An exciting Star Wars theory for The Acolyte can help explain the weirdest twist from episode 5. As seen in the episode, Mae Aniseya (Amandla Stenberg) finally reunites with her twin sister Osha. However, the episode’s ending creates a significant point of confusion regarding Mae’s newest act of deception after Osha rejects her.
A major high-point for the new Star Wars series, The Acolyte episode 5 features some incredibly exciting lightsaber sequences as Mae’s master emerges to take on an entire team of Jedi Knights before he’s eventually unmasked. Revealed to be Qimir aka “The Stranger” (Manny Jacinto), this new dark side takes up most of the episode’s screen time as he battles these Jedi. However, The Acolyte episode 5 episode ends with a rather odd twist for Mae and Osha due to the known powers of the Jedi. That said, there is a compelling solution from the established Star Wars canon.
The Acolyte Episode 5 Ends With Brutal Jedi Deaths
Only One Jedi Was Left Standing
Following his off-screen murder of the Wookiee Jedi Kelnacca who was living on the planet Khofar, Qimir/The Stranger chose to kill all the Jedi who had come to arrest Mae and had hoped to save Kelnacca. Beyond Qimir’s cortosis-weave helmet and gauntlet to temporarily deactivate the Jedi’s lightsabers, Mae’s master also implanted an impressively dark new lightsaber function, activating a hidden shoto blade from his primary hilt to serve as a hidden dagger. To that end, Qimir successfully slew seven out of the eight Jedi Knights who had come to Khofar.
By the tragic end of The Acolyte episode 5, the only Jedi survivor is Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) along with his former Padawan Osha (Mae’s twin). Having attracted a swarm of umbramoths to carry off Qimir and end the battle, Mae stuns Sol. This gives her a chance to finally speak with her long-lost sister, while also leading to a rather odd twist for the new Star Wars show.
Mae Disguises Herself As Osha And Leaves With Sol
How Does Sol Not Sense Mae Through The Force?
Despite Mae’s desire to be reunited with her sister, Osha rejects her. Believing Mae to be solely responsible for the deaths of their coven when they were children (as seen in The Acolyte episode 3), Osha wants nothing to do with Mae. This is especially true after Mae more recently killed Masters Indara and Torbin. Believing her sister to have been brainwashed by the Jedi, Mae makes a surprising decision to knock Osha out before cutting her hair and wearing her sister’s civilian robes. This allows Mae to pose as Osha and leave Khofar with Master Sol.
That said, one has to wonder why Master Sol doesn’t immediately sense Mae’s deception through the Force. One would think he should have been able to see through the ruse, especially with the consideration that Osha was once his Padawan before she chose to leave the Jedi Order. However, he instead simply leaves the planet with Mae with the apparent belief that she’s Osha as they head to return to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant.
Acolyte Theory: Mae and Osha Are A Bonded Force Dyad
Viewed As One Being Through The Force
One could argue that Sol was justifiably distracted following his confrontation with Qimir and the dark side user’s accusations about what really happened when the Jedi came for Osha and Mae as children (seen in The Acolyte episode 3). However, that seems awfully convenient with the consideration that Master Sol is a highly-skilled Jedi Master. Instead, it may have more to do with the specific nature of Mae and Osha themselves and their existence as Force-sensitive beings.
The shared parallels between Osha and Mae’s respective journeys can’t be coincidence. Having been created via Force manipulation, Mae and Osha’s divergent paths are still connected. While Osha chose the light side of the Jedi before leaving the Order, Mae chose the dark side before recently deciding to abandon her future as Qimir’s acolyte. Combined with their rhyme as children (“always one, but born as two”) and the mantra of their coven (“the power of one, the power of two, the power of many”), all signs point to a core truth about Mae and Osha: they’re bonded through the Force as a dyad.
Not unlike Rey Skywalker and Kylo Ren who were also a rare Force dyad, the bond is quite powerful. A prime example of said power was Rey and Kylo’s ability to speak and even physically interact with one another despite being worlds apart. This is something that’s been teased for The Acolyte’s Mae and Osha as well. Furthermore, a key part of a dyad is that the bonded beings exist as one in the Force. As such, this could explain why Sol didn’t sense Mae’s deception, as both she and her sister exist as this singular Force dyad.
What Does Qimir Have Planned For Osha?
A New Acolyte?
Going beyond Mae’s deception and departure with Master Sol, the fate of Osha remains to be seen as she’s now been left with Qimir. Likewise, the parallels continue now that Mae is with Osha’s old master while Osha is with her’s. As such, one has to wonder what Qimir has in store for Osha. After all, The Acolyte episode 5 ends with the dark side user Force healing her wounds.
Qimir may attempt to make Osha his new acolyte, having found fault in Mae due to her inability to pass his tests to kill Jedi unarmed. Conversely, it’s been argued that Osha did pass his test following this new episode, having ended the fight and besting the dark side user himself without the use of a weapon. At any rate, Mae and Osha’s paths are bound to cross as The Acolyte reaches its final episodes, meaning their status as a Force dyad will hopefully be revealed sooner rather than later.
New episodes of The Acolyte release on Tuesdays at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST on Disney+.