By George & Josh Bate
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Star Wars: The Acolyte – Episode 4
The mysterious dark side master makes his presence known in the latest episode of Star Wars: The Acolyte. Featuring a couple of amazing cameos, an obscure species from Legends, and a General Grievous reference, this fourth episode has plenty of easter eggs to feast on. Check out all of the easter eggs, hidden details, and references we noticed in Star Wars: The Acolyte – Episode 4 below….
Jecki and other Jedi train with wooden sticks called Bokken. Bokken were also used by Ahsoka and Sabine to train in the Ahsoka series last year.
Ki-Adi-Mundi is among the Jedi discussing Mae and who she was trained by. Ki-Adi-Mundi is a Cerean Jedi who featured in the prequel trilogy, before he was killed on Mygeeto following Order 66. Ki-Adi-Mundi is played by English puppeteer and actor Derek Arnold, who previously worked as a creature and droid performer on The Force Awakens and portrayed Lanever Villecham and Vober Dand in The Force Awakens, and Pao and the Bor Gullet in Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.
In Legends, Ki-Adi Mundi was born 93 BBY. The Acolyte, however, takes place in 132 BBY. While some have suggested this means The Acolyte breaks canon, it is important to note that Ki-Adi Mundi’s age was only established in Legends, not in canon.
Notably, Ki-Adi Mundi is the one to proclaim that the Sith have been extinct for a thousand years in The Phantom Menace. As The Acolyte will likely tie into the Sith in some way, we imagine that the series will do so in a manner that still allows Mundi’s comment to make sense.
Ki-Adi-Mundi, Sol, and the other Jedi discuss Mae and her master possibly being part of a “splinter Order.” Splinter Orders have been hinted at in several Star Wars projects, including The High Republic: A Test of Courage, The Secrets of the Jedi, and The Secrets of the Sith. The term “splinter Order” refers to Jedi who have left the main Jedi Order to form their own Order, typically defined by more devotion to the dark side. The Sith began as a splinter Order of the Jedi Order, before becoming the powerful dark side Force we know.
Next to Ki-Adi Mundi is Jedi Master Holden. She is played by Indra Ove, who previously played a First Order officer in The Rise of Skywalker.
Mae says, “I can’t believe my sister is Jedi scum.” This is the same insult that General Grievous used against Anakin Skywalker in Revenge of the Sith.
Among the group of Jedi teaming up to find Mae and stop her from killing Kelnacca initially appears to be none other than Plo Koon! However, this has confirmed to be not the case. The Kel Dor Jedi seen in episode 4 is actually Ithia Paan, a Jedi of the same species as Plo Koon.
Bazil, the guide helping the Jedi find Kelnacca, is played by a person in a suit. This was confirmed by series creator Lesyle Headland, who wanted to evoke the practical effects of the original trilogy in which actors played small characters in suits (such as Warwick Davis as Wicket and Kenny Baker as R2-D2).
Some of the visuals of the Jedi traveling across grass plains to find Kelnacca are reminiscent of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring. The journeying-aspect of episode 4 is very Tolkien-like.
Yord calls Osha a “civilian.” This is similar language to what Mace Windu uses to describe Ahsoka, who, like Osha, also left the Jedi Order and was wrongly accused by the Order of a crime.
Yord comments that most Jedi train to use Shyriiwook. This is one of the languages of the Wookiees, used by characters like Chewbacca and Burryaga.
Bazil speaks the language Tynnan. The Tynnans were a species that first appeared in the Legends novel Han Solo’s Revenge by Brian Daley in 1979. They were introduced into canon in the novel Catalyst: A Rogue One Novel by James Luceno in 2016.
The creature in the forest of Khofar is called an umbramoth. This is seemingly a new creature in the Star Wars universe.
Osha says, “I could never accept death as a true Jedi should.” This is a reach, but hardcore LEGO Star Wars fans will remember the term ‘True Jedi’ as the status given to a player when they collect a certain amount of studs.
A bowcaster similar to the one Chewbacca wields can be seen among Kelnacca’s belongings.
Kelnacca’s hut has various markings on it that resemble the symbols of Mother Aniseya’s witch coven. Some of these markings look somewhat like a ying and yang symbol.
The dark side master that shows up wears an interesting helmet. In an interview we participated in with series creator Leslye Headland, she mentioned that the helmet’s unique design was inspired by the horror genre.
The mysterious dark side master makes his entrance in the episode by silently levitating to the ground. This is the same way in which Count Dooku introduced himself to Asajj Ventress in the 2003 series Star Wars: Clone Wars.
Stay tuned to The HoloFiles and Star Wars Holocron for continued coverage of Star Wars: The Acolyte, including weekly reviews, analyses, and easter egg breakdowns.