Following the release of J.J. Abrams’ Star Wars: Episode IX – The Rise of Skywalker, the Star Wars saga has shied away from movies and found success on the Disney+ streaming service, where shows like Andor, Ahsoka, and The Bad Batch have expanded on the mythology. That is going to change eventually, as Star Wars guru Dave Filoni is prepping a movie based around his two incredibly popular characters, The Mandalorian and Grogu. But while we wait for that feature film, Star Wars still has a few major show teed up, starting with the June 4 release of The Acolyte, which just released its full trailer. Take a look at this, and then join me on the other side as I explain to you what has me so fired up for this story:
As you can tell in this trailer for The Acolyte, it’s set in a time that’s completely separate from the Skywalker saga. Specifically, from what we are told, The Acolyte takes place roughly 100 years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. It’s a time of relative peace. But as we know in the Star Wars universe, evil always lurks beneath the surface.
Amandla Stenberg’s character, Mae, appears to be the root cause of this new trauma. She’s a former Padawan who has been led astray. And when Jedi warriors start dying, Mae is investigated by her one-time trainer, respected Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae). His investigation leads to the revelation of another main threat, as we see in the end of the trailer.
My most recent favorite Star Wars stories have branched off of the Skywalker saga to explore different corners of the galaxy. Andor is a branch of the movie Rogue One, which benefitted from introducing an army of new heroes and villains. Yes, there was a famous Darth Vader scene in the movie, which connected Rogue One to the beginning of A New Hope. But the story worked because we became invested in new plotlines, which is why we cared that Diego Luna continued the narrative of Cassian Andor, and will in Andor Season 2.
Star Wars doesn’t have to all be tied to the Skywalker Saga. In my opinion, adherence to that timeline stifled Obi-Wan Kenobi and Solo: A Star Wars Story. They didn’t offer up the strongest stories, and traded in nostalgia for characters we enjoyed in more original plots. Star Wars should not be limited to a small subset of a vast galaxy. Jump around the timeline. Explore new and vibrant locations. Connect it to The Force, and the Jedi, but create new worlds, characters, and conflicts, so we can appreciate more about Star Wars, as a whole.
The Acolyte isn’t the only story on the horizon, so make sure you use our guide of upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows to know what’s new in a galaxy far, far away.