Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte season 1.
Summary
The Acolyteoriginally had a logo that emulatedStar Wars’Sith, but the show did not live up to the potential it originally offered.The Acolyteis a show that has caused a stir within theStar Warsfandom. By the time ofThe Acolyteepisode 8’s ending, the reaction to the show proved incredibly varied. There are those who dub the series one of the weakest in the franchise, those who are convincedThe AcolytebrokeStar Warscanon, and those who enjoyed the exploration of the Jedi and the Force that the High Republic show had to offer.
Despite all the controversy that ranges from hyperbolic extremes to genuine enjoyment, many would agree thatThe Acolytehad real problemsin how it was crafted. The show is not theworst ofStar Wars’Disney+ TV shows, but it is certainly not the best either. One of the primary criticisms the show has received is its inability to make audiences fully invest in the story of Osha and Mae. Interestingly, this storyline was hinted at in one ofThe Acolyte’s earliest marketing moves when its original logo was shifted to a new one.
The Acolyte’s Early Logo Promised A Sith-Centric Show
The First Logo For The Acolyte Linked To The Dark Side
WhenThe Acolytewas first announced, many were excited by the promises made about the show’s story. Creator Leslye Headland had stated that the show would explore the emerging dark side powers in the galaxy, seemingly positioning the show to tell the story of how the Sith infiltrated the galaxy in the lead-up to the prequel trilogy. With the show being described as such from its announcement, the Sith were expected to play a major role in the show. Interestingly, this was reflected in the very first logoThe Acolytereceived.
The first logo forThe Acolytewas striking due to the dark feeling it evoked. The font used is almost cruel, with pointed edges and giant block letters. The coloring of these letters was a deep red, which naturally draws comparisons toStar Wars' lightsaber colors, specifically the one that has long been associated with Sith warriors. Furthermore, the more brutal nature of the show - evidenced byThe Acolyteepisode 5’s Jedi massacre - was symbolized by a lightsaber cut running from the bottom left to the top right corner of the logo.
The Acolyte Episode 5 Is The Biggest Jedi Massacre Since Revenge Of The Sith
Order 66 may be the biggest Jedi massacre in Star Wars, but The Acolyte episode 5 features the largest number of subsequent deaths since the prequels.
The Acolyte’s Final Logo Symbolizes The Story Of Osha & Mae
The Switch In The Acolyte’s Logo Links To The Show’s Central Pairing
For a while, the Sith-inclined logo was used in early marketing material forThe Acolyte. Eventually, however, an update about the series saw the logo completely changed. The new logo, and the one that persevered up until the show’s run, is much less evil-looking. The final logo has golden-bronze lettering, with a much less striking font used. Similarly, the motif of having a lightsaber cut through the middle of the logo has been removed.
The blue and red moons symbolize the light and dark of Mae and Osha, and their conflicting natures.
The biggest difference aboutThe Acolyte’s final logo was the “O.” In the final logo, the “O” is depicted as two rings: one blue and one red. Now that the show has been released, audiences will recognize the rings as symbolic of Brendok’s moons, the eclipsing blue and red celestial bodies orbiting the planet on which Mae and Osha grew up. This proves that,at some point betweenThe Acolyte’s announcement and its release on Disney+, the show made a distinct choice to focus more intently on Osha and Mae’s story.
The Acolyte’s Logo Change May Prove Its Biggest Story Mistake
This Change May Have Been Made In Error
Unfortunately, this change to focus on Osha and Mae’s story may have been a mistake. Although Amandla Stenberg, the lead ofThe Acolyte’s ensemble cast, performed admirably, it remains the case that Osha and Mae’s story was simply not compelling enough to carry a story. More aptly, Osha and Mae’s story was not as compelling as one the show could have told if it had leaned into the vibe struck in its original logo. By the end ofThe Acolyte, Osha and Mae’s story mostly fell flat due to a lack of runtime dedicated to fleshing out massive character moments.
If Qimir and potential Sith masters like Plagueis or Tenebrous were The Acolyte’s main characters as the original logo suggested, the show would have presented a better story…
WhereThe Acolytedid shine, on the other hand, was in its exploration of the slow corruption of the Jedi by dark side forces. Lee Jung-jae’s morally questionable Jedi Sol was undoubtedly a standout, as was Manny Jacinto’s dark-side warrior Qimir. However, these two characters were only focused on in-depth concerning how they tied into Osha and Mae’s storyline, rather than as singular characters themselves.
There is no denying that a show about the Jedi investigating dark side crimes committed by Qimir would have been more compelling, now thatThe Acolytehas proven Jacinto’s character to be more intriguing than any other. Exploring how his character fits into the wider Sith hierarchy could then have allowed exploration of season 2 teases from the off. If Qimir and potential Sith masters like Plagueis or Tenebrous wereThe Acolyte’s main characters as the original logo suggested, the show would have presented a better story than the one that was pivoted to focus on Osha and Mae.
The Acolyte
Cast
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.
