The Acolyte just brought back a 30-year-old Legends lightsaber technique, one the Jedi forbade. The mysterious Sith Lord was finally unmasked in The Acolyte episode 5, confirming everything viewers had long since suspected. “The Stranger” is in fact Manny Jacinto’s Qimir, and he is a true force to be reckoned with; the Sith Lord cut a swathe through an entire squad of Jedi.
The Stranger had many advantages. The Sith Lord’s lightsaber is a new one, and he can split it apart with a twist. This gave him the upper hand against Jecki Lon, who he cut down brutally. That wasn’t the only thing in his favor, though; he also had an unusual lightsaber style, one that confused the Jedi because they’d never faced anything like it. He tended to switch his lightsaber on and off during combat, leaving his foes unbalanced as their swings failed to connect. It’s a concept lifted straight from Legends – and it’s incredibly dangerous.
Trakata Is A Forbidden Lightsaber Combat Technique
Introduced 30 years ago in the Star Wars: Dark Empire audio-drama, Trakata is the perfect lightsaber technique for the Sith, because iit involves deception – activating and deactivating a lightsaber during combat, creating openings the Sith can exploit. It’s particularly effective when combined with another lightsaber technique called Jar’kai – the use of dual lightsabers. The Stranger’s unusual lightsaber means he can use both techniques in concert.
The Jedi considered Trakata to be a forbidden form.
In Legends, the Jedi considered Trakata to be a forbidden form. It is, after all, the ultimate “dirty fighting” – a way of deceiving your opponent during combat. A practitioner of Trakata feigns one move, misdirecting their opponent, then kills them. It’s easy to see why the Jedi thought Trakata to be dishonorable, and so discouraged it. It’s likely the same is true in Legends as well, meaning the Jedi who fought the Stranger struggled to adapt.
The Stranger’s Force Powers Helped Him Do Battle Against The Jedi
The Stranger’s unusual dark side Force powers gave him another edge. Like the witches of Brendok, he possessed the ability to get inside the minds of the Jedi, confusing them and leaving them uncertain how best to respond to his attacks. Their uncertainty, their wild swings, combined with the deceptive technique of Trakata to leave them utterly unbalanced. Little wonder The Acolyte episode 5 swiftly devolved into a Jedi slaughter.