Disney may have canceled The Acolyte, but this stunning Zabrak cosplay proves the Star Wars TV show will have a lasting legacy. The Acolyte was controversial before it even released, and the Disney+ TV show – set a century before Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace – was sadly canceled due to low viewership. So far, there’s no sign complaints or petitions have led Lucasfilm and Disney to reconsider.
But that doesn’t mean The Acolyte will have no legacy. The cosplayer Shrye has unveiled a stunning Zabrak cosplay, inspired by The Acolyte’s Mother Koril, in which she stands wielding a purple lightsaber. What is most striking, though, is the beauty of the costume; it’s clearly based on Mother Aniseya’s mysterious cult, and it’s a welcome reminder of the beauty of The Acolyte’s costuming.
What The Acolyte’s Creative Costumes & Designs Mean For Star Wars
Their influence will surely remain
The Acolyte introduced viewers to the tail-end of the High Republic Era, a time when the Jedi Order was very different. That’s most evident in the beautiful robes many of them wore, framed with a rich gold that demonstrated their confidence and self-assumed purity. Make-up and prosthetics were equally impressive, with Lucasfilm’s team pulling off stunning work with Dafne Keen’s Jecki Lon and Rebecca Henderson’s Vernestra Rwoh. The Sith Lord known as the Stranger was fantastically impressive, with Manny Jacinton donning a superb costume.
All this means that, although The Acolyte has been canceled, it will have a lasting legacy. Lucasfilm has learned so many lessons from this Disney+ TV show, further developing their costumes as well as the stunning fight choreography. No doubt next year’s Star Wars Celebration will feature quite a few cosplayers who have been influenced by The Acolyte, not least because Jacinto is already confirmed to be attending.
The Acolyte’s Fate Is A Disappointment, But It’s Good That It Will Have A Legacy
Lucasfilm can learn from what worked
Personally, I confess that I had a mixed response to The Acolyte. Pacing and characterization were problematic, but at the same time I couldn’t help but sense there were so many interesting ideas bubbling under the surface – ideas that will sadly never be realized. The end of The Acolyte set up an intriguing story in which Vernestra Rwoh sought out her former Padawan, the Stranger, seeking to learn why he had fallen to the dark side. The glimpse of Darth Plagueis was tantalizing, and will now never be explored.
All this means I’m disappointed that The Acolyte was canceled, and I do feel Lucasfilm made a mistake. But it is gratifying to realize that The Acolyte will always have a fanbase – as proven by this cosplay – and it will also have a legacy. In Star Wars, nothing is ever truly gone.