The Acolyte has been dealing in death since its very first episode. So we weren’t that surprised to see that its ending had one more major death in store for fans. And even though many may have guessed The Acolyte‘s finale death was coming, the brutal manner in which it was delivered was still fairly shocking. At the end of the day, The Acolyte‘s other deaths were more shock than substance, but this last death served the story in a major way.
The Acolyte‘s Finale Brought Us Master Sol’s Death
And then there were none. The Acolyte systematically brought about the deaths of the four Jedi that were present on Brendok during the destruction of the Force witch’s coven. Mae killed the first three as she tried to prove herself to her mysterious Sith Lord Master, “The Stranger,” who we learned was Qimir in disguise. Qimir encouraged Mae to channel her anger over the terrible events of her childhood and wanted her to bring about the deaths of the Jedi responsible. Qimir, we have learned, has his own reasons to rage at the Jedi.
By The Acolyte‘s final episode, the only Jedi standing who had been a part of the Brendok mission gone wrong was Master Sol. But the writing was on the wall. The Acolyte‘s ending brought Master Sol’s death. But this time, it wasn’t Mae that killed him.
Osha Kills Sol Without a Weapon
All along, Qimir has been trying to get Mae to kill a Jedi without a weapon. In the very first episode of the series, he notes, “The Jedi live in a dream, a dream they believe everyone shares; if you attack a Jedi with a weapon, you will fail; steel or laser are no threat to them, but an Acolyte, an Acolyte kills without a weapon. An Acolyte kills the dream.”
But it wasn’t Mae who was supposed to be his true Acolyte, but Osha. Although Osha stepped away from her Jedi training because she couldn’t stop her hurt and rage from bubbling to the surface, it still exists inside of her. And she is incredibly strong in the Force. When she found out the truth about Master Sol, that he was the one responsible for the death of her mother and her hate for her sister, those two truths collided.
Osha killed Master Sol without a weapon. Sol’s death came solely from Osha’s use of the Force as she force choked the life out of him on The Acolyte‘s final episode. (Arguably the Force is a weapon, but Qimir is probably willing to let that one slide.)
Causing Sol’s Death Turns Osha to the Dark Side
Of course, to every action there is a reaction. Whether we choose to view Osha killing Sol as justice served or a terrible soul-severing act, the fact is that with Sol’s death comes a change in Osha that cannot be easily undone. In that moment, Osha gives herself over to the dark side and the lightsaber she clutches bleeds from blue to red. Of course, Qimir’s vision of the dark side is all about freedom, about the beauty of embracing one’s potential without restriction. It’s a sharp contrast to the Jedi’s emotionless grip on control, and a tempting one. But in the end, we’d have to say neither way is fully right. And that feels like what The Acolyte‘s message is also about.
Still, now that Sol’s death has come to pass, with Osha the responsible party, Osha’s ties from the Jedi and the light have well and truly severed. Osha wants to proceed as Qimir’s pupil now. And we just don’t yet know enough to know where that road will lead her.
The Acolyte Really Racked Up an Unexpected Death Count From Its Beginning to Its Ending
One thing we do know is that from Master Indara to Master Sol and everyone in between, The Acolyte racked up an impressive death count. We can’t say we expected it from the series.
And we hope that should The Acolyte get a season two, some of its characters get to stick around just a little longer. Incredibly, many of The Acolyte‘s short-lived figures garnered a huge fan base in a very brief time. Maybe we’ll see some of the slain again in some other incarnation across Star Wars‘ properties.
But whether or not we do, we salute all the fans of Jecki, Yord, Sol, and the rest who had to watch their favorites meet their deaths.