Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for The Acolyte episode 5.

Now that The Acolyte episode 5 is streaming on Disney +, several questions about the show’s new Sith Lord have been answered. This has only brought an entirely new set of questions to mind, all the while offering little clues that could help to reveal more about this character known as The Stranger. One major reveal over the course of the episode is that the man behind the mask was no other than Qimir himself, pulling the strings on the training of Mae Aniseya (Amandla Stenberg) from both near and far.

Now that it has been revealed that Qimir is in fact the Sith that has been training Mae, all bets are off. His face has been revealed, and according to his own words, that means everyone who has seen his face needs to die. Filled with such incredibly choreographed fight scenes, The Acolyte episode 5 offers more examples of the different abilities this mysterious Sith has, and he is one of the strongest foes that Star Wars has seen in a very long time.

12

The New Sith Lord Is An Excellent Manipulator

He Manipulated Mae And Put Doubt In Osha’s Mind

In the middle of all the bloodshed that occurs in episode 5, one notable thing that The Stranger does is he stops to tell Osha Aniseya that her master, Sol (Lee Jung-jae), might not be all that he seems. He specifically mentions that he is responsible for some great evil that was done to the twins, almost sarcastically applauding her for her loyalty in spite of that. It seems that this was told to Mae Aniseya as well, as she once again mentions it when attempting to bring Osha over to her side.

Though based on Sol’s reaction, this seems to be true, The Stranger knows exactly what he is doing by pitting the girls against the Jedi. He goes a step further at the end of the episode when finding an unconscious Osha lying in the grass, covering her up in an act that could be construed as caring. It is possible that as the series continues, Osha could become his new Acolyte, and it would entirely be due to The Stranger’s powerful manipulation tactics.

11

The Stranger Does Not Follow Traditional Rules Of Combat

It Does Not Matter If A Jedi Is Unarmed

Something that has been mentioned a few times in The Acolyte is a concept described as the rules of combat. Essentially, this means that a Jedi will not attack in certain situations, including if an enemy is unarmed. This is meant to be a peacekeeping measure, though in circumstances, such as Mae’s attack on Jedi Master Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss), it is shown that this can be used against the Jedi.

In a complete inversion of the Jedi Code, The Stranger is shown operating completely outside these rules of combat. According to Yord Fandar, his movements are unpredictable and unexpected, making him an incredibly difficult enemy to fight. Not only this, but he also purposely disables the Jedi’s weapons, disarming them and making them easier to kill.

10

The Stranger Is Adept At Wielding His Lightsaber

He Is Skilled In Both Juyo And Trakata

When fighting against the group of Jedi, The Stranger uses moves that show he is knowledgeable in a variety of different lightsaber combat techniques, showing he has had at least some form of combat training. Whether this was with the Jedi or on his own remains to be seen. Regardless, it shows that his power is on another level when it comes to combat.

The techniques he uses against the Jedi are called Juyo and Trakata. Juyo, also known as Form VII, is a powerful form of lightsaber combat that is categorized by how vicious and offensive it is. Trakata, on the other hand, is a controversial lightsaber form that was considered weak by the Sith and unsportsmanlike by the Jedi. It is a unique style, as it involves turning one’s lightsaber on and off during combat in an effort to confuse an opponent.

9

As Qimir, The Stranger Created A Deadly Poison

It Was His Poison That Killed Jedi Master Torbin

When he was first introduced as the character Qimir, The Stranger made himself out to be an unassuming apothecary with a snarky personality. It is likely he did this in order to keep an eye on his pupil, Mae, who at the time was struggling with how to kill Master Torbin. It is then that Qimir offered the solution of poison, suggesting she use the torment that led to his Barash Vow against him.

He then creates a unique poison using bunta, a plant native to Mae and Osha’s home planet of Brendok. This poison is capable of killing Master Torbin in a matter of moments in what looks to be a quick and possibly even painless death. By showing he is capable of creating such strong poisons, The Stranger has proven that his abilities far exceed what the Force can offer him.

8

His Helmet And Arm Guard Could Disable Jedi Weapons

These Devices Disabled The Jedi’s Lightsabers Upon Impact

In one of the more stunning visuals from the episode’s fight scenes, The Stranger was seen using both his helmet and his arm guard in order to disable the Jedi’s lightsabers with a material called cortosis. Hitting the blade of light with these pieces of armor causes the weapon to malfunction temporarily, allowing for an opening for The Stranger to attack. This was used against him by Yord Fandar in the moments prior to his death, showing that his own lightsaber is not immune to such attacks.

Depending on who made these pieces of armor, these moments could show The Stranger as even more capable than previously thought. It was always assumed that he would be a strong combatant, but what if he were capable of creating weapons and armor with the specific aim of killing Jedi? Regardless of whether he can create these items or not, this Sith Lord certainly knows how to use them.

7

The Stranger Is Resistant To Being Stunned

Osha’s Weapon Did Nothing To Stop Him

One weapon that Osha has consistently used throughout the series is a stun gun given to her by the Jedi. Initially, this was granted to her because she technically counts as a civilian after leaving the Jedi Order. Now, without a lightsaber and without much of a connection to the Force, Osha has few options left to defend herself in the event of an attack.

However, it seems that in the event of an attack from a Sith Lord, her stun weapon isn’t much use either. After directly hitting him with a stun blast, he isn’t even fazed. He shrugs it off and continues to pursue her and the Jedi as if nothing had happened, showing either that his armor is capable of even more than deactivating lightsabers, or he is so physically strong that he is immune to stun weapons.

6

The Sith’s Power In The Dark Side Of The Force Is Strong

And He Fights For The Right To Use This Power

When asked why he does what he does, The Stranger notes that he wants to live in a world where he is free to use his power however he sees fit. He has no regard for others, and this is partly because of just how strong he is. Throughout the fight scenes in this episode, he is seen using the Force in a variety of ways.

Notably, he is able to hold characters in place seemingly with ease. When chasing Mae through the forest, he uses the Force not only to pull her back and stop her, but to hold her in place as well. It is likely that without the help of Master Sol and Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen), Mae would have been helpless to defend herself at the hands of The Stranger simply because of how strong in the dark side of the Force he really is.

5

The Stranger Gets Into His Enemies’ Heads

His Power Is Similar To That Of Mother Aniseya

Although this is not specifically seen through the fight between The Stranger and the Jedi, Yord makes an interesting comment while escorting Osha back to the ship. Specifically, he says that fighting The Stranger is so difficult partially because he gets into a person’s head when he fights. This, Osha responds, is something that her mother was capable of doing as well.

This ability is actually shown in episode 3, when Mother Aniseya uses the Force to possess Master Torbin, who at the time was still Master Indara’s Padawan. Here, she uses it as a threat to drive the Jedi off of their homeworld. Knowing that The Stranger could have a similar ability, if not know how to do the exact same thing, makes for a terrifying opponent.

4

The Jedi Don’t Sense The Stranger’s Darkness

Palpatine Used This Same Power To Conceal Himself

On an initial watch, it seems strange that the Jedi cannot sense the darkness inside The Stranger. After all, Luke Skywalker could sense the darkness as it rose in Ben Solo, leading him to make the mistake of attempting to take his life. Why can the Jedi not sense the darkness in The Stranger then, who is much deeper into the dark side than a person like Ben?

This is likely because he is masking his presence from them. Darth Sidious did the same thing when he posed as Chancellor Palpatine, manipulating those around him into thinking that he was in the Senate for the greater good. It was this ability that allowed him to reveal himself at the right time in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith, and it was this ability that allowed The Stranger to hide from the Jedi as Qimir.

3

The Stranger Possesses A Sith Power Of Levitation

This Power Is Similar To That Of Count Dooku

When The Stranger initially reveals himself to the Jedi, he uses the Force to slowly descend from the canopy above. This slow descent is something akin to using the Force to levitate, something that is not often seen in the Star Wars franchise. However, there is one character who was capable of levitating, and in Star Wars Legends could even fly.

The power is similar to that seen by Count Dooku in the Star Wars: Clone Wars 2003 animated series. Dooku was portrayed as using the Force to descend slowly and safely, and now The Stranger is finally bringing that power back. It seems that The Stranger is so powerful that he is using a range of powers used by the Sith in previous media, mixed in with a few unique powers of his own.

2

The Stranger Appears To Be Able To Heal With The Force

A Force Power We’ve Only Seen A Few Times Before

The power of Force Heal has rarely been seen in Star Wars canon, only really appearing in 2019’s The Mandalorian season 1 and Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Oddly, until The Acolyte it had seemed to be a balance power; Grogu hadn’t really aligned himself with either aspect of the Force, and the Dyad is tied to balance. But The Acolyte actually shows Qimir using the Force to heal Osha of her wounds.

Even more strange, though, is that this seemed to work in a very different way to the previous versions. There, the Force-sensitive transferred their own life-energy to another; there’s no hint the Sith was feeling any such pain or discomfort, however. This seems to be a basic Force Heal, akin to the old Legends continuity, and yet wielded by a dark sider.

1

The Stranger Is A Powerful Telekinetic

He Is Capable Of Moving Multiple People At A Time With The Force

Telekinesis is an ability used by Jedi and Sith alike, but it is not usually seen on so powerful a scale. Not only is The Stranger capable of moving objects with the Force, but he is able to move entire people with ease. In one instance, he even pulled two separate Jedi onto his lightsaber at once, killing them both with one fatal blow.

Although this is a common ability to have, few individuals in the entire franchise are capable of utilizing it so efficiently. Anakin Skywalker comes to mind as one who could, capable of mythical feats both in Star Wars Legends and in canon. Only time will tell if The Stranger will be a villain of that caliber, and if so, The Acolyte will heighten the stakes going forward.

The Acolyte episode 5 is now streaming. New episodes are released Tuesdays at 9 PM ET on Disney+.