Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace features the best lightsaber fight in the franchise’s history, with Darth Maul fighting Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Also known as Duel of the Fates, it has transcended the prequel movies, making a Sith Lord, Darth Maul, admired by many. But despite this scene being iconic, Star Wars: The Acolyte eyes to surpass that lightsaber duel.
The Acolyte trailer has already given a glimpse of its many colorful lightsabers. Of course, the Jedis are about to put them to good use as they battle a dark Force about to be revealed. With these many lightsabers, Dafne Keen, who plays Jedi Jecki Lon, told Entertainment Weekly that the new Star Wars series’ cast and crew wanted to match or even exceed that epic confrontation in The Phantom Menace.
“Yeah, that was a very frequent conversation we had,” she said. “It was very much: We want to top the Darth Maul fight — the most iconic fight, I think, in the Star Wars cinematic universe.”
The Logan star called Darth Maul’s fight against Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan an “amazing” battle, making the cast excited about the lightsaber fights in The Acolyte. The characters’ skills and craft in holding weapons and exchanging moves in The Phantom Menace featured original Star Wars feels that impressed every viewer.
That said, holding a lightsaber was Keen’s favorite part of filming, and she even loved the training process. Aside from her, everyone was excited about it, which made their work more fun. With the help of the stunt team, they were trained to use lightsabers correctly by following a fusion of different martial arts.
“I feel very comfortable with a sword now, and I know that Charlie does too, and I know that JJ does too,” she continued. “We were all in there for hours a day training, and it was really fun to kind of explore also a different side to the characters within the fighting.”
Who are the cast of Star Wars: Acolyte?
Lucasfilm announced the cast of Star Wars in November 2022, though the characters they were about to play then were under lock and key. But after revealing the series’ trailer in March 2024, their official roles were finally revealed. You can check the list of the series’ star-studded cast below:
Lee Jung-jae as Jedi Master Sol
Amanda Stenberg as Mae
Carrie-Anne Moss as Jedi Master Indara
Jodie Turner-Smith as Mother Aniseya
Joonas Suotamo as Kelnacca
Rebecca Henderson as Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh
Charlie Barnett as Yord
Dafne Keen as Jecki
Manny Jacinto as Qimir
What is Star Wars: The Acolyte about?
The Acolyte will follow the story of Jedi Master Sol as he tries to find the culprit behind a series of Jedi killings in the Galaxy. But while doing so, he will meet a dangerous warrior from his past. However, despite their issues, they end up working together and go on a journey to look for the mysterious Jedi murderer. The two will then find themselves on a dangerous path and discover evil forces far more menacing than they thought.
You can read the synopsis below:
In The Acolyte, an investigation into a shocking crime spree pits a respected Jedi Master (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past (Amandla Stenberg). As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems….
The Acolyte is set to be released on Disney+ on Tuesday, June 4. Being essentially a prequel to The Phantom Menace, set several years before the film happened, fans need to see how the new series will try to top Darth Maul’s lightsaber duel. Though nothing beats the original, with Keen’s words, they may have worked hard to outdo it.
