Summary
The Acolyteis led by Lee Jung-jae as Jedi Master Sol, one of the more compelling new characters of the Disney+ show.The Acolyteis set in the waning days ofStar Wars’High Republic era, meaning legions of new Jedi characters are introduced to the show. Some of these characters includeMaster Indara,Master Kelnacca, and Master Torbin, played by Carrie-Anne Moss, Joonas Suotamo, and Dean-Charles Chapman respectively, inThe Acolyte’s ensemble cast.
As well as these Masters of the Jedi Order, the show introduces many younger characters into the ranks by the time ofThe Acolytepremiere’s ending. FromDafne Keen’s Jecki LonandAmandla Stenberg’s former Jedi Oshato the likes ofCharlie Barnett’s Yord Fandar, the new Jedi are sprinkled throughout the show alongside the manyEaster eggs ofThe Acolyteepisodes 1 and 2. Standing above them all, however, is Lee Jung-jae as Jedi Master Sol, a stalwart of the High Republic Jedi Order and one ofThe Acolyte’s most compelling characters.
Sol
Master Sol is a wise, highly respected, powerful Jedi Master, strong in the ways of the Force, who is going through emotional conflict.
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.
Master Sol Is An Honored Member Of The Jedi
Sol’s First Scene Proves How Respected He Is Among The Jedi Order
The first time Sol is introduced inThe Acolyteepisode 1, his status becomes clear. While he may not be theGrand Master of the Jedi Order, Sol is a well-respected, honored member of their ranks.This is proven by Sol’s introduction in which he is shown training younglingsin theJedi Temple on Coruscant. Sol encourages the younglings to reach out to the Force and exclaim what they see, even turning worrying visions of all-consuming fire into a positive lesson about the power of the mystical energy field.
A job that is usually taken up by the Grand Master of the Jedi Order is entrusted to Sol in the era of the High Republic…
In thechronological order ofStar Warsmovies, the only character to be shown teaching younglings is Yoda himself inStar Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones. This proves just how revered Sol is among his peers. A job that is usually taken up by the Grand Master of the Jedi Order is entrusted to Sol in the era of the High Republic, typifying his strength in the Force and his ideals as a Jedi.
Master Sol’s Assignment To Brendok 16 Years Ago Ended In Tragedy
Sol’s Backstory Takes A Dark Turn In The Acolyte
Concerning the deeper elements of Sol’s backstory, his character ties into the central mystery ofThe Acolyte. The show centers aroundMae (also played by Amandla Stenberg)as a newSith acolytededicated to killing Jedi. While the killings seem random at first,The Acolyteepisode 2 reveals that Mae is targeting four Jedi in particular. These Jedi are Indara, Kelnacca, Torbin, and Master Sol himself. The reason for this connects to Sol’s backstory, as he and the other three Jedi were stationed on the planet Brendok 16 years ago, the same time at which a tragedy struck Mae and Osha.
Mae and Osha were confirmed to be from Brendok, living on the planet with their family as children. However, Sol divulges to Jecki that Mae started a fire on the planet, one that spiraled out of control and killed her and Osha’s family. Mae was believed dead in the blaze, and Osha was taken off-world. WhileThe Acolyteepisodes 1 and 2 make it out as if Mae started the fire, there is clearly more to this tragedy. Mae is seeking revenge against the Jedi for a reason, with some - like Torbin - being spiritually distressed by the situation on Brendok.
The truth of these events is revealed inThe Acolyteepisode 7. Sol, Indara, Torbin, and Kelnacca were stationed on Brendok to search for aForce vergencewhen they accidentally came across Mae and Osha. Sol’s immediate, emotional attachment to Osha led him to become reckless. Paired with Torbin’s homesickness for Coruscant, which was heightened by the witches of Brendok’s manipulation, the two went against the Jedi Council’s orders to infiltrate and rescue the twins. In the fearful heat of the moment,Sol killed the girls' mother, and he chose to save Osha from the fire instead of Mae.
The Acolyte: What Happened On Brendok Explained
The Acolyte finally revisited the tragic night on Brendok from 16 years earlier, but its explosive truth wasn’t as clear as it could have been.
Osha Was Master Sol’s Padawan
Sol’s Journey In The Acolyte Is Tied Directly To Osha
Aside from Sol being stationed on Brendok, the character is tied toThe Acolyte’s central twins in more ways. After Mae was presumed dead, Osha was taken in by the Jedi. Eventually, Sol asked permission to take Osha as his Padawan. InThe Acolyteepisode 1, Yord mentions that the Council was reluctant to let Osha train under Sol due to her older age and the state of mourning she was in after the deaths of her family. Eventually, though, the Council relented and allowed Sol to become Osha’s Master.
This ties Sol to the central mystery ofThe Acolyteas much as the likes of Mae and Osha themselves. Sol was directly involved in the upbringing of Osha and is now the subject of her sister’s rage and revenge. All of this proves that Sol becoming Osha’s Master inThe Acolytewas a defining moment for the show’s story, one that is coming to fruition decades later thanks to Mae’s brutal killings.
Jecki Is Master Sol’s New Padawan
Osha Eventually Left Sol’s Side To Be Replaced By Another Acolyte Padawan
Interestingly,The Acolyteepisode 1 reveals that Osha left the Jedi Order. Osha states that she left the Jedi six years before the series began after struggling with her grief, attachments, and feelings. As is the case with most Jedi Masters, Sol then found a new apprentice. This apprentice came in the form of Jecki Lon, played by Dafne Keen. Jecki is a half-human half-Theelin hybrid and is shown to be very mature for her young age inThe Acolyteepisodes 1 and 2.
Theelin characters were primarily found in Star Wars Legends, with showrunner Leslye Headland including the species due to her love of the old, non-canon stories.
One of the standout elements of both premiere episodes was the dynamic between Jecki and Sol. It is made evident that the mission to Olega is the first that Jecki and Sol are embarking on together. This explains why their relationship is somewhat strained, even to the point where Jecki begins asking if she can speak freely before doing so. However, Jecki and Sol become more relaxed asThe Acolyte’s premiere goes on, though more danger awaits them later on in the story.
Sol’s Darkness Catches Up To Him On Khofar
The Confrontation With The Stranger Is A Reckoning
The secrets Sol has been withholding catch up to him when he leads a team of Jedi to Khofar in search of both Mae and Kelnacca. After the arrival of the mysterious Stranger,The Acolyteepisode 5becomes one of the most brutal Jedi massacres to date, where every Jedi on the mission, except for Sol, is killed - including Jecki. When Sol insists that she was just a child, The Stranger reminds Sol that he was the one who brought her there, andSol plunges into darkness. He fights The Stranger and nearly kills him in the process.
Sol has yet to be honest with Osha in The Acolyte and earn his redemption and forgiveness, if she will offer it.
Osha is the only one who stops Sol from succumbing to his darkness, though The Stranger still manages to hit Sol with the heavy question of what he’s done with that darkness ever since Brendok. This has forced Sol to truly reckon with the consequences of his actions, and it has further motivated him to tell the truth, especially to Osha. Since Mae has swapped with Osha and left her twin sister in The Stranger’s “care,” however, Sol has yet to be honest with Osha inThe Acolyteand earn his redemption and forgiveness, if she will offer it.
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.
