Summary
- The Acolyte episode 4 brings in a major Star Wars character causing heated debate on canon-breaking controversies.
- Ki-Adi-Mundi's cameo in The Acolyte is stirring up criticism, with fans divided over how it fits within the wider Star Wars universe.
- The show's handling of Ki-Adi-Mundi's appearance and the Sith resurgence is sparking outrage and skepticism among fans, despite thus far fitting with Star Wars canon.
The Acolyte episode 4 includes a major cameo from wider Star Wars, causing audiences to continue the discourse over whether the show breaks canon. Since The Acolyte episode 3 explored Osha and Mae's origins, divisiveness about the newest Star Wars TV show has been at an all-time high. This, combined with the apparent Sith resurgence in Star Wars' High Republic Era, is leading many to accuse the series of "breaking canon."
As it turns out, The Acolyte episode 4's ending is garnering a similar reaction. The Acolyte episode 4's Sith introduction is naturally diverting much of the attention of fans, though the episode includes a secretive cameo from a major prequel trilogy character. Ironically, that character is the same one who uttered a line in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace that sections of the fanbase were using as evidence to support The Acolyte breaking canon: Ki-Adi-Mundi. The prequel Jedi appears in The Acolyte episode 4, causing the "canon-breaking" arguments to rear their heads once more.
Concerning how Ki-Adi-Mundi's appearance works within canon, anabelle_dawn insists that the Jedi's date of birth was never confirmed in canon, only Star Wars Legends. As such, his appearance in The Acolyte makes perfect sense, with the series simply canonizing his older age.
On the other side of the argument, RON1NSenju wrongfully insists that Disney does not understand Star Wars thanks to Ki-Adi-Mundi's insistence that the Sith are extinct in The Phantom Menace:
"It’s confirmed in the credits that was a young Ki-Adi-Mundi. The guy who in episode 1 said Sith haven’t been seen for a MILLENIA... Disney DON’T KNOW STAR WARS!!!"
Of course, Ki-Adi-Mundi's line in The Phantom Menace was always supposed to be incorrect. The Sith were not extinct and never have been, but the Jedi dismissed any possibility to the contrary. Ki-Adi-Mundi does not see the Sith nor is the latter mentioned in his presence in The Acolyte episode 4, so this criticism is likely misguided. Finally, whether a criticism is made in good faith comes into question. Where comments are so opely critical of "Disney Star Wars," it's likely the viewer isn't really giving The Acolyte a fair chance.
Echoing the above sentiments is the aptly named Raging_Ryno, who accuses "Disney of destroying Star Wars lore and canon." The reaction, like the one above, is hardly taken in good faith, especially with a pointed shot taken towards Lucasfilm's Chief Creative Officer, Dave Filoni. Meanwhile, other arguments presented as to why The Acolyte's Ki-Adi-Mundi cameo breaks canon are, humorously, taken from Legends a.k.a. non-canon Star Wars stories.
Star Wars Fans Are Divided Over Whether Ki-Adi-Mundi's Cameo Was Wise
Ki-Adi-Mundi's Cameo Is Causing Controversy For Many Reasons
As evident, The Acolyte episode 4's Ki-Adi-Mundi cameo is causing quite a stir. Many are incorrectly claiming he was not born until decades after The Acolyte, a fact that was only ever included in a non-canon book. Others who are less inclined to be so offended over his date of birth are merely skeptical and interested in seeing how The Acolyte will handle his further inclusion in the story.
As such, including him in the story and exploring how The Acolyte's Sith-centric events can take place without him being aware of the dark-siders' involvement is a logical move...
Looking beyond the faux-outrage and apparently "canon-breaking" elements of Ki-Adi-Mundi's cameo, his inclusion in The Acolyte makes a lot of sense. Like many others, The Acolyte's showrunner Leslye Headland is aware that Ki-Adi-Mundi insists the Sith have been extinct for millennia in The Phantom Menace. As such, including him in the story and exploring how The Acolyte's Sith-centric events can take place without him being aware of the dark-siders' involvement is a logical move regarding fitting the story into the wider Star Wars canon.
The Acolyte
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The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
- Cast
- Dafne Keen , Lee Jung-jae , Amandla Stenberg , Jodie Turner-Smith , Joonas Suotamo , Carrie-Anne Moss , Margarita Levieva , Charlie Barnett , Dean-Charles Chapman
- Seasons
- 1
- Writers
- Leslye Headland , Charmaine De Grate , Kor Adana
- Directors
- Leslye Headland , Alex Garcia Lopez
- Showrunner
- Leslye Headland
