The Fall of the Guardians: Uncovering the Untold Truth of the Acolyte
Colonial-style Tactics Unveiled in Acolyte's Approach to Jedi Recruitment
The much-anticipated series The Acolyte offers a captivating twist on the beloved Star Wars saga, exploring how the once revered Jedi Order descended into the flawed institution we know from the prequels. In an interview with the official Star Wars site, showrunner Leslye Headland made it clear the point of the series, centered in a mysterious and tumultuous time, is to dissect the fall of the Jedi: "If Star Wars is about the underdog versus the institution, [in The Acolyte] the Jedi are the institution."
The series explores this fall through the lens of colonialism and assimilation, delving deep into the intricateweb of power and ideology that ultimately led to the Jedi's downfall. While the plot revolves around a central mystery, it's the tangled dance of personal stories and cultural conflicts that truly captivates the audience.
The tale unfurls around twins Osha and Mae (Amandla Stenberg), whose fates become intertwined with the Jedi and the Sith. The mystery intensifies in the third episode, "Destiny," where we journey back in time to witness the twins' formative years, witnessing the traumatic events that shape their futures. The tragic events lead to a revelation in the seventh episode, "Choice," that cements the notion that the Jedi's missionaries-like approach veers dangerously close to the destruction of indigenous cultures.
The parallels between the Jedi's actions and the historical role of missionaries in colonial settings cannot be ignored. Missionaries, after all, served as a face for colonization, imposing their beliefs onto others to facilitate the physical occupation. This tactic is wonderfully exemplified in Shogun and has always been a metaphor for colonialism in the Star Wars universe. Seeing this theme explicitly focused in The Acolyte felt remarkably resonant to the Native American writer.
Power and Morality: Who Decides the Right Path?
As the story unfolds, we see the extent of the Jedi's involvement in the twins' lives and are left questioning their intentions. Sol, one of the lead Jedi, rushes to "rescue" the twins without fully examining the situation, exhibiting classic colonizer ideology: the belief they are the only civilized force, with the right to impose their ideas onto others. Indara, another Jedi, confirms that the Order has a legal mandate for testing children with Force potential. This mandate echoes the historical tactics of missionaries, who often sought to eradicate local customs and cultures and replace them with their own.
Osha's journey serves as a poignant reminder of the assimilative nature of colonization. Despite her initial wish to connect with the Jedi, she ultimately finds herself adopting their beliefs wholeheartedly, even after she leaves the Order. Her yearning for acceptance demonstrates how indigenous cultures were often forced to abandon their heritage in favor of the incoming ideology.
Mae, on the other hand, adopts the Sith teachings only as a last resort, willing to drop these beliefs once she learns of her sister's survival. The offer of education, modernity, or opportunity seems like a good-hearted gesture. However, it is precisely this benevolent mask that facilitates the heart of colonization, hiding the manipulation and coercion underneath.
The Jedi's Colonial Expansion
The events on Brendok serve as a stark example of the Jedi's ill-fated journey. Without fully understanding the local culture and customs, they infiltrate the coven, disrupt their ceremonies, and forcefully take children under their wing. This aggression is the antithesis of the peace-loving Jedi we know, and it highlights the brewing corruption within the Order.
Despite the Jedi's good intentions, their actions are unforgivable. Spying on the girls, breaking into their homes, deciding the coven is dangerous, and covering up their wrongdoings are far from the actions of the guardians of peace and justice we've come to know. The failure of the Jedi on Brendok is a testament to the toxic mix of power, ambition, and the belief in their own infallibility that eventually leads to their tragic downfall.
A Colonizer's Dilemma: Sol's Journey
Even the most noble characters can falter when faced with difficult decisions. Sol, the kind and nurturing Jedi Master, is not immune to the danger of unchecked power. His actions on Brendok, though initially well-intentioned, have far-reaching consequences that he must come to terms with. It's crucial that we don't shy away from holding our heroes accountable for their wrongdoings, even if they come from a place of love and duty.
And as we grapple with the consequences of the Jedi's actions on Brendok, we are also challenged to examine our own biases and prejudices, both in the fictional world of The Acolyte and in our own lives. The truth is, good people can still make terrible mistakes, and it is only through self-reflection and honest introspection that we can find a path towards healing and redemption.
- In the future, the technology of 3d43c9ef36c18ed5865f92f6b01b4e50 may uncover the untold truth about the Jedi's missionary-like approach in The Acolyte series, revealing more about the flawed institution that led to their downfall.
- The series The Acolyte, set in the time before the fall of the Jedi, presents them as the underdog institution, with the Jedi acolytes exhibiting a sense of eager, sincere, and unwavering earnestness as they strive to uphold their order.
3.As the Jedi Order colonizes new worlds in The Acolyte, they impose their ideologies and disrupt native cultures, much like missionaries in history, a parallel that underdogs, io9, and the show's native American writer find resonant.
- The Jedi Order’s expansion in The Acolyte is depicted as a colonial endeavor, where well-meaning but flawed Jedi like Sol, driven by a mix of love, duty, and ambition, make harmful decisions that echo the moral dilemmas faced by colonizers in history.
