This show is nothing if not bold.
Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte episode 6
After last week’s cruel and highly kinetic episode, The Acolyte allowed the pace to cool a little with its sixth episode as we got a more character-focused installment that allowed us to spend some more time with Qimir, Manny Jacinto’s secret Sith lord who owes a big debt to Kylo Ren.
Not only did The Acolyte borrow Ben Solo’s musical motif at the end of last week’s episode (the trick is repeated in episode 6, in fact, with Kylo Ren’s theme heard over the credits), he’s also got that whole “I will seduce you to the Dark Side by actually seducing you” thing going on with Osha. It might not be fashionable, but showrunner Leslye Headland certainly seems keen to call back (or forward, in timeline terms) to the Star Wars sequel trilogy in this series.
And episode 6 might just feature the most direct nod to the sequels thus far, by potentially revisiting a key location from the single most controversial entry in the Skywalker saga.
Did The Acolyte episode 6 just return to the setting of The Last Jedi?
After Mae swapped places with her at the end of episode 5, leaving her sister at the mercy of Qimir, Osha awakes in episode 6 to find herself on a oceanic world occupied by a smattering of grassy, rocky islands that looks suspiciously like somewhere in the British isles. Curiously, and in a break with Star Wars tradition, the caption that appears on screen neglects to give this planet a name, merely calling it “UNKNOWN PLANET.”
Now, Star Wars likes its names — nary does a minor background character go by with an elaborate backstory, so there’s surely only one reason why this planet’s name is being kept a secret at this time: because it’s greater importance will be revealed at a later date. And fans think they know what this greater importance might be. Is this “unknown planet” actually Ahch-To?
In case you’ve wiped much of the sequel trilogy from your mind, Ahch-To was the planet where Rey found Luke. As the location of the first Jedi temple, it would make sense for Qimir — who we just found out was a former Jedi himself — to decide to make Ahch-To his base. Likewise, given the Rey/Kylo vibes he and Osha are giving off, the choice of planet would create a neat thematic parallel.
See, even the native species look similar!
Ok so "Unknown Planet" creatures look like bit like Thala Siren.
— dani 🍉🕊🫰 (@CardiganVixen) July 3, 2024
Similar to how the Lanais (caretakers) are evolved Porgs are these a different species of Thala?
Anyway it's Ahch-To #theacolyte pic.twitter.com/LZrIqkMLFQ
Having said that, it’s entirely possible this planet is actually a much deeper cut, but one that’s even more relevant to the corner of Star Wars lore that The Acolyte occupies. Other fans are convinced it’s really Bal’demnic, a planet introduced in James Luceno’s Darth Plagueis novel that was important to the titular Sith lord due to its Cortosis mines. And what do we know this planet is rich in? Cortosis.
#TheAcolyte spoilers
— The Lalolyte 🍵 (@clonehumor) July 3, 2024
Ahch-To truthers it might be over. The lingering shot of the cortosis ore vein is probably a hint that the unknown planet is actually Bal'demnic from the Plagueis novel! pic.twitter.com/R0SHyNNIki
Given that it definitely feels like we’re building up to some big Plagueis twist, fans might be right with this second theory. That said, the repeated uses of Kylo’s theme have got to be leading somewhere. Is The Acolyte crossing over with a character first introduced in everyone’s favorite prequel movie or a location from the most divisive sequel movie? The answers will unfold as the series continues weekly on Disney Plus.