Star Wars: The Acolyte

The Acolyte Episode 5 Features Kylo Ren Easter Egg, Leading to New Star Wars Fan Theory

Sure to keep you up at Knight.

This post might contain affiliation links. If you buy something through this post, the publisher may get a share of the sale.
Adele Ankers-Range
by Adele Ankers-Range 
 Posted June 26, 2024, 11:05 p.m.

Warning: Spoilers follow for Episode 5 of The Acolyte.

The Acolyte dropped a subtle Kylo Ren Easter egg in its latest episode, sparking a new Star Wars fan theory about the show's most mysterious character.

Episode 5 of The Acolyte, curiously titled "Night," finally unmasked the mysterious Master, lovingly known in some circles as "Darth Teeth," and - spoiler alert - fans were right about the identity of the masked menace, as Qimir went up against Master Sol and the rest of the Jedi, resulting in some brutal killings and tragic losses.

In one eyebrow-raising moment towards the end of the episode, Qimir approaches a wounded Osha, left behind on Khofar after a sneaky sibling-switcheroo that saw Mae go off with Sol. Kylo Ren's theme music from the Star Wars sequel trilogy plays over the scene, prompting fans to question the significance of the musical nod.

Viewers shared their theories on X/Twitter immediately after the episode. One of the most popular suggestions is that Qimir is the first Ren, as in the Knights of Ren - an enclave of masked warriors oriented toward the darker and more primal aspects of the Force, who were active long before Ben Solo's Dark Side seduction.

"This is undoubtedly a Knights of Ren origin story," one person confidently stated. "Qimir says, 'The Jedi like you would call me Sith,' but he doesn't say he is."

Reddit users were also in agreement and further backed up the theory, as one person quizzed: "Kylo Ren theme played multiple times during the episode so I'm thinking that Qimir isn't a sith but maybe the OG Ren?" Another pointed out: "He said the Jedi might call him a Sith but he made it sound like he's unaffiliated."

Others are curious as to whether Qimir is operating alone or whether someone is looming over him, with some viewers still believing that The Acolyte will be the series that finally introduces Emperor Palpatine's powerful master, Darth Plagueis, or even the Sith Master of Darth Plagueis, Darth Tenebrous.

The Acolyte sparked Darth Plagueis theories long before it premiered. However, they intensified after Episode 3 as fans wondered whether Plagueis may have had a direct hand in the creation of Osha and Mae or if the twin's existence acted as a potential catalyst for him to experiment with midi-chlorian manipulation.

With three episodes of The Acolyte remaining, there are lots of jigsaw pieces still to slot into place, but the story threads are starting to come together. IGN called Episode 5 an "exciting and brutal episode" in which "The Master is unleashed and unmasked, leading to thrilling and shocking results that truly upend the series."

Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter here.

This post might contain affiliation links. If you buy something through this post, the publisher may get a share of the sale.
More Like This
Comments