The Acolyte Episode 8 recap: Deaths, secrets, and epic Star Wars cameos

And so, the end is here… but in the case of The Acolyte Episode 8, the biggest stories might still be yet to come. Here’s what went down in the explosive finale.

Fans have struggled with the enormous changes to the Star Wars timeline, but over the course of its eight episodes, The Acolyte has delivered something truly dynamic.

Not only are fans left questioning the Jedi Order and their actions during the High Republic Era, but they’re reassessing decades worth of franchise lore.

Before we can look ahead to a potential Season 2, let’s unpack exactly what The Acolyte Episode 8 revealed – which if you ask us, needs attention until the very end. Warning: Spoilers ahead!

The Acolyte Episode 8: All roads point to Brendok

The Acolyte Episode 8 picks up where Episode 6 leaves off, with fans now in the knowledge of Sol’s real involvement in what happened on Brendok. Osha takes the cortosis helmet off in a panic, claiming that she saw Mae with her hand outstretched before trying to kill Sol. Osha says that Mae didn’t have a weapon, which piques The Stranger’s attention.

Osha then states that visions aren’t setting the future in stone, meaning that she can stop Mae from taking Sol’s life. Equally trying to find Mae, The Stranger asks Osha how she will get there without a ship, with Osha responding that he needs her – only Osha knows Mae’s location.

As they set off, we cut to Sol, who has Mae restrained on the ship. Mae questions why Sol lied to Osha about what really happened, with Sol reiterating that Mae did indeed start the fire and that he regrets not being able to save them both.

In Sol’s eyes, there’s only one place to go and meet the Jedi Order… Brendok. The planet has a resurgence of the Force, and it’s the only way to prove how Osha and Mae exist.

As he gets closer, Mae is able to attack him with the corrupted pip droid, shocking him as she flees. Mae gets into an escape pod and flies through an asteroid cluster, trying to shake him off. Both ships get damaged, leading Mae to crash land on Brendok. Sol lands elsewhere on the planet.

The Jedi Order is in trouble

While all this is going on, things aren’t too rosy back on Coruscant. With the situation escalating, Senator Rayencourt arrives to meet with Vernestra, claiming that he has heard alarming reports.

News has got to him that a situation is unraveling that should have immediately been alerted to the Jedi Council… except Vernestra never did that. When asked why, she states she wanted to keep the murders low profile, adding multiple times that she is close to apprehending the suspect in question.

Multiple murders are new information to Rayencourt, who suggests that he doesn’t share the views of most of his colleagues. To him, the Jedi are an unruly force in desperate need of reform, claiming that they don’t know how to handle or regulate their emotions.

In his eyes, they are the biggest danger of all… though we already knew this was the case.

A major Star Wars villain is teased

It turns out that Osha and The Stranger have been on the unknown planet (which remains unknown, sadly), with the two setting off on the ship to Brendok. The Stranger gives Osha “one last chance” to choose to train with him, which she declines. He tells her Mae made that decision without even thinking.

As they depart, we see a dark figure emerge from the caves behind, having been watching them the entire time. The figure is none other than Darth Plagueis, the legendary Sith lord who many assumed was Mae’s master back in Episode 1.

But what does he want, what does he know… and more importantly, what will he do next?

Chaos ensues on Brendok

From here, it’s a race between the four – Osha, Sol, Mae, and The Stranger. Seeing the coven’s base for the first time in 16 years, the emotions get the better of Sol, venturing inside for a look at what once was. Almost echoing her childhood, Mae climbs up from where she once fell after Sol leaves.

But the emotions have got hold of her too. She makes a visit to her old bedroom while Osha tries to repair an old elevator outside. She gets it working, and the two meet – at exactly the same time Sol and The Stranger find each other outside.

Both pairs are engaged in epic head-to-head battles at the same time, and they are both loaded. Sol and The Stranger are equally convinced they can kill each other, while Mae drops a bombshell on Osha – Sol killed their mom. The twins spot a Jedi ship incoming and split.

Outside, Sol manages to burn The Stranger’s lightsaber to a crisp, but Mae sneaks up behind him, attacking and removing his own saber. Before getting any closer, Mae wants him to confess to his crimes.

Sol explains that the girls aren’t twins or even sisters… they are literally the same person split in two. We already knew this from Episode 7, but it explains why Sol is so intent on rediscovering the resurgence. He admits to killing Ansieya, which Osha hears from him for the first time ever.

Osha turns to the dark side

Just like the master’s prophecy, Osha brings Sol to his knees and chokes the life out of him without a weapon. He doesn’t go down without a fight though, trying his best to reestablish his emotional connection with her. It doesn’t work, and he dies.

What happens next is the most telling. While killing Sol, Osha had been holding his lightsaber, bleeding into the kyber crystal as she choked him with the Force. When she starts the saber up, it changes from Jedi blue to Sith red, visually marking that Osha’s allegiance is forever changed.

Vernestra and her Jedi are incoming, and the girls make a run for it. The Stranger catches Vernestra’s eye, and it’s revealed the two know each other. She walks on, not thinking that he is a Sith or indeed involved in what’s happened with the others.

Osha follows Mae down the exit route she used as a kid, leading them to the tree we saw them under in Episode 3. There, Mae apologizes for starting the fire and the two reconcile, but The Stranger shows up shortly after. Here, Osha gives an ultimatum – let Mae go, and she’ll train with him.

The Stranger agrees, and Mae’s memory gets wiped before the Jedi find her. Back on the unknown planet, the two hold hands over the broken saber, looking out onto the horizon.

The Acolyte Episode 8: Vernestra brings in the big guns

The Acolyte Episode 8 ends as Mae and Vernestra arrive back on Coruscant, where it’s clear that the only thing Mae remembers is the childhood fire. The name Osha means nothing to her, and she has no idea and she has taken several Jedi lives.

Vernestra tries to explain the situation and has a job for Mae. She states that one of her old students turned evil, and she needs Mae to bring him back.

The Jedi Council meets to understand what has happened. However, Vernestra tells them a different version of the truth. She claims it was Sol who killed Indara, Torbin, and Kelnacca, doing so and returning to Brendok because he was overcome with guilt about Osha and Mae. She also says Sol killed himself on his return.

They buy her story, but she’s not off the hook. Senator Rayencourt is there, who states that there needs to be an external investigation into the conduct of Jedi. Hearing this, Vernestra leaves to ask the advice of the wisest – Yoda – who appears briefly before the episode ends.

Continue to jump into hyperspace with everything we know about Skeleton Crew and Tales of the Jedi Season 2. You can also read our Star Wars The Acolyte explained guide for more specific details.

Or, for big screen adventures in the galaxy, look ahead to Star Wars movies like New Jedi Order, Dawn of the Jedi, or the Lando movie.