Season 1, Episode 7 of the Disney Plus series The Acolyte, titled “Choice,” is directed by Kogonada and penned by Charmaine DeGraté and Jen Richards & Jasmyne Flournoy. The episode begins with four Jedi investigating a potential vergence of the Force on Brendok. The four Jedi consist of Jedi Master Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss), her Padawan Torbin (Dean-Charles Chapman), Jedi Master Kelnacca (Joonas Suotamo), and Jedi Knight Sol (Lee Jung-Jae). Although Indara and Kelnacca are content with the mission, Sol and Torbin are not. Torbin is homesick and desires to return to Coruscant after being away for seven weeks. On the other hand, Sol dislikes the mission and desires a true purpose as a Jedi by helping and saving others and training a Padawan, not searching for a vergence in the Force.
The Brendok Four
Despite the mission’s dissatisfaction, Sol still respects it and sees it as a sacred duty. Indara explains the mission’s significance: Brendok was originally destroyed and lifeless due to the Hyperspace Disaster but somehow became full of life and nature again. It seems unnatural, so the Jedi Council sent the four Jedi to investigate. The concerning part of the mission is that the four Jedi relied on technology rather than the Force to search for the vergence, showing how disconnected the Jedi are becoming from the power that gives them their strength and wisdom.
Later, Sol discovers that Brendok has inhabitants—a witch coven led by Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith) with the aid of Mother Koril (Margarita Levieva). However, the most shocking discovery is the existence of the young twins Mae (Leah Brady) and Osha (Lauren Brady). Sol believes the witches are abusing the twins in their Force training. He reports his findings to Master Indara, who is also concerned for the twins, so the four Jedi confront the witch coven.
Mother Aniseya tempts Torbin
When the four Jedi peacefully confront the witch coven to ensure the twins are safe and not being abused for their Force sensitivity, Mother Aniseya possesses Torbin’s body. She uses the cold powers and temptations of the Dark Side to convince him that she could help him return to Coruscant if he does what she asks. Despite this, Torbin manages to resist the temptation, but the possessive attack still affects him.
After testing the twins and realizing that Osha truly wants to be a Jedi, the Jedi learn that the vergence of the Force originates from both Mae and Osha. The twins are not ordinary but a living embodiment of the Force whose consciousness was divided into two separate bodies. Torbin, still affected by the Dark Side possession, recklessly rides his speeder to the witch coven’s home. Indara orders Sol to follow him while she and Kelnacca take the ship there.
The Jedi vs. The Coven
When Sol catches up to Torbin, the latter convinces the former to help him sense that Mae and Mother Koril are unwilling to let Osha leave to become a Jedi. This prompts Sol to join Torbin in infiltrating the coven’s home to retrieve Osha. Unfortunately, this leads to an all-out fight when the fire Mae accidentally creates spreads. Mother Aniseya tries to evacuate Mae with a dark wraith-like form, which Sol mistakes for a fatal attack, and responds by stabbing Aniseya with his lightsaber, killing her. Mother Koril and the witches fight the Jedi but realize they are no match.
As a result, the witches teleport to safety and use their combined powers to possess Kelnacca in an attempt to kill Sol and Torbin. Indara arrives in time to free Kelnacca’s mind with the Force but accidentally and presumably kills every witch linked with the Wookie’s mind. This horrifies Indara, but she keeps her mind clear enough to order Sol to find the twins.
Sol Makes a Choice
Sol finds the twins but realizes he can only save one due to not being strong enough in the Force. He saves Osha, leaving Mae falling to her demise, though she survives. After returning to the ship with Osha, Indara criticizes Sol for his actions and convinces him not to tell the Jedi Council the truth for Osha’s sake, urging him to raise her until she is strong enough to look out for herself.
The episode ends similarly to how Episode 3 ended. The most disturbing quote is from Mother Aniseya, who warned Sol that the “noble actions” of the Jedi will get them all killed. This foreshadows that Jedi like Dooku, Yoda, Anakin, and many others, who desire to do good, may do more harm than good, leading the Republic and its people to turn on the Jedi because of Sith propaganda. With the work of Qimir and Senator Rayencourt known in the show, it is highly likely the truth of Brendok will be discovered, forcing the Jedi to lose more of their independence and become more subservient to the Republic and its policies.
The episode’s message is that we need to accept the differences of others and not force our worldview on them. Doing so will only lead to fear, anger, hatred, and loss. Thus, we must learn and understand the points of view of every side before enforcing any action.
Rating: 9/10