Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for The Acolyte episode 3
Summary
An exciting Easter egg fromThe Acolyteepisode 3 reveals a very cool nod to Legends and points to the true nature of the dark side itself. Taking place before the events of the show’s first two episodes,The Acolyteepisode 3 revealsthe origins of Osha Aniseya (Amandla Stenberg) and her twin sister Mae. To that end, the young girls' ascension ceremony with a coven of witches features an intriguing parallel to the origins of the Force and its wielders.
Raised by witches on the planet Brendok, young Osha and Mae are set to be officially accepted into the coven’s ranks inThe Acolyteepisode 3with an important ascension ceremony. Led by the coven’s leader Mother Aniseya who created the twins using her rare powers in the Force, this ascension ceremony occurs on the moonlight of Brendok’s dual moons. Not only do these eclipsing moons look to be the same ones seen inThe Acolyte’slogo,but they a to connect to a very cool part ofStar Warslegends and the established canon regarding the aspects of the Force itself.
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The Acolyte Episode 3’s Ashla & Bogan Easter Egg Are An Incredible Legends Nod
The Moons of Tython
During the ascension ceremony, the red and blue moons of Brendock can be seen overhead in the night sky, eclipsing each other as Mother Aniseya and her coven perform a powerful ritual before inducting Osha and Mae into their ranks.As such, these twin moons resemble the ancient Jedi world of Tython and its own moons. Tython was a world connected to the origins of the Jedi Order, with many scholars having theorized that it might have been the site of their first temple (though it was actually Ahch-To where Luke Skywalker goes into exile in the sequels).
Tython is part of the establishedStar Warscanonthanks to a collection ofStar Warscomics such as Marvel’sDarth VaderandDoctor Aphraseries. However, the planet’s most notable appearance was in live-action withThe Mandalorianseason 2, when Grogu meditates on the seeing stone before his capture by the Imperial Remnant. However, the significance of Tython’s moons has largely remained part of the non-canon Legends (so far).
In Legends, it was saidancient Jedi reflected on the nature of Tython’s moons, named Ashla and Bogan. This helped them develop the concepts of the light and dark side aspects of the Force. To that end, Ashla and Bogan are the original names for the light and dark side, a fact that was made canon thanks toStar WarsRebelswhen they were named as such by the mysterious Force-sensitive being known as the Bendu, a powerful entity claiming to represent the center between the two. As such, Brendok’s moons do seem to serve as a key parallel to the moons of Tython.
The Mandalorian
Cast
Released on July 10, 2025 The Mandalorian follows a lone gunfighter navigating the galaxy’s outer reaches after the Galactic Empire’s fall. As a skilled bounty hunter, he operates in a lawless universe, undertaking various missions on the fringes of the New Republic’s territories.
The Acolyte Episode 3 Hints At The True Nature Of The Dark Side
The Dark Is As Natural As The Light
Keeping the narrative connection to Tython and its moons in mind, it certainly seems as though Brendock’s moons point to a core truth about the dark side of the Force.Just like Ashla and Bogan, Brendock’s moons look to be in a natural orbit, existing simultaneously while likely representing the two different aspects of the Force itself. This would suggest that the dark side is just as natural as the light side, a necessary aspect of the Force that must be acknowledged, and can’t ever be eradicated fully. Both are needed in orderto achieve true balance in the Force.
It’s no coincidence that Osha and Mae were born as twins though the power of the Force, and that their ascension ceremony is happening on a world containing twin moons. The narrative parallels are in full force, including the idea that,despite the fact that Osha and Mae end up taking very different paths as they grow up, their destinies are clearly tied to one another, even as the lines between good/bad and light/dark are likely going to continue to be blurred as the series continues.
Osha Rejects The Moons, Choosing The Way Of The Sun Instead
Becoming Sol’s Apprentice
It’s also notable that Brendok’s moons inThe Acolyteepisode 3 were seen eclipsing each other and nearing an alignment.This suggests that thewitches of Brendok led by Mother Aniseyabelieve in balance rather than one aspect over another. This also likely connects to their Force philosophy, that the energy field that binds all living things in the galaxy is in truth a “Great Thread” that connects all, allowing for the power of one to become greater through the power of two, and subsequently the many, like with a coven of united witches.
Osha ultimately rejects this idea represented by Brendok’s moons. While Mae is inducted into the coven, Osha chooses instead to become a Jedi after the ascension ceremony is interrupted by four Jedi who request to test both girls. Osha eventually becomes the apprentice toJedi Master Sol, and it can’t be a coincidence that “Sol” is Latin for “Sun”.However, it’s likely going to be important that Osha didn’t stick with her Jedi pathas was revealed inThe Acolyte’spremiere, suggesting that regaining the balance could be her endpoint, and perhaps Mae’s as well as theStar Warsshow continues.
The Acolyteepisode 3 is now streaming. New episodes release Tuesdays on Disney+
The Acolyte
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.
