The Acolyte episode 5’s lightsaber duels were beyond exciting and proved to be the best laser sword action sequences the franchise has had since Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. After the cliffhanger ending of The Acolyte episode 4, I was certain that the next installment would build upon the confrontation brewing between the Jedi and the show’s mysterious Sith villain. The Acolyte episode 5 instantly proved me right, throwing audiences headlong into a 30-minute extended action sequence filled with Star Wars’ best lightsaber duels, hand-to-hand battles, and major character developments.

Although some of the character choices fall emotionally flat and the major reveal that Qimir is The Aoclyte‘s Sith villain was predictable, several elements bolstered the episode to rank it among The Acolyte‘s best. Manny Jacinto’s performance among The Acolyte‘s ensemble cast was one such element, as he overcame predictability to imbue the Sith warrior with menace, threat, and intrigue. However, it was in The Acolyte episode 5’s lightsaber fights where the real strength of the installment lay. Through a variety of desirable filmmaking elements, The Acolyte episode 5 contained the best lightsaber duels this side of Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith.

The Acolyte’s Lightsaber Fight Choreography Is Absolutely Breathtaking

Long Camera Takes Allow For Fluid, Brilliant Lightsaber Battles

Immediately with The Acolyte episode 5, I knew Star Wars fans were in for a treat. The opening moments of Qimir, still masked as a mysterious warrior, fighting through the unnamed Jedi of The Acolyte was thrilling. The long takes and lack of quick-cut editing made it so that every move was mapped out and easy to discern from an audience perspective. These long takes of strong choreography combined with the unique storytelling elements of cortosis – the material that allowed The Acolyte‘s villain to shut lightsabers down temporarily – to craft action scenes that worked on a visceral and narrative level.

The performances of The Acolyte‘s stunt team sold every movement, with quick parries, deflections, grapples, and killing blows being delivered with a speed of action that was sorely lacking in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. These extensive moments of combat were capped off with power moves, such as Qimir stabbing one Jedi and pulling another onto the tip of the lightsaber blade before pulling back for a double decapitation. This all occurred within the opening moments of The Acolyte episode 5, with the ensuing duels only adding to the epic lightsaber action on display.

Where the Sith vs. unnamed Jedi depicted great group choreography, the former’s battles against Sol and Jecki detailed fantastic one-on-one and two-on-one sequences. From the fencing-like duel between Sol and Qimir to Jecki’s dual-wield lightsaber skills, the aforementioned lack of quick edits and the inventive, fast-paced choreography were emblematic of the best scenes from the Star Wars prequels. While I was someone who enjoyed most of the lightsaber duels in the sequel trilogy, I will be the first to admit that they lacked the almost superhuman quick choreography of the prequels that The Acolyte does not.

Leslye Headland Wanted To Build On The Prequels – & She’s Done Just That

The Prequels Have A Lightsaber Battle Competitor

Whenever debate arises about the best Star Wars action scenes, fans of all opinions tend to uncharacteristically agree that the Duel of the Fates and the Battle of Heroes from the Star Wars prequel trilogy rank as the best. This explains why the prequels often serve as the benchmark for Star Wars action sequences, not only for fans but The Acolyte‘s creators too. Before the show’s release, creator Leslye Headland was clear that one of the main goals of The Acolyte was to attempt to match the prequels’ action sequences, something The Acolyte episode 5 has proven to do.

The lightsaber duels of the Star Wars sequels were entertaining but lacked the exaggerated choreography of the prequels to more align with the clashes of the original trilogy. The Acolyte episode 5 forgoes this style and lives up to Headland’s promise by matching the intensity of the prequels. Every duel in The Acolyte episode 5 feels prequels-coded; every move is intentional making the choreography believable and the actors and stunt performers are allowed the chance to show what they can do without editing marring strong sequences.

Star Wars Just Set A New Standard For Lightsaber Fights

Future Star Wars Projects Must Strive To Replicate This Level Of Action

Thanks to The Acolyte episode 5, Star Wars now has a high bar to strive toward concerning future action sequences. This level of choreography, filmmaking, and stunt performance now has to be the level that upcoming Star Wars movies attempt to emulate, especially ones expected to contain lightsaber choreography like Rey’s New Jedi Order movie and James Mangold’s Dawn of the Jedi film. Even upcoming Star Wars TV shows should attempt to reach this level of action sequences, especially Ahsoka season 2, which has Jedi and lightsabers more prevalent than shows like The Mandalorian and Andor.

The creators of The Acolyte, aided hugely by stunt coordinator Christopher Clark Cowan of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings fame, have proven that Star Wars action can reach the heights of the prequels. If the future of the franchise continues to reach these same levels, one of the many aspects that fans have clamored for since Disney acquired Lucasfilm will continuously be realized. Hopefully, the remaining episodes of The Acolyte season 1 continue to set, or even raise, this high bar, reinstating the standard for upcoming stories in a galaxy far, far away.