Episode 8 of The Acolyte commences with a tense confrontation, as Qimir approaches Osha, encased in a helmet. He grapples for some inexplicable reason, struggling to grasp the helmet, and finally rips it off her head with a forceful jerk. Osha declares that she beheld Mae in her visions, foreseeing her own hand wielding a saber yet refraining from striking the fatal blow. Convinced that she holds the key to Mae's fate, Osha resolves to confront her, and the two set out together.
Meanwhile, Sol's attention is diverted, allowing Mae to activate Pip and break free from her restraints. Sol accuses Mae of igniting the blaze and imprisoning everyone, prompting Mae to retaliate with a fiery rebuttal: "Because you invaded our sanctuary!" As Sol attempts to clarify that Mae is not a twin, Mae escapes with a stunning blow from a stun-gun, racing towards the "escape ship." Sol swiftly activates the vessel and pursues Mae, diving into an asteroid belt where rocks pummel their craft.
Unfortunately, the writers' lack of scientific knowledge is evident as the asteroids seem more like sparse lines rather than the dense clusters depicted in Empire Strikes Back. Despite the relentless barrage of debris, Sol manages to catch up to Mae, only to be thwarted by Bazil, who inexplicably pulls out wiring, causing the ship to crash. Mae, however, manages to navigate through the planet's atmosphere and safely touches down.
On the bustling planet of Coruscant, Vernestra, her expression stoic, encounters a curious Senator who inquisitively probes into her illness. She remains tight-lipped, refusing to divulge any details about the Sith or the turmoil brewing on the planet. She opts to "keep matters within the confines of our own circle" and curtly refuses the Senator's probing questions. Though the Senator learns of the deaths of several Jedi, he goes on to admonish the Jedi Order for their unchecked emotions, predicting that they will ultimately succumb to their own flaws. It's intriguing to note that the Senator refers to a singular "him" rather than the plural "them" in his assessment. Vernestra's frosty demeanor towards the Senator suggests that he may report her lack of transparency, potentially leading to her having to address the Senate on this matter.
Meanwhile, Osha and Qimir strode towards the ship, side by side. Despite the horror of witnessing her friends' gruesome murders right before her eyes, Osha clung to the belief that Qimir was a man of "honor" and fairness. However, she steadfastly refused his offer of training. Amidst the emotional turmoil, the scene shifted to a cave, where Darth Plagueis awaited.
On Brendok, Sol miraculously made his way to the planet's surface, despite his ship appearing wrecked in the asteroid belt in their last sighting. Bazil remained aboard, yet there were no words to explain his motivations. Vernestra, learning of Sol's presence on Brendok, made the decision to journey back to the planet once again.
As Sol arrived at the stone structure of the witch coven, he surveyed the surroundings, only to find Osha and Qimir doing the same. The encounter led to a fierce duel between Sol and Qimir, with Sol utilizing the Force to gracefully levitate across the ground. The ability to perform such a feat in previous episodes would've saved the non-twins from peril. Additionally, Sol possessed the power of a shockwave, which momentarily staggered him.
During this battle, Osha encountered Mae, who reminded her of Sol's role in their mother's death. Despite Amandla Stenberg's valiant attempt to convey the emotion, her only response was a feeble scream. Remember, this woman had not auditioned for the part.
Outside, Qimir fell before Sol's might, but Mae intervened, engaging in battle. She seized Sol's lightsaber and recreated a scene reminiscent of Return of the Jedi, with Mae in Luke's stead. Nevertheless, she discarded the weapon and demanded that Sol face the Senate and the council for his crimes. As Sol confessed to killing Aniseya, he omitted the crucial detail of her transformation into a rampaging smoke monster, intent on dominating one of the twins.
With a lightsaber in hand, Osha confronted Sol, who apologized profusely. Tragically, Osha employed a Force Choke, ending Sol's life instantly. Thus, both twins were now murderers, and their descent towards the Dark Side was evident. Confirming this transformation, Osha ignited the lightsaber, turning it red. Mae watched on as the scene shifted to Vernestra and the others.
Immediately sensing Qimir without his helmet, Vernestra (who surely would've benefited from this ability during episode 6) led the Jedi in pursuit. As they struggled to track the twins, who had confirmed their murderous nature, the pair fled deep into the coven's sanctuary to escape.
The twins dashed into the forest, while Bazil, having sabotaged Sol's ship, took on the role of Jedi tracker. One wonders if tracker droids would've been useful in this universe. Oh, wait, they do exist. And with a budget of 180 million dollars, one wonders what other resources are at their disposal.
In the depths of the forest, Mae and Oha found each other again, tears streaming down their faces as they embraced in a long-awaited reunion. Their moment of solace was abruptly shattered by Qimir's arrival, who chastised them for their reckless trust in the Jedi. Osha made a swift decision, opting to train with The Stranger while allowing Mae to remain with the Jedi. Qimir, unwavering, proceeded to erase Mae's memory, leaving her with no recollection of her companions.
As Bazil and the others materialized in the forest, they stumbled upon Mae, who surrendered without a fight, knowing she was under arrest. She was then transported to the heart of Coruscant, where she faced the consequences of murdering several Jedi Masters. Once in the main chamber, Vernestra freed Mae of her restraints and left her alone, her mind filled only with memories from when she was nine.
Vernestra addressed the council, revealing the truth about a secret coven of Force witches infiltrated by Jedi, intent on saving two innocent children from their indoctrination. She lambasted the Jedi for concealing their actions and laid the blame squarely on Sol, alleging that he killed his accomplices to maintain a false narrative. Despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary, including eyewitnesses from the bar and numerous spectators of the clash between Indara and Mae, Vernestra ignored these inconvenient facts.
Vernestra denounced Sol's actions but omitted any mention of the Sith, concealing Sol's death and falsely claiming it was suicide. She further insinuated that she had tried to find a pupil for Sol before he fell into darkness, hinting that Qimir, with his scarred back, was that very pupil. As the episode drew to a close, Qimir and Osha gazed out over the vast ocean, while Vernestra made her way to the Jedi Master, determined to have a crucial conversation.
