Warning! This post contains spoilers for The Acolyte.
Summary
The Acolyteepisode 7 finally answered the burning questions aboutwhat really happened on Brendok, and it would be a massive understatement to say it reflected poorly on the Jedi—Master Sol in particular.The Acolytehas been full of mysteries, but one of the most pressing was the fate ofthe witches of Brendok, the coven from which Osha and Mae originated. At first, it seemed as though Mae had killed her own coven for reasons unknown; however,The Acolytequickly threw that into question.
In fact, inThe Acolyteepisode 3, it seemed downright impossible that Mae was the killer of the witches, as she had allegedly done so by starting a fire. While Mae did indeed start a fire (accidentally, as it turns out), the bodies of the witches were notably not burned. Tragically,The Acolyteepisode 7 revealed that the true cause of death for the witches of Brendok was so much worse and more shocking, as it implicated the Jedi, although Master Sol especially.
Why Did Sol Kill Mae & Osha’s Mother
The Acolyte episode 7 finally revealed what really happened on Brendok 16 years ago, including that Sol killed Mother Aniseya for complex reasons.
Sol
Master Sol’s instant connection with Osha was confusing, to say the least. On the one hand, this seemed like a narrative issue.Neither the episode nor the show had provided enough information for it to be believable that Sol would have taken so strongly to Osha in a matter of a day. In-universe, though, this was also bewildering; Master Sol’s behavior was completely contrary to the Jedi way.
Master Sol’s behavior was completely contrary to the Jedi way.
The Jedi discourage emotional attachments in any situation, including in relationships between masters and Padawans who have been working alongside one another for years. The Order would certainly frown upon Sol forming a connection with Osha before he even truly knew the child, and, had they been aware of this, they undoubtedly would not have paired Sol and Osha together as master and apprentice later on.
Moreover, though, even in terms of attachments inStar Wars, Sol’s was a bit mind-boggling. Anakin Skywalker, for example, is perhaps theStar Warscharacter best known for his issues with attachments, most notably in his marriage to Padmé but also with his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and his Padawan, Ahsoka Tano. Even in Anakin’s case, though, he did not become obsessive about his attachments until much later, after the death of his mother.
Sol’s behavior is obsessive almost immediately, particularly because he believes Osha and Mae to be in danger. Even so,the extent of Sol’s attachment to Osha was clear when he barely hesitated to drop Mae to her (presumed) death to save Osha. In the end, it was this very attachment that led Sol to make the worst possible decision and stab Mother Aniseya, killing her right in front of Mae.
Master Sol Completely Misinterpreted The Witches' Training
The Acolyteepisode 7 suggests that Master Sol acted in such irrational ways because he truly believed the twins were going to come to harm at the hands of the witches of Brendok. That seems to be a genuine concern he had, but it was borne out of a complete misunderstanding of the coven. After minimal observation, Master Sol came to the conclusion that the coven didn’t treat Osha and Mae like children, and he seemed especially bothered by the at-times harsh nature of Osha and Mae’s training under their two mothers, Mother Aniseya and Mother Koril.
However,Master Sol’s incorrect assessment of the coven reflects his ignorance. Master Indara herself identified the witches of Brendok and their practices as"so strange,“and Master Sol seems to have taken that to heart, identifying them as dangerous and harmful to Mae and Osha despite not understanding (or trying to understand) their customs. Had Master Sol paid a bit more attention and taken a bit of time to become calmer and more rational, he might have noticed that the witches of Brendok trained Osha and Mae in a way not dissimilar to the Jedi.
Yes, Mother Koril and Mother Aniseya were both harsh towards the girls at times—Mother Koril especially. At one point, Master Sol observed Mother Aniseya using the Force to push the two girls down, telling them that their enemy would not give them warning before they attacked. For one, this is true, and it is definitely an important lesson to learn prior to a true battle. More importantly, though, this training style is in keeping with Padawan training seen inStar Warsshows and moviesbefore.
Specifically, inStar Wars: Tales of the Jedi, Anakin Skywalker subjected his Padawan, Ahsoka, to brutal training with the clone troopers, during which the clones shot at Ahsoka until the point that she literally collapsed. When she came to, they began again. This is inarguably much more brutal than the training Mae and Osha experienced with their coven, and that was happening within the Jedi Order.
Perhaps it was different in the High Republic Era, particularly as it wasn’t wartime as it was during the Clone Wars era, and, of course, Anakin was a unique Jedi. It’s likely this method was universally employed. Even so, Master Sol’s response to this training seems like an overreaction.
Mother Aniseya
Like Master Sol’s belief that Mae and Osha were in danger,his terrible decision to kill Mother Aniseya came from a place of fear. In the final encounter between the Jedi and the witches of Brendok, Master Sol and Padawan Torbin stood in front of Mother Koril, Mother Aniseya, and many armed witches. When Mother Koril became poised to strike, Mother Aniseya yelled"No!“quickly turning to smoke (and, interestingly, Mae along with her). Scared by this power and misunderstanding this move by Mother Aniseya to be an aggressive one, Master Sol stabbed her with his lightsaber, killing her.
Star Wars Brings Back A Terrifying Clone Wars Nightsister Force Power
The Acolyte’s witches of Brendok use a unique Force power that was previously used by the Nightsisters of Dathomir in Star Wars: The Clone Wars.
To give Sol the greatest benefit of the doubt, Mother Koril was likely going to attack him. However, it wasn’t Mother Koril he struck but rather Mother Aniseya, who not only didn’t intend him harm but also had actively told Koril that she did not want to use violence. Sadly, this act by Sol was therefore completely misplaced, and it cost Mother Aniseya her life and set in motion the events ofThe Acolyte.
Indara
Sol wasn’t the only culpable Jedi inThe Acolyteepisode 7. Master Indara was ultimately the reason that the entire coven fell, as she had to fight them off to release Master Kelnacca from his possession. However, Indara is arguably less at fault in this case; she was truly trying to save Kelnacca, and it’s unclear whether she meant to harm the witches in the process. In fact, these deaths were the most confusing of the episode. It isn’t entirely clear how this event caused them to die.
Moreover, Master Indara proved to be the most logical, rational, and calm Jedi in episode 7, which was a major twist based on her portrayal in episode 3. Whereas in episode 3, Master Indara seemed cold and even antagonistic towards the witches, episode 7 revealed that she actually tried to respect the coven and leave Osha and Mae with their family. In light of this, it’s difficult to point fingers at anyone other than Sol, who made a series of very grave mistakes inThe Acolyteepisode 7.
The final episode of The Acolyte releases on Tuesday, July 16th, at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST on Disney+.
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.
