Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for The Acolyte.

Summary

• Mother Aniseya created Mae and Osha using the Force.
• The Witches of Brendok call the Force "the Thread" and believe in the power of many, not light or dark sides.
• The Witches were massacred in episode 3 of The Acolyte.

the Nightsisters of Dathomir have long been the sole canonical Force-sensitive witches in the Star Wars galaxy, it seems Mae and Osha's backstory will heavily feature another ancient coven. Interestingly, there are a number of key distinctions between the Nightsisters and the Brendok witches.

Episode 3 moved 16 years backward in time from the main Acolyte timeline, showing Mae and Osha as young children on Brendok, one of The Acolyte's new planets. While the episode also provided new insights into Mae and Osha's dynamic, it most prominently featured the history of their coven. Here's everything episode 3 has revealed about the Witches of Brendok.

15 Mother Aniseya Was The Twins' Actual Mother (As Was Koril)

At First, This Name Seemed To Be A Title

Star Wars shared names and minor details about some of The Acolyte's main characters before the show was released, and Mother Aniseya was among them. Initially, it seemed as though 'Mother' simply referred to a title, just as Mother Talzin's had as the leader of the Nightsisters. However, The Acolyte quickly suggested that wasn't the case, with Mae and Osha's last name being identified as Aniseya in the show's first two episodes.

Episode 3 then confirmed that Mother Aniseya was the twins' actual mother, although not in the conventional sense. In the episode, The Acolyte revealed that Mother Aniseya created the twins, and Mother Korl carried them. Excitingly, this means that Mother Aniseya created the twins using the Force itself, making Mae and Osha the latest in Star Wars' small list of characters who were born of the Force.

Mother Aniseya created the twins using the Force itself.

14 The Brendok Witches Have The Ability To Possess Others

This Is Why Osha's Vision Shows Mae With Black Eyes

In The Acolyte's two-episode premiere, Osha begins to see young Mae in what are presumably Force visions. While visions have long been part of Star Wars canon, though, these felt quite distinct. For one, the visions Osha has in The Acolyte have a distinct horror movie element.

In one of Osha's visions, Mae's eyes turn completely black, which has long been used in TV shows and movies to reflect demon possession. At first, it wasn't clear why Osha was seeing this; it seemed possible this was simply a physical representation of Osha's fears. However, episode 3 of The Acolyte showed Mother Aniseya possessing Jedi Padawan Torbin, which made his eyes go similarly black.

This is a fascinating update, as it means the Witches of Brendok have the ability to possess others. While this power existed in Star Wars canon prior to The Acolyte—the Sith have this power—it has been under-explored, especially in Star Wars shows and movies. It will be fascinating to see how The Acolyte develops this power.

13 They Call The Force The Thread

The Witches Know The Jedi Call It The Force

Interestingly, the Witches of Brendok are aware of the Jedi name for the Force, but they call it something different. Episode 3 of The Acolyte reveals that the witches call the Force 'the Thread.' While it's difficult to imagine referring to the Force as anything else, this idea of the Force as a thread is a captivating one.

As Mother Aniseya explains in the episode, it is so named because the Force/the Thread connects everyone. This is precisely how Obi-Wan Kenobi explains the Force to Luke Skywalker in A New Hope, which is a beautiful moment of connection in Star Wars. This name is also reminiscent of George Lucas' original name for the Force, which was the Force of Others. In some respects, this almost makes the Witches of Brendok seem even more connected to the Force than the Jedi.

This is precisely how Obi-Wan Kenobi explains the Force to Luke Skywalker in A New Hope.

12 They Were In Exile

The Witches Were Feared And Forced To Leave

It seems Brendok was not the original home of the witches, as episode 3 confirms that they were exiled. Mother Aniseya explains, "We were hunted, persecuted, forced into hiding, all because some would consider our power dark." Presumably, this refers to the Jedi, who would have been the group most concerned by dark side Force-s.

This is particularly interesting, as it suggests some major event transpiring even before this jump back in time. Somehow, the Jedi discovered the powers the witches possessed. However, it's also unclear how the Jedi would have forced such a powerful group into exile. Yes, the Jedi were many and clearly wield incredible power, but this would have been a tremendous effort.

Mother Aniseya also references the witches nearly going extinct, again suggesting a major event. It's possible that this may have even been a war. This explanation would make particular sense, as, in that case, the Republic may have even been backing the Jedi in their efforts to eradicate this 'threat' from the galaxy.

The Republic may have even been backing the Jedi in their efforts to eradicate this 'threat' from the galaxy.

11 They Believe In “The Power Of Many”

The Witches Of Brendok's Chant Emphasizes The Power Of Many

Throughout the Ascension Ceremony, during which Mae and Osha are meant to commit themselves to the coven and the protection of its legacy, the witches repeat the chant, "The power of one, the power of two, the power of many." It's clear both from the chant and the ceremony that the power of many is paramount to the witches. Given the nature of a coven, this makes sense.

The Witches of Brendok clearly find strength in numbers, and through this ceremony, they are able to combine their powers. This also connects back to Mother Aniseya's explanation of the Thread; as it is meant to bind all beings together, it makes sense that the power of many would be the focus of the witches. The references to the power of one and the power of two are slightly less clear, although the twins clearly represent at least one example of the power of two.

10 Mae And Osha Were Their Only Children

Osha Was Bothered By The Lack Of Other Children

It's immediately noticeable that there are no other children within the coven other than Osha and Mae, although episode 3 also draws explicit attention to that fact multiple times. This happens prior to the Ascension Ceremony, when Mae insists that she and Osha are the same. Osha is upset by this notion, and she tells Mae that it only feels that way because there are no other children.

Mother Aniseya then also references the twins' unique status as the only children in the coven when she explains that the Ascension Ceremony has not taken place since before the witches' exile. She then states that they were given the gift of life, meaning the twins. Interestingly, this raises questions about whether even the coven is aware of what Mother Aniseya has done; this seems to suggest that the twins were presented to the coven as a miracle, although in reality, Mother Aniseya created them.

9 Mother Aniseya Created The Twins With The Force

Much Like Anakin Skywalker, The Twins Were Born From The Force Itself

As mentioned, Mother Aniseya and Mother Koril have already revealed that the twins were created via the Force/the Thread itself. While the exact details remain unclear for now, episode 3 confirmed that Mother Aniseya created the twins, but Mother Koril carried them. The episode also revealed that this is largely being kept a secret, as both mothers express fear about the truth of the twins' creation being discovered by the Jedi.

As also mentioned, this means the witches themselves, outside of Aniseya and Koril, may not be aware that the twins were intentionally made via the Force by Mother Aniseya. Were that the case, Mae and Osha's miraculous conception would only become more intriguing; if even the coven doesn't know, that means Mother Aniseya creating Mae and Osha was taboo even for the witches. The implications of Mae and Osha's creation remain to be seen, but The Acolyte has very clearly formed a connection between the twins and Anakin Skywalker, who was also born of the Force.

The Acolyte has very clearly formed a connection between the twins and Anakin Skywalker.

8 They Believe The Jedi Are Bad

The Witches Seem To Fear The Jedi

Perhaps unsurprisingly, given their backstory and the fact that they wield a version of the Force that doesn't fit the Jedi principles, the Witches of Brendok believe that the Jedi are bad, and they intentionally conceal the existence of the twins from them. In fact, the coven seems outright afraid of the Jedi. Early in episode 3, Mother Koril shares her concern about Osha leaving the fortress because she could be discovered by the Jedi.

Mother Aniseya already expressed distaste for the Jedi when she explained that the witches disagree with the idea that one can use or wield the Force. However, episode 3 of The Acolyte also makes the Jedi seem almost predatory. When they infiltrate the coven's fortress, they demand to test the girls, although it's clear the witches don't want them to. The witches also notably discuss the Jedi practice of 'taking' children, which makes it seem closer to kidnapping than a practice of identifying Jedi Initiates who go willingly and with the approval of their families.

7 They Don’t Believe In A Binary Force

The Witches Believe The Force Is Neither Bad Nor Good

Along with not believing anyone can 'use' the Force, the Witches of Brendok don't believe in the dark versus the light side of the Force. Rather, Mother Aniseya explains, "This isn't about good or bad. This is about power and who is allowed to use it." Intriguingly, this does seem to slightly contradict the witches' stance on the idea of wielding the Force; however, it's possible Mother Aniseya is using the Jedi's definition of the Force in this case.

Either way, it's clear that, to the Witches of Brendok, the Force/the Thread is a neutral entity. This again makes sense, as an energy connecting all things would be neither good nor bad; it would simply be a fact of life. This again distinguishes the witches from the Jedi in a compelling way and has interesting implications for the morality of the Jedi.

The Jedi see the Force in a very binary way, as they believe the Sith and other dark side Force-s must be stopped. The Witches of Brendok, on the contrary, believe this is a flawed understanding and misuse of the Thread. Arguably, the witches' understanding is better suited to the idea of balance in the Force.

Arguably, the witches' understanding is better suited to the idea of balance in the Force.

6 They Were Massacred 16 Years Before The Acolyte

So Far, Their Death Remains A Mystery

At the end of episode 3, the Witches of Brendok are brutally massacred, and Osha sees their bodies piled up as she runs to escape with Master Sol. Sadly, this also meant the death of Mother Aniseya, which Osha is particularly grief-stricken about. However, the deaths of the witches may not be quite what they seem.

Although Master Sol and Osha both blame the massacre of the witches on Mae in the first two episodes of the show, episode 3 calls that into question. Yes, Mae does set the twins' room on fire, and she disturbingly says she will kill Osha. However, it doesn't make sense that Mae would have also killed the coven.

Mae had just pledged herself to the coven, and she threatened to kill Osha because her desire to the Jedi was a threat to the witches. It would be nonsensical for her to turn around and massacre her entire family and their people. While it could be argued that she accidentally killed them in the same fire, the witches' bodies do not appear burned whatsoever. In light of that, the Jedi themselves may have killed the Witches of Brendok, which would have massive implications in Star Wars.