Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm in 2012, which included “Star Wars,” has proven to be a disaster. After George Lucas’s continuous meddling with his iconic movies, the handover to Disney looked promising. Now we see that it’s merely swapped one set of bewildering decisions for another.
Since Disney took over, “Star Wars” has fallen from grace. Case in point, its latest streaming offering, currently floundering with a measly 14% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s well below even the universally scorned “Star Wars Holiday Special” from 1978.
“The Acolyte,” a series steeped in woke symbolism, whose script demands the suspension of disbelief in ways that defy the laws of physics: fires blazing in vacuum space conditions and inexplicably igniting steel bridges and solid stone. Apparently, it’s not just people who can identify as other than they are in this universe – it’s inanimate objects too.
As for the narrative, there are plot points that beggar belief. For example, they introduce a protagonist purportedly located on an untraceable planet, amidst an insurmountable forest. Yet, both adversaries and allies miraculously locate this person within mere minutes, only to find him already deceased. Instant narrative dead end.
And if that’s the low bar set for the storyline, don’t get me started on the discourse. A character flip flops on the nature of the Force within minutes, making it sound like the Force is less about an interconnected energy field and more about a political treatise on power distribution.
Most preposterous of all, a new creature, called “Bazil,” is introduced. When the lead asks about Bazil’s pronouns, surely a first for the Star Wars universe, it’s difficult to not see this as anything but blatant virtue signaling. Why can’t a female character be left as such? Why does her identity have to be contorted to fit a woke cookie cutter?
All of this “awokeness” seems less about advancing an entertaining story and more about ticking boxes on a diversity checklist. The writers have discarded their respect for the source material, treating the dedicated audience with open contempt. Instead of reimagining the saga in new and exciting ways, they’ve infused it with divisive, politically charged subtext.
If there ever was a time for Disney head honcho Bob Iger to step in, it’s now. For the sake of Star Wars and its loyal fanbase, something significant needs to change. The Force deserves better than what it’s currently being subjected to.
