Lee Jung-jae, star of Star Wars’ The Acolyte, has explained how Jedi Master Sol is different from the other Jedi in the franchise. The Acolyte is set in Star Wars’ High Republic, around 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. This means that the galaxy is in an entirely different place to the politically split landscape of the prequels, promising an entirely different story in The Acolyte. Another primary difference will be the depiction of the Jedi Order at the height of its powers, long before the Jedi Purge of Star Wars’ Order 66.

With the Jedi being so different, Lee Jung-jae revealed exclusively to Screen Rant how he tried to imbue Sol with a different personality to Jedi of the past, or more aptly, the future, concerning Star Wars’ chronological timeline. When asked about how Sol stands apart from the Jedi of Star Wars’ various movies and TV shows, Jung-jae stated:

“I had so many thoughts going into preparing for my role as Master Sol. I initially thought, ‘Should I mimic the preexisting Jedi Masters in this huge canon of Star Wars films and shows?’ But also you have to realize that The Acolyte occurs in a timeline that’s a hundred years previous to anything out right now, so Master Sol represents a past generation. If anything, the Jedi Masters that come after him are his younglings and Padawans. So, I wanted to express something different with Master Sol, and I think it’s that he actually feels fear while he is in battle and while he’s fighting. I wanted to add this humanistic element to him by expressing fear.

Based on Jung-jae’s comments, the primary way he differentiated Sol from other Jedi was by showing his fear. This is somewhat evident in the various trailers for The Acolyte, with Sol shown to be understandably taken aback at the emergence of the show’s mysterious dark side warrior. Lee Jung-jae being open to showing this fear allows Sol to exhibit emotion in a way many Jedi, especially those of the prequel era, have not done before in Star Wars​​​​​​.

The Jedi Of The High Republic Era Don’t Fear Emotion

The Jedi Order Of the High Republic Has A Much Healthier Way Of Dealing With Human Emotion

To many who are unfamiliar with the High Republic, Jung-jae’s comments could seem as though The Acolyte is going against what Star Wars has established the Jedi to be. However, Jung-jae proves that he understands the High Republic era, with the various books set in this section of the timeline showcasing that these Jedi do not fear emotion as the prequel Order did. In the High Republic’s several book phases, the Jedi are shown to be much more open to letting their emotions be on display.

While they still commit to the same dogmatic Jedi Code of the prequel trilogy that dictates attachment and other passionate aspects of life are forbidden, the High Republic Jedi pursue this Code more healthily. The High Republic Jedi acknowledge that they have emotions; they feel love, grief, and fear, and have desires, needs, and wants. However, the Jedi of the High Republic are at the height of their powers, meaning they are better equipped to stop these traits from overcoming them and turning them down a dark path.

In opening themselves up to the reality that Jedi feel these things, they can more easily master their emotions. In the prequels, the Jedi Order was terrified of emotion, forbidding it at almost every point. This blinded them to what they were supposed to be, leading to their downfall. With Jung-jae’s comments, it is clear that The Acolyte will present a more open Jedi Order that befits a new era of the Star Wars timeline, feeding into the thematic storytelling of Lucas’ prequels in which the Jedi fall from the light they so embodied in the High Republic.