The recently-aired episode 6 of The Acolyte featured a reference to Darth Vader, and it sent fans into a frenzy on social media.
The new episode titled "Teach/Corrupt" showed the aftermath of last week's cliffhanger where the twin characters switched positions. Mae pretended to be Osha in Sol's presence while Osha found herself in the company of Qimir, who tried to convince her to join his side.
Osha's journey has been one of the highlights for many fans as we saw her grapple with a traumatic event in the past that led to her separation from her twin sister while also figuring out her path as a Force user.
Spoiler Warning: This article includes spoilers for The Acolyte episode 6, so proceed with caution.
The Acolyte Episode 6 Features a Darth Vader Reference
Throughout episode 6 of The Acolyte, we saw a relationship forming between Osha and Qimir as the latter tried to seduce the former into the dark side and see a different perspective on the Force aside from the Jedi way.
One of the key moments in the episode was Qimir's invitation to Osha to try his cortosis helmet, which can block the Force's telepathy and allow him to explore the Force without any outside influence.
The final scene saw Osha being initially hesitant to wear the helmet before she decided to put it on. We heard a familiar Darth Vader-esque muffled breathing sound.
The point-of-view shot of Osha wearing the helmet is similar to Anakin Skywalker's transformation into Vader in the final moments of Revenge of the Sith.
While it doesn't definitively indicate yet that it is a sign that Osha would become the Vader of the High Republic, it was still a significant moment for many fans due to its potential implications on the character's journey for the rest of the series.
Here are some of the reactions from fans on the Vader reference in the new episode:
It is interesting what kind of implications this moment has for the last two episodes of the season as we're seeing signs that they are setting her up for a dark side path, which will be a devastating twist if it ends up happening.
All we can know is that there is a purpose behind the use of that specific sound when Osha wore the helmet just like how the Kylo Ren theme was used in the last week's episode.
New episodes of The Acolyte premiere every Tuesday night on Disney+.
What do you think of the Vader reference in episode 6? Let us know in the comments!
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