Movies News Talk
The just published Disney+ series The Acolyte offers fresh insight on Yoda's High Republic era Jedi Order leadership. According to the series, Yoda might have been lazy in the face of mounting dangers to the Jedi, so contributing to their demise in the prequel trilogy even with his knowledge and experience.
Yoda's almost 800-year lifetime gave him a different viewpoint on the past of the galaxy. He had seen the rise and fall of the Sith, and theoretically he should have expected their comeback. Still, Yoda's response to the Sith's return in The Phantom Menace was shockingly subdued, as though he was caught off guard.
But The Acolyte shows that Yoda's inaction is far more alarming. Long before Darth Maul showed up, a full century ago, he knew the Sith was resurearing. This begs issues about Yoda's lack of using this period to equip the Jedi for the approaching conflict. Why did he let the Jedi to remain lazy, thinking the galaxy to be at peace, instead of sharing this knowledge with the Order?
Beyond the threat of the Sith, The Acolyte also emphasizes the mounting doubt among the Jedi inside the Galactic Republic. Prominent series character Senator Rayencourt raises questions on the emotional distance of the Jedi and their possible threat to the Republic. He tells Master Vernestra Rwoh that the Jedi's rigorous adherence to their code might finally bring them down.
Regretfully, Rayencourt's warnings are prophetic. The Jedi's strict training and their incapacity to effectively handle Anakin Skywalker's emotional challenges cause him to fall tragically into the dark side, so undermining the Republic. Having lost trust in the Jedi, the Senate welcomes Palpatine's manipulative control, which finally helps the Empire to grow.
The prequel trilogy's events were finally set up by Yoda's complacency and denial of the mounting dangers to the Jedi from the Senate as well as from the Sith. Though he had decades to equip the Jedi for the trials they would encounter, he neglected to empower them.
The Acolyte gives Yoda's leadership during a turning point in Jedi history top attention. It presents Yoda's actions in a harsh light even as it provides a window into the inner conflicts of the Jedi Order. His neglect to confront the escalating dangers to the Jedi from both inside and outside finally brought them down and helped the Empire to flourish. Yoda's complacency in this sense becomes a crucial determinant of the Star Wars saga's events.