Ever since Sir Alec Guinness’ Obi-Wan Kenobi first introduced us to the Jedi Order back in 1977, generations of fans have been fascinated by the mystical order of Force-wielding, warrior monks. Inspiring generations of kids (and adults too) to transform gift wrapping tubes into lightsabers and pretending to use the Force to open automatic doors, we’ve all dreamt of becoming a member of that once-grand galactic order.
When Star Wars first arrived on screens back in the late 1970s, the Jedi were little more than a rumour. A remnant of a bygone era remembered only by a few stalwart survivors; their legacy had all been extinguished from the galaxy. However, in more recent years fans have since been introduced to a long succession of valiant Jedi Knights who have provided us with a glimpse into the order’s final years before the rise of the Empire.
Yet, even then, the Jedi Order of the prequels and The Clone Wars animated series was far from what it had once been at the height of their glory. Grown complacent and set in their ways, the Jedi Order that once admitted a troubled young Padawan from Tatooine named Anakin Skywalker, had already sown the seeds of its inevitable destruction. Blinded by arrogance, and oblivious to the growing threat of the Dark Side, the Jedi audiences have already met were already on their last legs.
However, with The Acolyte now available on Disney+, all this seems set to change as viewers are catapulted back nearly 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace. Set in the era referred to as the High Republic, The Acolyte promises a glimpse of the Jedi at the true height of their power, and we couldn’t be any more excited.
With this in mind, let’s meet some of the new Jedi characters audiences will be introduced to over the course of Lucasfilm’s latest streaming series.
Jedi Master Sol
Played by Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game)
A wise and venerable Jedi Master, Jung-jae’s Sol will be one of the main Jedi characters featured in The Acolyte. Former master to a Padawan who has since left the order and has begun to walk a dark path, Sol is tasked with investigating the murders of several of his Jedi brethren.
Padawan Jecki Lon
Played by Dafne Keen (Logan)
Trading her adamantium claws for a lightsaber, Logan’s Dafne Keen plays Master Sol’s latest Padawan learner Jecki Lon. Half-human and half-Theelen, Jecki’s race are a rare sight in the wider galaxy and are generally known to be drawn to the arts and performance. Viewers may recognise another human/Theelin hybrid named Rystáll Sant who performed at Jabba’s palace with the Max Rebo band in Return of the Jedi.
Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh
Played by Rebecca Henderson (Inventing Ana)
One of the few previously established characters to appear in The Acolyte, Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh has already featured heavily in various High Republic-era books and comics. Regarded as a child prodigy, Rwoh ascended to the rank of Jedi Knight at age 15 and took on her own Padawan while still a teenager. Armed with a purple-bladed lightsaber, Rwoh’s signature weapon can also transform into a lightwhip, meaning audiences will also see their first live-action version of the famous Legends weapon in action.
Jedi Knight Yord Fandar
Played by Charlie Barnett (Russian Doll)
Depicted as an overachiever and a stringent rule follower, Jedi Knight Yord Fandar is described as a Jedi Guardian from the temple on Coruscant. One of the three main branches of Jedi featured in Legends lore, the Jedi Guardians were known for their combat skills with many training to become weapons specialists and lightsaber instructors.
Jedi Knight Kelnacca
Played by Joonas Suotamo (Solo: A Star Wars Story)
A Wookie with a lightsaber? Yes, please. That’s right, Supa-Fans, The Acolyte is also set to deliver us our first-ever live-action Jedi Wookie. Played by Joonas Suotamo, who succeeded Peter Mayhew as the man behind Chewbacca’s costume, his latest Wookie warrior is described as an unusually solitary figure who lives as a hermit. While Star Wars: The Clone Wars have shown Wookies as members of the Jedi Order before, George Lucas once suggested that there should be no force-wielding Wookies, a decision he would later backtrack on.
Jedi Master Indara
Played by Carrie-Anne Moss (The Matrix)
Breaking free of the Matrix, Carrie-Anne Moss is joining the Star Wars universe as Jedi Master Indara. Described as a skilled and competent warrior, Moss’ Jedi Master is known for working alone and is rarely concerned with the dealings of the Jedi council on Coruscant. It has been suggested that her character may be a member of the Jedi Exploratory Corps, a group of elite Jedi tasked with exploring the uncharted worlds of the Outer Rim.
Former Padawan Mae
Played by Amandla Stenberg (The Hunger Games)
The former Padawan learner of Jedi Master Sol, Stenberg’s Mae is a morally ambiguous character central to the mystery at the heart of The Acolyte. While it is not clear whether Mae was expelled from the Jedi Order, or if she left of her own accord, the road since her departure has seen her begin to tread a much darker path than her former order would have ever allowed.
But What About Yoda and Yaddle?
Given that The Acolyte is set only a hundred years before the events of The Phantom Menace, not only should Yoda be around at the time of this new show, but he should already hold the rank of Jedi Grand Master. Similarly, his fellow species-mate and former Jedi council member Yaddle, should also be around given that she was the one responsible for training a young Vernestra Rwoh.
So far, however, there has been no indication whether either Yoda or Yaddle will appear in The Acolyte, but given their respective places in the Jedi Order it would not be surprising to at least have them referenced or make some kind of cameo appearance.
‘The Acolyte’ is now available exclusively on Disney+!
