The Acolyte

Osha’s vision
The episode opens with Verosha Aniseya (“Osha”) inside the Stranger’s cave, meditating with the Sith’s helmet as the Stranger himself smiles. When Osha begins convulsing, he panics and attempts to use the Force to remove the helmet. In the physical world, his eyes turn black. With difficulty, he manages to remove the helmet.

After regaining her composure, Osha tells the Stranger she experienced a vision of her sister Mae-ho Aniseya (“Mae”) killing Jedi Master Sol. Mae had a lightsaber in her hand but did not use it. The Stranger tells Osha that she saw a future vision and thinks Mae can kill without a weapon. Osha says that the future is not fixed and that she can change it.

The Stranger turns around and says he will be leaving aboard his starship. Osha asks where he is going and says he knows where Sol and Mae are. The Stranger says that they will then go together.

Escaping Sol
Meanwhile, Master Sol takes his starship, Polan GX-8, above Mae’s homeworld of Brendok. While Mae lies bound on the medbay bed, Sol tells her he will contact Master Vernestra Rwoh and tell her to meet him on Brendok. When Mae asks why, he explains that the planet has a vergence. Mae secretly activates Pip. He plans to use Mae and Osha to prove the existence of the vergence on Brendok.

When Mae confronts him about the murder of her mother, Aniseya, Sol responds that Aniseya’s death was an accident. Mae then asks why he did not tell Osha the truth and instead scapegoated her. Sol blames Mae for starting the fire and says she locked everyone inside the Brendok fortress. Mae counters that Sol and the Jedi invaded their home, saying everyone died because of the four Jedi. Mae secretly uses Pip to unlock her restraints.

Sol responds that the Jedi were justified to intervene and says his biggest regret was failing to save them both. He tells Mae that she and Osha are not twins or sisters. Before he can explain further, Mae uses Pip to unlock her remaining restraint and stings Sol in the chest with Pip’s stun gun. Mae flees into the corridor with Bazil tailing her. With Pip’s help, she reaches the escape pod section before Sol can recapture her. Mae escapes in an escape pod with Pip and heads towards Brendok.

Sol rushes to the cockpit and detaches Polan GX-8 from its hyperspace transport ring. Mae takes the escape pod into an asteroid belt around one of Brendok’s moons. Soo pursues her through the asteroid belt. He uses the targeting computer to close in on Mae’s ship. Bazil enters the cockpit and rips out several wires, causing it to lose control and collide with Mae’s ship. Mae’s ship hurtles through an opening in the asteroid belt towards Brendok. Her ship descends into the planet’s atmosphere, hitting a peak and rolling down a mountain.

Rayencourt
Back at the Jedi Temple, Padawan Mog Adana informs Master Rwoh that Senator Rayencourt has come to visit her. Rwoh is annoyed that Adana allowed the Senator into the control room. Rayencourt apologizes for his intrusion and asks about her recent travels. Getting to business, he says he has heard that Rwoh is running a murder investigation without reporting it to the Galactic Senate. Rwoh says that she is keeping the investigation internal for the moment and does not see a need to report it if there is a larger threat.

When Rayencourt asks how she can know there is no larger threat, Rwoh acknowledges that all the victims are Jedi. Rayencourt inquires about multiple victims. Rwoh says that she is close to apprehending the suspect. When Rayencourt asks if the suspect is a Jedi, Rwoh says that is very close and thanks him for his concerns.

As she turns away, Rayencourt asks if she dislikes him and that his campaign for an external review of the Jedi is a personal vendetta. Rwoh admits disliking him. Rayencourt opines that the Jedi are a massive system of unchecked power, posing as a religion. He disparages the Jedi as a delusional cult that claims to control the “uncontrollable.” When Rwoh counters that the Jedi do not control the Force, Rayencourt says he refers to their emotions. While the Jedi project an image of goodness and restraint, he says it is a matter of time before one of them snaps. He wonders who will be strong enough to stop him.

Rwoh responds that the rest of the Senate does not share Rayencourt’s opinion. Rayencourt understands that most colleagues cannot imagine a galaxy without the Jedi. When people look up to heroes, they do not have to face what is before them. Rwoh asks if that is all before using the Force to unlock the door. Before leaving, Rayencourt warned Rwoh that he had reported her lack of transparency to Supreme Chancellor Drellik. He may invite her to a tribunal for an update. Rayencourt says he wishes that she would have her suspect in custody by then. He gives a disdainful farewell before departing.

Heading offworld
While a family of Skura forage on a rocky Bal’demnic shore, Osha and the Stranger cross a stony causeway to the Stranger’s starship. The Stranger questions Osha’s unwillingness to reveal their destination. Osha counters that they will go together or not go at all. When the Stranger asks if he gave her the impression that he is fair, Osha reminds him that he made a deal with her sister Mae and expected her to uphold it. She says that is fair, and so is trusting her to take them to their destination.

The Stranger asks if Osha would consider being his student, but she declines. When he says it is her last chance, Osha says she is not her sister. The Stranger is impressed, saying Mae made that deal without thinking about it. She lets the Stranger take the lead and holds back before following him. After the ship departs, a cloaked, thin figure with orange, glowing eyes watches menacingly from an opening on the rocky shore.

Return to Brendok
Meanwhile, Master Sol has parked his starship in a clearing near the Brendok fortress. After activating the transponder switch, Sol exits the starship and raises his hand before walking away. He has a haunted look on his face. Bazil watches from the cockpit.

Meanwhile, on Coruscant, Master Rwoh uses a transmitter to tell someone she needs to get in touch urgently. The respondent replies that this is highly irregular but will see what he can do. Padawan Mog Adana informs Rwoh that they have managed to track down Master Sol, who has turned his transponder beacon back on. When Adana tells her that Sol is on Brendok, she sighs, and her eyes shift knowingly. She tells Mog to prepare her starship for departure and to gather several Jedi Knights without raising alarm. When Adana asks if she is expecting a conflict, Rwoh replies that she seeks to implement a resolution.

Elsewhere, the Stranger’s ship Exile II descends into Brendok’s atmosphere. Osha and the Stranger sit in separate cockpits of the twin boom body. Osha flies the ship, not allowing the Stranger to operate it. She deactivates the controls and tells the Stranger that there is a landing site near the witches’ fortress. Based on a topographical map on the ship’s computer, she learns Sol is already at the Brendok fortress.

Reaching the top of the fortress, Sol spots the Stranger’s ship flying past an obelisk. He walks into the abandoned courtyard and searches for Mae. He is haunted by memories of his role in killing Aniseya in Mae’s presence. He walks into a dark corridor.

At the base of the Brendok fortress, Osha and the Stranger reach the elevator. Osha proposes repairing the elevator instead of climbing. The Stranger asks if she is sure before disappearing, his voice echoing. Sol walks through the common room to the generator annex. He stares at the twisted remains of the broken walkway. Haunted by the memories of that fateful night, Sol walks away as voices echo in the background. Shortly later, Mae climbs out of the pit with Pip. Mae visits her fire-scorched former bedroom. Back at the base, Osha hotwires the elevator, restoring it. The door slides open.

Duel
Meanwhile, Sol continues searching for Mae, repeatedly calling out her name. While pausing in a hallway, he is confronted by the Stranger, who thanks the Jedi Master for leading him to her. The Stranger dons his cortosis helmet and wields his lightsaber. Sol ignites his blue lightsaber in self-defense.

The two engage in a lightsaber duel. The Stranger drives Sol toward the bridge where the scouts are stationed. Sol jumps out of the bridge and uses the Force to cushion his landing. The Stranger also uses the Force to cushion his landing. In the courtyard, Sol warns the Stranger that he will destroy him if he must. The Stranger taunts them not if she gets him first before activating a second red lightsaber.

He launches a second assault on Sol, who dodges both blades. Sol manages to knock the shorter red lightsaber out of the Stranger’s hand. The Sith acolyte attempts to retrieve his weapon with the Force, but Sol launches a counter-offensive and kicks the Stranger in the chest. While Sol reactivates his lightsaber, the Stranger retrieves his second lightsaber and launches a renewed attack. He hurls his lightsabers like boomerangs at Sol. Sol uses the Force to dodge the Stranger’s attacks and push the Stranger towards the courtyard’s edge. Qimir uses the Force to retrieve his longer lightsaber and launches a third assault.

Reunion
Elsewhere in the fortress, Osha finds Mae inside their charred bedroom. Mae attempts to reason with her sister, but Osha still blames her for the deaths that occurred that fateful night. Mae replies that Sol lied to Osha and blamed her. Osha counters that Sol never blamed Osha but taught her to accept that someone she loved could be capable of such destruction. Osha says she never learned how to calm her negative emotions, including her hatred for Mae and grief for their mother, Osha. Osha says that such negative emotions meant she never became a Jedi; thus, Mae got her wish.

Mae tells Osha that she saw Sol kill their mother with her own eyes and that he has been lying to her ever since Osha left their home. Mae tells Osha that Sol is the reason for her negative emotions. She nervously approaches Osha, telling her sister that Osha did not fail, but Sol did. Osha’s face wells with grief and rage. She lunges at Mae, but Mae dodges her. Osha attacks Mae, engaging her sister in hand-to-hand combat. Mae blocks and deflects Osha’s attack. Osha notices Pip, but the droid squirts water on her face.

The twins continue their fight, with Mae evading and deflecting Osha’s blows. The two are evenly matched. Outside, Sol and the Stranger’s duel is interrupted by the arrival of Master Rwoh’s starship, which circles the Brendok fortress summit. Sol tells the Stranger that he will pay for what he has done. The Stranger taunts them, saying that they are not here for him. Osha and Mae’s fight is interrupted inside the bed chamber when they see Rwoh’s ship passing above through a hole in the ceiling. Mae takes advantage of Osha’s distraction to retreat.

The moment of truth
Back in the courtyard, Sol and the Stranger resume their lightsaber duel. The two combatants are evenly matched and cross their blades. Sol breaks the deadlock by deactivating his lightsaber and breaking free of the Stranger. He then reignites his lightsaber and launches a renewed attack, damaging the Stranger’s lightsaber. Beaten, the Stranger, removes his cortosis helmet while Sol points his lightsaber at his neck. Sol is interrupted by Mae, who engages him in hand-to-hand combat. Though Sol throws her off, she manages to steal his lightsaber.

The Stranger praises Mae, encouraging her to embrace the source of her anger. However, Mae tosses Sol’s lightsaber aside. He urges Mae to strike Sol down, saying her training will be complete. Mae disagrees and says she wants Sol to confess his crimes and face the Jedi High Council, the Galactic Senate, and the Galactic Republic. She says she wants Sol to pay for his crimes. Sol says he did the right thing and wanted to protect them both. He tells Mae that they are not twins and that she and Osha are the same person. Sol believes that Mother Aniseya created life through the vergence of Brendok. Sol believes that Aniseya used the Force to create Mae and Osha. He describes this power as an exceptional power.

While Sol speaks, Osha approaches them behind and retrieves Sol’s lightsaber. Mae reiterates that Sol killed their mother. A guilt-ridden Sol confesses to killing Mother Aniseya. Osha exits the corridor and asks Sol if he is telling the truth. Sol says he was protecting her and insists he did the right thing. Osha asks her former master why he did not tell the Jedi. Pointing to Mae, Sol says that without her, there was no proof she was created in this way. When Osha asks why he did not tell her, Sol replies that the Jedi Order would have sent her away since she was too old to train as a Jedi. He reiterates that he did what he thought was best for her.

Sol tells Osha that he has long wanted to tell her but cannot. He says he kept this secret so Osha could have the life she dreamed of. Sol tries to explain, but he begins to choke. As Osha stares at her former master intently, he continues choking. The Stranger and Mae watch with alarm as Sol drops to his knees and struggles to breathe. Osha tells him to stop talking while she Force chokes him to death. A tear flows down Sol’s cheek.

As Osha grips Sol’s lightsaber hilt, the kyber crystal “bleeds,” turning from blue to red. As he breathes his last, Sol tells Osha that it is okay. Osha turns her finger into a tight fist as Sol collapses. Osha drops to her knee and briefly mourns the death of her former master and father figure. The Stranger approaches her, but Osha instinctively activates Sol’s lightsaber, rapidly changing from blue to red. Mae and the Stranger watch with concern and interest, respectively.

Jedi on the hunt
Meanwhile, Master Rwoh lands her ship in a nearby forest clearing. As she exits with a contingent of Jedi, she briefly senses her former apprentice, the Stranger’s presence at the Brendok fortress. The Stranger also senses her presence and dons his cortosis helmet. Regaining her composure, Rwoh tells the Jedi that she knows where their targets are. Bazil joins the group and is greeted by Padawan Mog Adana, who is relieved that he is alive.

Back in the courtyard, Mae tells Osha that they need to leave. They find that the Stranger has disappeared. Mae leads Osha through the corridor, telling her she knows a way out—meanwhile, the Jedi file into the elevator. Rwoh pauses briefly before joining her comrades. Mae leads Osha to the generator annex. With Mae taking the lead, the two sisters climb down the rock face into a core tunnel. Mae explains that when she fell years ago, she was sucked into the core tunnel. Osha follows her lead.

Meanwhile, Master Rwoh discovers Sol’s body in the courtyard. She hears echoes of the twins’ fateful night on Brendok through the Force. Rwoh sends some Jedi in pursuit of the twins and orders the rest to set up a five-klick perimeter around the fortress. She tells Mog to use the tracker. The Stranger watches from above while Rwoh kneels beside Sol’s body. After a moment of grief, she looks up at the roof. However, the Stranger has disappeared.

Osha’s choices
Elsewhere, Mae leads Osha out of the core tunnel into the base of the fortress. They head into the forest. Meanwhile, Mog’s party reaches the woods. A dark-skinned human woman hands Mae’s pouch to Bazil, who leads the group. Mae and Osha reach the bunta tree, where they had spent time as children. Mae tells Osha that she waited under the bunta tree. Osha apologizes for not believing Mae, and Mae apologizes for starting the fire. The two sisters embrace while Mae weeps.

The Stranger reunites with them, recovering Sol’s former lightsaber. He warns the sisters that if he can find them, they are in danger of being found by the Jedi. Osha wants to tell the Jedi the truth about Sol’s crimes. After learning about Sol’s crimes, the Stranger asks her to consider how she can still have faith in the Jedi. He warns Osha that she is in danger if the Jedi learn about her true power. Mae backs up the Stranger. When Mae asks Osha what she wants, Osha approaches the Stranger and asks him to let go of her twin in return for becoming his student.

Mae asks Osha to consider her decision, warning that the Jedi will use her to find Osha. Meanwhile, Bazil leads the Jedi Knights towards the direction of Mae and Osha’s scent. As the Jedi approach the bunta tree, the Stranger offers to purge Mae’s memories. Osha is distraught about losing her sister again, but Mae tells her that she will fulfill what she was meant to do and that nobody will stop her this time. The Stranger returns the lightsaber to Osha. Osha and Mae embrace one more time. Osha vows to find Mae, who reaffirms their sisterly bond together. As they repeat their verse, the Stranger raises his hand and wipes Mae’s memory. Before leaving the mind-wiped Mae behind, Osha tells her she gives herself to her.

Mae’s surrender
Shortly later, Padawan Mog, Bazil, and the Jedi Knights catch up with Mae at the bunta tree. They arrest her but find that she is amnesiac. At the Jedi Temple, Mae is escorted by her Jedi captors into Master Rwoh’s control room. Another Jedi deactivates Pip. Rwoh is dressed in white robes and has two firebirds on her shoulder. Rwoh orders her subordinates to remove Mae’s restraints and invites her to sit by a table. When Rwoh asks if she knows why she is here, Mae says that they say she killed someone, but she doesn’t remember.

Mae tells Rwoh that she can remember a fire and that a man killed her mother. Mae says that she ran away and that there is someone she needs to tell, but she can’t find her. Rwoh says that Mae’s memory was from when she was eight years old and that the man who killed her mother was a Jedi. Rwoh describes Sol as a kind, brilliant, compassionate man who did something terrible.

Cover up
Master Rwoh later repeated this falsified account to a Republic tribunal headed by Supreme Chancellor Drellik. She tells Drellik and the assembled senators that sixteen years ago, four Jedi, including Master Sol, were stationed on the planet Brendok. They encountered a Force cult of witches. A conflict ensued, resulting in many casualties. She says that the Jedi conspired to hide this incident. Rwoh claims Sol went rogue and killed his fellow Jedi to maintain their initial “cover story.”

In a flashback, Rwoh apologizes to the late Sol. At present, Rwoh reiterates that the Jedi High Council condemns Sol’s actions. Senator Rayencourt urges the Chancellor and his fellow senators to proceed with a full external review of the Jedi Order rather than waiting for the Senate vote. Rwoh emphasizes that the events on Brendok were the work of a “flawed man.” When Chancellor Drellik asks about the whereabouts of Master Sol, Rwoh claims that he committed suicide at the scene of his crime. In a flashback, Rwoh lights a funeral pyre for Sol on a boat, which is sent flowing down a river.

Rwoh tells the amnesiac Mae that Sol’s secret twisted his mind and claims that he justified his selfish actions with his love for her sister Osha. Mae asks if she has a sister. When Rwoh asks if she recognizes the name Osha, Mae’s eyes glitter. Purporting to take pity on Mae, Rwoh enlists her help to find his former Padawan.

Elsewhere on Bal’demnic, Osha and the Stranger stand together. He holds her hand as she grips her lightsaber, and the two stare at the sunset over the beach. Back at the Jedi Temple, Rwoh meets with Master Yoda.