A sinister Star Wars theory reveals how the Sith managed to elude the Jedi for thousands of years. The conflict between the Sith and the Jedi is an ancient one – even when the Sith’s numbers dwindled and the Rule of Two was implemented, they posed a significant risk to the Jedi’s ideals and way of life. However, the Jedi long believed the Sith to be extinct; in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, the Jedi Council is initially skeptical of Qui-Gon Jinn’s assertion that Darth Maul was a Sith Lord. As Master Ki-Adi-Mundi says, “The Sith have been extinct for a millennium.”
Mace Windu, too, was convinced that the Sith no longer existed, saying, “I do not believe the Sith could have returned without our knowing.” And yet, the Star Wars prequel trilogy’s entire narrative definitively proves them wrong. Not only did Darth Sidious train Darth Maul as his apprentice, but he convinced a fully-trained Jedi Master to join the dark side as well. Perhaps the reason the Jedi had such a hard time detecting the Sith’s presence wasn’t just because they bided their time, waiting for the right moment to strike, but because they were hiding much closer to home, too – and one upcoming Star Wars show may prove this theory to be true.
The Acolyte Is About The Sith “Infiltration” Of The Jedi – Is That Literal?
The Acolyte will be the first live-action Star Wars show to take place during the High Republic era, roughly 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace. It will also be the first live-action Star Wars project to include the Sith’s perspective. This isn’t just a story about the Jedi overcoming darkness, it is a story about darkness overcoming the Jedi. The official synopsis for The Acolyte, which reads, “A former Padawan reunites with her Jedi Master to investigate a series of crimes, but the forces they confront are more sinister than they ever anticipated,” implies that this new duo will be uncovering the Sith’s presence in the galaxy. But what if the truth is even more disturbing?
After 46 Years, Star Wars Is Finally Telling A Story From The Sith’s Perspective
Most Star Wars stories focus on the Jedi and other heroic factions, but The Acolyte series on Disney+ will be told from the perspective of the Sith.
Reportedly, The Acolyte is about the Sith “infiltrating” the Jedi, which could be interpreted in two ways. First, it could simply mean that the Sith are once again trying to destabilize the Jedi through external violence and manipulation, as they often have done. However, it could also be taken literally: what if the Sith truly did infiltrate the Jedi Order? What if there was an agent of the Sith on the inside, hidden in plain sight, patiently steering the Jedi in a direction that would one day ensure their destruction? Given The Acolyte’s placement on the Star Wars timeline, it’s possible that Darth Plagueis, Darth Sidious’ Master, will be involved in the story. What if this is where the unraveling of the Jedi Order begins?
Did The Sith Actually Recruit From Within The Jedi?
Perhaps infiltrating the Jedi goes a step further – it may not just be about planting someone within the Jedi Order. It may be about manipulating someone who has already devoted themselves to the light to serve the dark instead – the ultimate Sith victory. Recruiting from within the Jedi would explain why the Jedi were so convinced that the Sith had been extinct for so long. Why would they ever suspect one of their members of having turned to the dark side so long as they do nothing to make that change in allegiance obvious? The Sith are cunning. They could have easily hidden themselves in plain sight.
The Jedi Order has been blinded by their hubris before, unable to see the change in one of their own until it was too late. In Star Wars: The Clone Wars, for instance, Jedi Padawan Barriss Offee becomes disillusioned with the Jedi Order’s role in the Clone Wars, orchestrating a bombing on the Jedi Temple, successfully framing Anakin Skywalker’s Padawan Ahsoka Tano for the deaths of several people. More famous, of course, is Count Dooku’s betrayal, who, as proven in Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, had dealings with Darth Sidious long before he officially left the Jedi Order.
Dooku & Anakin May Have Been The Norms – Not The Exceptions
Dooku and Anakin falling to the dark side shocked everyone. The Jedi had a hard time accepting that kind of pain and anger had festered under their watchful eyes. It’s possible, however, that Dooku and Anakin’s turns to the dark side had become the norm, and the Jedi had just never realized it before. What if the “former Padawan” in The Acolyte is actually a Sith using their connections with the Jedi to lure someone in? Perhaps it’s their Jedi Master who is a Sith Lord instead, and the crimes the former Padawan is investigating were perpetrated by them.
The Sith infiltrating the Jedi at the end of the High Republic era, perhaps even earlier, would have been enough to destabilize the organization without drawing too much attention. If they had hidden in plain sight by planting spies or turning trained Jedi to the dark side, it would explain why the Jedi were still so adamant that the Sith were extinct. Yoda himself was there during the High Republic era, after all. Shouldn’t he know better if The Acolyte is a story of the Sith fighting the Jedi? The Sith have always been one of Star Wars’ greatest mysteries, but their methods might be revealed sooner rather than later.
The Acolyte
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes – all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
- Cast
- Dafne Keen , Lee Jung-jae , Amandla Stenberg , Jodie Turner-Smith , Joonas Suotamo , Carrie-Anne Moss , Margarita Levieva , Charlie Barnett , Dean-Charles Chapman
- Seasons
- 1
- Story By
- Leslye Headland
- Writers
- Leslye Headland , Charmaine De Grate , Kor Adana
- Streaming Service(s)
- Disney+
- Franchise(s)
- Star Wars
- Directors
- Leslye Headland , Alex Garcia Lopez
- Showrunner
- Leslye Headland
