The Acolyte Theory Says The Show is Setting Up Two of Star Wars' Biggest Sith Lords
The Acolyte Episode 6 has fans now theorizing that the series is telling the origin of some pivotal Star Wars Sith Lords.
WARNING: SPOILERS!
Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode 6 "Teach/Corrupt" depicted the aftermath of Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) and his fellow Jedi battling a dark side warrior known as "The Stranger," who was eventually revealed to be the true identity of smuggler Qimir (Manny Jacinto). Every Jedi on the team but Sol was killed in the fight, while twin sisters Mae and Osha (Amandla Stenberg) switched places and masters, with Mae being confronted by Sol, while Osha faced corruption from Qimir.
Like so much of The Acolyte, There wasn't a direct line of connection between the High Republic era of The Acolyte and the Skywalker Saga, but fans have still noticed some interesting connections between the expanded story of Qimir and two of Star Wars' biggest Sith Lords...
There have been many theories that The Acolyte's position on the Star Wars timeline (about a century before the Skywalker Saga begins) is a clear indication that the series will track the line of Sith Lords that eventually culminate in the rise of Darth Sidious and the Sith conquering the galaxy for decades. After the appearance of The Stranger/Qimir and new details from Episode 6, fans now see a line of Sith succession taking shape that could fill in a pivotal piece of history.
Is The Acolyte Introducing Darth Tenebrous & Darth Plagueis?
Darth Tenebrous and Darth Plagueis are two names that are known within Star Wars canon (and the unofficial "Legends" universe) as the predecessors to Darth Sidious (aka Emperor Palpatine). Plagueis is more well-known, thanks to Palpatine's monologue about him in Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith; Tenebrous was the master of Plagueis, and has far less of a defined arc or characterization in Star Wars canon.
The Acolyte Episode 6 revealed an "Unknown Planet" where Qimir hides out – a planet whose design seemed in line with a pivotal Star Wars world: Bal'demnic. According to "Legends" lore, Bal'demnic is an ocean planet peppered with "rocky tropical islands"; it was an obscure planet located in the Outer Rim territories and one that was distinguished by being abundant with one key element: cortosis. For that reason, Darth Tenebrous learned of the deposits of cortosis on Bal'demnic and seized them along with his apprentice, Darth Plagueis. Plagueis would turn on Tenebrous, murdering him on Bal'demnic, and keeping the planet and its cortosis off the radar of galactic politics until the Clone Wars, when the Confederacy of Systems (secretly led by Sith Lords) came looking for the ore.
As seen in The Acolyte Episode 5, "The Stranger" has harnessed cortosis for his gauntlets and helmet, giving him a powerful edge to both block and temporarily short-circuit lightsabers. Showrunner Leslye Headland pulled cortosis straight from Legends lore; she indicated that it was only part of the Legends mythos she was pulling into the main canon and that revealing the other borrowed elements would result in massive spoilers.
So to review: Cortosis now canon, and a mysterious Sith is running around wearing it while hanging out on a planet that may also tie back to the Legends mythology. How hard is it to assume that the rest of the Legends story will become canon?
The Sith Story Is Not Official
The fact of the matter is that any "truth" about the Sith that came before Palpatine is wrapped in thick folds of mystery and deceit. The dark lords conspired in secret for a century (or more) before Sidious was exposed, and any details about their race, gender, or physical appearance that we've seen or heard in canon have been through third-party accounts, historical logs, or auxiliary canon like official companion books to films, etc.
That's all to say: there's no official record about the actual people behind the Sith names "Tenebrous" and "Plagueis," just scarce details of information from indirect sources. If it turns out that Qimir is Darth Tenebrous, and his acolyte becomes Plagueis, or Qimir's true "Master" turns out to be Tenebrous and Qimir is revealed to be Plagueis (hence the hints in Episode 6 that he's lived an unnaturally long life). Either way, the truth of the Sith's identity will likely be covered up or lost (if everyone who knew dies), and the myths about Tenebrous and Plagueis overwrite the real story.
We'll find out as The Acolyte wraps up its run in. the final two episodes.
