Warning! This article contains SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Acolyte.
Summary
Master Torbin’s tragic fate inStar Wars: The Acolyteforeshadows the fall of the Jedi Order over a century later. InThe Acolyte, a few select Jedi are being hunted by a dangerous assassin known asMae (Amandla Stenberg). Though the rest ofThe Acolytestill has plenty of mysteries to solve, it seems that Torbin (Dean-Charles Chapman), his Master,Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss),Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae), and theWookiee Jedi Kelnacca(Joonas Suotamo) had a role to play in the destruction of her home and coven. Mae wants revenge, but one of those Jedi is particularly tricky to kill.
InThe Acolyteepisode 2, “Revenge/Justice,” Mae tracks down Torbin to a Temple on the planet Olega. Though she expects to kill him in a fight, Master Torbin has, in a deep meditative state, protected himself with a strong Force field. Unable to strike him with a weapon, Mae takes an altogether more sadistic approach. Using his guilt against him, Mae manages to convince Torbin to swallow a vial of poison. The relief it brings him is palpable, butthe fact that Torbin willingly submits to Mae reveals a much deeper issue within Torbin and within the Jedi Order itself.
Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode Guide - Cast Members, Biggest Takeaways & Easter Eggs
Here’s everything you need to follow along with Star Wars: The Acolyte, from references and trivia to main takeaways from each new episode.
Master Torbin Turned To The Force For Absolution And Escape
The Acolyte’s premiere revealed that Master Torbin had takenthe Barash Vow. InStar Warslore, the Barash Vow is taken by those Jedi who wish to dedicate themselves to communion with the Force. Essentially, these Jedi cut themselves off from their regular duties as Jedi and slip into a deep meditative state, retreating within themselves to find the answers they’re searching for. Many Jedi undertake this vow as a form of penance – they feel they’ve done something to disgrace the Jedi Order and the light side of the Force, and they seek absolution, trying to atone for their sins.
According to theStar Warscomics, over 14,000 Jedi have taken the Barash Vow throughout the Jedi Order’s history, but only three have ever been canonically named.
Though it’s still unclear exactly what Torbin did that would make him feel so remorseful he’d undertake the Barash Vow and be willing to harm himself, it is clear that Torbin allowed his fear and his guilt, two negative emotions associated with the dark side, to overwhelm him. The Barash Vow is often a last resort –Torbin retreated in on himself, cutting off contact with the outside world, and, as a result, let his emotions be manipulated by a dark side acolyte. This is, essentially, what later happens to the Jedi as well, though on a much larger scale.
The Jedi Retreated In Fear Of The Darkness
In the century betweenThe AcolyteandStar Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, the Jedi begin to retreat in on themselves too. Duringthe High Republic era, which is whenThe Acolytetakes place, the Jedi were scattered across the galaxy, with Temples situated on various planets and outreach programs taking place throughout the Outer Rim and beyond. They were accessible to those who needed them and open to helping whoever they came across during their travels. By the time theStar Warsprequel trilogy takes place, that side of the Jedi no longer exists.
Instead, they’ve withdrawn to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, traveling only when the Republic needs them to or when they are directly contacted by someone they trust.Somewhere betweenThe AcolyteandThe Phantom Menace, the Jedi became both too dependent on the guidance of the Republic and too distrustful of their own judgment. That was the start of their downfall.
The Jedi feared the darkness; whether that was the darkness of the creatures known as the Nameless, which were introduced inThe High Republicbooks and comics– they feed on a Jedi’s connection to the Force until the Jedi are left as shriveled husks – or the darkness of the Sith and their followers as shown inThe Acolyte,it’s hard to say. A combination of both is most likely.By fearing the darkness and withdrawing from the galaxy, they made themselves susceptible to an attack, which is exactly what happened with Master Torbin inThe Acolyte.
The Jedi believed that introspection would help them push back their flaws, their guilt, their wavering self-belief, and their impending doom, but darkness can come from within as well as attack from the outside.
They felt safe within the comfort of their bubble. In Master Torbin’s case, it was an actual Force bubble, and in the Jedi Order’s case, it was the safety of Coruscant and their impenetrable Jedi Temple. They believed that introspection would help them push back their flaws, their guilt, their wavering self-belief, and their impending doom, but darkness can come from within as well as attack from the outside.By essentially sequestering themselves, they let everything negative fester and rot, and by the time they figured out what was happening, it was too late.
Mae knew exactly what to say to make Torbin drink the poison because he hadn’t given himself a chance to truly work through his emotions and his guilt. Palpatine knew exactly how to push the Jedi Order toward their doom without ever revealing himself as a Sith because they hadn’t dealt with their fear. What happened to Master Torbin inStar Wars: The Acolyteshould have been a warning for the Jedi, but instead, they made the exact same mistake.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
