Star Wars series The Acolyte was one of the most divisive shows to come out of Lucasfilm in the Disney+ streaming era. The series follows twin heroines Osha and Mae (both played by Amandla Stenberg) as they uncover what happened to them as children and why the Jedi Order raised one while a mysterious cloaked figure from the Dark Side raised the other. Needless to say, the series didn’t go over well with the online community, as it was relentlessly review-bombed and canceled shortly after season one came out. Honestly, the series wasn’t bad, and it was nice to see a “hit list” show about a massive Jedi cover-up instead of another series set in the Skywalker/Mandalorian era, but that ultimately didn’t matter.
Showrunner Leslye Headland had already assembled a writers’ room for a potential season 2 (as is standard for most shows these days), despite the possibility of cancellation. The writers’ room would consist of the same writers from season 1, and a season 2 & 3 bible was already written. They didn’t write full episodes since it hadn’t been renewed yet, but they did write a basic outline for each episode.
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We at Knight Edge Media have learned plot points for the first half of the second season, before it was ultimately scrapped. As we know, at the end of the first season, Osha switches places with her twin sister Mae and joins Qimir (played by Manny Jacinto) on the Dark Side. Darth Plagueis also appears to be on the “unknown planet” somehow but doesn’t directly meet Osha just yet.
The series was going to have a 1-year time skip after season 1. A cold open would feature Osha in a gladiator ring run by the Hutts; the same concept was ultimately used in The Mandalorian and Grogu. She ends up killing the Hutt running the ring, named “Brigo”. Several Hutts have similar names, including Brogo, Broga, and Borvo the Hutt in the expanded universe, though it’s unknown which Hutt this is. Since Osha isn’t fully with the Dark Side yet internally, the Jedi Order learns of her assassination attempt. Mae is now with Yoda and the Jedi Order, as revealed in season 1. She spends most of the time with Yoda’s Padawan, Cohli; they wanted a South Asian actress for the role. Yoda is training Mae to track Osha using the Force after the incident with the Hutts.
Qimir works directly for Darth Plagueis and does his bidding. Throughout the season, Qimir (and, by extension, Osha) is tasked with assassinating multiple other figures besides the Hutt in service of Darth Plagueis. They are revealed to be just pawns in a large conspiracy, much like Vader killing the Separatists in The Revenge of the Sith. The season would include two flashback episodes explaining Qimir’s origin from his perspective, then again from Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh (played by Rebecca Henderson). As was already revealed, Qimir was originally her apprentice (via The Direct). Qimir also now stays at a mansion on the same planet from season 1 instead of a cave, with a snarky droid servant. Several female comedic actresses were wanted for the voice role.
During a gala, Darth Plagueis appears as a normal-looking hologram to the guests but is secretly inside like a vampire-type monster hidden deep in the mansion’s shadows. Plagueis is constantly trying to have Qimir bring him Osha. However, Qimir refuses, and the two ultimately fight, with Qimir beaten to within an inch of his life. Osha saves him and brings him to a Force deprivation pool; the same idea is used for his helmet in season 1. This scene would push Star Wars to its furthest point, as Andor has done before. Star Wars would have its first on-screen “sexual” experience between Osha and Qimir. Nothing explicit would ever be shown under Disney (think Spider-Man: Brand New Day), but it would be more akin to 2009’s Avatar. The two would be in the pool together, finally let their guard down, and then their spirits/consciousness would become one with the Force sensually. Ultimately, this would allow the two to become more than master and apprentice, leading into future seasons.
The Acolyte season 1 is streaming now on Disney+