Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode 5, Night, revealed the real identity of Mae’s (Amandla Stenberg) mysterious Master. After several hints and a number of theories, Qimir (Manny Jacinto) turned out to be the man behind the smiling helmet, and the franchise revealed his name as The Stranger through merch. But the theory mill didn’t just stop there. Another theory suggests that The Stranger is connected to the villains in the sequel trilogy, the Knights of Ren.
Warning: Major spoilers ahead. Read at your own risk.
The Acolyte Episode 5 connects all the pieces as to why Qimir convinces Mae to continue her mission despite her fear of failing to kill a Jedi without a weapon. He, too, has helped her kill Jedi Master Torbin (Dean-Charles Chapman) by concocting a poison and led her to the Wookie Jedi Master Kelnacca (Joonas Suotamo) despite hiding in the middle of a forest on Khofar.
As The Stranger, Qimir wears a set of armored gauntlets and a Cortosis-weave helmet, which can block the Jedi’s mind-reading techniques and temporarily shut down lightsabers. However, the design of his headgear, armor, lightsaber, and brawler makes fans wonder about his real origins. Add those to the theme of Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) playing in the background when he heals Osha’s (Stenberg) wounds; these give birth to theories that he is connected to the Knights of Ren.
Star Wars: The Acolyte’s Qimir May Have Inspired the Knights of Ren
Like Qimir, the Knights of Ren don dark-colored armor and helmets to hide their identities. They also use armor and weapons designed to counter or kill the Jedi and come from the Unknown Regions of the galaxy, where they can operate with impunity and free of Jedi control.
These perfectly fit Qimir’s image in The Acolyte. His armor is made of Cortosis to fight the Jedi effectively. At the same time, his red lightsaber has a second dagger hidden in the hilt, which he uses to effortlessly kill Jedi Padawan Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen) during their fight. Qimir also reveals that he wants to use his dark side power the way he likes without answering to the Jedi, which can be likened to the Knights of Ren’s philosophy.
Also, though Qimir tells Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) that the Jedi like him may call him a Sith, fans suggest that the villain and the Jedi may no longer recognize what a Sith Lord truly is. Though the Knights of Ren didn’t exist during the time of The Acolyte, given its placement in the timeline, Qimir may have inspired the Knights, and the show is probably their origin story.
Fans are advised to take this assumption with a grain of salt as nothing is confirmed yet. With three more episodes left, The Acolyte may still reveal several details about Qimir’s real identity. But one thing’s certain: showrunner Leslye Headland won’t use Kylo Ren’s theme for nothing.
The Acolyte Episodes 1 to 5 are available on Disney+, while new episodes are set to release every Tuesday.
