The latest episode of the Star Wars series, The Acolyte, has sent shockwaves through the fandom.According to Screenrant, in episode five, dubbed “Night,” the Padawan, Jecki Lon, played by Dafne Keen (His Dark Materials), was killed by Qimir, portrayed by Manny Jacinto (Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind). This has sparked discussions due to its defiance of the unwritten rule in Disney’s Star Wars: the perceived shielding of innocent characters, particularly children.

The series showrunner Leslye Headland (Russian Doll) addressed the controversy head-on in a recent interview about the creative decision behind Jecki’s death.

She commented via Screenrant, “I do think it’s kind of cool that there’s a lot of, for lack of a better term, self-awareness among the Star Wars franchise. There are certain Disney rules like “Oh, yeah, you’re not going to kill that character. How could you?” And not only did we kill that character, but we killed the character in such a shocking and frankly upsetting way — and then didn’t even really give her a hero death either. I mean, she has the hero’s death because she gets Qimir’s helmet off before she dies.”

Screenrant also commented, “On numerous levels, Jecki’s death proves that no character is safe in this story, regardless of their age, training, or how developed they are.

Regardless of individual opinions, The Acolyte has undoubtedly shaken things up and changed everything we have known about the beloved sci-fi franchise. Star Wars: The Acolyte currently has five episodes to stream on Disney+, with a new one premiering on July 2. According to Screenrant, the plot of the remaining episodes is unknown, and the fate of several characters, including Osha and Mae, played by Amandla Stenberg (The Darkest Minds), or even Sol, played by Lee Jung-jae (Squid Game), will make it out of the first season.