The Acolyte: Choice Thoughts
Everything falls to pieces in a tragic (and tragically late) penultimate episode.
“Choice” is a companion to “Destiny” in many ways: besides shifting perspective to the Jedi of what happened on Brendok 16 years ago (but not entirely, as we will discuss later), Kogonada returns to direct an episode that shows just how much Sol’s choices affected the lives of Osha and Mae.
The Choice of Placement
Flashback episodes can be impactful additions to a television season, adding character development through backstory and motivations for the current timeline. “Destiny” helped with understanding Osha’s quiet anger at Mae for the death of her entire family and her attachment to Sol as a father figure who rescued her.
It also cleverly added visual cues that things were not as they seemed: we do not see Mae start the fire, all the witches are dead when Osha leaves with Sol but not from a fire, and Torbin suddenly has a face wound since Osha saw him.
However, because “Destiny” was a complete story within the season, it made “Day” glaringly incomplete. Luckily, “Night” was there to pick up the pieces and make most people forget the frustrating cliffhanger. With Osha and Mae now on opposite sides, “Choice” should have followed.
“Teach/Corrupt,” while giving more insight into the Stranger and a glimpse at Sol’s crumbling foundation, also disrupted the entire story flow of the season.
With the twins switching perspectives and stepping into each other’s shoes, the following episode should have been the flashback switch in perspective.
As I mentioned earlier, while most of this is from the Jedi’s perspective, we also see what Mae went through. Mother Koril influenced Mae to get angry, which led her to confront Osha. Mae did indeed start the fire by accident, tried to put it out, and then ran to Mother Aniseya for help.
In perhaps the biggest tragedy, Sol mistakes Mae for Osha, which leads to Mother Aniseya’s death. But that mixup, and the knowledge that the twins might be one consciousness split into two, explains why Sol might not know Mae was disguised as Osha in “Teach/Corrupt.”
The stakes would be instantly raised for viewers instead of waiting for Sol to figure out Mae was the one on his ship.
Usually, I would not harp on what should have been, but the choice to put “Choice” as the penultimate might have derailed the overall story and transferred all of the pressure to the final episode to wrap everything up (assuming Mae now knows the truth of what happened).
A Disaster of One’s Own Making
So now, let’s get into what unfolded 16 years ago. Indara, Sol, Torbin, and Kelnacca were on Brendok for another mission that did not involve the witches.
They were looking for a vergence (concentration of Force energy around a place, object, or person), specifically looking at Brendok because there were no signs of life after a “hyperspace disaster.” For The High Republic readers, this would be The Great Disaster, in which a ship collided with debris in hyperspace, causing the debris to hit several planets along the route and killing billions.
This also gives us an idea of Brendok’s location, which seems irrelevant to this series.
We immediately get how Indara, Sol, and Torbin feel about being on the planet. Indara is intent on the mission. Torbin wants to return to Coruscant, having been on Brendok for seven weeks and not knowing why. And Sol is looking for purpose.
Sol tells Torbin that they are on a noble mission because he wants it to be a noble mission, which begins to bring everything that happens next from his point of view into focus.
He sees Osha and Mae using the Force, and when he tries, unsuccessfully, to contact Indara to let her know, Sol chooses to follow the girls and Koril. He chooses to break into their home after no one answers, listen in on half of a conversation of the witches training the girls, and see witches in front of a giant pit.
Sol starts making assumptions that lead to his belief that the girls are in danger.
Everything moving forward confirms his fears, including Mae’s unfortunate misquoting of Mother Aniseya’s definition of Ascension.
Yet, even with all that, Indara challenges Sol’s assumptions, noting that he tends to project his wants onto others.
However, Sol has formed a connection with Osha and is not intent on getting involved despite the Jedi Council rejecting the idea of taking Osha.
It was a self-fulfilling prophecy. Sol wanted a Padawan and formed a narrative in his head with the information he was given to justify his noble intentions.
Sol is a refreshing character, and while his fans might be heartbroken (even irrationally thinking this ruins the character), his actions make him so real.
People constantly project their fears and wants in the real world, leading them to make bad decisions. These decisions usually don’t result in a coven of witches dying, but there are usually unintended consequences.
Sol killed Mother Aniseya because he saw something abnormal to him (confusing Mae with Osha as she began turning to smoke). It was a devastating mistake but understandable.
Mother Aniseya was likely trying to transport herself and Mae out of harm. But because Koril and Torbin escalated the situation, Sol reacted in fear.
What wasn’t understandable was the lie through omission to Osha about Sol’s part in her mother’s death.
Now, he is the only person who can give Mae and Osha closure. Assuming this flashback is Sol telling Mae what happened, he must confront his fear, tell Osha, and be okay with losing her because of that truth.
This potential confrontation is incredibly compelling going into the finale. However, will this creative team have enough time to do it justice?
The Questions are Strong with this Episode
Like all episodes in this show, there are answers to old and new questions. However, a point of contention among viewers is that there are too many questions that need answers late into the season.
But the questions I refer to are more plot holes that are irritating.
How did Torbin appear to know Mae was alive and waiting for her in “Justice/Revenge” when Sol was the only one who saw Mae fall and said she was dead? Sol seemed to believe Mae was dead, so why would Torbin think differently?
Why did Osha and Mae stand at the edge of an unstable bridge with their arms out to each other and not try to get to safety?
Why didn’t Sol Force-hold both twins (like he did to Osha in “Lost/Found”) instead of trying to hold the bridge together? He could have gotten distracted and had to drop one of the twins, which would have still worked towards his guilt. This would be easier to accept if we had not seen him save Osha from falling off a cliff.
However, a legitimate question moving into the finale is what happened to Koril. We do not see her after she turns to smoke.
I hope we do not see her in the finale; she is dead and dying with the other witches. It would be underwhelming if she were somehow involved in what is happening with the Stranger.
Margarita Levieva was great in “Destiny” as a counter to Mother Aniseya, but in “Choices,” we do not get more of her perspective. Through both the Jedi and Mae, she is an instigator and does not seem upset about Mother Aniseya’s death.
Let her stay in the past.
Episode Stand-Outs
It is a shame we only get a few episodes with Carrie-Anne Moss, but she is the voice of reason and Mother Aniseya (who still makes questionable decisions). In both “Lost/Found” and “Destiny,” Indara appears cold and matter-of-fact, but in reality, she is the only one acting in Osha’s best interest.
Dean Charles-Chapman also does a great job playing the increasingly unsettled Padawan. Even though his decision to take the speeder to the coven’s home was a leap, it was not wholly impossible to buy.
Torbin was already desperate to leave. Having his mind invaded by a coven leader could have sent him over the edge. What was initially boredom evolved into fear and Sol planting the idea of a vergence in Torbin’s head led him to make a bad choice.
And Charles-Chapman finally got to show off his lightsaber work in one of the best scenes in the episode.
Also, kudos to Kelnacca because it took the entire coven of witches to invade his mind. I wish we could have seen the battle for his mind between Indara and the coven.
Also, while I am sure plenty of people will have an issue with Victoria Monét’s “Power of Two” playing at the end, I enjoyed the inclusion of modern music. This whole show is a big swing and I am glad that they are going full force even if I do not like every creative choice.
There’s one more episode to go, and all I can do is wish Headland and the team the best with whatever time they have to complete this picture.
Originally published at http://creditsandcanon.com on July 16, 2024.
