Summary
It’s almost been 5 years sinceThe Mandalorianpremiered asStar Wars’first live-action TV show, and withStar Wars: The Acolyte, I finally feel likeStar WarsisStar Warsagain. As a child of the prequels, I had been waiting a long time for something likeThe Mandalorian, which felt like incredibly new yet also familiarStar Warswithout being a direct offshoot of otherStar Warsprojects in the way the sequeltrilogy was. Ever since, I’ve been wanting to experience that same feeling.
Aside fromThe Mandalorianseason 2, however, I failed to find that feeling again. WhileAndorexceeded my expectations and easily took its place as thebest of theStar WarsTV showsyet, its style was still different enough from the originalStar Warsto leave me searching. WhileStar Warsanimated projects such asStar Wars: The Bad Batchfilled that void in some ways, live-action had yet to do so for me again - untilThe Acolytecame along. But what exactly is that feeling, and how didThe MandalorianandThe Acolyteboth capture it?
Upcoming Star Wars Shows: Story, Casts & Everything We Know
Several exciting Star Wars TV shows are set to be released on Disney+ in the coming years from the realm of both live-action and animation.
The Mandalorian Season 1 Was Bold & Brand-New For Star Wars
It Took Inspiration from Star Wars, But Didn’t Rely on Familiar Stories & Characters
The Mandalorianseason 1 arrived at a perfect time forStar Wars. The sequel trilogy was just about to conclude withStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, and fans were divided in their opinions about these brand-new movies. The most popular complaint had to do with this trilogy trying too hard to evoke the nostalgia of the original trilogy, amongst several others that mostly pertained to the characters. It wasStar Wars, but it didn’t feel very much likenew Star Wars.
WhenThe Mandaloriancame along,I truly felt like I was experiencing something new within theStar Warsgalaxy for the first time. It had familiar settings, species, Easter eggs, and more, but it was still all so brand-new. There wasn’t a single legacy character in its cast, and the storyline was inspired by Boba Fett but didn’t hinge on him in any way. This bold and brand-new step intoStar Warsis what truly captivated me, and that’s the feeling I started to chase for years to come.
The Mandalorian
Cast
Released on June 25, 2025 The Mandalorian follows a lone gunfighter navigating the galaxy’s outer reaches after the Galactic Empire’s fall. As a skilled bounty hunter, he operates in a lawless universe, undertaking various missions on the fringes of the New Republic’s territories.
The Acolyte Is Repeating That With Its Fresh Era
Everything is Brand-New Again
Now, 5 years later,The Acolytehas become the onlyStar Warslive-action project to recapture this same sentiment. Though it utilizes theHigh Republic erathat was first established in theStar Wars: The High Republicbooks and comics,The Acolytetakes place 100 years afterthose events - and isthe first live-action project to take place outside the Skywalker saga timeline. It’s refreshing to explore theStar Warsgalaxy in an era we haven’t seen on-screen before.
Not only that, but it also takes afterThe Mandalorian’s cast of brand-new characters and faces, even if a few are quite familiar.Vernestra Rwohis a well-established character inThe High Republicbooks, but the other members of the main cast are completely brand-new characters created specifically for this TV show. Other cameos do happen, including Darth Plagueis and Yoda himself, but they don’t dominate the story whatsoever.
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.
The Acolyte Ending Explained: The Shadow Of Darth Vader Descends In The High Republic Era
The Acolyte episode 8 wraps up season 1 of the High Republic show by casting the shadow of the dark side, and Darth Vader, over the Jedi Order.
Star Wars Finally Feels New & Exciting Again
The Acolyte Captures that Sense of Originality
After getting many live-action shows that have been based on previously establishedStar Warscharacters and concepts,The Acolytefinally makesStar Warsfeel as new and exciting as it did withDin Djarin, Grogu, andThe Mandalorian. ThoughThe Acolytemay not be perfect, as is the case with mostStar Warsprojects as a whole, it still accomplishes this incredible feat of originality. It captures the exciting spirit ofStar Warsin creating a brand-new pocket inside the familiar galaxy.
Hopefully,Star Warswill giveThe Acolytethe chance to continue this by renewing it for season 2, though we have yet to hear about it.The danger it runs into is losing that touch of originality and newness as the show goes on, something that unfortunately happened toThe Mandalorianthe more it tied itself into the universe. Still, however, I loveThe Mandalorianregardless, and I knowStar Warshas the potential to preserve this originality intoThe Acolyteseason 2.
