Summary
The online attack againstThe Acolytedoesn’t seem to be slowing down any time soon, and, evidently, the new target of this behavior isStar Warsmerchandise.The Acolyte’scancelationhas led to a massive response online, both with fans of the show sharing their disappointment and circulating petitions to renewThe Acolyteand, sadly, with targeted harassment of the show and its actors on social media. WhileThe Acolytewas certainly not one of the most popular additions toStar Warsmovies and TV shows, the severity of the negative response to the show has been shocking.
Unfortunately, it isn’t only the show, its actors, and its creators that are being subjected to this treatment online, though. Asinkbluelilypointed out on X,even the merchandise forThe Acolytehas come under fire, with individuals rating the items with the lowest possible score across the board and leaving comments such as"The failure of one, The failure of two, The failure of Disney."
Star Wars Won’t Have A True Success Until The Franchise Addresses Its Biggest Problem
The Acolyte’s cancelation and the response to the show have proven that Star Wars has a massive problem, and the franchise needs to fix it.
The Acolyte’s Trolls Have Already “Won”
Perhaps the strangest aspect of this online behavior from viewers who did not like the show is thatThe Acolytehas already been canceled. Theoretically, it should be time for those who disliked the show to move on. If there was a trolling or review-bombing campaign attempting to have the show shut down, it worked. Continuing to go after the show, its actors, and its creators online now that the show is confirmed not to be getting a season 2 serves no purpose other than to spread hate.
There has also been plenty of discourse online between those who liked the show and those who didn’t, much of it coming down to arguments about whether the negative reviews and criticisms were done in sincerity and good faith or whetherThe Acolyte’scontroversieswere simply attacks based on aspects of the show, such as its diversity. Undoubtedly, there is some portion of the negativity that is genuinely coming from a place of constructive criticism;The Acolyte, like any piece of media, was not perfect. Moreover, it’s absolutely fine not to like a show.
However, it has become more than evident that the online behavior in response to this show goes far beyond simply not liking it or wanting to voice dissatisfaction with the directionStar Warsis going. If this merchandise doesn’t make it clear, then combing through the comments on Mae/Osha actress Amandla Stenberg’s social media posts certainly will.If the criticism was truly solely about disliking the show, then these comments would not decry ‘wokeness,’ specifically with comments regarding race, gender, and LGBTQ+ identity.
Although arguments have been made to the contrary, it is abundantly clear that the extent of this backlash is not about the quality ofThe Acolyteas much as it is about cutting down the actors, the creators, and the fans of the show. If it was truly about the writing, the pacing, or other valid concerns, then the identities of the actors and the characters would not be front-and-center amid this criticism. Moreover, attacking the merchandise ofThe Acolytemakes it clear that this latest wave ofStar Warshate is certainly not being done in good faith.
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.
