Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Acolyte episode 1 & 2.

The first two episodes of The Acolyte are now up on Disney+, and they have revealed many different changes to the familiar world of Star Wars. So much of the galaxy feels different, while also retaining the pieces of the series that make it recognizable as Star Wars. Despite the differences in some of these earlier renditions, each is still easily recognizable.

The Acolyte takes place at the very end of the High Republic Era, over a hundred years before the beginning of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace. This time was supposedly one of peace and prosperity, where the Jedi flourished across the galaxy. Because the show takes place so long ago, it makes sense that so many of the familiar pieces of the Star Wars franchise might be a little bit different. Here are 10 of the most recognizable.

10

The Trade Federation Appears In The High Republic Era

Showing That The Trade Federation Existed Long Before The Prequels

Originally making their appearance in The Phantom Menace, the Trade Federation played the role of villain throughout the prequel series. More specifically, Viceroy Nute Gunray was manipulated by Darth Sidious into forming a blockade over the planet of Naboo. Not only did this kick off the plot of The Phantom Menace, but it also allowed for the formation of the foundation of what would later become the Separatist movement.

The Trade Federation makes an appearance here as well, though instead of acting as villains, they are simply the organization that Osha Aniseya works for at the beginning of the series. Most notably, they appear here without the controversial accents they had originally, marking an important update to the Neimoidian species. Though their role is small, it offers insight into what different factions still exist throughout the galaxy of the High Republic Era.

9

Gonk Droids Look A Little Bit Different

They Can Be Found On The Trade Federation’s Ship

Also located on the Trade Federation ship and seen directly behind Osha is an older version of one of Star Wars’ most recognizable and most innocuous droids, the gonk droid. Despite their somewhat unwieldy appearance, gonk droids are quite useful because of the fact they are power generators, mobile and useful for nearly any situation on a ship. They have made appearances all across the franchise, going as far back as the original trilogy.

However, gonk droids have always had a very specific appearance. While always somewhat rectangular in shape and walking on two legs, the gonk droid appearing in The Acolyte is much more block-shaped and even has a little light on it. Though its appearance is slightly different, its use is almost certainly the same.

8

Protocol Droids Appear, And They Are Much Clunkier

But They Seem To Work Just As Well As Later Models

Also making an appearance on the Trade Federation ship, though coming with the Jedi to assist with the capture of Osha, is an older version of protocol droids like C-3PO. These protocol droids are traditionally used to assist with communication between individuals that may not speak the same language, appearing as close to human as a droid can get. There is something personable about them, making them unique among other droids.

However, the protocol droid that appears in the first episode of The Acolyte is quite different from this traditional depiction of them despite sharing the same circular design on their front and rectangular design on their back. Not only is its design much clunkier than the designs that came later, but it is also much taller than Osha and the others. This makes one wonder what their primary use was for and if manual labor was another of their primary functions at that time, as the protocol droid can be seen carrying things for the Padawan Tasi Lowa.

7

Low Tech Laser Shields Make An Appearance

And They Were Once Used By The Jedi

Laser shields are an interesting concept in science fiction, and not something that is often seen in the Star Wars franchise. However, they do make one crucial appearance at the climax of The Phantom Menace. On the planet Naboo during the Duel of Fates, a series of red laser gates stand between Obi-Wan Kenobi and the fight between his master Qui-Gon Jinn and Darth Maul.

The laser shields that appear in The Acolyte, keeping the prisoners locked up for the Jedi, look just like low-tech versions of these laser gates. It is possible that this is the sort of technology the gates on Naboo were originally based on. Regardless, the throwback to the memory of the Duel of Fates is an interesting one, especially since it is the Jedi who were using such technology during the High Republic Era.

6

The Jedi Robes Have A Different Design

Their Robes Are Mostly White Instead Of Brown

One of the most recognizable parts of the Jedi wardrobe over the years has come to be their brown robes. In every movie, the Jedi are characterized by this manner of dress, with something unique underneath. After all, aside from the outer robe they wear, the outfits of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker, for example, are very different, especially by the time of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

This is not the case in The Acolyte, however, where the Jedi all seem to be wearing the same thing. It is a uniform of sorts, each connected to each other by the same white robes with golden accents. This makes the Jedi instantly recognizable, which can both be a good thing and a bad thing, as they are recognizable both to those who need their help and to their enemies alike.

5

The Jedi Temple Looks Much Different Than In The Prequels

It Is Built Up Higher, And Coruscant Will Develop Around It

The Jedi Temple of the prequel series is one that has already been integrated into the city of Coruscant. By that time period, the city has already built itself up, towering over the planet’s surface and swallowing everything around it. At the time of the prequel series, there is likely nowhere left to build, creating the densely packed planet-wide city that is so well known today.

However, in the High Republic Era, much of the city has yet to be built. The Jedi Temple sits so high above everything else because parts of the city have yet to be built up around it. While this shows off the temple as something prominent and easy to see, it also sets the Jedi apart from those around them as opposed to integrating them into society.

4

Hologram Communication Is Very Similar To Later Eras

But It Is More Compact Than The Grand Holograms Of The Movies

If there is one thing that is consistent across the Star Wars series, it is the use of holograms to communicate. This is something most frequently used by the Empire and the First Order, with Darth Sidious and Snoke using holograms to communicate with the officers operating beneath them. They are categorized by a solid blue image, allowing individuals to communicate across the galaxy as if they were in person.

In The Acolyte, Vernestra Rwoh uses a hologram of herself to communicate with Master Sol. She does this while he is on the ship, both speaking with him about whether to bring Osha back to the Jedi Temple and later ordering him to return and discuss things with the Jedi Council before flying out to check on Jedi Master Kelnacca. Though this hologram is much smaller than those seen later in the timeline, it is clearly drawing upon the same technology.

3

Lightsabers Are More Varied In Their Colors

There Are More Than Just Blue And Green Lightsabers Among The Jedi

By the time the era of the prequel series rolls around, blue and green have become the most abundant colors for Jedi lightsabers. It is rare to see anything else, with yellow almost being exclusively used by Jedi Temple Guards and purple being a unique color used by Jedi Master Mace Windu. Aside from that, it seems as though lightsabers for those using the light side of the Force are blue and green exclusively.

This is not the case in The Acolyte, as characters seem to have more varied lightsaber colors. Yellow is a much more popular color, with characters such as Yord Fandar sporting a yellow lightsaber. It brings to question why that could be, or if lightsaber color was really all that important to begin with.

2

Earlier Versions Of Jedi Ships Allow For More Passengers

The Ships Of The Acolyte Are Much Larger Than Those In The Prequels

In the prequel series, there are a few types of Jedi ships shown. Most of them are built for battle, allowing for only a couple of passengers to board along with an astromech. These ships are built primarily for speed, allowing the Jedi to outmaneuver their opponents in a pinch.

The ship used by Master Sol is quite different, as it does seem to have some sort of firepower, but also looks as though it was primarily built for transportation. Not only can it comfortably hold at least four Jedi, but it has plenty of space for everyone. This is in stark contrast to the Jedi Vectors of the time, which are ships built much more like those of the prequel series.

1

An Ancient And Mysterious Sith Has Yet To Be Fully Revealed

Who Could It Be? There Are Only A Couple Of Possibilities

When Mae returns to her master, viewers are treated to a mysterious Sith wearing a helmet. Not only does he not reveal himself to the viewer, but it is later shown that not even Mae knows who he could be. There are only a couple of answers as to who this Sith could be, as at the time, the Sith Rule of Two was already in effect.

Two Sith were known to be living at the time, those Sith being Darth Tenebrous and the infamous Darth Plagueis. The Sith training Mae could be either of them, though it is more likely that Darth Plagueis, similarly to how Count Dooku trained Darth Maul while serving underneath Darth Sidious. Regardless, it is one mystery The Acolyte has yet to solve, and it will likely be answered in the episodes yet to be released.

The Acolyte episodes 1 and 2 are now streaming. New episodes are released every Tuesday on Disney+.