique new Sith lightsaber, and his Force powers all combine to show just how dangerous it is to go head-to-head with the Sith. The Jedi are bound by their rules, by their codes of conduct, but Sith care little for such niceties. In their view, victory is all that matters, and they will deploy any tricks they need to win. Qimir certainly proved that, and he confirmed that a single Sith can take on an entire squad of Jedi - and win.

Star Wars Has Been Setting Up Trakata's Return For Quite Some Time

Star Wars has actually been setting up Trakata's return since September 2021, when it was seen in the most unlikely place. It made an appearance in the Star Wars: Visions season 1 episode "The Elder," with a Jedi Master named Tajin using it against a powerful Sith Lord known as the Elder. Tajin sidestepped an attack and switched his blade off, pressing the lightsaber hilt against the Elder's body and then activating it again. While it's true Star Wars: Visions is non-canon, this served as a nice reminder of the controversial lightsaber technique.

In canon, there have been hints Darth Vader modified this technique to defeat Jedi opponents. Anakin Skywalker was always a tinkerer, and Darth Vader modified his blade, giving it two kyber crystals; he could switch between the crystals, adjusting the length of his blade. The lightsaber would deactivate for a moment when he triggered the switch, then reactivate at a completely different length, wrong-footing his enemies and giving him an opening. Trakata is perfect for this kind of treacherous subterfuge.

Nonetheless, The Acolyte is the first time Trakata has actually been seen in canon - and the technique is officially named as part of the episode guide. No doubt it will appear again in future now, because it's been used so spectacularly. But it will always surely be mostly used by the Sith, rather than by the Jedi.