The Acolyte has received extremely divisive reviews from critics and fans alike, making it one of the most talked about shows on the internet. It has been criticized for its alleged disrespect to the overall franchise lore created by George Lucas, especially regarding the depiction of the Jedi.

The Acolyte‘s depiction of the Jedi has been criticized (Credit: Lucasfilm).

During an interview, creator Leslye Headland spoke about the show’s treatment of the Jedi. She attempted to explain why the idea of the Jedi during the High Republic Era was different from the Jedi in Lucas’ prequel trilogy. Here is what Headland said to defend her depiction of the Jedi and its differences from Lucas’ version.

Leslye Headland Discussed Comparing the High Republic Jedi to George Lucas’ Prequel Trilogy Jedi

The Acolyte is set during the High Republic era of the Star Wars franchise, taking place roughly a hundred years before the events of The Phantom Menace, directed by George Lucas. However, the show’s depiction of the Jedi Order has faced criticism from fans online.

Leslye Headland defends her take on the High Republic-era Jedi (Credit: ComicBook.com | YouTube).

Creator Leslye Headland responded to the said criticism during an interview with Collider. She said:

I hope it’s making people look at it from a different point of view.

Headland added that she wanted to explore the Jedi in the context of the High Republic era, who were different from those appearing in the films overseen by Lucas, mainly the prequels and the original trilogy.

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However, Headland admitted that she understood fans, especially those who don’t know the High Republic, might feel like she is criticizing the Jedi as they exist in Lucas’ oeuvre. Nonetheless, since the series takes place several years before, Headland felt such an exploration was warranted.

Leslye Headland Explained How The Acolyte‘s Jedi Differ From George Lucas’ Version

During the same interview, Leslye Headland also discussed the differences between the Jedi of the High Republic as seen in The Acolyte, and the Jedi of the prequel trilogy. The showrunner felt it was unfair to compare them because of the nearly 100-year gap in the timeline.

Leslye Headland did not want to touch George Lucas’ concept of Jedi (Credit: The Phantom Menace | Lucasfilm).

Headland used the example of the dialog “A Jedi doesn’t pull their weapon unless prepared to kill,” from the first episode, to explain how the Jedi of the High Republic were different since they did not have to fight Clone Troopers, Sith, or the Separatist armies. She said:

Comparing that to anybody in the prequels, it’s not the same. They’re just not the same Jedi.

Headland explained that because of this she wanted to break down the concept of a Jedi without touching what had been established in the prequels era of the franchise.

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The Jedi of the High Republic era operated differently, making her interested in exploring what transpired with the Order, leading to the politically enmeshed version we see in the prequels. Hence, Headland’s words confirm that she sees The Acolyte‘s Jedi as a different breed.

The Acolyte is streaming on Disney+.
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