Star Wars has just officially revealed a surprising new Darth Maul connection with The Acolyte, hinting that a Legends Sith Lord could easily find his way into the canon after all. Set decades before the prequel trilogy, The Acolyte was teased as the kind of Sith Lord Star Wars story viewers have long been hoping for. Leslye Headland’s High Republic TV series sadly never quite fulfilled that potential, instead existing on the fringes of the Sith; a last-second appearance by Palpatine’s master, Darth Plagueis, promised that a second season would have been very different.
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The Acolyte introduced Manny Jacinto as the Stranger, an apparent Sith Lord who became one of the series’ best characters. But the Stranger’s very existence – at the same time as Darth Plagueis, no less – raised so many questions given the Sith Rule of Two. We knew the Stranger wasn’t part of Darth Bane’s Sith lineage, given Plagueis would go on to train Palpatine. So how did the Stranger figure into the ongoing story of the Sith? We now know The Acolyte linked to the Knights of Ren, but concept art has just pointed to something even more intriguing.
One Subtle Detail in The Acolyte Nods to Darth Maul
An important clue can be found in The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte, published today by Abram Books and available now from retailers like Amazon. This features some stunning concept art, including one in which the Stranger and Amandla Stenberg’s Osha are seen in a romantic moment mirroring the wedding of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala in Attack of the Clones. Most importantly, though, there’s a very distinctive starship in the background; it’s clearly a slightly different version of the Exile II, the Stranger’s starship in The Acolyte, but from this angle the design is strikingly reminiscent of Darth Maul’s Sith Infiltrator, the Scimitar.
This is only concept art, of course, and the ship looks slightly different in The Acolyte. But it nonetheless points to Lucasfilm’s intent, given the art captures the budding romance between Osha and the Stranger that won over many viewers. The similar ship hints at a much more direct connection between the Stranger and the Sith Rule of Two, given that particular design of ship is known to have been made by the Sith and would ultimately be used by them. It suggests that the Stranger essentially foreshadows Darth Maul, recruited by the Sith more as a weapon than a proper Apprentice, ultimately discarded by Plagueis.
The Acolyte’s Darth Maul Connection Hints At Another Legends Sith Lord
In the old Star Wars Expanded Universe (now branded non-canon or “Legends”), Darth Plagueis was mentored by a Sith Lord named Darth Tenebrous, in reality a Bith named Rugess Nome who was something of a legend for his work as a starship designer. Tenebrous was the one who designed the Sith Infiltrator that would ultimately be used by Darth Maul, which makes the idea the Stranger used a similar ship all the more striking. Importantly, Plagueis’ mentor is already canon. He was originally set up all the way back in 2015’s Build the Millennium Falcon #44, in reference to the Sith Infiltrator:
“Said to be one of the fruits of the creative genius of Raith Sienar, the renowned designer’s involvement in the project was later disputed, and the ship is thought to have actually been designed by Darth Tenebrous, the Sith Master of Darth Plagueis.”
Amusingly, later reprints of the same magazine removed that particular text, leaving Tenebrous’ canonicity in limbo. But Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker incorporated Darth Tenebrous into canon once again, where Palpatine’s legions were named after different Sith Lords from history. Darth Tenebrous was one of those, meaning he’s officially back in canon again. If Darth Tenebrous’ story is similar in canon, then he’d potentially even be alive in The Acolyte era, and it’s actually perfect to imagine the Stranger using one of his starships.
The Acolyte was canceled before it could get a second season, which means The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte is basically a last chance to get a proper look at Leslye Headland’s original ideas. We’ve previously seen other canceled or unfinished Star Wars stories tied up in other mediums, whether in novels or in comics; Solo: A Star Wars Story‘s Crimson Dawn and Darth Maul teases were resolved even though there hasn’t been a big-screen continuation. Hopefully, the same will happen with The Acolyte as well.
Do you think Lucasfilm was right to cancel The Acolyte? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
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