Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte episode 6.

The Acolyte‘s Sith Lord, known as “Qimir,” had a few similarities to Kylo Ren in the show’s first five episodes, but the latest makes this setup more obvious. Many parallels between the two are so apparent that it may no longer be logical to call Qimir a Sith Lord, despite his own words and the consensus of many viewers. Kylo Ren was not a Sith Lord in the Star Wars sequel trilogy, even though he seemed like one on the surface, meaning The Acolyte could be taking a similar approach.

Connecting Qimir to Kylo Ren in The Acolyte would expand The Acolyte‘s storytelling potential while solving one of the show’s biggest continuity problems. The Jedi believed the Sith had been extinct for 1,000 years at the beginning of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, and it’s becoming more difficult to justify their not suspecting a Sith following The Acolyte‘s Jedi massacre. However, Qimir’s being set up to connect with Kylo Ren instead of the Sith would help solve this problem while tying The Acolyte to both the prequel and sequel eras of Star Wars.

Qimir’s Shirtless Scene Mirrors Kylo Ren’s

Osha and Rey catch their respective rivals at the most awkward moment possible

One of the first parallels in The Acolyte episode 6 is Qimir and Kylo Ren both having a shirtless scene. Not only that, but he goes full nude before settling into the waters, a surprising moment for any dark-side user. Either way, it serves a similar purpose to Kylo Ren’s scene in The Last Jedi, giving the illusion of being caught completely vulnerable but showing no fear towards Osha. He gives her a chance to strike him down while emphasizing that he is unarmed, making it difficult for Osha to end his threat while constantly tempting her to do so.

Later in the episode, much of Qimir’s dialogue is similar to what Kylo Ren tells Rey during his shirtless scene. Qimir tries to convince Osha that the Jedi cast her aside, therefore she should stop considering herself a Jedi and letting their rules hold her back. It feels like Qimir’s words were taken straight from Kylo Ren’s speech about Rey’s parents throwing her away like garbage and her need to seek them in everyone else. Qimir and Kylo Ren have the same philosophy of letting go of the past to become the person you were meant to be.

Qimir Emphasizes His Desire To Be A Teacher

Kylo Ren wanted to teach Rey the ways of the dark side

Qimir’s primary motivation throughout The Acolyte is in line with the show’s title, and he continues to stress his desire for a pupil. He attempts to make her see the Jedi from his point of view, offers to teach her the ways of the dark side, and says that he wants “the power of two” when she asks him what he wants. His casual attitude masks his feelings and guides Osha to wanting something that will make her his student. He constantly walks away without inviting her to follow, subtly encouraging her curiosity and giving him control of the situation.

Kylo Ren’s desire to make Rey his student also became his primary motivation in the Star Wars sequel trilogy. He tells Rey in Star Wars: The Force Awakens that she needs a teacher, asks her to join him willingly after Snoke’s death, and tries to take the choice out of her hands in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. While Kylo Ren never got a chance to make Rey his student, Qimir has at least two more episodes to convert Osha. Their similar tactics also hint that Qimir and Kylo Ren share something else in common.

It Seems More Likely Qimir Is Tied To The Knights Of Ren

A perfect opportunity to explore their origin

Although Qimir has been labeled a Sith Lord, his numerous parallels to Kylo Ren suggest he is connected to the Knights of Ren. Qimir did not fully confirm to Master Sol that he was a Sith, he merely stated that “…the Jedi like you might call me… Sith.” Qimir uses this as a placeholder term to describe a dark-side user with Jedi abilities who has no other official title. It wouldn’t be the first time in Star Wars that a dark-side user looked like a Sith but wasn’t one, including Snoke and Kylo Ren in the Star Wars sequels.

Qimir’s helmet fits the general style of the Knights of Ren, while his sleeveless tunic is visually similar to “Ren,” the man who led them before Ben Solo. The helmet is also destroyed like Kylo Ren’s in The Last Jedi, and the scene where Qimir repairs it is reminiscent of Kylo Ren’s being repaired on Exegol in The Rise of Skywalker. The origin of the Knights of Ren has never been fully explored in canon, meaning Qimir could be the first. The amount of Kylo Ren setup in The Acolyte definitely suggests that this is Star Wars‘ plan for Qimir.