The Acolytes of the Beyond were a terrifying dark side cult that emerged in the Star Wars galaxy after the destruction of the second Death Star and Palpatine’s apparent death.The Star Wars galaxy is consumed by the unending battle between the light side of the Force and the dark, and this conflict is usually seen through the Jedi and the Sith. But there are other dark side cults as well, some influenced by Sith teaching; although none have been as dangerous as the Sith, they too have left scars on galactic civilization.
The Acolytes of the Beyond are a perfect example, first appearing in Chuck Wendig’s “Aftermath” trilogy back in 2015. They have since resurfaced in books, comics, and even tie-in factbooks such as Secrets of the Sith; they were notably active at the time of The Mandalorian, which even means they could appear in Disney’s live-action Mandoverse. Here are the origins, goals, and ultimate fate of the Acolytes of the Beyond, and where they might be seen next in the Star Wars canon.
The Origin Of The Acolytes Of The Beyond & Their Palpatine Connection
Palpatine had established a contingency plan for the event of his death, one that included a loyalist named Yupe Tashu. A Sith cultist, he used the chaos of the continuing Galactic Civil War to establish a vast network across the galaxy, with members dedicated to honoring and worship fallen Sith Lords. Many of the Acolytes of the Beyond were simply disenfranchised outcasts, people desperately seeking purpose and belonging who were unfortunate enough to find these things in the darkest corners of the galaxy.
The Acolytes of the Beyond believed they could commune with the deceased dark side wielders of the past, and many became corrupted by the dark side of the Force imbued in the artifacts they collected. The Aftermath books revealed that they would terrorize towns and leave behind dark graffiti messages to continue the memory of the Sith like with their “Vader Lives” campaign. While many believed they were nothing more than crazy zealots, the Acolytes proved themselves to be quite formidable with legitimate power.
The Acolytes Of The Beyond & Their Collection Of Sith Relics & Lightsabers
While the Acolytes of the Beyond did not have any inherent Force abilities like the Sith Lords they worshiped, they still gained power through one of their core missions. As mandated by Tashu, the Acolytes were constantly searching for Sith relics and artifacts such as holocrons and especially lightsabers. As improbable as it sounds, the Acolytes at one point believed they had even found Darth Vader’s lightsaber following his demise on the second Death Star.
Although the Acolytes were initially looking for lightsabers in order to sacrifice them to the Sith Lords they belonged to beyond the grave, they started keeping them as a means to defend themselves and attack the forces of the New Republic. As such, the legendary sabers were granted to only the most respected members of the Beyond with all other members wielding simpler melee weapons painted red. One of their most prominent members was such member was a Pantoran named Kiza; she was given the lightsaber of Darth Noctyss by Tashu himself, and became a fearsome warrior.
The Acolytes Of The Beyond In The New Republic Era
The Galactic Civil War ended after the Battle of Jakku, by which time the Acolytes of the Beyond were already well established across the galaxy. Kiza was given the mask of the deceased Sith Viceroy Exim Panshard, which actually contained his spirit; she was possessed for years, even after Tashu’s death. Panshard promised Kiza even more power if she could find the ancient Sith redoubt of Exegol – where, though she did not know it, Palpatine had been resurrected. Kiza wound up joining Palpatine’s Sith Eternal after the Acolytes’ numbers began to dwindle, and she may not have been the only one. Meanwhile, the Sith assassin Ochi of Bestoon became committed to the Acolytes at one time – allying with them as he hunted for Rey’s parents.
The Emperor saw the Acolytes of the Beyond as pawns and puppets, as can be seen by his treatment of Kiza, who was ultimately used to distract Luke Skywalker. As seen in Adam Christopher’s Shadow of the Sith, the mask of Panshard even used Kiza after her death, animating her corpse until the mask was ultimately destroyed – symbolic of the Acolytes’ significance to the Sith. It’s possible more Acolytes gave their bodies as vessels to the spirits of fallen Sith as well.
Could The Acolytes Of The Beyond Be The New Inquisitors For The Mandalorian Era?
Based upon the little that’s been confirmed about the Acolytes of the Beyond, there are some key similarities to the Inquisitors who served Darth Vader as Jedi hunters during the Empire’s reign. Just like the Inquisitors, the Acoltyes were not considered to be true Sith, despite both groups wielding lightsabers. Likewise, Kiza and the Mask of Panshard carry several similarities to the masks worn by the Inquisitors as well, particularly the one who fought Ahsoka Tano in the Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi animated series.
There have been interesting rumors the Ahsoka Disney+ TV show will reveal a new realm of the Force known as the Beyond. The Acolytes of the Beyond believed this to be the place where Sith spirits resided; during the phase where they destroyed relics, they believed they were reuniting them with their Sith masters in this mysterious netherworld. It remains to be seen whether these concepts are connected, or whether Lucasfilm is headed in a different direction.
The Acolytes Of The Beyond Are Ultimately Defeated By Luke Skywalker
Adam Christopher’s Shadow of the Sith confirmed Kiza and Ochi of Bestoon were the most prominent members of the Acolytes of the Beyond, both ultimately becoming agents of the Sith Eternal. Both died around the same time, however, with Kiza defeated by Luke Skywalker and Panshard’s mask destroyed after it animated Kiza’s corpse. Ochi, of course, died in Pasaana’s Forbidden Valley as he hunted for Rey.
Shadow of the Sith also revealed that Luke had redeemed one of the Acoltyes’ members in the past named Komat, offering her a chance to reject the darkness which she took. While this was the final chapter for the Acolytes of the Beyond ahead of the sequel trilogy, Shadow of the Sith takes place 17 years after Return of the Jedi. As a result, Lucasfilm can certainly reveal much more of the Sith cult’s dark deeds in future Star Wars projects set within that timeframe.
