Star Wars‘ next adventure takes us back in time to a period that we have not yet explored in the live-action realm. The Acolyte, set well before the events of the prequels, will usher in a new visual aesthetic that we haven’t seen before. New characters, new threats, new species and even new locations. This is a very exciting period for Star Wars, and with The Acolyte‘s two-episode premiere approaching fast, it’s about time we met some of these new characters who will be gracing our screens.
Thanks to Entertainment Weekly, we’ve finally been aquainted with a young Jedi Padawan called Jecki Lon, played by Logan and His Dark Materials star Dafne Keen. Jecki is half-human and half-Theelin. Now, we have seen the Theelin race before, predominantly in The Clone Wars, but we haven’t seen a Theelin take the stage before in this way. Interestingly, and this is just a bit of trivia for you, there has been a Theelin Sith Lord before called Darth Phobos. She existed thousands of years ago and was actually featured in The Force Unleashed. The more you know.
Anyway, back to Jecki Lon. She is the Padawan to Lee Jung-jae’s Master Sol, so it is likely that she will play a major role in the series. As for Keen’s casting… Well, show creator Leslye Headland simply wanted Keen because she “wanted to see X23 with a lightsaber in their hand,” and we can’t think of a better reason than that.
Entertainment Weekly shared two brand new images of Jecki Lon which show the young Padawan in action, and give us a much closer look at her appearance. The overall look is absolutely fantastic, she has a very unique appearance that really separates her, and we can’t get enough of the new Jedi outfits. They still feel very traditional, but they also reflect the High Republic era which very much revolved around the lighter colours as a way to display their connection to the Force, which was much stronger during that period.
In a conversation with EW, Keen gave us a bit more information about her character and what we can expect from her and her relationship with Jedi Master Sol.
“She’s very cool and I have some very cool fights I do with the lightsaber. I really love her. She’s a great character and was really fun to play,” Keen said. When discussing the strong bond between Jecki and Sol, Keen made a very interesting comparison which definitely highlights the way in which the Jedi are different during this period. “She thinks the absolute world of him in a way that I think they have a very sweet relationship, but she’s much more aware of the authority difference than, for example, Obi-Wan and Anakin. She’s very much like, “No, he’s the master and I’m the Padawan and he’s perfect. And everything he says, I have to follow to the T.”
You can read the full interview over at Entertainment Weekly where they discuss the makeup process, Jecki’s character, and the working relationship with Leslye Headland. It’s a great read and it has really gotten us more excited for what this show has to offer, and we’re still over 60 days away. Can anyone freeze us in carbonite to speed things up?
Synopsis:
“In The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems.”
The High Republic saw the Jedi Order at its prime, centuries prior to the events of Star Wars: The Phantom Menace. Now, if you’re new to this era Star Wars, The Acolyte should be a great introduction into something quite fresh and new. However, if you love Star Wars as much as we do, then we highly recommend reading the books of The High Republic. The stories are wild and the world building is magnificent, the High Republic is Star Wars at its richest and boldest.
Joining Stenberg and Jung-jae in The Acolyte is Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Charlie Barnett, Jodie Turner-Smith, Rebecca Henderson, Dean-Charles Chapman, Joonas Suotamo, and Carrie-Anne Moss.
Check out the stunning trailer below:
From creator, showrunner, and executive producer Leslye Headland (Russian Doll), The Acolyte will show us a side of the Sith and Jedi that we have never seen before. The executive producers are Kathleen Kennedy, Simon Emanuel, Jeff F. King, and Jason Micallef. Rayne Roberts and Damian Anderson are producing. Headland will also direct the series pilot.
The Acolyte will be streaming exclusively on Disney+ on June 5th, 2024. Are you excited? Let us know in the comments, and be sure to check out more news from across the galaxy right here.
