Star Wars: The Acolyte Season 1 Episode 5 Review

Night falls on Khofar™ on this week’s episode of Star Wars: The Acolyte™, and with it comes a heaping helping of death and destruction.

Season 1 episode 5, “Night,” is, hands down, the show’s best installment thus far. The Acolyte delivers a visual spectacle with myriad Lightsaber™ colors, tight choreography, and high-octane action. Plus, I love that it allows Manny Jacinto (Qimir™/Sith Master) to showcase his versatility as an actor.

This outing is one of the darkest in Star Wars live-action canon. Just look at that body count! That said, “Night” raises the stakes significantly for what’s to come, and I can’t wait to see where this narrative takes us.

(If you still need to catch up, be sure to visit the recap for last week’s episode “Day.”)

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Night on Khofar

We open with Osha™ waking up in the dense jungle of Khofar™. She finds Pip™ nearby. She wanders toward the action, where the Jedi battle the Sith Master in front of Kelnacca’s™ domicile. This scene is aesthetically pleasing, with all the different Lightsaber™ colors lighting up the dark as they clash against the Sith Master’s red blade.

The Sith Master kills a few Jedi before Osha tries to shoot him with her weapon. That’s when Yord™ urges her to run.

Meanwhile, Mae™, still inside the dead Jedi Wookiee’s™ home, formulates her next move. She grabs Kelnacca’s Lightsaber™ before fleeing.

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Meeting the Master

Unfortunately, Osha reunites with the Sith Master while attempting to run away. He throws his saber in one of the coolest sequences I’ve seen in Star Wars™ yet, aiming for Osha’s head. It slices through trees, moving like a boomerang, before returning to the Sith Master’s hand. Thankfully, Master Sol™ comes to Osha’s aid.

Yord also arrives. Sol orders Yord to accompany Osha — the civilian — back to the ship. When Osha doesn’t budge, Sol uses the Force to push her backward as Yord catches her.

Now, it’s Sol versus the Sith Master, the latter in a helmet that’s unadulterated nightmare fuel.

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An Unnamed Enemy

Meanwhile, Osha isn’t too keen on returning to the Jedi vessel despite Yord’s insistence. He believes they should follow Bazil™, who reemerges during the chaos. During Master Sol and the Sith Master’s battle, we learn that the former might know the latter’s identity. Of course, the Sith won’t remove his mask willingly. It adds an air of mystique.

Next, Mae runs into Jecki™, resulting in a full-on fight. Side note: Jecki’s flying kick is pretty badass. They take their duel inside Kelnacca’s domicile, where Jecki tries to arrest Mae for her crimes. However, she only manages to handcuff one of Mae’s wrists.

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You Tell Me

Sol still wonders who he’s fighting. He knows the Sith Master trained Mae, but even SM’s own pupil doesn’t know his identity. Eventually, the Sith Master vanishes, leaving Sol alone.

Elsewhere, Jecki notices Mae stole Kelnacca’s Lightsaber™. She successfully handcuffs both of Mae’s wrists. Suddenly, the Sith Master descends upon Jecki. They battle it out.

Then, Mae escapes while the Jedi and Sith are distracted. Jecki’s saber takes a hit courtesy of the Sith Master’s blade. However, before she can blink, SM disappears.

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They’re Attracted to Light

Meanwhile, Osha and Yord encounter the umbramoths™. Osha urges Yord to sheath his saber because the creatures are attracted to light. Mae runs into her Master. She apologizes for being weak, still wearing the handcuffs Jecki put on her. “You’ve always been weak,” the Sith Master declares before removing her cuffs with the slice of his Lightsaber™.

After that, Sol and Jecki reappear, Lightsabers™ swinging to and fro. They take on the Sith Master. Jecki manages to knock off the Sith Master’s terrifying helmet while the latter whips out a second saber. Then, he stabs Jecki multiple times with his Lightsabers™. Sol screams out as Jecki collapses. RIP to our favorite Theelin™-human hybrid – a true soldier to the end.

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The Sith Master Is…

Next, we finally glimpse the Sith Master’s face, and it’s none other than Qimir™. (And he’s invited us to the gun show with those biceps, but I digress.) Qimir snakes an arm around Mae’s neck, putting his saber to her head.

Sol asks Qimir who he is. He claims he has no name; however, Jedi might call him “Sith.” He states he merely wants freedom. “The freedom to wield my power the way I like,” Qimir clarifies. (I know that’s not his actual name, but for the sake of continuity…)

Qimir adds that he wants to wield that power without answering to the Jedi. He also longs for a pupil – an Acolyte, if you will (hee-hee). Unfortunately, Mae went back on their deal by exposing him. Thus, he must kill all of them.

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More Saber Action

Suddenly, Yord swoops in to save the day. He scoops up Qimir’s helmet while the latter whirls around to attack. They duel for a spell. Unfortunately, Qimir snaps Yord’s neck in front of Osha and Sol. RIP to our favorite overachieving Jedi Knight. The body count continues to grow in this episode.

Sol and Qimir go at it again. Eventually, Sol overpowers Qimir. He looms above his enemy, ready to kill for his fallen Jedi. However, Osha persuades Sol not to slaughter Qimir. He deserves it, but Jedi don’t harm the defenseless, and Qimir doesn’t have a weapon. Sol backs off.

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Umbramoths Save the Day

Osha apologizes to Pip and tells him she loves him before attaching Pip to Qimir’s back. The bright light emanating from the repair droid attracts the umbramoths. The creatures carry Qimir away as he tries to ward them off. Bye-bye!

After this, Osha asks what Qimir meant when he said she couldn’t trust Sol. Sol promises to explain everything to her eventually. So, perhaps what we saw in episode 3, the flashback to Osha and Mae as children on Brendok™, isn’t as reliable and set in stone as we thought.

Suddenly, Mae knocks Sol unconscious.

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They’ve Brainwashed You

Later, Osha and Mae talk it out as the sun rises on Khofar. Osha confronts Mae, asking her why she killed those Jedi. Mae insists they got what they deserved. Osha counters that those Jedi were more her family than Mae ever was. Mae believes they brainwashed Osha, but that’s okay. She’ll help Osha see the truth.

The pair embrace before Mae uses the Force to push Osha backward, rendering her unconscious. Then, Mae utilizes Kelnacca’s Lightsaber™ to cut her hair to look like Osha. Someone took inspiration from The Parent Trap!

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The Aftermath

Later, Qimir emerges unscathed after fighting off the umbramoths. Bazil discovers the remains of Pip, scooping up the droid. Elsewhere, Sol wakes up as Mae marches toward him. She’s dressed like Osha, though, so he assumes she is Osha. She claims that “Mae” escaped. The duo makes the trek back to the Jedi ship.

As we see them board, Bazil is hot on their heels. Of course, as a tracker, he knows Mae’s scent. Hopefully, he can warn Sol before it’s too late.

Meanwhile, Qimir approaches the unconscious Osha, still on Khofar. He heals her side wound, saying, “Even in the revelation of our triumph, you see the depth of our despair.” Qimir covers Osha with his cloak.

Aw, what a gentleman.

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