The Stranger’s Darkness: A Conversation With Manny Jacinto on The Acolyte’s End Game
The galaxy far, far away has been rocked by the arrival of a new agent of the dark side, The Stranger, whose true identity was revealed in the Season 1 finale of The Acolyte. Played by the charismatic Manny Jacinto, this enigmatic figure, initially posing as a simple smuggler named Qimir, is revealed to be a powerful Sith Master manipulating events behind the scenes.
In an exclusive interview with io9, Jacinto delves into the complexity of the Stranger’s character, the shocking reveals of the finale, and what the future might hold for this enigmatic Sith.
io9: Now that the finale is out, how has it felt for you as an actor, having to keep this secret about who you were really playing, to have it out in the open and see what the reaction from Star Wars fans has been like?
Jacinto: It’s been a huge weight off my shoulders. Honestly, it hurt my soul every time I had to lie to people’s faces when they asked thoughtful questions. It’s a huge relief to finally be able to talk about the role in its full form and arc. But I’m also incredibly proud of it, and I can’t wait to share any tidbits with people about the Stranger now.
io9: There’s a moment early on in the finale where, as the Stranger and Osha are leaving in his ship, we see this peculiar character in the shadows. We now know that this is Plagueis—how much awareness around that reveal did you have going into filming? Were you told about how he was being brought into the show, and his connection with the Stranger?
Jacinto: I had no idea. When I saw the episode, with the special effects still being built in, that scene was blacked out. I experienced it for the first time as a viewer, completely shocked. I need to talk to Leslye [Headland, The Acolyte’s showrunner] about that in depth, but it was great to be able to experience that moment like an audience member. There’s a lot to unfold there.
io9: How do you think the Stranger feels about having this other presence on this world with him, especially now that, by the end of the finale, he has a new acolyte to train?
Jacinto: I haven’t been able to think past the finale yet, about the ramifications of having Plagueis there. I’ve always approached the Stranger from this very much lone wolf perspective, focused on his own ambitions. But now, obviously this changes everything, and I need to talk to Leslye about how we’re going to handle this moving forward.
io9: After that moment, we go to Brendok and we have this incredible fight scene with Master Sol. What was the prep like for you for this duel compared to your process and experience filming the big fight sequence in episode five?
Jacinto: We filmed this sequence after episode five, so I had built a body that was in tune with the choreography, and I was more familiar with using the lightsaber. The biggest difference was that we were very down to the wire, so I had to learn a lot of the choreography either the day before or on the day. The actor’s strike was coming, and we didn’t know how much longer we had to shoot, so I had to move quick. But I could also rely on the stuntmen more, which was a huge relief.
io9: In the wake of that duel, the Jedi arrive on the scene, lead by Vernestra—and there’s that moment of realization she and the Stranger alike have about feeling each other’s presence. Again, how much of that connection he has with her were aware of coming into filming, what was it like for you to play that moment of discovery for the Stranger as he watches her from the shadows?
Jacinto: I didn’t actually know that [connection] until we started shooting episode eight. It’s how Leslye likes to work, to not influence our performances. I read the script, learned about the connection, and was able to pick Leslye’s brain about it.
I think it mirrors the relationship that Osha had with Sol. It might have a different outcome, so if we get a season two, I think it’s something we can definitely explore.
io9: Speaking of Osha—the finale ends with something of a role reversal, where the Stranger lets go of Mae and gains Osha as a new apprentice. How do you think the relationship he has with Osha differs from the one he had with Mae? What was it like for you to play that difference as we build towards those final moments?
Jacinto: There’s a huge distinction that needs to be made. The Mae relationship was always like a sibling dynamic, a brother-sister fighting – “we don’t really like each other, but we need each other to appease this master.” With Osha, it was always more of an intimate attraction and relationship.
I remember talking with Amandla [Stenberg, who plays Mae and Osha] and Leslye about when that switch occurs, when he actually realizes he has the wrong twin. I think it’s the moment when he goes up to Osha when she’s trying to pretend to be Mae, and he goes “You look just like her.” I think he feels, he can’t help but feel, the depth of her trauma and despair, that it could be used for something greater perhaps, to seduce her to the dark side. I think at that moment he was like, “This isn’t it, this is exactly who Mae was supposed to be.” I think moving forward from that moment on, in the back of his head the Stranger always saw Osha as possibly the one.
io9: I’m glad you mentioned the intimacy there. Throughout episodes six and eight there’s this frisson of a connection between Osha and the Stranger—there’s fans who have latched on to that connection and dubbed the two of you “Oshamir.” How do you feel about fans not just latching onto that as a potential idea, but do you think it’s something we could see explored as they navigate what this Master-Acolyte relationship is between them?
Jacinto: I think it’s definitely a huge, major point to explore if we do get a season two. The great part about that dynamic is that it brings in a different type of audience into Star Wars. There’s a huge Star Wars fan base, but people have told me that they haven’t seen any Star Wars, but they will for this, referencing the Oshamir dynamic. It’s amazing to be able to bring more people into this franchise, this fanbase. You’ve gotta give the people what they want, and I think there is a lot to explore within that dynamic.
io9: The Stranger is now part of this long legacy of Sith characters in Star Wars. Looking back on this series, what you think it is about the Stranger that makes him unique among these characters, that people can look at in him and feel “oh, we’ve never seen this from a Sith before”?
Jacinto: There’s something about someone who is “bad” – I’m saying this in quotes – or a “villain” and he’s just being who he is. With the other Sith Lords, or if you look at Anakin, or if you look at Kylo Ren, there’s clearly this trauma that they’ve experienced, that they’re fighting something internally, and you can definitely see that there’s a glimpse of light in them.
With the Stranger, it’s almost like he just has no remorse. He’s not apologetic in terms of who he is. He understands that he’s an outsider, that to the Jedi, he’s not allowed to exist in this society because of his beliefs and his passion. He’s just very unapologetic with who he is, he’s like “Take me for who I am, I don’t want to be somebody else anymore.”
He says to Sol [in episode five], “I’ve accepted my darkness, what have you done with yours?” He’s an outsider, he knows that he’s an outcast, he knows that he’s a black sheep, and he won’t apologize for that.
The Stranger’s journey in The Acolyte is just beginning. His unique blend of power, charisma, and unyielding conviction has captivated fans and promises to redefine what it means to be a Sith. Will he succeed in shaping the future of the galaxy? Or will the Force have other plans? Only time, and perhaps a second season of The Acolyte, will tell.
