During the 2025 Denver Fan Expo weekend,The Acolyte(2024) starManny Jacintoshared an exciting piece of information withStar Warsfans regarding a lightsaber duel in theDisney+original series, which was originally more intense than the final scene ultimately shown on screen.The Acolyteis an original TV series set 100 years beforeStar Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace(1999) at the end of the High Republic era, a time when the Jedi Order thrived and believed that the malevolent Sith were extinct.
The mystery-thriller follows a reputable Jedi Master, Sol (Lee Jung-jae), who investigates a series of crimes committed against the Jedi Order while discovering sinister forces' plots and reconnecting with an old Padawan learner. Osha (Amandla Stenberg), a former Padawan, is framed for the murder of Jedi Master Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss). To uncover the truth and prevent further darkness from spreading across the galaxy, she must turn to her former teacher, Sol.
During the fan event, Jacinto discussed his character Qimir, also known as ‘The Stranger,’ who operates from the shadows in an effort to resurrect the Sith.He spoke about the phenomenal lightsaber duel in Episode 5 (“Night”), in which The Stranger duelled multiple Jedi Knights simultaneously, and described the original choreography as brutal and graphic. Unfortunately, the scene was toned down to reduce its intensity. However, the final result was still relatively dark as viewers witnessed the slaying of several Jedi Knights, and just as brilliantly choreographed as what Jacinto described.
The Original Lightsaber Duel in ‘The Acolyte’ Was Too Much for Disney
The Acolyte
Since Disney acquiredtheStar Warsfranchise, it has had its share of brutal moments. The one scene that comes to mind is in Episode 3 (“Part III”) of theObi-Wan Kenobi(2022) limited series, when Darth Vader (Hayden Christensen) snaps a child’s neck. Given this history, it was somewhat surprising to seeThe Acolyteminimize its brutality. During the fan expo, Jacinto provided insight into how the graphic nature of the fight was minimized.
“Star Wars has always been PG, but you want to find some brutal aspects of these fights. There was one moment, I think, where I just take one Jedi and keep slamming his head on to a rock, because we wanted to show how brutal this guy could be, without any remorse.”
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The scene alone was already asking audiences to witness one murder after another, which is a big ask in and of itself, so imagining that there was another layer of barbarity is astonishing. There’s one instance, during the lightsaber sequence, where Jacinto’s character repeatedly stabs Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen), and another instance where he breaks Yord Fandar’s (Charlie Barnett) neck with his hands, without using the Force. The Stranger doesn’t hold back his ruthlessness, and the final choreography in the scene does more than enough to prove thatthis character is incapable of feeling remorse,so given the vicious nature of the scene, adding the repeated bashing of a Jedi’s head would’ve probably taken it too far.
The Stranger’s Lightsaber Battle Is One of the Best in the ‘Star Wars’ Franchise
Choreographing a balanced lightsaber duel is no easy feat, especially since loyal fans of theStar Warsfranchise expect them to be done right and with precision. Showrunner Leslye Headland and the stunt coordinators exceeded expectations with this scene, and it has easily become one of the best lightsaber battles inStar Warshistory, continuing the legacy of gold-standard choreography.
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Through this ferocious sequence, we’ve been given a glimpse into what a series can do when it explores the power of the Sith and how their skills differ from those of the Jedi. This scene easily joins the likes of the lightsaber duel between Anakin Skywalker (Christensen) and Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) inStar Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith(2005). The Disney+ series may have been canceled, but it has providedfuture projects in the franchise with a blueprintfor lightsaber duels.The Acolyteis streaming onDisney+.
