How Does The Acolyte’s New Sith Lord Fit Into Star Wars Canon? We Have 10 Theories

Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for The Acolyte episode 4

There are several different ways in which The Acolyte’s presumed new Sith Lord can fit into the existing Star Wars canon. As seen in The Acolyte thus far, it’s been revealed that the Jedi murderer Mae Aniseya (Amandla Stenberg) serves a dark master who very much looks to be a Sith. Because this new Star Wars show is set 100 years before The Phantom Menace during the High Republic Era, there are a few intriguing theories regarding how this new villain might fit into what’s already known about the Sith’s dark history during this part of the Star Wars timeline.

As seen in The Acolyte episode 4, Mae’s dark master has finally been fully revealed. Facing an entire team of Jedi Knights after slaying the Wookiee Jedi Kelnacca, Mae’s master is featured wearing an intimidating helmet and black cape while also wielding a blood-red lightsaber. As such, he very much looks like a traditional Sith Lord, albeit one that has never been seen before. To that end, here are 10 theories on how this new Sith could fit into the Star Wars canon (assuming he’s indeed a genuine Sith Lord in the first place).

10 The Acolyte’s Sith Lord Is Darth Plagueis

“Did You Ever Hear The Tragedy…”

Following The Acolyte episode 4, there have been a few hints regarding the potential involvement of Darth Plagueis the Wise. The Sith master of Darth Sidious/Palpatine, Plagueis was an incredibly powerful Sith Lord who should arguably be active during this period of the Star Wars timeline, based upon what’s known about the Sith Lord from Legends materials, most notably the Darth Plagueis novel by James Luceno. To that end, there’s been speculation that Darth Plagueis could be Qimir (Manny Jacinto), the smuggler/trader who’s helping Mae kill Jedi and also claims to work for her dark master.

However, this would mean Plagueis would effectively need to be retconned as human, as Legends established he was an alien Muun. However, one could argue that Plagueis being human would help make him more of a relatable character rather than being an alien portrayed either with CGI, prosthetics, or both. At any rate, the Witches of Brendok and their ability to manipulate the Force to create life is the same power Plagueis could canonically wield in the Star Wars timeline, making him a prime candidate as the Sith behind the helmet in The Acolyte.

9 The Acolyte’s Sith Lord is Darth Tenebrous

Master To Darth Plagueis

Darth Tenebrous is also another option as The Acolyte’s new Sith Lord. While the canonical master of Plagueis before he was slain by his own apprentice, most of Darth Tenebrous’ history is similarly relegated to Legends. As such, his canonical history is still a largely clean slate. However, it has been confirmed that Tenebrous was publicly known as a gifted shipwright. Regardless, Tenebrous being the face behind the helmet in The Acolyte would likely require some retconning as well, seeing as how Legends confirmed Tenebrous was a large-headed Bith.

8 The Acolyte’s Sith Lord Is Darth Venamis

Tenebrous’ Secret Apprentice

Also a Bith, Darth Venamis was a secret Sith apprentice trained by Tenebrous even while Plagueis was still serving as his primary apprentice. Likely sensing Plagueis’ growing power and opposing ideals regarding the Sith Imperative, Tenebrous presumably recruited Venamis to both help slay and replace Plagueis, though Plagueis struck first and killed his master as revealed in Luceno’s Legends novel. To that end, Venamis was considered to be an illegitimate Sith apprentice, with Tenebrous having violated the Sith’s Rule of Two. He also became a living specimen for Plagueis’ Force experiments once he was discovered and defeated by the Dark Lord.

7 The New Character Isn’t A Sith Lord At All

A Likely Possibility

It’s also been suggested that The Acolyte’s Sith Lord isn’t a genuine Sith at all. Despite presenting as a Sith, Mae’s master could be a completely new and different dark side user altogether. As such, this would certainly circumvent the issue of the canonical Sith known to be operating around this period, the aforementioned Darth Tenebrous and Darth Plagueis.

Should this new Sith Lord be revealed as a still powerful pretender, it would open the door for a more natural plot twist in the canon. For example, either The Acolyte’s Qimir or Mother Aniseya could be more organically revealed as the new villain, having chosen to pose as a Sith as part of some larger agenda. Seeing how the High Republic Era was a time of great peace and prosperity, this apparent helmeted villain might not represent a genuine Sith threat, especially because the Jedi believed the Sith had been extinct for over a millennium, as was claimed in The Phantom Menace.

6 The Jedi Won’t Believe He’s A Sith Lord

Giving In To Pride And Hubris

It’s already been established that the Jedi Order hasn’t even begun to consider the idea that Mae’s master is a Sith Lord. Rather than presenting the notion that their old foes still live, they immediately jump to the possibility that Mae’s master is nothing more than a rogue Jedi. They also consider that this new Sith could perhaps belong to a splinter order from their own ranks.

There’s still time for the Jedi Order to get wise and determine that the Sith still live, especially after The Acolyte episode 4 with so many Jedi facing this new foe. However, it would result in some plot issues considering the comments made in The Phantom Menace about the Jedi belief that the Sith had been extinct for hundreds of years. That said, ignorance in the face of the truth would tie into their pride and hubris, the Jedi Order’s biggest flaw that would continue to grow and result in their downfall at the hands of the Sith as seen in the prequel trilogy.

Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace

The beginning of the Skywalker Saga, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace sees young Anakin Skywalker put on his path to discovering his ability to influence the Force. While attempting to thwart the nefarious Trade Federation in their plans for the planet of Naboo, two Jedi discover an exceptionally-gifted slave with the ability to wield the Force. Little do they know, rescuing him is just the beginning of a saga that will span generations of the Skywalker family.  

Release Date

May 19, 1999

Distributor(s)

20th Century

Cast

Ewan McGregor , Liam Neeson , Natalie Portman , Jake Lloyd , Ahmed Best , Ian McDiarmid , Anthony Daniels , Kenny Baker , Pernilla August , Frank Oz , Ray Park , Samuel L. Jackson

Runtime

133 minutes

Budget

$115 Million

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5 Nobody Survives The Acolyte To Tell About This

A Brutal Option That Keeps The Sith Hidden Until Palpatine

An incredibly dark option for how The Acolyte’s new villain can fit into the canon is the theory that none of the Jedi who’ve witnessed this red lightsaber-wielding villain will live to tell the tale. Assuming that he’s indeed a genuine Sith Lord, the canon has established that the Sith depended on their ability to hide in the shadows until the time was right to exact their revenge. As such, perhaps that anonymity will be maintained via a brutal Jedi massacre in future episodes of The Acolyte, only leaving questions for the Jedi Order by the series’ end.

4 The Jedi Are Lying About The Sith’s Reemergence, 100 Years Before The Phantom Menace

Part Of An Ongoing Jedi Order Cover-Up

Jedi Master Ki-Adi-Mundi was the Jedi Master in The Phantom Menace who claimed the Sith had been extinct for far longer than the events of The Acolyte. As such, the theory has been presented that he was actually lying in Episode I given his cameo appearance in The Acolyte episode 4. After all, Mundi was present during Master Sol’s report about Mae’s dark master.

The events of The Acolyte and this new Sith Lord could become part of a full-scale Jedi cover-up that’s never revealed to future generations. Likewise, the Jedi who were aware of the situation would be sworn to secrecy, explaining Ki-Adi-Mundi’s possible Phantom Menace lie. However, this means whatever fully happened in the past with the Jedi and the Witches of Brendock combined with whatever’s about to happen in future episodes would have to be pretty bad, so bad that this new Sith Lord’s existence and the surrounding circumstances with Mae and Osha are completely denied by members of the Order for years to come.

3 A Dark Side Splinter Order Could Be In Play

Just As The Jedi Fear

It’s also possible that this new villain could indeed be part of a brand-new splinter order, just as the Jedi Masters on Coruscant fear in The Acolyte episode 4 fear. After all, it has been confirmed in both canon and Legends that there were other dark side users and Sith pretenders in operation beyond the genuine Dark Lords of the Sith. Perhaps The Acolyte is on its way to introducing a brand-new sect of dark side users, while the true Sith remain hidden in the shadows until the beginning of the Skywalker saga.

2 Rogue Sith Who Rejected The Rule of Two

Not All Dark Siders Followed The Tenets Of Darth Bane

There were also Sith impostors in the early Star Wars timeline, those who rejected the lineage and tenets of Darth Bane. According to Bane’s Rule of Two, there could only be one master and one apprentice, one to hold the power and one to crave it. As such, the apprentice was expected to one day kill their master and take their place. The apprentice would also have an acolyte whom they’d train to become their new apprentice once they become the new Sith master, something The Acolyte is naturally positioned to reveal in future episodes.

However, some refused to follow the Rule of Two. Although they might have had power in the dark side of the Force, they were not considered to be legitimate Dark Lords of the Sith. As such, this is something that could certainly come into play with this apparent new Sith in The Acolyte.

1 The Sith Lord Is Actually Someone Possessed By A Sith Spirit

Dark Side Possession

It’s also possible that The Acolyte’s Sith Lord might not even be living in the conventional sense, instead being a dark Sith spirit. This is something that has been seen in the established Star Wars canon before, most notably with the helmet of Darth Momin which the Dark Lord tethered his spirit to in the event of his death. This meant that Momin could possess those who wore his helmet, granting him the ability to still operate within the physical realm by corrupting another.

As such, perhaps The Acolyte’s Sith Lord is a Sith spirit that’s similarly taken hold of a victim. This would allow them to continue their dark work in the galaxy far, far away, despite having died at some point in the distant past of the Star Wars timeline. It could also result in a very surprising plot twist with the reveal of not only the Sith spirit’s identity but also whom they potentially came to possess.

The Acolyte episode 4 is now streaming. New episodes release Tuesdays on Disney+.

The Acolyte

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.

Cast

Dafne Keen , Lee Jung-jae , Amandla Stenberg , Jodie Turner-Smith , Joonas Suotamo , Carrie-Anne Moss , Margarita Levieva , Charlie Barnett , Dean-Charles Chapman

Seasons

1

Streaming Service(s)

Disney+

Writers

Leslye Headland , Charmaine De Grate , Kor Adana

Directors

Leslye Headland , Alex Garcia Lopez

Showrunner

Leslye Headland

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