Key Takeaways:
– The Acolyte, a Star Wars series, has seen a shift in its storyline, inspired by the 2000 martial arts film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.
– Leslye Headland, the show’s creator, compares the dynamic relationship of the series’ characters Osha and Qimir to that of Lo and Jen in the film.
– Headland reveals that the twist of Osha turning to the dark side was a major shock for viewers.
– Despite similarities, Headland denies drawing inspiration from the Kylo Ren-Rey dynamic in creating the relationship between Qimir and Osha.
Main Story
The Acolyte, despite being rather polarizing among the Star Wars fans, is now picking up pace as it gets closer to wrapping up its first season. The series, crafted by Leslye Headland, predominantly captures the journey of twins Osha and Mae, who find themselves on contrasting paths of the Force.
Notably, in episode six, there is a significant shift where Osha encounters Qimir. Encouraged by his unique way of channeling the Force, the dynamic between the two characters evolves.
Drawing Inspiration from Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
During an interview, Headland revealed that she looked up to the renowned martial arts film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. She found the dynamic between Chow Yun-fat and Michelle Yeoh’s characters in the film as a source of inspiration. Headland explained that she admired their relationship in the film as it was built on mutual vulnerability rather than intimidation or manipulation. This resonates with her intent of showcasing equality in relationships within her creation, The Acolyte.
As she further dissected the series, Headland mentioned that the unexpected twist of Osha potentially turning to the dark side left some viewers awestruck. However, this twist was critical in revealing the shared yet unique paths of the characters.
Qimir and Osha’s Dynamic Revealed
Headland further dived into the special bond shared by Qimir and Osha in the series. Following the suspenseful ending of episode six where Osha inherits Qimir’s ideology and helmet, their relationship takes an interesting turn. According to Headland, Osha’s internal conflict resonated deeply with Qimir’s ideology, yet their positions remain at different ends of the spectrum.
Although there are evident similarities with the Rylo Ken-Rey dynamic from the Star Wars sequels, Headland insists that she created the relationship between Qimir and Osha independently, without any influence from them.
Staying True to Characters
Towards the end of the interview, Headland emphasized her intention of staying true to the spirit and essence of the characters in The Acolyte. She explained that Osha’s aligning with Qimir’s ideology wasn’t a manipulative move. Instead, she viewed it as a rebuilding of their spiritual foundation since both characters were previously discarded by the Jedi.
For fans waiting eagerly to see how this unique dynamic between Osha and Qimir will evolve, The Acolyte is currently streaming on Disney+. And for those interested in the source of this inspiration, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon can be streamed on Max.
