The Acolyte Episode 4, “Day,” makes major strides in the storyline of the epic Star Wars Disney+ series. Set 100 years before the events of The Phantom Menace, The Acolyte sets up the Skywalker Saga as the Sith reveal themselves after ages of silence. After it is discovered that Osha and Mae Aniseya (Amandla Stenberg) are both still alive, the Jedi Order takes it upon themselves to stop the latter, who is working for a mysterious Sith Lord who hides behind a mask. Tracking Mae and her ally Qimir (Manny Jacinto) to the planet Khofar, where they plan to murder the Jedi Master Kelnacca (Joonas Suatamo), Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) leads a strike team of Jedi to set things right. Before setting off on his mission, Sol convenes with several important Jedi masters, including one that looks incredibly familiar.
Meeting with Rebecca Henderson’s Master Vernestra Rwoh on Coruscant, Sol strategies with several Jedi Masters, including one Cerean who looks and sounds very much like a character seen in the Prequel Trilogy. Although the Cerean’s name is never confirmed onscreen, the credits confirm that this is none other than Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, a famous Jedi who first appears in The Phantom Menace. Longtime Star Wars fans recognize the importance of this cameo, which celebrates an often-overlooked character from the prequels. Casual fans or newcomers to The Acolyte need to understand exactly who Ki-Adi-Mundi is and why his appearance in the Disney+ series is so groundbreaking.
Who Is Master Ki-Adi-Mundi?
Ki-Adi-Mundi Was A Member Of The Jedi High Council During The Clone Wars
Ki-Adi-Mundi made his first appearance in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, where he was shown as a member of the High Jedi Council. He was a Cerean male, which was exceedingly rare in the galaxy at that time, and was therefore permitted to break the Jedi’s cardinal rule and sire children to help grow the population. Master Mundi was trained by the powerful Jedi Yoda, who helped him grow powerful both with the Force and with a lightsaber. Unlike most other Jedi, Ki-Adi-Mundi is not known to have ever taken a Padawan, despite being renowned as one of the most powerful members of the Order. Instead, he focused on guiding the Order itself as a member of the Council rather than dividing his time between his larger responsibilities and training an apprentice.
During the events of Attack of the Clones, Ki-Adi-Mundi joins Mace Windu’s strike team on Geonosis, rescuing Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin Skywalker, and Padme Amidala. He was one of the few Jedi survivors of the battle, going on to serve as a general in the Clone Wars that followed. During the war, Mundi gained a reputation for being somewhat detached and cold-hearted, even ordering his troops to burn a horde of Geonosian attackers during the Second Battle of Geonosis. Ki-Adi-Mundi survived until the final days of the Clone Wars, during which he was sent on a mission to Mygeeto. While he was there, Darth Sidious successfully turned Anakin Skywalker to the Dark Side and subsequently ordered clone troopers all across the galaxy to kill their Jedi generals. Sensing something wrong, Mundi turned back toward his troops while leading a charge. The Jedi Master was able to deflect the first volley of blaster fire but quickly became one of the many casualties of Order 66.
How Old Is Ki-Adi-Mundi In The Acolyte?
Ki-Adi-Mundi Was One Of The Older Jedi In The Prequel Trilogy
When he appears in Episode 4 of The Acolyte, Ki-Adi-Mundi is far younger than audiences have ever seen him before. According to Star Wars Legends, Ki-Adi-Mundi was only about sixty years old during the events of The Phantom Menace, which would make him too young to appear in The Acolyte. However, Mundi’s age in the new canon has never been confirmed, though his recent appearance in 132 BBY suggests that he is a good deal older than initially thought. This would make him well over a century old by the time he appears in the prequels. Interestingly, male Cereans typically only live a few decades, making Ki-Adi-Mundi extremely old for his race by the events of Revenge of the Sith. It may be that Mundi’s strong connection to the Force allowed him to prolong his life beyond that of other Cereans, though Star Wars has never given a canon explanation of this mystery. While canon had to be rewritten to make this cameo possible, the changes that The Acolyte makes aren’t world-shattering and can easily be accepted.
Why It’s Important The Acolyte Includes Ki-Adi-Mundi
The Acolyte Establishes Its First Connection To The Skywalker Saga
Although fans didn’t think that Ki-Adi-Mundi would be active during the events of The Acolyte, his appearance in the Disney+ series is incredibly important. The Jedi Master is the first major character from the Skywalker Saga to appear in the series, making a surprising connection between the two stories. The Acolyte was marketed largely as a separate story from the Skywalker Saga and may remain such, but Mundi’s appearanceat least suggests that there might be more connections to come. Audiences have long suspected that the series will introduce important Sith Lords like Darth Plagueis, who had a major effect on the Prequel Trilogy despite never appearing therein. The Acolyte’s willingness to include Jedi Masters from the prequel era could suggest that other characters like Plagueis will appear as well.
Ki-Adi-Mundi’s cameo also suggests that other little-known Jedi Masters could be fleshed out in greater detail in future series. Mundi himself only makes a handful of appearances in the Skywalker Saga, leaving much of the iconic character’s past undiscovered. His appearance in The Acolyte opens the door for Star Wars to explore Ki-Adi-Mundi in greater detail, either in future episodes or in a different series entirely. Moreover, Mundi could just be the first step in exploring other Jedi who never got the spotlight, including Plo Koon, Shaak Ti, Aayla Secura, Yarael Poof, and more.
Ki-Adi-Mundi’s appearance in The Acolyte is an exciting step for the Star Wars franchise. While the cameo strains certain elements of Star Wars canon, it may mean important things for the galaxy moving forward.