Spoilers for The Acolyte lie ahead, so proceed with caution, young padawans.
As with most new and upcoming Star Wars movies and TV shows, the recently released series The Acolyte has some fans complaining online about various elements. (And that includes the use of fire in space.) While many of the viral tweets about the show at first were so-called fans griping and calling for review bombing, online engagement has seemingly shifted in recent weeks. Part of that can be attributed to a shirtless scene involving Qimir, played by The Good Place's Manny Jacinto, who was revealed to be the show’s mysterious and masked Sith Lord. Since many dubbed Qimir their Kylo Ren, a video of his shirtless moment -- complete with a voice-over description -- has hit the web, and fans are hooked!
The reveal in the fifth action-packed and deadly episode got everyone talking, including the official Star Wars social media accounts. The accounts even posted a Manny Jacinto thirst trap of the actor in training for the role. But this hilarious voiced-over video seems to have captured fans' attention now. In the clip, Qimir is seen undressing himself to potentially bathe in open waters, while Osha (Amandla Stenberg) hides behind a rock, watching. The sexual tension is palpable, but it’s the added audio description that people can’t get enough of. Watch for yourself:
OK you gotta watch this episode of The Acolyte with Disney+’s audio description pic.twitter.com/xNmwfF5kvNJuly 3, 2024
It’s worth noting that detailed audio descriptions like this one aren’t uncommon. They’re often provided with every new show released on streaming services and aid vision-impaired viewers the same way captions assist those with hearing difficulties. In many cases, they are overlooked by the general public. However, it's really hard to ignore just how detailed the descriptions are in this case.
And, while the scene was already being discussed online because of Manny Jacinto's body and the steamy nature of the scene, the conversation seemingly increased after this latest lip was shared. The comments from fans are hilarious, with some choosing to praise the writer(s) of the detailed description or quoting their favorite lines. Meanwhile, other admirers shared their own hilarious thoughts about the clip. Here are some of the highlights:
- This had me at “billowy pants.” - @RoxyWright0
- As a totally blind fan, I understood this reference. Even we are not immune to Qimir's... uh... dark... bits. - @BobServo1
- Lmao it’s like watching a nature documentary. - @MyTweetsMyThots
- This is smut. I love it. I also love it because it confirmed those are hakama pants for my uncultured self (this cosplay is gonna fuck). - @TCRochesterACT
- Did, did I just watch Fifty Shades of Star Wars? - @unicorntrainee
Even the user who originally posted the clip got in on the fun, sharing their favorite parts of the audio description, which included them pointing out that Qimir's back was “well toned.” Additionally, they found it hilarious that the writers described the sunlight as hitting his “top muscles” instead of saying shoulders or chest.
While it hasn’t been circulated online yet, it’s safe to assume that the audio description of Qimir getting out of the water would be equally as detailed, steamy and hilarious to listen to. Of course, curious minds can check out the scene and the rest of the show with an active Disney+ subscription.
The Acolyte might have gotten off to a rocky start, but it seems to be winning over its fans slowly and maybe even bringing some new ones into the Star Wars family. You can stream the first six episodes on Disney+ and catch brand-new episodes every Tuesday as it airs amid the 2024 TV schedule.
