The Acolyte Introduced Cortosis
The Acolyte episode 5 introduced a new lightsaber resistant material called cortosis ore. Cortosis can absorb huge amounts of energy. This power allowed the Stranger to shut down a lot of the Jedi's lightsabers. Cortosis has a long history in both Star Wars Legends and canon. But its appearance in a live-action Star Wars show brought it into the spotlight. Leslye Headland had to handle cortosis very carefully to preserve George Lucas' original vision.
Headland explained that the decision to include cortosis was tricky. She wanted to make sure that it fit in with George Lucas' original vision. She was worried about weakening the power of Lightsabers. But Cortosis was such a great new element. She thought it would be a cool thing to incorporate.
Cortosis' Limitations
Headland wanted to make sure cortosis wouldn't overshadow lightsabers. It was important for cortosis to have limitations. Cortosis needs to be breakable. The Acolyte writers made sure that Cortosis was not overpowered.
There is a limited resource of cortosis. This means that the Stranger can't have a full suit of armor. The Acolyte creators also made sure that cortosis only works for a limited time. This ensures that it doesn't become too powerful.
The Rarity of Cortosis
The Acolyte episode 5 showed that cortosis is very rare. Even the Stranger could only get enough of it for a helmet and a gauntlet. Cortosis' rarity is important for keeping it from being overpowered. It also means that it likely won't show up much in future Star Wars stories.
This limitation is good for the Star Wars universe. It prevents cortosis from becoming the galaxy's best defense against Jedi. It also keeps lightsabers as the best weapon in Star Wars. The rarity of cortosis maintains the element of surprise. It prevents cortosis from being just a gimmick anybody could take advantage of.
Cortosis Makes The Stranger Unique
The Stranger's ability to shut down lightsabers with cortosis will remain mostly unique to him. This makes him one of the biggest threats the Jedi ever saw. Cortosis was balanced perfectly in The Acolyte.
The writers made the right call to make it extremely rare. They also made sure it was breakable. This keeps cortosis from becoming a major threat to lightsabers in the future. It also keeps lightsabers as the best weapon in Star Wars.
