Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte episode 3.

Summary

• The Acolyte may reveal Darth Plagueis' powers a century before Revenge of the Sith, tying into the rise of the Sith and fall of the Jedi.
• Osha and Mae's mysterious origins hint at Plagueis' dark powers at work, with hints of manipulation over Midi-chlorians for the creation of life.
• Anakin's male gender sets him apart from Osha and Mae, suggesting Plagueis' powers may have limitations due to the lack of a biological father, creating intrigue in The Acolyte and making Anakin a special case.

The story of Star Wars' High Republic era, The Acolyte explores the rise of Sith power in the galaxy that eventually leads to the downfall of the Jedi and the rise of the Galactic Empire. However, exactly how the Sith will tie into The Acolyte remains the show's biggest mystery.

By the time of The Acolyte's cast of characters to grow, all while keeping the identity of the dark warrior hidden. That said, the flashback setting of The Acolyte episode 3 still ties into the show's enigmatic story by hinting at an exploration of Darth Plagueis' Sith powers that have been shrouded in secrecy since Revenge of the Sith.

Revenge Of The Sith Revealed Darth Plagueis Could Create Life Itself

Episode III's Opera Scene Gave Hints To Plagueis' True Power

Perhaps the most iconic dialog scene in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith is the one between Anakin and Palpatine in the Coruscant Opera House. The two are speaking about political matters, with Palpatine intentionally stoking Anakin's distrust of the Jedi Order. After Anakin shows an unwillingness to go against the Jedi in any way, Palpatine asks his would-be apprentice if he has ever heard the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise. Anakin states he has not, leaving Palpatine to recall the tale of Plagueis.

Unbeknownst to Anakin, Palpatine is the Sith Lord Darth Sidious, the once-apprentice of Darth Plagueis.

The crux of Palpatine's story surrounds one central power that Plagueis possessed. The latter was known to be obsessed with figuring out immortality, endlessly pouring over research that would one day allow him to live forever. Palpatine explains that, eventually, Plagueis figured out how to do this. It is said that Plagueis was so powerful in the dark side of the Force that he could influence the Midi-chlorians to create life, and even stop those he cared about from dying.

As revealed in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, Midi-chlorians are microscopic life forms that exist within all living beings in the galaxy. The Midi-chlorians are how Jedi and other Force-sensitives commune with the Force, meaning Plageuis' power over them essentially gave him power over the Force itself. While much of Plagueis' story in Star Wars canon is yet to be revealed, the idea that he could create life with the Midi-chlorians was one of his darkest powers, as revealed by Palpatine himself.

The Acolyte Shows Darth Plagueis' Power At Work

The Acolyte's Mysterious Story Hints At Darth Plagueis' Life-Altering Powers

Concerning how this dark power from Plagueis fits into The Acolyte, the history of Mae and Osha may provide this answer. In The Acolyte episode 3, Mae and Osha's childhood as the future of a coven of Force-sensitive witches is detailed. Mae and Osha are the daughters of Mother Aniseya, the leader of the coven. Later in The Acolyte episode 3, Aniseya and her partner worry when the Jedi find their coven, stemming from their protection of Osha and Mae. The witches do not wish to see Mae and Osha fall into the hands of the Jedi due to the twins' mysterious origins.

Osha and Mae were not the subject of a natural birth, but more mysterious powers that saw the twins be born without a father...

Aniseya reveals that Mae and Osha do not have a father like Anakin Skywalker did not in the prequels. It is later revealed that Aniseya's partner carried Osha and Mae, with the former stating she "created them." Evidently, Osha and Mae were not the subject of a natural birth, but more mysterious powers that saw the twins be born without a father.

Aniseya's ission that she created the twins seems to hint that Plagueis' powers are at work in The Acolyte, explaining why the witches wish to keep Osha and Mae away from the Jedi. This is ed by Aniseya's partner hinting that the Jedi will not be pleased if they learn specifically how Aniseya created Osha and Mae. These powers stem from the dark side of the Force, as proven by Plagueis' power over the Midi-chlorians. This even provides more hints towards The Acolyte's Sith villain, who could prove to be Plagueis himself.

How Anakin Is Different To Osha & Mae

The Chosen One Has A Notable Difference From The Acolyte's Twins

With Anakin Skywalker being the Chosen One of the Force, comparisons between him, Osha, and Mae will naturally be made. That said, Osha and Mae stemming from similar origins as Anakin does not lessen the latter's story in any way. The reason as to why this is the case is fairly obvious and seemingly simple, though proves that Anakin's birth remains a mystery 25 years after The Phantom Menace first revealed his immaculate conception.

It could be the case that The Acolyte is exploring the earliest tests of Plagueis' power...

The simple difference in question is that Anakin Skywalker is male. As is known from real-world biology, all embryos are created with two X chromosomes, making them female. It is only after around two months of gestation that the gender difference is determined depending on the combination of a Y chromosome, delivered by the father in natural births. Given this science, it stands to reason that Plagueis' Force powers can only create females, as there is no natural father that can deliver a Y chromosome to the embryo.

All of this is to say that Anakin remains a miraculous case in the Star Wars galaxy. While The Acolyte's Force-centered reveals could tie into how Anakin Skywalker was eventually created before The Phantom Menace, it would still be a special case study. As such, it could be the case that The Acolyte is exploring the earliest tests of Plagueis' power.

While his timeline is difficult to determine, the Sith Master should still be fairly young at this point in the Star Wars timeline based on estimates of his age. Therefore, this could be the point in the Star Wars timeline in which Plagueis first learns of his power over the Midi-chlorians, and is simply testing his abilities. This could have led to Osha and Mae before he perfected his dark-sided powers a century after The Acolyte via the creation of Anakin Skywalker.