The Acolyte Season 1 Episode 2 Review: Revenge/Justice

Building off the events of The Acolyte Season 1 Episode 1, “Lost/Found,” this episode further explores the motives of Osha’s twin sister, Mae. Unlike the previous episode, though, The Acolyte Season 1 Episode 2, “Revenge/Justice,” challenges the viewers to determine how they feel about Osha and Mae individually.

The writers are no longer trying to push the narrative that the actions of the murderer are being done by Osha. This becomes clear early on when Mae strikes against Master Torbin while Osha is in the custody of Master Sol, Yord, and Jecki.

What makes this episode fun is the journey viewers go on as they try to determine what motivates Mae to do what she’s doing.

Why These Jedi? Why Now?

As Master Sol states many times, it has been 16 years since the twins were separated when their lives went up in flames, literally. Osha seems to be under the impression that Mae set the fire and that she died in it.

Which seems to be a reasonable assumption until it becomes very clear that Mae is still alive. This raises some other questions and makes us, as well as the Jedi, question what we know. 

Especially, when we hear Mae tell Master Sol that she believes Osha to be dead. So, if both sisters thought the other was dead this whole time, what really happened that day 16 years ago?

Also, if Master Torbin was so willing to just drink poison, he must have something to hide or feel the need to absolve himself of. Suicide, especially amongst Jedi, isn’t an act taken lightly. Torbin must’ve felt it was the only way he could seek forgiveness for whatever happened.

“Revenge/Justice” is also the first time it becomes apparent that Master Sol might be tucking away more information than he lets on. There are moments, such as discovering Torbin’s dead body, where he gets a far-off look in his eyes and then recalibrates as if it were nothing.

As I previously stated, this series is going to center on our perceptions and how they cloud reality.

Can We Trust Ourselves to Know What is Right and Wrong?

The whole concept of revenge versus justice is determined by our point of view. In fact, throughout the episode, the idea that our perceptions determine our reality is called into question. 

It is first brought up when Mae is talking with her poison supplier about how the Jedi perceive the world to be at peace because they say so. She calls into question everything we, as viewers, believe about the Jedi but also reveals that Master Torbin, like all things, has a weakness determined by his own perception.

Furthermore, Mae truly believes that her actions against all these Jedi Masters are to seek justice for the death of her sister. Whereas, Master Sol looks at her actions and only sees revenge. Perception.

We also wonder if Master Sol sees Mae as full of vengeance because he knows the whole truth. If we only look at the perceptions of Mae and Osha, we see two totally different accounts of the events.

Therefore, we are left wondering what is the truth exactly. As such, who is in the right? The Jedi or Mae?

Did Masters Indara, Sol, Torbin, and Kelnacca do something to cause the death of Osha and Mae’s family? Or was it as they said that Mae set the fire which caused the tragedy?

So many questions, that The Acolyte has only just begun to answer.

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The Acolyte airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Disney+.

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