The Sith remains one of the most compelling aspects of the Star Wars universe. Fans rarely find all the information they're looking for. Villains struggle to find a motivation more complicated than carrying out the evil whims of an all-powerful Dark Side. Darth Vader is one of the most prominent characters. Sidious sticks around far longer than anyone would prefer. Even Darth Maul enjoyed redemption. Some Sith devotees never earn their spotlight. The Acolytes of the Beyond cult deserves some attention.
The upcoming Disney+ series The Acolyte promises to show fans more of the Sith. This long-awaited project could break new ground in several ways. Despite watching Anakin gradually fall to the dark side over three films, few antagonists gain the nuance fans expect from any heroic figure. Sith figures can carry complex stories, often involving the slavish devotion that the dark side inspires.
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Who are the Acolytes of the Beyond?
The Acolytes of the Beyond were Sith cultists who devoted their lives to pursuing the dark side religion. Its members were not Force-sensitive and therefore couldn't experience the power or clarity of a Sith or Jedi. Without the ability to see the Force, the Acolytes obey a warped understanding of the Cosmic Force. The Force, the mystical energy that binds all things, is split into two halves. The Living Force included the vitality of every living being, but the Cosmic Force lays forth the destiny that all things must follow. Free will canonically doesn't exist in the Star Wars universe. The Acolytes understand this unfortunate truth. Their mythology imagines the Force as an all-consuming river. They believe that the Sith can wield the dark side of the Force to defy the ineffable whims of fate.
The Acolytes of the Beyond worship many dead Sith, whom they perceive as martyrs for their cause. Some Acolytes experience prophetic dreams connected to Sidious or Vader, guiding their dark path. After Darth Vader sacrificed himself to kill his master, Darth Sidious, the Acolytes had no living heroes to worship. Acolytes rigorously hunt Sith artifacts to maintain the legacy of their icons. Their grand prizes were red lightsabers. They bought their first, which they believed to be Darth Vader's, but later stole several. The Acolytes initially intended to destroy Vader's blade to send it to the reformed Sith beyond the grave. Eventually, they learned to collect and wield those artifacts, becoming a threat despite their unusual origins. Darth Sidious summed them up like this:
They believed that the Force is akin to a river, and that the dark side is the only means of changing its currents. To alter the future in their favor, they devoted themselves to gathering Sith arcana, destroying the objects, and releasing the dark energies within as a sacrificial offering to the ancient Sith Lords.
How did the Acolytes of the Beyond form?
The Acolytes of the Beyond formed in shadows after Darth Vader's sacrifice. No one knows the identity of the first Acolyte. Its formative history begins when they broke their careful secrecy to meet with a merchant named Ooblamon and buy Darth Vader's lightsaber. This attracted Yupe Tashu, one of Darth Sidious' closest advisors and his most trusted Sith historian. He brought along an assassin called Ochi of Bestoon. Tashu guided the Acolytes, recruited more members, and spoke to Sith spirits. Many believed he placed visions in the minds of his devotees. Only a few Acolytes gained a spotlight in Star Wars media.
Chuck Wendig's Star Wars: Aftermath series followed, among other things, two young Acolytes named Remi and Kiza. Remi joined the Acolytes after experiencing visions following Sidious's death. Kiza lived a hard life of poverty and abuse before meeting Yupe Tashu. The duo became friends and lovers while working for the Acolytes. They stole a Sith lightsaber from archives under a Corellian city. Remi became a slave to the weapon's dark influence. The Acolytes escalated into terrorist activity, launching coordinated strikes on New Republic outposts. Kiza proved herself a capable warrior, prompting Tashu to select her as an avatar. He fitted her with a mask owned by a long-dead Sith Lord, allowing that evil consciousness to corrupt Kiza. He gave her Remi's lightsaber and sent her into battle. This would start the slow, mysterious unraveling of the Acolytes.
What happened to the Acolytes of the Beyond?
Yupe Tashu died fighting the New Republic in the Battle of Jakku. Without his leadership, recruiting died down rapidly. Kiza and Remi fought for control of the lightsaber that seized both their hearts. In a conflict, Kiza killed her lover. She gradually gave all her free will to the spirit in her mask, becoming a puppet. Luke Skywalker put her down, destroying the mask to end her tyranny. Luke and researcher Lor San Tekka discovered the group's remnants, which seemingly fell apart after it attacked the New Republic. Ochi of Bestoon fled for the Sith Eternal, a more successful cult. Luke even managed to save an Acolyte, a young lady named Komat, who changed her ways and abandoned the Acolytes. The remaining Acolytes scattered, joining other cults or fading into obscurity.
The Acolytes of the Beyond performed a few important tasks for the Sith. Their undying fealty allowed the dark side to remain powerful through a quiet period. Their collected Sith artifacts became useful to the inexplicably reincarnated Darth Sidious. The Acolytes were surprisingly powerful and dangerous, but their goals were passed to groups with more longevity.
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