Summary
I freely admit that, when I first watchedThe Acolyteepisode 4, I never expected this to be the one that set theStar Warsfandom alight. I foresaw the Chosen One controversy last week, when a throwaway comment inferred Anakin Skywalker may not have been the first one to be born of the Force. But I never imagined that a blink-and-you’ll-miss-itcameo by Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundiwould lead to death threats against editors on Wookipedia, the celebratedStar Warswiki. I never anticipated the hashtag #WeStandWithWookipedia trending on Twitter.
If you’re not really involved in the online fandom, you can be forgiven for doing a double-take at the above paragraph. If you’re only on the outskirts of the debate, you’ve probably been watching the online furor wondering what’s going on. The issue involves Ki-Adi-Mundi’s age, because - according to a CD-ROM released in 1999 and a trading card from 2013 -he shouldn’t have been alive duringThe Acolyte. Neither of these obscure references are canon, and George Lucas himself contradicted information on the CD-ROM when he changed Ki-Adi-Mundi’slightsaber colorin later movies. What’s really going on?
Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode Guide - Cast Members, Biggest Takeaways & Easter Eggs
Here’s everything you need to follow along with Star Wars: The Acolyte, from references and trivia to main takeaways from each new episode.
What IS Canon In Star Wars?
It’s not what you think
At first glance, the whole crisis is aboutStar Warscanon. The word “canon” is of Hebrew-Greek origin, and it can be translated as “cane” or “measuring rod.” It entered Christian usage in the 4th century when it was used by the Church Fathers to refer to the definitive, authoritative books that were accepted as part of the Bible. More recently, though,the concept of canon has made its way into popular culture when referring to elements of lore, character timelines, and the like.
The problem, of course, is that it’s much easier to define “canon” in terms of the content of a religious text - one where the last book was written just under two thousand years ago - than it is when discussing a transmedia franchise that’s still ongoing. Every newStar Warsmovie or TV showchanges canon in some way, because canon in such a context is additive; it’s always growing, always changing and evolving.And that inevitably means there are contradictions.
Don’t believe me? Look at Obi-Wan Kenobi’s lecture to Luke Skywalker in the firstStar Warsmovie, when he presents a whistle-stop tour of galactic history. Obi-Wan claimed the Jedi guarded the Republic for a thousand generations, but George Lucas' prequel trilogy featured the thousand-yearanniversary of the Republic. Obi-Wan spoke of a time of peace and harmony, butStar Wars: The High Republicrevealed he was being overly nostalgic. And, of course, he claimed Darth Vader killed Luke’s father, a comment now known to be an outright lie. The canon has completely changed.
The Ki-Adi-Mundi Controversy Is Absolutely Absurd
Ki-Adi-Mundi’s age isn’t even canon
The concept of “canon” raises another thorny question: who decides what the rule is? George Lucas considered himself to be the sole arbitrator of canon. He didn’t hate the old Expanded Universe of tie-in content, despite that accusation being thrown around recently, buthe also didn’t see why he should be restricted by it. I well remember the chaos in the community when the prequels came out, and fans desperately tried to figure out how their favorite stories in other mediums could still fit.
Lucas soldStar Warsto Disneyin 2012, and the House of Mouse wiped the slate clean in 2014. That effectively erased the old Expanded Universe from canon, allowing the new owners to start again. Disney wanted to tell newStar Warsstories, and they knew that such a complex continuity would be too restrictive; by this point, the Expanded Universe timeline explored everything from the origins of the Jedi to a century after the Skywalkers, hemming future stories in too much. The 1999 CD-ROM and the 2013 trading card about Ki-Adi-Mundi? They don’t count anymore.
All this just underscores how ridiculous the Ki-Adi-Mundi controversy really is. I can’t help thinking many of the people involved know this at heart; it’s telling that some are sharing screenshots of Ki-Adi-Mundi’s Expanded Universe timeline from Wookipedia that have been carefully edited to remove the “Legends” banner.There’s no need for such deceitfulness if you’re actually discussing things in good faith.
Is This Really About Canon At All?
Something nasty is going on in the Star Wars fandom
In truth, though, there’s nothing “good faith” about this controversy. Until two days ago, nobody ever cared aboutKi-Adi-Mundi’s age, and they still don’t. This is as manufactured as the review-bombing on Rotten Tomatoes, where the audience score forThe Acolytestands at a ridiculous 14 percent with an improbable 10,000+ ratings (Game of Thronesseason 1 only has 5,000+ ratings after 13 years). It’s as absurd as a six-year-old quote from star Amandla Stenberg being clipped and shared as though it’s aboutThe Acolyte, deceptively described as though it’s “recent.”
Star Wars Fact Check: Did The Acolyte Star Amandla Stenberg Really Say The Show’s Goal Was “White People Crying?”
A viral video apparently shows Amandla Stenberg claiming The Acolyte, the latest Star Wars TV show, is all about making white people cry.
Let me take a moment to clarify things here: I’m not sayingThe Acolyteis the bestStar Warsstory ever told (for the record, I think that’sA New Hope). But the arguments raging through theStar Warsfandom right now are proxies for other debates, about the health of the fandom and prominent figures who love to tear down and rage-bait rather than focus on what they love.They’re just another front in the culture war, becauseThe Acolyteis helmed by a lesbian woman and doesn’t star white characters.
Maybe you think that assessment is too harsh. If so, consider: when the first trailer forThe Acolytedropped, one YouTuber went to the trouble of counting the number of white faces. When another YouTuber’s video complaining aboutThe Acolytewas demonetized, he claimed it was censorship; the video is still there, of course, he just isn’t making money from it anymore. Over on Twitter, even Elon Musk has weighed in onThe Acolytediscussion, sharing aKathleen KennedySouth Parkmeme that’s long since gotten old.
This is the real context for the current debate, and the sad thing is that real people are getting caught in the firing line.The Acolyteis far from perfect, but I feel for the cast and crew watching as something they’ve spent months working on gets torn apart by trolls. I hate it, but the sad truth is that this fandom has a history of tearing down rather than building up; just ask Ahmed Best. I’m watching history repeat, but it feels even more febrile because of the cultural context. Even Wookipedia editors are getting death threats.
Does this mean it’s game over forStar Wars? No, because the very factThe Acolyte’s backlash is so controversial gives me hope. As I write, #WeStandWithWookipedia is trending, a protest against the portion of the fandom that’s fallen to the dark side of anger and hatred. Looking beyond the horror stories, there are passionate fans who have always been willing to gather round those under attack. Like the Jedi inThe Acolyte, theStar Warsfandom has a dark side it must contend with; but there is still light, and I do believe that light will win the day.
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.
