One of the main reasons why the Star Wars prequel trilogy was reappraised in the years following its initial release is that fans took on a newfound appreciation for the ways the films expanded upon the already rich franchise lore. One of the most notable concepts introduced in the prequels is the idea of a Jedi prophecy that speaks of a “Chosen One” who will bring balance to the Force. Anakin Skywalker is believed to be the Chosen One at the heart of the prophecy, but the movies don’t shed much light on what exactly it means for someone to bring balance to the Force. It’s been one of Star Wars’ biggest mysteries since The Phantom Menace premiered in 1999.
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A possible answer to this burning question has been provided in an unlikely source. The recently released book The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte (which is now available for purchase on Amazon) includes concept art of “Mae’s Ascension Mark,” a tattoo visible on Mae’s forehead designed by hair and makeup artist Robb Crafer. The Acolyte star Amandla Stenberg explained the significance of the tattoo and how it connects to the overarching Star Wars mythology.
“I ended up creating this pitch deck called ‘Force Balance’ that got people really excited,” Stenberg said. “I started asking, How do Osha and Mae maintain this balance of the Force? That’s how we ended up coming up with the tattoo idea. Because it’s a yin and yang — I think of Mae as yin and Osha as yang — but also a spiral. That symbol represents the fact that throughout the spiral of time, the Force of light and dark maintains balance.”
What The Acolyte‘s Explanation of Balance of the Force Means for Star Wars
In the prequels, the idea of “bringing balance to the Force” is presented through a Jedi lens. According to them, the prophecy speaks of a powerful being who will bring the Force back into balance by destroying the Sith. Based on the limited information provided in the movies, it’d be reasonable to assume that “balance of the Force” meant the light side ultimately triumphing over the dark, ushering in an age of peace and prosperity. This is why George Lucas said Anakin fulfilled the prophecy at the end of Return of the Jedi when he turns against Palpatine. He took a rather complicated route to get there, but he was the one who destroyed the Sith by (seemingly) killing the Emperor.
Stenberg’s explanation brings considerably more depth to the concept. Rather than being an idea tied to one specific religion (the Jedi Order), she is arguing that the Force itself maintains balance between the light and dark, working in mysterious ways that are difficult to comprehend. If one side starts to become more powerful than the other, the will of the Force will dictate that everything will eventually even out because both the light and the dark are necessary for the natural order of the galaxy. It’s a much more complex definition that pokes holes in the Jedi’s dogmatic views. That Lucasfilm was enthusiastic about using Stenberg’s idea in The Acolyte speaks volumes to the studio’s willingness to push Star Wars forward, evolving established franchise tropes.
Over the course of The Acolyte, viewers see this interpretation of Force balance in action through the dynamic that develops between twin sisters Mae and Osha. The two were actually created with the Force by Mother Aniseya, and they’re constantly balancing each other out. During their time in Aniseya’s coven, Mae is excited to undergo a ritual to become a witch, while Osha was more interested in joining the Jedi. In adulthood, The Acolyte begins with Mae as a Sith acolyte, and Osha is a former Jedi student who takes on freelance gigs around the galaxy. By the time the series wraps up, the two have essentially swapped places; Osha is Qimir’s new apprentice, while Mae (who had her memory wiped) is recruited by the Jedi to help track down Qimir.
Mae and Osha’s relationship bears a heavy resemblance to the two sides of the Force. The sisters are constantly at odds with each other, yet they also share a complicated familial bond. While it isn’t explicitly stated on The Acolyte, a popular theory is that the sisters formed a Force dyad, explaining what makes their unique connection so special. Because The Acolyte was cancelled after just one season, Lucasfilm won’t have the opportunity to flesh this dynamic out even further, but it still provides some fascinating food for thought.
The Acolyte’s Balance of the Force Explanation Is Rooted in the Skywalker Saga
As interesting as it is to hear Stenberg describe the idea of the Force keeping the light and dark in balance with each other, The Acolyte is not the first time Star Wars broached that subject. The show’s definition of balance to the Force has its roots in the Skywalker Saga. Stenberg’s explanation is reminiscent of one of the lessons Luke Skywalker teaches Rey on Ahch-To in Star Wars: The Last Jedi as he explains why the Jedi Order must come to an end.
Luke tells his student that the Force does not belong to the Jedi and that the light will still remain even if the Jedi are gone. While meditating, Rey sees visions of life and death (which leads to new life) and peace and violence, realizing that the Force is at the center of everything and that both light and dark are needed to maintain the proper balance. It’s a much deeper understanding of the Force and how it works, illustrating how much Luke has grown. While he would never give in to the dark side and become a Sith, he knows that balance is necessary. His point was the Jedi had a very flawed viewpoint of the machinations of the Force and the relationship both sides had to each other.
Supreme Leader Snoke takes this a step further in the throne room sequence, remarking that as darkness rises (Kylo Ren becoming stronger), there will be light to meet it (the emergence of Rey). The dynamic between Rey and Kylo Ren is another example of what Stenberg is talking about when she says the light and dark maintain a balance with each other. As the First Order rose to power and Kylo Ren became an agent of evil, the will of the Force pushed the kind-hearted Rey on her journey, allowing her to become a new hope for the Resistance in the galactic war.
Lucasfilm should have opportunities to continue to expand upon these ideas in future projects. Rey appears to be a key part of Star Wars’ movie future. A film titled New Jedi Order was announced in 2023, or Rey could be featured in something else like Simon Kinberg’s trilogy. While Rey called upon the spirits of all the Jedi before her to defeat Palpatine in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, she was still Luke’s student and should heed his lessons as she spearheads a new age for the Jedi Order. Disney may never wholly embrace the concept of Gray Jedi, but it’s still important for Rey to remember that the Force does not belong to the Jedi, and that dark and light have a symbiotic relationship with each other. There’s potential to do some truly fascinating things with the Force to enhance viewers’ understanding of it further.
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