Summary
- The Acolyte
‘s cancelation reveals
Star Wars
‘ fear of new ideas and overreliance on nostalgia. - Star Wars
must accept that it shouldn’t always appear to everyone and embrace niche fandoms to grow. - Dealing with a divided fanbase,
Star Wars
must address toxic behavior and explore new directions.
As a lifelong Star Wars enthusiast who has followed the saga through its highs and lows, I must admit that the cancellation of The Acolyte left me feeling a bit disheartened. Growing up with the original trilogy, I always cherished the sense of adventure and hope that permeated the franchise, and it seemed as though The Acolyte was poised to continue that legacy in new and exciting ways.
On September 19, 2024, the Star Wars community sensed a significant change, reminiscent of Alderaan’s destruction by the Death Star. The announcement that The Acolyte wouldn’t continue with Season 2 stirred up emotions. Although it was described as a cancellation, it was more like The Book of Boba Fett or Obi-Wan Kenobi, where another season wasn’t commissioned. Nevertheless, the term ‘cancelation’ carries more impact, and unlike those series, The Acolyte ended on a cliffhanger that suggested a second season. This revelation was disheartening for many fans. On the other hand, some fans welcomed the series cancellation. They not only accepted it but derided those who felt disappointed that the show wouldn’t be renewed.
Despite facing some challenges, the Star Wars series titled The Acolyte showed promise and had a dedicated fanbase eager for more content. Regrettably, Disney and Lucasfilm opted to terminate it, repeating past errors that have plagued the franchise. This decision has fueled toxicity among fans, pushing away many who no longer feel comfortable in this environment. More concerningly, these actions restrict the creative possibilities for Star Wars, which is counterproductive for a series aiming to endure for years to come.
Star Wars Appears to Be Afraid of New Ideas
A common criticism of Star Wars is its overreliance on nostalgia. The franchise has certainly introduced new characters, like the new cast of the sequel trilogy or The Bad Batch. Still, those also had legacy ties to the greater Star Wars franchise, as the sequel trilogy featured many legacy heroes, while The Bad Batch was a Clone Wars spin-off. Much of the Disney+ era Star Wars series is centered around legacy characters like Boba Fett and Ahsoka.
Concurrently, “The Mandalorian” introduced fresh characters that resembled less mainstream variations of well-known “Star Wars” figures. In its second season, it welcomed established characters such as Bo-Katan, Boba Fett, Ahsoka Tano, and Luke Skywalker. Notably, the series have all been set within the broader narrative arc of the franchise: either during the Imperial Rule (as seen in “Andor”, “The Bad Batch”, “Obi-Wan Kenobi”) or following the events of “Return of the Jedi” (“The Mandalorian”, “Ahsoka”, “The Book of Boba Fett”).
The Acolyte character aimed to bring fresh elements to the storyline. This narrative unfolded a century prior to the happenings depicted in The Phantom Menace. Notably, Ki-Adi-Mundi made an appearance that sparked some debate, and towards the end, hints were dropped about Yoda and Darth Plagueis. However, this series did not heavily rely on them. Rather, it was promoted as a fresh take on Star Wars, offering something distinct. It introduced a new ensemble of characters, novel ideas, and an unexplored part of the Star Wars universe that had previously been glimpsed only in books and a Disney Jr. television program.
1. The Acolyte didn’t bank on sentimental nostalgia to captivate viewers; instead, it aimed to do so by being a self-contained narrative. Contrary to the underperformance of Solo: A Star Wars Story, which led Lucasfilm to shy away from recasting beloved characters and opt for unsettling CGI renditions, canceling The Acolyte sets a troubling precedent.
Star Wars Needs to Learn It Will Not Be All Things to Everyone
Since the debut of Star Wars in 1977, it has reigned supreme as the most successful movie franchise globally. Out of the twelve films that hit theaters, only four failed to top the domestic box office: Attack of the Clones (2002), The Clone Wars (animated, 2008), Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), and The Rise of Skywalker (2019). Even these four didn’t make it into the top ten highest-grossing films. On television, The Mandalorian was one of the most buzzed-about series in 2019 and 2020. Its popularity paved the way for a wave of Star Wars Disney+ series that together form an intricate narrative. Although Andor didn’t garner massive viewership, its critical praise and Emmy nominations solidify its role in the ongoing cultural impact of Star Wars.
The Series Known as ‘The Acolyte’ garnered a decent audience, yet it remained a relatively smaller segment of its overall fanbase. According to Deadline, the show initially ranked seventh on Nielsen’s Top 10 originals chart during its premiere week and moved up to sixth the following week. However, after episode three, it fell off the list and didn’t reappear in the top 10 until post-finale. This pattern isn’t unusual for streaming series with weekly releases since some viewers prefer to marathon-watch. Although the viewership might not have reached The Mandalorian’s figures, it was evident that The Acolyte had a considerable, devoted fanbase. This was demonstrated by the rapid selling out of The Stranger’s helmet shortly after it went on sale.
Star Wars, being the largest franchise globally, has historically struggled with the idea that not every aspect of its universe needs to appeal to everyone. A relevant comparison here is Marvel Studios, who, despite Iron Man’s initial success, didn’t see a significant box office hit until The Avengers. However, they continued investing in moderately successful films like Thor and Captain America: The First Avenger, recognizing the potential growth of these brands. They acknowledged that Ant-Man would likely never match the box office numbers of Avengers: Age of Ultron, but still saw the long-term potential in the character, providing him with two sequels and featuring him in key Marvel Cinematic Universe films.
Star Wars appears not to have grasped the importance of catering to smaller fan communities. They’ve been accustomed to dominating pop culture and being universally loved, but they seem to overlook the value of nurturing specific fan groups. Shows like The Acolyte, while perhaps not appealing to every Star Wars enthusiast, can resonate deeply with certain segments of the fandom and create profitable sub-franchises.
Star Wars Must Deal With a Completely Divided Fanbase
I must clarify this point: For a considerable length of time, the devotion to Star Wars has unfortunately been marred by instances of bullying. It’s important to emphasize that not all Star Wars fans engage in such behavior, but it appears that a segment of the community struggles to distinguish real people from fictional characters or grasp that this is merely a film series. This issue can be traced as far back as 1999, with the launch of The Phantom Menace, where a young actor like Jake Lloyd was subjected to cruel treatment. The same can be said for Ahmed Best, who faced relentless harassment and even contemplated suicide due to the intense hate directed at him for portraying Jar Jar Binks. One would expect that such revelations might prompt a reconsideration of behavior among fans, but regrettably, that was not the case.
The situation has escalated significantly in the Disney period, with an increase in discriminatory and disrespectful comments, particularly those targeting racial and gender aspects. Actors from the sequel trilogy, such as John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, and Kelly Marie Tran, were subjected to intense online harassment campaigns that led Ridley and Tran to abandon social media. When Obi-Wan Kenobi premiered, actress Moses Ingram faced a wave of racist remarks directed at her. Ewan McGregor, the actor portraying Obi-Wan, had to release a video addressing the cyberbullies who were attacking Ingram online, stating they did not embody genuine Star Wars fans. Regrettably, Disney and Lucasfilm have only taken minimal steps to safeguard their talent.
It just got worse with The Acolyte. Yes, there are reasons to dislike the series, and many of those points are fair. However, it’s impossible to deny that The Acolyte received a great deal of hate online before anyone saw a single frame of footage just because of the casting choices. Regardless of whether the series was good or not, the same fans who criticized it for “being woke” or “pandering” would not admit to it being wrong because they made hating The Acolyte part of their identity.
Initially, some spectators harbored a desire to dislike “The Acolyte”. After the announcement of its termination, Amandla Stenberg’s joyful Instagram post about being part of “Star Wars” drew vicious hate remarks. Instead of enjoying her involvement in the show, internet users reveled in the series’ demise. In contrast to McGregor supporting Ingram, no one at Lucasfilm or “Star Wars” has publicly defended Stenberg and condemned such behavior. If you doubt it, simply glance through the comments on any of her recent posts.
Many aspects of this situation can be linked to the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Despite its massive success, earning over $1 billion globally and receiving an A CinemaScore, the practice known as target review bombing, according to Wired, gave off the impression that this film was disliked within the Star Wars franchise. The main accusation seemed to be that it ventured the series into a new direction, which some viewers found objectionable.
As someone who has been a devoted fan of Star Wars for decades, I find myself torn by the ongoing controversy surrounding “The Acolyte.” Being part of this vast and passionate community, I have witnessed firsthand the intense debates and heated discussions that have arisen due to creative decisions made in recent years.
Where Does Star Wars Go From Here
Star Wars seems to have lost some of its lightness since The Acolyte was scrapped, leaving a sense of despair reminiscent of watching the Empire expand. It’s disheartening to see those who profit from spreading negativity about Star Wars rejoice. The Acolyte appeared to signal a fresh chapter for the franchise, but now it looks like that optimism may have been misplaced, leaving us with more of the same. However, there’s always a spark of hope in Star Wars.
Yet there are some factors to consider. The biggest is that, despite the optics of canceling The Acolyte, it appears to be part of a larger move on Disney’s part. The Acolyte was greenlit under Bob Chapek as an attempt to boost Disney+ streaming output along with many other Star Wars series. Yet now that Bob Iger is back, his priority seems to be less on expensive Disney+ series and more on films they can profit from instead of the sinking cost of streaming. This is why The Mandalorian, easily Disney+’s most popular Star Wars series and likely their flagship original title, is not returning for Season 4 but instead a feature film titled The Mandalorian & Grogu. In fact, other than Ahsoka, all other Star Wars series seem to be over, so The Acolyte is not alone.
Star Wars continues to innovate within its established franchise, as demonstrated by the upcoming series Skeleton Crew, which introduces fresh characters and offers a unique twist on what fans have come to expect from the saga. This new series is not relying on legacy characters to sell itself, but rather showcasing a distinct and original take on Star Wars. Additionally, James Mangold’s upcoming movie will delve into a new phase of the Star Wars universe, featuring the first Jedi Knight and a prequel set farther back in time than any previous Star Wars content. It seems that those at Disney and Lucasfilm are savvy enough to recognize that the perceived backlash against the sequel trilogy and Rey’s character, as portrayed by Daisy Ridley, is exaggerated and not indicative of serious criticism.
As a dedicated Star Wars enthusiast, one thing we all understand is that finales rarely signal true goodbyes. The galaxy far, far away has a knack for revisiting familiar stories across various series, films, comics, and games. Even though Solo: A Star Wars Story didn’t fare so well at the box office, Emilia Clarke’s character Qira’s tale persisted in comics, novels, and soon, the video game Star Wars: Outlaws. This encourages us to believe that characters like Osha, Mae, Qimir, and more from The Acolyte may not have seen their last chapter yet.
Hopefully, Disney, Lucasfilm, and the Star Wars team will learn from their past mistakes and not succumb to the negative voices within their fanbase. Although a vocal segment of these fans may seem powerful as they rejoice in the cancellation of The Acolyte, it’s important to remember that they represent a minority. As the quote from The Rise of Skywalker goes, “They win by making you think you’re alone. Remember, there’s more of us.” Stream the Star Wars franchise on Disney+.
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2024-08-23 02:02