It feels silly to mourn the loss of a TV show, particularly one that was only in our lives for a short time. But it’s hard not to think of The Acolyte without feeling a twist in my gut.
Lucasfilm’s innovative, ill-fated series premiered one year ago today, opening the door to a new corner of the Star Wars galaxy. Before the Acolyte, the saga was treading water: sure, Andor’s first season had presented the novelty and prestige that had long evaded the franchise. Besides that offering, however, Star Wars felt creatively stagnant. Spinoffs like Obi-Wan Kenobi and The Book of Boba Fett largely failed to justify their existence, and though Ahsoka endeavored to expand the galaxy in a new direction, it felt more like a proof of concept — or worse, an exercise in nostalgia — than the dawn of a new era.
