Star Wars: The Acolyte, Star Wars’ next Disney+ TV show, will redefine the Sith Rule of Two, forever shaping one core tenet of the Sith. The Rule of Two was originally explained in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace when Master Yoda told Mace Windu, “Always two there are; no more, no less. A master and an apprentice.” However, Star Wars has since complicated that definition.

Yoda’s assertion in The Phantom Menace seemed to suggest that only two Sith ever existed at once. However, that has been proven false throughout Star Wars movies and TV shows, suggesting a deeper exploration of this ancient rule is needed. Now, that answer may come in The Acolyte, which will undoubtedly delve deeper into the history of the Sith. In fact, this new show, set 100 years before The Phantom Menace in the Star Wars timeline, has already proven it will redefine the Sith Rule of Two and perhaps uncover the true nature of the Sith dynamic.

The Sith Are The “Power Of One”

Although the name of the Sith Rule of Two implies a pair or a team, that’s more than a little deceptive. In fact, Palpatine is a perfect example of that. Although he may have had multiple apprentices, they were clearly very expendable to him, and he always prioritized and only sought his own power. Darth Maul, Count Dooku, and even Darth Vader were merely means to an end for Palpatine.

That was abundantly clear given how quickly Palpatine discarded his apprentices. Although Darth Maul (seemingly) died, Palpatine nevertheless very quickly replaced him, suggesting he always had his next potential apprentice in mind. In Count Dooku’s case, when Dooku had become no longer useful to him, Palpatine instructed Anakin—next in line to become his apprentice—to kill Dooku.

This was even true in Return of the Jedi, when Palpatine attempted to turn Luke Skywalker to the dark side of the Force and have him take his father’s place. In all cases, it was clear that Palpatine was the core power, the true ‘one’ of the duo, and all apprentices were only meant to serve him. While, yes, the Sith apprentices had power, it was all channeled into Palpatine’s success. The Rule of Two was never meant to give master and apprentice equivalent power.

The Sith Rule Of Two Is Just A Way To Maintain A Legacy

The Sith Rule of Two really has three main goals. For one, the Rule of Two is intended to ensure the survival of the Sith. Although the Jedi in The Phantom Menace believed the Sith had been extinct for hundreds of years, that was clearly not the case, as the Sith were always working in the shadows. However, the Sith could very well go extinct if their ways or their teachings were not passed down and if no next Sith master was trained and positioned to take up the mantle.

Given the Sith are only interested in their own power and survival, this structure makes sense; yes, the Sith need to continue on, but a Sith master will maintain as much individual power as possible while shoring up the Sith’s future. Second, the Sith Rule of Two is intended to bolster the power of the master. As Palpatine made clear throughout the Skywalker Saga, Sith apprentices are excellent for dirty work. Rather than put himself at risk or make himself the face of any crusade, Palpatine had others acting for him.

It’s unlikely Palpatine’s plan to infiltrate the Jedi Order and play both sides of the Clone Wars would have worked as well had he needed to orchestrate everything himself without Darth Maul and Count Dooku. His go-betweens allowed him to play the role of innocent senator and then morally upright chancellor. Finally, the Sith Rule of Two is a way to preserve a legacy. Given how much ego plays a role in the dark side of the Force, it makes sense that this would be a priority for a Sith Lord.

While, again, a Sith may not want to share in power or risk being usurped, they would want to be sure their individual legacy lives on. In fact, yet again, Palpatine is the best example of this. In Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Palpatine attempted to get Rey to kill him. In that moment, he knew Rey could carry on not only the Sith but also the Palpatine bloodline. In that sense, Palpatine’s obsession with maintaining a legacy became clear. While no doubt done begrudgingly, the Rule of Two does offer Sith a protection of their legacy.

The Acolyte Understands The True Nature Of The Rule Of Two

Excitingly, it seems Star Wars’ upcoming TV show, The Acolyte, will capture this concept perfectly. The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland has made it abundantly clear in interviews that she is incredibly well-versed in Star Wars canon and Legends and has a firm grasp on even the most complex, at times inconsistent concepts in the franchise. In a recent interview with Good Morning America, in fact, Headland highlighted the idea of different groups of powers in Star Wars, specifically pertaining to The Acolyte. Headland explained:

“So ‘the power of one, the power of two, the power of many’ is a little bit about what [Mother Aniseya’s] hope for the legacy is. The Jedi are a power of many, that’s what they are. [Mother Aniseya] is the power of one, the twins are a power of two.”

In this quote, Headland referenced Mae and Osha, who were only recently revealed to be twins—at first, it seemed as though there was just one character, Mae. Although the details remain intentionally vague in advance of the show’s premiere, it seems Mae and Osha are both Force-sensitive, with Mae drawn to the dark. This could be a fascinating exploration and newfound understanding of the power of two in Star Wars.

However, The Acolyte will also feature a mysterious Sith Lord, whose face and name have yet to be revealed. This could mean that, alongside unpacking these different groups of powers, The Acolyte could uncover the history of the Sith Rule of Two and reveal in greater detail how this dynamic works. After all, The Acolyte is set 100 years before The Phantom Menace, which could mean significant background on such concepts.

Of course, many details regarding The Acolyte remain to be seen, including how the show will handle the Sith Rule of Two in this era. Nevertheless, Headland’s description and understanding of the various power dynamics in Star Wars bode extremely well for a fascinating new look into the relationship between Sith masters and their apprentices. While the Sith Rule of Two may have long been a bit confusing in Star Wars, it seems Star Wars: The Acolyte will provide brand-new insight, perhaps addressing still unanswered questions.

The Acolyte premieres June 4 on Disney+.

Source: Good Morning America

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