'The Acolyte' on Disney Plus Delves Deep Into 'Star Wars' History and Sith Tutelage

By this point, it would take years if not decades to catch up on every single bit of lore, history, and plot that the Star Wars universe has built up. The long-running space opera film series that was first kicked off by George Lucas back in 1977 has since expanded into a full-blown media empire filled with all sorts of storylines and different eras. After all, a galaxy far, far away is a big place and there are so many potential stories to tell throughout the stars.

Of course, much of it boils down to the conflict between the Jedi and the Sith, two lightsaber-wielding factions who wield the Force in a never-ending battle to bring either peace or chaos to the universe. While this eternal struggle is well-documented in many entries to the Star Wars series, The Acolyte brings us an even deeper look into all of it. But what is the eponymous Acolyte within the Star Wars universe? The answer lies in a longer time ago than we usually get to see. Let's break it down.

In a unique spin on traditional Star Wars fare, The Acolyte is essentially a sci-fi crime drama. It follows two twin sisters named Osha and Mae (both portrayed by Amandla Stenberg), who find themselves on opposite sides of the Force. Amid their sibling rivalry, a Jedi master named Sol (Lee Jung-jae) investigates a string of murders among Jedi and finds the eponymous Acolyte at the center of a massive conspiracy.

The new show takes a deep dive into Jedi and Sith history, particularly when it comes to the emergence of an Acolyte. The term "Acolyte" refers to a Force-sensitive apprentice who undergoes training with a Sith Lord and seeks to become learned in the Dark Side. In essence, Acolytes are to the Sith as Padawans are to the Jedi; apprentices who are more aligned with the Dark Side as they wield the Force.

However, you might not have heard the term in many of the previous shows and movies before The Acolyte. As of the events of the Skywalker Saga, the term had all but fallen out of use after stricter bylaws were introduced to the Sith code in order to prevent in-fighting among their faction.

So in case you haven't guessed it by now, The Acolyte takes place long before the movies.

The show is set during the series' High Republic era, a purported golden age for the Galactic Power and the Jedi Order when both factions were in power and peace reigned throughout the universe. More specifically, The Acolyte takes place about 100 years before Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace. Interestingly enough, Yoda is still active as a Jedi master during this time.

New episodes of The Acolyte premiere every Tuesday on Disney Plus.