It’s been four months since it was announced that The Acolyte had been cancelled after just one season, which is a shame, because this addition to the lineup of Disney+ Star Wars shows had dropped two big teases that would have been explored in future seasons. In addition to Vernestra Rwoh going to visit Yoda in the final moments of the series finale, we also met a mysterious being who was identified offscreen as Darth Plagueis, the Sith Lord who will go on to train Palpatine. I’ve still been thinking about this appearance every now and then, and Manny Jacinto, who played Qimir/The Stranger, has shared some teasing information about the Plagueis cameo that has me wishing even more that The Acolyte Season 2 was happening.
During a FanExpo San Francisco panel hosted by Collider’s Maggie Lovitt this past weekend, Jacinto was asked by a fan if he could share anything on a potential future season of The Acolyte, including how his character was connected to Darth Plagueis, if at all. The actor answered:
Oh man, that's a tough question. They're not [connected], they're definitely not. Oh man, how do I answer that? What time is it? [laughs] There are definitely a lot of different theories, like who he is, because we never actually know his true identity. Is Qimir's name actually Qimir? We definitely wanted to explore it. There was definitely going to be more of Plagueis in the second, or if not, the third seasons of the show, but I just can't say, because, you know, we could come back. I don't want to spoil anything, or give anybody any false hope, but I would just say there was a lot more to explore, for sure.
Ok, hold up: Darth Plagueis and Qimir aren’t connected? That one took me surprise. I’d already assumed that Qimir wasn’t Manny Jacinto’s character’s real name, and no doubt that would have been revealed once we started learning about his past with Vernestra Rwoh, who’d been his master in the Jedi Order. I’m also not shocked to hear Plagueis would have returned later down the line following that cameo considering how important he is to the Star Wars mythology.
But for Jacinto to say these two aren’t connected, if I’m understanding correctly, is strange. Qimir identified himself as a Sith Lord during The Acolyte, and since the Rule of Two is in effect at this point in the Star Wars timeline, that would make Darth Plagueis the only other Sith who should be around. However, we never saw Qimir and Plagueis onscreen together, with the latter only peering at the former and Osha from a nearby cave as they were departing from the mysterious planet those three were on.
There’s only one explanation for this lack of connection that comes to mind: Qimir, while obviously still in the ways of the Dark Side, was not actually a true Sith. If we follow that rationale, then we could see a story unfold where Plagueis, who’s the real Sith deal, is angry that Qimir is passing himself off as one and trying to start his own “Sith” partnership with Osha. Then Plagueis would become The Acolyte’s new main antagonist by hunting down Qimir and Osha and killing them for their disrespect.
This is just an idea I thought of, but regardless, Manny Jacinto’s comment makes it all the more disappointing that The Acolyte was cancelled. I’m holding out hope that this corner of the Star Wars universe can be revisited someday, perhaps in novel or comic book form. Until then, its sole season can still be streamed with a Disney+ subscription.
