Flashback Episode of The Acolyte from a Single Point of View
The Acolyte Episode 3 mostly relates from Osha's point of view, even though there are a few instances in which she is missing. She is practicing with the Force alone in the woods at the start of the episode, and every scenario and character is usually shown depending on her attitude about them. Mae is emotionally insecure; the witches are dark and illogical; the Jedi are gentle and encouraging. Her young age and the sadness of losing her family at the end make her not a completely trustworthy storyteller, hence future episodes should allow further answers.
If based on Osha's memories, many perplexing events naturally make more sense. Though it doesn't seem like it, the witches purportedly perished in the fire; Osha was so disturbed that she didn't challenge Jedi Master Sol's justification. Mae was quite devoted to Osha and wouldn't want to burn her childhood house, hence it seemed odd that she would suddenly break and flatly say she would kill Osha to keep her from going. Osha's resentment towards Mae could have distorted her memory, so another interpretation of the events could be the exact reverse.
The Last Jedi Approach Repeated in the Acolyte Flashbacks
The way the third Acolyte episode treats the viewpoint of a single character is reminiscent of The Last Jedi's Flashbacks. Though not everything in the first version of events ties up, both tales have a treachery that culminates in a temple burning down and most of their residents being killed. One flashback relates from Luke's point of view; the next from Ben Solo's; the third shows what Luke was hiding prior. The Acolyte would make sense using this same ploy to keep the mystery over the season while the characters hunt Mae.
Maybe the upcoming episodes will retell Mae's perspective's identical events, showing her as the victim who never really tried to kill Osha. Combining components of the first two, the next episode would then portray the flashback from the Jedi's point of view, therefore exposing the complete truth about what transpired that evening. Because of a crime Mae believes they committed, Mae is chasing the Jedi; Master Torbin voluntarily ended his life, so the Jedi are hiding something. Should The Acolyte be duplicating Star Wars: The Last Jedi's biggest trick, it might not be a mystery for much more.
The Last Jedi's Best Trick Repeated Secretly in Acolyte Episode 3
The third Acolyte episode uncovers more of Mae and Osha's backstory, covertly using the finest tactic from Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The first two episodes gently alluded to what occurred to Mae and Osha 16 years before the series began, and Episode 3 seems to have gone into great length. The episode is sometimes perplexing, mostly because of poor writing but also in part because of deliberate mystery. Many actions contradict the established personalities and motivations of the characters, and several events remain not fully explained.
Still, depending on your perspective, some of the episode's elements start to seem less perplexing. The framework of The Last Jedi and the narrative have many parallels, so the writers might be using a same approach as the mystery of the show develops. It would set up the next few episodes to deepen on the Flashbacks and explain some of the more startling events in the episode. Using the same tactic as The Last Jedi will enable the show to offer the solution; there is surely more to the tale than what The Acolyte has presented so far.
The Acolyte: Knowledge Worth Knowing
Set in the Star Wars world toward the conclusion of the High Republic Era, The Acolyte is a television series featuring both the Galactic Empire and the Jedi at their height of prominence. Investigating various crimes, this sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they uncover all leading to darkness bursting from beneath the surface and ready to bring about the demise of the High Republic.
Now streaming is the third Acolyte episode. Tuesdays on Disney+ release new episodes.
