Wookie Jedi Kelnacca and the Power of a Saber-Wielding Walkyte: The Acolyte
Spoilers for The Acolyte episode 7 abound in this page.
Though we have seen Jedi of all shapes and sizes in the Star Wars universe, the sight of a Wookie Jedi brandishing a lightsaber is absolutely amazing. That's exactly what we got in the seventh episode of The Acolyte, where the Wookie Jedi Master Kelnacca made his grand opening. What, however, distinguishes this character and how will it affect the show?
The Acolyte Fight Choreography and Powerful Fighting Style of Kelnacca
The Acolyte's fight choreographer, Christopher Clark Cowan, exposed the difficulties and artistic decisions involved in realizing Kelnacca on film. "It's a difficult one to figure out," Cowan remarked on the fight choreography including a Wookie Jedi. "You have to consider simply the sheer force of a Wookiee wielding a saber behind his strikes. A Wookiee is going to knock you off balance, thus you cannot really just have a straight clash with him. His saber will land like a truck.
Cowan also underlined the original and "animalistic" approach to lightsaber fighting Kelnacca brings. "We really wanted him to approach things somewhat more wild and more animalistic," Cowan said. "Kelnacca would use his strength but it would be a bit more clean if we watched him fight in his own Jedi mind. His form won't be perfect though, since the witches are inside his mind and triggering his primal impulses. It isn't going to be exactly accurate. Whatever is in front of him will be taken out by it swinging wildly, regardless of cost. And Joonas very faithfully captured that. Seeing him with a lightsaber at last was really fantastic!
The Terrifying Authority of a Wookie Jedi in Battle
There is nothing like Kelnacca's fighting technique among all the Jedi we have seen. He succumbs to the coven in episode 7 and exhibits a ferocious and terrible power show. Even seasoned Jedi Torbin and Sol find it difficult to match his raw strength and erratic lightsaber strikes. Clearly Kelnatta could have easily overwhelmed the two Jedi without Indara's intervention.
Driven by his strong Wookie body and the coven's impact, Kelnacca's terrible fighting technique makes him a force to be reckoned with. Not surprisingly, his presence gives the show a whole fresh degree of suspense and thrills. He reminds us that the Force can show itself in several forms and that a strong opponent like Kelnacca might overwhelm even the most experienced Jedi.
What Kelnacca Means for Star Wars' Future
The arrival of a Wookie Jedi like Kelnacca in The Acolyte presents the Star Wars universe with a great range of opportunities. Wookiees have long history of wielding the Force; characters like Arkoff and Burryaga Agaburry acted as Jedi during the High Republic. A Wookie using the Force is obviously a great advantage, but it also comes with hazards and difficulties.
With a possibility of seeing more Wookie Jedi emerge and their distinctive fighting techniques impacting the Star Wars galaxy, the future episodes of The Acolyte might investigate this dynamic more extensively. It would be an interesting investigation of the several methods the Force might be used and the effects of various species on the Jedi Order.
Given the possibility for a second season of The Acolyte, one could easily picture Kelnacca returning or seeing other Wookie Jedi front stage. Considering the opportunities for these strong and distinctive Star Wars characters gives one great excitement.
