Star Wars has somewhat redeemed The Acolyte’s live-action Wookiee Jedi. Known as Kelnacca, the rare Force-sensitive Wookiee was one of the Jedi involved in the events on Brendok and the tragic night that would set twin sisters Mae and Osha Aniseya on divergent paths. However, it’s widely been argued that Kelnacca’s role in the show was criminally underrated when he could and should have received greater (and more meaningful) screen time.
Thankfully, Marvel’s new and canonical Star Wars: The Acolyte – Kelnacca #1 provides a far more satisfying High Republic story for the Wookiee Jedi than was seen in The Acolyte itself. In the one-shot issue, an elderly Jedi Master on his deathbed shares with his Padawan the tale of his own master, Kelnacca. Having lost his original master during the fall of Starlight Beacon, Yarzion Vell was sent to have his training completed by Kelnacca. While Kelnacca was a Wookiee of very few words, his actions spoke volumes, especially after Yarzion demonstrated great compassion for a family whom the Jedi duo saved from a fire:
Knighting his apprentice, Kelnacca promoting Yarzion is a truly heartwarming moment. However, the issue goes even further to show just how caring and invested the Wookiee was as a Jedi master during the High Republic Era.
Kelnacca Proves The True Strength Of Wookiee Jedi Masters
Long Life Spans
As a Wookiee, Kelnacca has a very long life span, capable of living hundreds of years. As such, the Wookiee was able to honor his former apprentice during Yarzion’s last moments and be present at his cremation. While Kelnacca was still in his prime, Yarzion himself had become an accomplished Jedi Master himself in the many years that followed his knighting.
Likewise, Yarzion’s apprentice discovers that Kelnacca bears a similar tattoo to her late master, a custom from Yarzion’s homeworld where the name of one’s greatest mentor is tattooed on the side of the head. As such, it’s touching proof that Kelnacca cared about his apprentice, even if he didn’t often express it through his words. It certainly shows that Kelnacca was a truly great Jedi Master during the High Republic Era, having tattooed his student’s name just as Yarzion had done with his previous master (and she had done for Yarzion).
Kelnacca’s New Comics Makes Up For His Live-Action Debut
Barely Used, Possessed By Witches, and Killed Off-Screen
Not only does Kelnacca honor his old student, but he also begins the cycle again by agreeing to complete the Padawan’s training at the issue’s end. As such, this single issue is a far better story for a Wookiee Jedi, rather than the few sequences of Kelnacca that were featured in The Acolyte itself. Not only was he massively underutilized, but the times he was featured saw him being possessed and under the control of witches, as well as being murdered off-screen. As such, this new comic does serve as a decent consolidation prize for those who had wanted more from Star Wars’ first live-action Wookiee Jedi.