Warning! The following contains spoilers for The Acolyte episode "Teach/Corrupt." Stream it with a Disney+ subscription and read at your own risk!
The widely discussed show The Acolyte delivered another banger of an episode and possibly, a major reveal that could impact future upcoming Star Wars shows. Manny Jacinto's enigmatic Qimir only became more mysterious the more viewers learned about him in the latest episode, "Teach/Corrupt." As fans wonder if Osha will be swayed to embrace the Dark Side, others are theorizing that Qimir is secretly a major SW character. I'd be thrilled if that's the case but confused as to why it would be revealed.
A popular theory about Qimir is making rounds on the Internet, thanks in large part to @VadersOrder and others. And, if their logic is true, this would be biggest reveal in Star Wars that fans will have seen in quite a while. Let's talk about what the producers could be setting up and the major question of why they'd be doing so.
Who Do Some Fans Believe Qimir To Be And Why?
This week's episode of The Acolyte revealed that Qimir took Osha to a place described in the episode as "Unknown Planet," which in and of itself feels suspicious. I suspect that revealing the planet's name might lead Star Wars fans to figure out a secret earlier than desired, though that might've happened anyway. All in all, fans seem to think that Qimir is known other than the Sith legend Darth Plagueis.
So why is that? Well, the current theory is that Qimir and Osha are on the planet Bal'demnic, and the theory makes sense for a couple of reasons. The planet has been described as "rocky" and "tropical," which certainly would track based on what viewers saw in the episode. It was certainly warm enough for Manny Jacinto's character to take a swim, (and, after that shirtless scene, he's not beating the allegations of being the new Kylo Ren.)
This planet was significant in Star Wars lore, because it was once inhabited by Darth Tenebrous and his young pupil, Darth Plagueis. On this planet, Plagueis murdered Tenebrous, which seems interesting given Qimir's story about being stabbed in the back by his former master. Another big clue that might indicate that Qimir and Osha are on Bal'demnic is that the planet has a rich supply of Cortosis, a relatively rare metal that Qimir used to forge his helmet. As always, take the theory with a grain of salt, but it is very intriguing to think about.
What Would Be The Reason For Introducing Such A Legendary Star Wars Character And Using Him Here?
If The Acolyte is bringing in Darth Plagueis, we're talking about a Force user who would crush many of the most powerful Jedi we've seen in Star Wars. The master of Emperor Palpatine was mentioned in the prequels but, to date, has never had a live-action appearance. It'd be a big moment for the franchise to introduce him, but why would it do so?
As the first live-action entry in The High Republic, I could buy the idea that the creative team wants to introduce a big bad early on. There are few better options to choose from, and The Acolyte's store definitely feels to be leaning into the Jedi Order being adamant that the Sith and their followers are extinct.
Perhaps the purpose of this show is to highlight Plagueis and ultimately fill in the remaining gaps in the Star Wars timeline. That said, Plagueis is only important in the current canon because he ultimately trains and is killed by Palpatine, who isn't in this series. I don't imagine this season's sole purpose is to tee up the introduction of Young Palpatine, considering he has no involvement thus far.
If Qimir is Plagueis, I'd be intrigued by the possibility that he had more apprentices than just Palpatine. For example, if Osha becomes his Acolyte, what will happen to her? Is there an equally powerful Dark Jedi roaming the Outer Rim that has evaded discovery throughout Palpatine's reign? That'd be a reveal big enough for me to forgive this show for cutting the Wookiee Jedi fight. So, while all of this sounds awesome in theory, there would certainly need to be some sort of reason for bringing Plagueis into the series, assuming that's who Qimir even is.
Perhaps we'll get some answers to all our questions when The Acolyte returns with a new episode on Tuesday, July 9th. If this theory pans out, I would expect even more major Jedi deaths going forward, so strap in for what could be a wild episode.
