Warning: SPOILERS lie ahead for The Acolyte season 1, episode 8, “The Acolyte”!
Summary
The Acolyteepisode 8 director Hannelle M. Culpepper reveals that the season finale’s Yoda’s surprising appearance was difficult to bring to screen due to hesitation from Lucasfilm behind the scenes. After exploring a murder mystery and one of the Jedi Order’s darkest moments across season 1, the latestStar WarsDisney+ series ended with the Jedi under Senate scrutiny and Mae (Amandla Stenberg) in Jedi custody. However, with her fallen apprentice resurfacing and new challenges and allies emerging, Master Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson) sought guidance from the enigmatic Jedi Grand Master Yoda.
WithThe Acolyteseason 1ending on a surprising Jedi Master cameo, Culpepper revealed toInversethat Lucasfilm were hesitant about his appearance. Despite Leslye Headland’s insistence on his presence, Lucasfilm were reluctant to let Yoda appear on-screen at first, wanting to avoid developing any issue between projects that were being worked on at the time ofThe Acolyte’s production. Check out Culpepper’s explanation below:
I was starting to think it wasn’t going to happen. When everyone learned thatThe Acolytewas set before the prequels, people were holding out for a Yoda cameo. Were you having conversations with Leslye about teasing the audience with that?
She really had to fight for it, actually, but it was all a part of her plan. I give her so much credit for getting it.
I’m surprised that she’d have to fight for it.
[Lucasfilm] is just very, very protective of the brand and what happens to the characters. There’s other storylines being developed by Lucasfilm as well, so it all has to fit together. It has to make sense.
How Will Yoda Figure Into Other Lucasfilm Plans?
Lucasfilm May Be Trying To Keep Yoda One OfStar Wars' Most Enigmatic Figures
Part of Yoda’s original charm is how his diminutive appearance hides an enigmatic, powerful Master.
While Yoda has been a key player in the preceding stories of the High Republic publishing initiative, having already obtained the rank of Grand Master and his seat on the Jedi Council by the time of the Battle of Jedha 382 years beforeA New Hope, there is still little known about what happened to the Master betweenThe Acolyteand his teaching of Dooku (Christopher Lee) ahead ofStar Wars' prequel trilogy. Though this may leave room for future projects, the truth may be far more complicated.
Why Didn’t Yoda Face The Sith In The Acolyte?
Why didn’t Master Yoda join the investigation or the fight against the Sith in The Acolyte? Yoda is the Jedi Order’s most powerful member, after all.
As one of the earliest Jedi introduced to theStar Warsmythos,Yoda is a perfect candidateto lead his own project outside ofThe Acolyte, especially as the franchise expanded into productions focused on singular characters, such asAhsoka,Obi-Wan Kenobi, andTales of the Jedi. Furthermore,The Mandalorianhas even ventured into mysteries surrounding his still unrevealed species with the introduction of Grogu, slowly shedding light on his kind’s life cycles. Despite this, part of Yoda’s original charm is how his diminutive appearance hides an enigmatic, powerful Master, meaning Lucasfilm may be trying to uphold the mystique.
No matter why Lucasfilm may be hesitant to include Yoda in their live-action Disney+ productions, his appearance inThe Acolyterepresents a major escalation for the series. With Vernestra and the Brendok Incident having brought the Jedi under Republic scrutiny,the Jedi Order is doomedto be forced into a position of non-interference and centralization that leads to the restrictions that prevent them from facing major upheavals, such as slavery and other criminal enterprises. As such, Yoda’s presence bringsThe Acolyte’s Jedi Order closer to its diminished prequel trilogy status.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
