Star Wars: The Acolyte may not have been renewed for a second season yet, but showrunner Leslye Headland already has some plans for the show’s potential return. If Season 1 focused on the father and daughter dynamic between Sol (Lee Jung-jae) and Osha (Amandla Stenberg), the possible second season would delve into the connection Vernestra Rwoh (Rebecca Henderson) and Qimir (Manny Jacinto) had. Headland teases that there will be more about Vernestra and the Stranger’s past relationship in The Acolyte Season 2.
After Qimir confessed to Osha that he was a former Jedi and later showed his mysterious scar on his back, many assumed that Vernestra was his former Jedi Master and that her lightwhip caused his scar. The show’s finale even confirmed the connection between the two when Vernestra was surprised that Qimir was still alive, and she talked about a pupil who turned bad while interrogating Mae on Coruscant. So, though Headland neither denied nor confirmed what fans were thinking about them in an interview with Entertainment Weekly, she teased continuing their story in The Acolyte Season 2.
“I think if we're allowed to continue telling this story, you'll see more of Vern's history with the Stranger and how that's affecting the decisions she's making now,” she said.
The series creator also shared her regret that she didn't get the chance to more of Vernestra’s backstory in the show’s previous eight episodes. Though she tried to tell more about this High Republic character, she admitted that there was so much she had to discuss that she ended up putting other characters in the spotlight.
“My goal is to explore as many nooks and crannies as I can in the time I am given, and Star Wars is the perfect place to do that because there's nothing but good nooks and crannies — all of this world that's available to you that you can dig into,” she explained. “So, of course, there were things that I didn't get to explore.”
To treat fans who watched The Acolyte from start to finish, Headland ensured that they would answer a lot of questions by showing Qimir’s master, probably referring to Darth Plagueis, and wrapping up the twin’s storyline. She didn’t want to leave viewers hanging, giving them the ending they deserved, though with major cliffhangers.
“They've sat through all of this, and we want to reward people for watching,” she continued.
Will there be Star Wars: The Acolyte Season 2?
So far, Disney+ has yet to renew The Acolyte for a second season, and Headland admitted that she hasn’t heard anything about it. However, she wanted to use this time to take a break, especially after working her brain out to finish the first set of episodes. Sadly, her mind won't cooperate as she can’t help but continue creating a future story in her head.
“My brain is still doing it,” she quipped. “It's almost like if you're running, you can't just stop, can't shut off.
In fact, she already plans to feature more of the Republic Senate in The Acolyte Season 2 after Senator Rayencourt (David Harewood) and Supreme Chancellor Drellik's appearance in the finale. For Headland, it’s only logical to tell more about this “button-down idea” and to show Vernestra as the bridge for the Jedi’s move to avoid making mistakes and limiting their power.
There are also the surprising appearances of Darth Plagueis and Yoda, representing the higher ranks of the dark and light sides. Headland revealed that being unable to feature these two legendary Star Wars characters would be a real heartbreak for her, as their cameos set up “future storylines.”
“I think it sets up future storylines that could be really compelling,” she teased.
So, if there would be a second season, Headland wanted to tie some loose ends involving Yoda, Darth Plagueis, and the real name of the Stranger. It would also include Vernestra's background, her relationship with the Senate, and how the internal review of the Jedi will unfold. Of course, there’s also the continuation of the story of Osha and Qimir.
“Where does that lead? So, it was a lot of: How is this going to fit into what we later see?” Headland continued. “That was the step I wanted to save for the tease. …Mostly, I need a full season for that.”
True enough, The Acolyte still has a lot of questions to answer. So, with those major cliffhangers, it may not be far that the show will continue for a second season.
All episodes of The Acolyte are available on Disney+.
