Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Acolyte episodes 1 and 2.
Summary
Lee Jung-jae has at last made hisStar Warsdebut inThe Acolyte, and his characterMaster Solis the kind of Jedi I’ve always wanted to see. The Jedi are an important part of theStar Warsmyth, and they certainly get their spotlight inThe Acolyte. Taking place 100 years beforeStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menacein theHigh Republic era, the Jedi are experiencing their golden age. They are certainly less dogmatic than the Jedi Order of the prequels, but the shadow of who they will become still lingers.
Standing out from these Jedi is Master Sol, Jung-jae’s character who has quickly endeared manyStar Warsfans, myself included. From his very first scene, it becomes clear that he’s different from the other Jedi of his time, as he maintains faith in his former Padawan who left the Jedi Order and clings to the nostalgia of the relationship they once had. There’s a softness to him that is utterly refreshing, and it paints him as the ideal Jedi I’ve always wanted from theStar Warsfranchise - mostly because of this vulnerability he displays.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode Guide - Cast Members, Biggest Takeaways & Easter Eggs
Here’s everything you need to follow along with Star Wars: The Acolyte, from references and trivia to main takeaways from each new episode.
Sol Embraces What He Feels Responsibly
Sol
Master Sol is a wise, highly respected, powerful Jedi Master, strong in the ways of the Force, who is going through emotional conflict.
The vulnerability Master Sol displays is mainly a result of him embracing his emotions rather than forcing them away. Much of this has to do with Jung-jae’s ability to deliver his lines with such expressiveness, something that showrunner Leslye Headland was looking for specifically when she cast Jung-jae into the role. He’s able to relish sweetly in his reunion with Osha, and he doesn’t hesitate to take her side even with all the evidence stacked against her.He doesn’t hide from these genuine feelings whatsoever.
As someone who’s always loved Liam Neeson’s Qui-Gon Jinn, my fondness for Master Sol’s vulnerability makes a lot of sense, considering Jung-jae closely studied Qui-Gon in preparation for his role. Even then, however, Qui-Gon was better at shielding his emotions than Master Sol. I often find myself smiling with warmth whenever Sol and Osha interact, particularly when they dwell upon their fonder memories together. His suggestion that he may not have been a good teacher when she says she wasn’t a good student is so beautifully honest and endearing, and it’s such a refreshing take on the master-apprentice dynamic.
Sol Also Doesn’t Let His Emotions Get The Best Of Him
So Far, He Knows Where To Draw The Line With His Feelings
As ofThe Acolyteepisodes 1 and 2, we haven’t yet seen Master Sol’s emotions get the best of him, even when he’s openly embracing them. While he’s concerned about Osha and is mourning the death of his friendMaster Indara,Sol doesn’t take his emotions out on anyone or anything. He recognizes how important it is to be honest with the way he’s feeling without letting those feelings guide him completely. This, to me, is a healthy picture of what all Jedi should be.
More Jedi should embrace their emotions like Sol and create a familiarity with them that makes it easier for them to gain clarity.
Rather than taking the approach of the prequel Jedi Order in shutting down emotions and considering them to be threats, more Jedi should embrace their emotions like Sol and create a familiarity with them that makes it easier for them to gain clarity. I’ve always wanted to see what it would be like if the Jedi thought this way, and Sol is a prime example of that. It’s clear that, while he’s haunted by a past we haven’t learned yet, he’s mindful and cautious of everything he’s feeling even while he doesn’t deny himself the chance to actually feel it.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Cast & Character Guide
Here’s everything we know about The Acolyte’s cast and the characters they will be portraying in Star Wars' most mysterious project yet.
Sol’s Empathy Makes Him The Epitome Of Who The Jedi Really Are
All Jedi Should Care As Much As Sol Does
Above all, what stands out to me the most about Master Sol is his pure sense of empathy. Osha is the primary example of this, asSol is eager to reassure her and quickly takes her side when she insists she’s not to blamefor Indara’s murder. He looks genuinely concerned when they come across her, proving just how much he truly cares about her wellbeing above all else. Even before then, he can sense the hesitation hisPadawan Jeckioften has before speaking, and he does his best to ease her so that she feels more comfortable speaking freely.
There are still many episodes left to see just how far Sol extends his empathy, but so far, it’s reasonable to conclude that Osha and Jecki will not be the only exceptions. He’s already started to extend his empathy to Mae, even when she’s killed two Jedi and is attempting to kill him as well. I have a feeling there will be more to Sol when the other shoe drops, but for now, I’m very pleased by the kind of Jedi he is inThe Acolyte- and I cannot wait to see more of him.
The Acolyteepisodes 1 and 2 are now streaming. New episodes release Tuesdays 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.
