The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland recently opened up about Darth Plagueis' surprise cameo in the first season finale.
The fan-favorite character appeared in the recently aired season finale of the Star Wars series to the delight of many fans who have been wondering about his potential inclusion in the High Republic-set project.
While it is unknown yet what the ramifications of Plagueis' appearance are in the future of the series, fans have speculated that he might be a bigger presence in the second season and set up how he became Palpatine's master.
The Acolyte Showrunner Explains Darth Plagueis' Season Finale Cameo
In a recent interview, Headland discussed Darth Plagueis' appearance in the first season finale of The Acolyte.
She revealed that his cameo appearance in the season finale was always planned to use him as a tease for the potential second season.
"Plagueis was always in the finale, in every version. There was a version where he was the button of the finale [instead of Yoda]," the showrunner said.
"You want to feel Osha’s triumph. You want to feel her joining forces with The Stranger. Plagueis stepped on [that moment]."
Headland added, "I was OK with having the cameo come so early if it meant I could wrap up these characters in a way that their final shot was not a, ‘And he’s been pulling the strings the whole time’ feeling."
Headland also teased how Plagueis' appearance will play out in the second season, especially with Qimir and Osha's newfound relationship.
"Even though [Osha and The Stranger] are standing there, sort of looking out at the sunset, ready to conquer the world, the tragedy is we know they don’t. We know there can only be two. We know Plagueis is there. We know that these two are doomed in some way," she explained.
"So to me it’s a bittersweet tragedy, this foreboding ending. But that’s because I know about the Sith lineage and all these other things, whereas I think a different subset of the audience can be like, ‘They’re married!’"
While it is exciting that Plagueis is now going to be a major figure in the story moving forward, it also sets up a darker path for some of the characters and an intense storyline that will explore the rise of Sith in the years before the prequel trilogy.
Before we hype ourselves for the next season, let's hope that Lucasfilm and Disney+ will renew the series soon despite the viewership reports suggesting that it might be a long shot.
All episodes of The Acolyte season 1 are streaming on Disney+.
What do you think of Darth Plagueis' cameo? Let us know in the comments!
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