The Acolyte’s Twin Concept Struggles in Its Debut

While The Acolyte has received generally positive reviews—comparable to Ahsoka, though not quite reaching the acclaim of The Mandalorian and Andor—the central premise left me underwhelmed after the first episode.

The Controversial Twin Concept

This isn’t a spoiler, as both a recent TV spot and an interview with star Amandla Stenberg confirmed it before the show premiered. Stenberg portrays twins with force powers, a twist that aims to intrigue but may miss the mark. In an interview with The Electric Playground, Stenberg shared:

“I play twins in the show. Their names are Osha and Mae, and they kind of skew towards different sides of the force. Although that’s kind of up for debate and hopefully, there’ll be more clarity once everybody gets to see the show. Mae is on a path for revenge—she’s on a warpath. Something that happened in their childhood separated these twins and now Mae is out for revenge. Osha, who is a mechanic and who used to be a part of the Jedi order but left as a padawan, is accused of the revenge that’s taking place and has to defend herself while also discovering that her twin sister is still alive.”

Initial Impressions: A Disappointing Start

I found the execution of this concept lacking in the first two episodes. The show’s attempt to deliver a shocking twist in the debut episode falls flat. Mae, driven by revenge, stalks and kills a Jedi (played by Carrie-Anne Moss, whose role needs further development to avoid being wasted). In the subsequent scene, we see Osha, who is cheerful and seemingly incapable of murder, getting arrested for Mae’s crime. The revelation that Mae, whom Osha believed to be dead, is alive and hunting Jedi feels like a cheap trick rather than a compelling narrative twist.

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The Acolyte Problematic Twin Dynamic

One glaring issue is the identical hairstyles of the twins. Both Mae and Osha sport the same red braids, with Mae’s being slightly longer. Initially, I thought Mae might be disguising herself as Osha, but it’s revealed that Mae doesn’t even know Osha is alive. This hairstyle choice adds unnecessary confusion and feels like a gimmick to support the mistaken identity plotline. It also simplifies wardrobe changes during filming, but at the cost of narrative clarity.

Predictable Plot Concerns

I worry the story is heading towards a predictable resolution:

• The four Jedi being hunted, including Osha’s former master, may have played a role in the fire that killed their family and separated the twins. They might have left Mae to die, believing she was evil for starting the fire while saving Osha.
• Osha might eventually persuade Mae to abandon the dark side, reuniting them as sisters, especially since much of Mae’s revenge seems driven by her belief that Osha is dead.

Hope for Improvement

With only two episodes aired, there’s hope the series will improve. However, the twin concept currently feels forced and grating. The double premiere did not leave me enthusiastic, but I remain cautiously optimistic about the show’s future direction.

In conclusion, The Acolyte presents an intriguing but flawed central premise. The twin dynamic, while ambitious, struggles with execution and coherence. The show needs to deliver more compelling developments in future episodes to fully realize its potential.