3 Important Star Wars Details You Missed In The Acolyte Trailer
The long-awaited trailer for "Star Wars: The Acolyte" has finally arrived, bringing the beloved High Republic era into live-action for the first time. Helmed by "Russian Doll" co-creator Leslie Headland, the upcoming Disney+ series features an ensemble cast led by rising star Amandla Stenberg and "Squid Game" lead Lee Jung-jae. The show is set to premiere on Disney+ with a two-episode kickoff on June 4.
Of all the current "Star Wars" series in development, "The Acolyte" has been particularly shrouded in mystery. That's partially due to its central storyline leaning heavily on the dark side, a rarity for mainline "Star Wars" these days. Additionally, many viewers will have no prior context for the High Republic era of "The Acolyte" – the period preceding the prequel trilogy that's been built out through novels and comics over the last several years — although it's become incredibly popular among a certain subset of "Star Wars" fans. The trailer shows off the unique aesthetics of the era, marked especially by some subtle differences in Jedi fashion. It also includes a number of details that you may not have noticed on your first watch.
There are returning characters and actors, familiar ship designs, and one planet in particular that we may have seen before. Here are some "Star Wars" details you likely missed in the first trailer for "The Acolyte."
Familiar faces
Most of the characters we meet in the "Acolyte" trailer are new, even for longtime fans of the High Republic stories. The show takes place toward the end of the era, setting it closer to "The Phantom Menace" and the return of the Sith than the pre-existing novels and comics. However, there are some familiar faces in the trailer as well — namely, Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh.
An incredibly talented Jedi and Force-user, Vernestra is first introduced as an apprentice but quickly becomes a Jedi Knight at the age of 15. Her skills and experience put her in the middle of the Republic's conflict with the Nihil, a pirate faction of sorts that gains significant strength and influence. Throughout the High Republic books, Vernestra is involved in some of the biggest events in the story, including the destruction of the Starlight Beacon. She also has a unique, modified purple lightsaber that can transform into a less rigid weapon called a lightwhip. It should be exciting to see what this older version of Vernestra gets up to in "The Acolyte."
The trailer also shows a Wookiee Jedi named Kelnacca. While he himself is new, the actor who plays him is a "Star Wars" veteran. Joonas Suotamo took over for original Chewbacca actor Peter Mayhew starting with the sequel trilogy, playing the character in "The Last Jedi," "The Rise of Skywalker," and "Solo: A Star Wars Story." It's good to have a Wookiee veteran on board to bring this new Jedi Master to life.
There's foreshadowing in the youngling training
The "Acolyte" trailer opens with a scene of Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) instructing a class of younglings in the ways of the Force. "Close your eyes," he instructs them. "Tell me what comes into your mind." One star student offers, "Life. Balance." Another girl behind her has a more grim vision. "I see fire," she says.
While not confirmed, it seems likely that this second pupil is Mae, the character played by Amandla Stenberg. We know from what Lucasfilm has stated that Mae is a former padawan with a connection to Sol. This opening scene may show part of their early relationship, foreshadowing Mae's fall to the dark side. Later in the trailer, there's a shot of Mae sprinting through a burning forest. It mirrors her vision of fire referenced in the opening scene.
Of course, there's a lot we still don't know about Mae's story. The dark Force user she allies herself with, Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith), has been described in the promotional materials as a witch, but presumably not one of the Nightsisters who have previously held the witch monopoly in "Star Wars" canon.
Is that Ahch-To?
One of the last shots in the "Acolyte" trailer shows Mae confronting a shadowy figure on a rocky island. The particular look of the rocks, combined with the ocean in the background, makes the planet look a whole lot like Ahch-To — the site of the first Jedi temple where Rey (Daisy Ridley) finds Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) in "The Last Jedi." It's not the first connection between "The Last Jedi" and "The Acolyte" that fans have drawn.
Since "The Acolyte" takes place at a time when the Jedi are supposedly quite powerful and spiritually connected, the show could be a good opportunity to return to Ahch-To. We'll hopefully also get a lot more exploration of the dark side lurking in the shadows of the galaxy. What that mysterious figure could be doing on Ahch-To — not to mention Mae herself — remains to be seen. Is Mae in pursuit of the original Jedi texts seen in the sequel trilogy?
For now, it's all speculation, but the planets look practically identical, so it's probably Ahch-To. It's just one of many more surprises that "Star Wars: The Acolyte" could have in store when it premieres on Disney+ on June 4.