'The Acolyte' finally hints at a much-needed forbidden love affair
Contains spoilers and speculation for 'The Acolyte'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: 'The Acolyte' Episode 6 premiered on July 2, 2024, on Disney+, and the intriguing episode hinted at an unlikely romance that has caught 'Star Wars' fans unaware and got them buzzing all over the world with this exciting development.
Osha (Amandla Stenberg) woke up on an unknown planet after being healed by Qimir (Manny Jacinto) after the deadly events of Episode 5 where Qimir was revealed to be the Sith Lord and killed Osha's Jedi teammates.
Osha begins her interaction with Qimir with hostility and points a lightsaber at her but their shared pasts and vulnerability with their emotions create a visible chemistry between the two.
As the episode ended, we saw Osha try the Cortosis helmet that was designed by Qimir and experience the mystical powers of the helmet. The relationship between the two is unclear so far but the showrunner of 'The Acolyte' has put an end to all speculation.
Leslye Headland confirms Osha and Qimir's romance
Leslye Headland confirmed the enemies-to-lovers dynamic between Osha and Qimir while speaking to Collider. She even approved of a nickname that some fans are giving the couple. She said, "I like Oshamir, personally. I like her full name," while expressing her desire to keep Osha's full name in the combination, as per the source.
This offers an interesting perspective into the psychology of both Osha and Qimir as Osha is reeling from the death of people she has known all her life, and to fall in love with the person who killed them all will be a drastic turn for her.
Qimir on the other hand must have some serious mystical powers to convince Osha against the Jedi if he manages to do so. It might all be leading to a duty vs emotions battle for Osha where she must choose between Qimir and her duty to the Jedi.
Similarities to Kylo and Rey
Fans who have followed the 'Star Wars' universe have found similarities between the stories of Qimir and Osha and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) and Rey (Daisey Ridley) who had a similar story to Qimir and Osha in 'The Last Jedi'.
While the dynamic is similar, Leslye Headley in the interview pointed out the differences between the two relationships. She said, "Honestly, with Kylo and Rey, there was really just one moment that was sort of the seed that planted the tree of this relationship. It was just Adam [Driver’s] delivery when he says, “Join me,” and then they cut to her and then he says, “Please", in this incredibly vulnerable, almost heartbreaking way, where you understand how lonely and lost this guy is because he murdered his dad."
She confirmed that the Kylo and Rey dynamic wasn't one that inspired her while creating the Osha and Qimir stories. She further went on to add, "I wouldn't say I took too much from the dynamics after that, because the second thing that was really important to me was that Osha never tried to turn him. I don't want to say I didn't like that dynamic, I just think it's a dynamic I wasn't interested in."
How to stream 'The Acolyte'?
'The Acolyte' Episodes 1-6 are streaming on Disney+. To watch the show, you will need a Disney+ Subscription. To stream 'The Acolyte', you'll need a subscription to Disney+.
The basic membership plan with ads costs $7.99/month while the premium plan (with no ads) comes at $13.99/month or $139.99/year.
'The Acolyte' trailer
'The Acolyte' Episodes 1-6 are streaming on Disney+.