The Jedi Are...?

One of the annoyances about The Acolyte’s cancellation is that the show wasn’t afraid to venture into new territory. For one, it came before the prequels chronologically, something previously discussed in books. And two, it built on something from Star Wars: The Last Jedi, that being the fallibility and arrogance of The Jedi Order. We’d seen some of this with Star Wars: The Clone Wars, but that was wartime. War makes people irrational, so I’m glad relative stability also spotlighted this. I only wish fans were as enthusiastic...

But that’s the problem with Star Wars. Aside from a fear of risk-taking, the franchise routinely treads on milquetoast ideas that rarely challenge people. I liked Obi-Wan Kenobi more than The Acolyte, but it didn’t really discuss how The Jedi were a corrupt entity like the aforementioned did. It also centred around a previously-established character. It was nice seeing Ewan MacGregor return to the role, but we didn’t learn anything new other than how he was disenfranchised. Also, that he had familiarity with Princess Leia.

The same could also be said of Ahsoka. I think it stands on its own, and I enjoyed it a lot. But that has the caveat of featuring characters that’d appeared in other shows. It was great seeing Morgan Elsbeth, Hera Syndula, Sabine Wren and the likes, but I was familiar with them. Nothing moved the franchise in a new direction, not even Admiral Thrawn’s return. I’m definitely excited for a Season 2, but still.

The same can’t be said for The Acolyte. Was it messy? Yes. Yet outside of that, it openly steered Star Wars in a new direction. It wasn’t afraid to interrogate The Jedi, their failings and if they really were a net good. This was emphasized constantly, such that one scene actually summed it up best:

“I think the Jedi are a massive system of unchecked power, posing as a religion, a delusional cult that claims to control the uncontrollable…[y]ou project an image of goodness and restraint, but it’s only a matter of time before one of you snaps. And when, not ‘if,’ that happens, who will be strong enough to stop him?”

That’s interesting! Sure, it’s coming from an anti-Jedi senator, but where’s the lie? Ignoring Anakin’s downfall, The Acolyte foreshadows this within its own narrative. Have we forgotten Mae and Osha’s backstory, the one where four Jedi kill their coven under the guise of protection? Or how The Jedi imprisoned Osha for crimes Mae committed, all without giving her a fair trial? Or how, when confronted with the truth, Osha Force choked her former master to death? Is this being ignored because Osha and Mae argued about The Jedi’s intentions as children?

This highlights the longstanding issue many fans have with Star Wars: they won’t let The Jedi be flawed. We saw this too with Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Last Jedi. That movie also had flaws, particularly regarding Snoke, but Luke being guilt-ridden over failing his nephew wasn’t one of them. People hated that he’d given up on being a Jedi, only to later cast a projection and fool Kylo Ren, but that was more organic narratively than Luke taking out Darktroopers in Season 2 of The Mandalorian. Buy hey! Anything to give us an awkwardly motion-captured Mark Hamill!

It's bad when fans complain about Star Wars lacking new ideas, only to turn around and complain when it gives us them. I liked Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker more than most, but it was safer and less-interesting than its predecessor. And I really only gravitated to its introspective look at legacies and lineage, something that, again, was new for the franchise. I guess Star Wars can’t win, right? I think that’s the case.

But that’s the problem: whenever the franchise treads new ground, there’s pushback. And this is especially true when introspecting The Jedi. They’re not allowed to be flawed. They can’t be grumpy, resentful, or suffer from PTSD. Because then they’re relatable, and Heaven forbid!

Here’s a little secret: that relatability? That desire for risk? That’s what ages better in Star Wars. There’s a reason why Star Wars Ep. V: The Empire Strikes Back is remembered fondly, and why it’s used as a yardstick for future entries. Sure, it was met with mixed-reception upon initial release, but it took risks. Big risks! It was unafraid to challenge Luke’s understanding of good and evil, something its sequel continued into the battle with Vader and Palpatine.

That was nearly 45 years ago! We’re still experiencing the fallout of “No, I am your father!” with newer entries. It’s so heavily-ingrained in pop culture now that not only has it been a victim of The Mandela Effect, it’s also been spoofed and memorized by the public. It’s a goofy twist, but it’s a good twist. I’d argue it’s one of the best in film history!

You want to know something else? The Jedi being fallible was also somewhat built into The Prequels. We remember those movies for their memes, bad acting and laughable dialogue, but George Lucas knew The Jedi weren’t saints. How could an entire order not only not guess that the real villain was in plain sight, but was manipulating one of their own and grooming him as his successor? And how could The Jedi go along with paying for an army from a mysterious source and not foresee its soldiers turning on them? Aren’t The Jedi supposed to be “good at what they do”? This all contradicts that.

I think fans should decide what they want from Star Wars. More-specifically, they should decide what they want The Jedi to be, and then stick with it. The franchise can’t be interesting if it’s not innovative. And it can’t be long-lasting if it can’t interrogate itself, The Jedi included. Because that’s good writing! Don’t we want good writing?