‘The Acolyte’ Episode 7 Recap & Review: Poor Choices, Worse Consequences

Warning: Spoilers ahead for The Acolyte Episode 7, “Choice.”

While the third episode of The Acolyte features a young Osha’s (Lauren Brady) perspective of what happened on Brendok 16 years ago, she obviously doesn’t have a clear picture of the truth. At the time, she was an impressionable child who looked up to the Jedi. To this day, she still views their actions through rose-colored glasses. However, the mystery of the Jedi, Osha and her twin Mae (Amandla Stenberg), and their past finally comes to light in The Acolyte Episode 7, “Choice.”

It’s been clear all along throughout the series that the Jedi have been hiding something. Mae obviously couldn’t have destroyed an entire coven of witches by herself, and as it turns out, she didn’t. The mystery is finally unravelling, so check out all the details in our The Acolyte Episode 7 recap below!

The Truth of What Happened on Brendok Is Revealed in “Choice”

After seven weeks of collecting moss samples, Torbin (Dean-Charles Chapman) lacks patience and is eager to get home to Coruscant. However, his Jedi Master, Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss), is adamant they must stay longer. While she is coy about their purpose on the planet, she attempts to instill curiosity and faith in her Padawan Torbin. However, Sol (Lee Jung-jae) has other plans.

Still a young and rash Jedi Knight, Sol fails to understand Indara’s teaching strategies and reveals to Torbin the truth behind their presence on Brendok in The Acolyte Episode 7. Over 100 years ago, a major hyperspace disaster reportedly destroyed all life in the system. This refers to the first book in the High Republic series, Star Wars: Light of the Jedi, in which a large hyperspace bus explodes and the flying debris collides with nearby planets.

The most logical explanation for a planet in this system teeming with life, such as Brendok, would be a rare event known as a vergence. Sol explains they are searching for proof of this event within the planet since a vergence means there would be a large concentration of power within the Force, or a Force Nexus.

The Jedi’s Judgement Continues To Be Clouded by Arrogance and Fear

As the Jedi continue their search, Sol stumbles upon Mae and Osha arguing, at the same point viewers saw them at the beginning of the third episode of the series. Sol immediately reports his findings to Indara, claiming he fears the children are in danger in The Acolyte Episode 7. Despite not yet meeting the coven, Sol is already being guided by fear, the most potent tool of the dark side of the Force.

Sol’s emotions continue to run high upon meeting the coven. He claims to feel a deep connection to Osha and wants to make her his very first Padawan learner. Although the Jedi feel their mission is moral and just, their unwanted presence in someone else’s home, combined with their own fear and mistrust, are all catalysts for disaster.

Indara is the only group member thinking clearly, and she rightfully suggests Sol is mistaking Osha’s needs for his personal desires. Kelnacca (Joonas Suotamo) is also acting rationally, however he is barely present throughout the first half of the episode. Despite his lack of involvement, he does slice through the controls of the coven’s base, similarly to BD-1 from the Star Wars: Jedi video games in a fun little nod.

Mae and Osha’s Origin Is Unveiled in ‘The Acolyte’ Episode 7

Since the only other time spent in the past was seen through Osha’s perspective, The Acolyte Episode 7 is the first time viewers witness Mae’s test with the Jedi. While she purposely fails their exam, she reveals her coven’s secrets in the process. Mae is proud to have completed her Ascendance ritual and admits the mark on her forehead is meant to convey that she will one day be the coven leader.

Unfortunately for Sol, the Jedi Order decides Mae and Osha aren’t meant to be taken as Padawans; the Jedi Order makes a logical and empathetic decision, refusing to remove the girls from their family at their advanced age.However, their blood samples come back showing an incredibly high M-Count, proving they are extremely force-sensitive.

Torbin is still reeling from his desire to return home, and Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith) having toyed with his mind. He takes their M-Count and the fact that their genetics are exactly identical as confirmation their birth was likely a result of a vergence, and their existence is his ticket back to Coruscant.

Despite Indara’s warnings not to disrupt the coven, both Torbin and Sol take speeders to return to their hideout and kidnap the children. While that’s not the lens in which they view themselves, it is indeed some colonialist bullshit. Sol views himself as more fit to care for Osha, so he believes he should be able to take her from her family in The Acolyte Episode 7. Although Torbin’s actions could be viewed in a worse light, considering he is selfishly seeking out the children for his own personal gain, he’s still dealing with the aftereffects of magick mind control, so he gets a small pass.

Sol’s Dark Secrets Finally Come to Light

Torbin and Sol scale the walls of the mountain and infiltrate the base, but the witches are ready for a fight. While Mother Aniseya attempts to refrain from violence, Mother Koril (Margarita Levieva) is primed to protect her children by any means necessary.

Mae accidentally starts the fire that begins to spread, but instead of evacuation, both sides remain engaged in conflict. Just as Mother Aniseya warns the Jedi that their own actions will be the eventual fall of the Jedi order, the battle begins as Mae begs for help to save her sister.

When Mother Aniseya begins to use her magick, causing both herself and Mae to fade into vapor, Sol’s fear finally takes over. It’s unclear exactly what Mother Aniseya’s goals are or what is happening to Mae, but Sol isn’t taking any risks and stabs her through the heart with his lightsaber, right in front of her daughter.

With her dying breath, Mother Aniseya admits she was planning to let Osha leave with them anyway, further proving Sol’s actions are driven by anxiety in The Acolyte Episode 7. Throughout the series, Sol has always hesitated to draw his lightsaber, and now it’s clear why.

‘The Acolyte’ Episode 7 Continues the Series Trend of Top-Tier Action

Fueled by rage and hatred for the Jedi, Mother Koril sends Mae away to find Osha and uses her magick to inhabit the recently arrived Kelnacca’s body. Although Indara and Kelnecca arrive to stop Sol and Torbin from causing any further problems, they have fallen right into the middle of the conflict. Although Sol and Torbin fight admirably, they are no match for the Wookiee Jedi, who overpowers them with every blow, leading to the scars on Torbin’s face.

However, Indara attempts to free Kelnacca from the witches’ control as the entire coven works to continue the trance. Indara ultimately breaks their control, incapacitating the entire coven in the process. She is trying to save her friend and doesn’t have many other options, but sheesh, it’s a scary amount of power on display from Indara.

While the Jedi are no longer being controlled, events continue to spiral further out of control. Sol finally locates Osha and Mae but immediately finds himself struggling to stop them from falling to their dooms, using the Force to hold up the surface below their feet. This leads Sol to make his darkest decision yet, as he decides to let Mae’s structure collapse, choosing to keep Osha safe as Mae falls to her presumed death in The Acolyte Episode 7. He sacrifices an entire coven and Osha’s sister and mother, all so he can have his first Padawan.

‘The Acolyte’ Episode 7 “Choice” Review: An Epic Finale Is on the Way

To conclude the Jedi group’s mission of terrible decisions, Indara decides it’s best to keep the events a secret. They will tell Osha and the council that a fire started by Mae caused the deaths. However, while she declares that her intentions are pure and that she wants to keep Osha safe, her decision also means that Torbin and Sol won’t face any accountability for their actions. Once again, the Jedi are hiding behind their intentions and refusing to acknowledge how their actions affect others around them.

Viewers are now privy to the truth, but The Acolyte still has an exciting story to tell to finish off the series. Will Sol apologize to Mae or continue his dark path of lies? Will Osha commit to the dark side of the Force when she discovers the truth? Head writer Leslye Headland has delivered an epic series through seven episodes and looks primed to stick the landing in a wild finale.

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