Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Acolyte episode 5.
Summary
While the reception ofStar Wars’latest TV show,Star Wars: The Acolyte, has mostly been divided, it seems there’s finally a new unifying force that has convinced everyone to tune in: the Sith Lord.The Acolyteepisode 5finally unveiled the mysterious dark side user as Qimir (Manny Jacinto) in what is perhapsStar Wars’most brutal fight sequence yet. Countless Jedi were massacred at Qimir’s hands, including fan-favoritesJecki Lon (Dafne Keen)andYord Fandar (Charlie Barnett), and his brutality nearly madeMaster Sol (Lee Jung-jae)succumb to the dark side.
While Qimir was the obvious choice for the secret identity of the Sith Lord, known officially as “The Stranger,” his reveal was still a shock because of the way it was done. What was most shocking, however, was just how much - and how quickly -The Acolyteviewers would take a liking to him. While The Stranger had already gotten people’s attention with his menacing arrival inThe Acolyteepisode 4, seeing him in action, and then seeing his face, changed everything - and it’s following aStar Warspattern that’s been ongoing for decades.
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People Are Crushing Hard On Qimir’s Sith Lord
Viewers Already Can’t Get Enough Of The Stranger
In the aftermath ofThe Acolyteepisode 5, there was a lot to process, but one thing was made clear straightaway: Jacinto’s Sith Lord had already become the internet’s newest hyperfixation. The shift Jacinto was able to make from the silly Qimir to the threatening Stranger, as well as the costuming that put his arms on display, captivated audiences in a way that many dark side Force users inStar Warsoften have. Despite all the darkness of the episode,the unifying message was that it was worth it to meet The Stranger in such a way.
Now, viewers everywhere are proving just how big the collective crush on The Stranger truly is. Posts about him on X (formerly Twitter) are going viral, and fancam video edits have never been made faster.This has caused the impact of The Stranger to move beyond the mere audience ofThe Acolytethat has already been tuning in ever since its premiere. There’s a further reach these posts and fancams have that is, at last, givingThe Acolytethe promotion it truly deserves.
This Crush Is Convincing New Viewers To Watch The Acolyte
The Stranger Has Drawn A Brand-New Audience
Social media is introducing new viewers toThe Acolytevia Jacinto’s Sith Lord, and what’s equally surprising and unsurprising is that it’s motivating this new crowd to actually tune into theStar WarsTV show. One such post that’s currently having this effect is a fancam made byjeronandor, which - at the time of writing - has close to 10,000 likes, 2,000 reposts, and nearly 1,500 bookmarks for those who want to watch it again and again. Even better are the replies and quotes, which are full of people declaring that it’s time for them to tune in toThe Acolyte.
The consensus seems to be that watchingThe Acolytewill be more than worth it for these new viewers.This isn’t the first time such a phenomenon has happened, especially not inStar Wars; Adam Driver’s Kylo Ren motivated many new audiences to watch theStar Warssequel trilogy, andPedro Pascal’s Din Djarinalso led many non-Star Warsenthusiasts to watchThe Mandalorian. It seemsStar Warsis finally falling into a familiar pattern withThe Acolyte, particularly with its main dark side character.
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Star Wars Has A Pattern With Its Dark Side Villains
Many Have Drawn The Attraction Of The Audience
The Stranger is simply continuing an iconicStar Warspattern that has already been running for decades. It could certainly be debated whether this began with Darth Vader himself in the originalStar Warstrilogy or Darth Maul in theStar Warsprequel trilogy, but either way, it has since stuck through the years. The two most prominent examples are no doubt Hayden Christensen’s Anakin Skywalker and Driver’s Kylo Ren, both of whom have long since been the apples of many viewers' eyes, despite theirStar Warscrimes. (“I can fix him, no really, I can!")
It has given The Acolyte another familiar and strong way to market to brand-new audiences - just as Star Wars already has been for decades.
Jacinto’s Sith Lord is now following in their footsteps. This is especially ironic considering thatThe Acolyteis already drawing a connection between The Stranger and Kylo Ren with its score, which subtly played Kylo Ren’s motif at the end of episode 5. While it’s quite amusing to witness, it’s also quite brilliant, as it has givenThe Acolyteanother familiar and strong way to market to brand-new audiences - just asStar Warsalready has been for decades.
The Acolyte Episode 5 Makes The Buildup Worth It
The Stranger’s Reveal Was Obvious, Yet Still Shocking
Now that so many new viewers will be flocking toThe Acolyte, the question is whether the four episodes building up to The Stranger’s debut will be worth it or not - and the consensus is that they absolutely are. As a new audience tunes in for Qimir and The Stranger,they will no doubt find themselves attached to other characters as well, which will make them feel all the deep emotions of episode 5. The wait will also be worth it for the incredible fight sequence, which allows The Stranger to shine with his power and unique fighting style.
The Acolytehas so far been a slow burn, but episode 5 proves that it’s worth sticking around for. Much of this is because of The Stranger and Jacinto’s excellent performance in the role, which already has audiences demanding an Emmy nomination at minimum. While the primary motivation for many new viewers will be the crush they have on The Stranger, it’s hard to imagine that the other aspects of this story won’t draw them in further. Time will tell just how much The Stranger impactsThe Acolyteand its viewership, but so far, he’s been very convincing.
The Acolyteepisode 5 is now streaming. New episodes release Tuesdays at 9 PM ET on Disney+.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
