The Acolyte: 5 familiar Jedi who could appear in the series

With Star Wars: The Acolyte taking place around a hundred years before The Phantom Menace, many of the franchise's familiar faces are unable to appear. Most of these characters won't be born until later in the canon timeline. This is one of the most exciting aspects of The Acolyte, as it will primarily feature new characters.

One exception is Vernestra Rwoh, a character from The High Republic books and comics, who is confirmed to be making her live-action debut. Played by Rebecca Henderson, the wiser and much older Vernestra has been shown in The Acolyte's marketing, along with her purple lightwhip. However, showrunner Leslye Headland has said that Vernestra is the only character from the High Republic books and comics who will be in The Acolyte Season 1.

While this doesn't leave many options, there are still several familiar Jedi who could appear in The Acolyte, particularly in any scenes featuring the Jedi High Council. Based on Headland's comments, we've ruled out characters like Vernestra, who have been introduced in and played major roles during the High Republic publishing initiative, but not characters introduced in the Skywalker saga movies, who have had relatively smaller roles during the High Republic era.

1. Yoda

With appearances in stories including The High Republic Adventures comics, the novels Midnight Horizon by Daniel José Older and Cataclysm by Lydia Kang, and the animated television series Young Jedi Adventures, Yoda pops up from time to time during the High Republic era in a supporting role, but he is still best known for his debut in The Empire Strikes Back and his story in the Skywalker saga films.

In his previous High Republic appearances, Yoda is already a Jedi Grand Master and a member of the Jedi Council. However, he does, at one point, take a sabbatical from the Council to train Padawans aboard a ship called the Star Hopper. During The Acolyte, Yoda is still a Grand Master and will likely be back on the Jedi Council and training a new generation of young Jedi.

Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae), Jedi Master Indara (Carrie-Anne Moss), and other Jedi characters would likely go to Yoda or the Council for guidance on how to handle the crisis involving Mae (Amandla Stenberg) and the dark sider wielding a red lightsaber. Numerous Jedi being murdered and the reemergence of the dark side is certainly a matter worthy of Yoda's attention and the attention of the Council.

Having Yoda in the show, even if he is only in a scene or two, is an easy way to clearly connect The Acolyte to other stories and to the evolution of the Jedi Order. Yoda is one of the most universally recognized Star Wars characters and can help bridge the gap between the High Republic and the Skywalker saga.

2. Yaddle

Like Yoda, Yaddle has also shown up in various High Republic stories, most prominently in Cataclysm, where she tutored a precocious Jedi initiate named Cippa Tarko and fought against the Jedi-hating cult known as the Path of the Open Hand. However, Yaddle was first introduced in The Phantom Menace and is now arguably best known for her emotional story in the Tales of the Jedi episode "The Sith Lord."

The Acolyte could show Yaddle as a member of the Jedi Council and give her a speaking role, which she did not have in The Phantom Menace. One of the most fascinating things about Yaddle in the High Republic books is that she does not speak like Yoda and has a more traditional speech pattern. Including this in The Acolyte would be wonderful, with Yaddle speaking in live-action for the first time.

3. Plo Koon

Fans have spotted a Kel Dor Jedi in The Acolyte's marketing, with many believing that it is Plo Koon. Unlike Yoda and Yaddle, Plo Koon has not appeared in any stories set during the High Republic. This would make The Acolyte the earliest chronological appearance of Plo Koon in the canon timeline.

Even though he was introduced in The Phantom Menace and appears in all the prequel trilogy movies, most of Plo Koon's onscreen development in canon occurs during The Clone Wars animated series. Additional development occurred in his many appearances throughout Star Wars Legends, and Headland has shared her enthusiasm for Legends.

The Acolyte could be an opportunity to flesh Plo Koon's story out further and to help those who only know the character from the movies to understand why he is a fan-favorite Jedi. He also doesn't need to be on the Jedi Council yet in order to appear in the show, although his actions in this story could potentially pave his path to ultimately joining the Council.

Of course, the individual spotted in the trailers and TV spots may just be a Kel Dor Jedi who isn't Plo Koon, but it is a compelling possibility.

4. Yarael Poof

Yarael Poof was first introduced as a member of the Jedi Council in The Phantom Menace, but the High Republic books and comics have shown that he had already been on the Council for hundreds of years by that point. His role in these stories has been relatively minor. His character is more prominently explored in the recent novel The Living Force by John Jackson Miller, which takes place about a year before The Phantom Menace.

The Acolyte can continue the Yarael Poof renaissance as he would still be on the Jedi Council at this time. Like Yaddle, he does not have any lines in The Phantom Menace, and unlike Yaddle, he hasn't had an opportunity to appear and speak in a canon animated television series (his Robot Chicken sketches are delightful but are not canon). The Acolyte can finally give Yarael Poof a chance to speak in an onscreen story, giving the hilarious, wise, and tired Jedi Master a chance to share his thoughts.

5. Oppo Rancisis

Oppo Rancisis is another Jedi Master introduced in The Phantom Menace who's served on the Council for hundreds of years. The Living Force revealed how he helped restore the planet of Kwenn during the High Republic and how he could bond with the sea creatures who dwelled on the planet.

In these ways, Oppo Rancisis truly embodies what it means to be a spiritual Jedi of the High Republic who is connected to the Living Force and dedicated to helping others. It would be great to get more of that in The Acolyte, during a Jedi Council scene, or even just in conversation with Sol, Indara, and other characters.

Much later in the timeline, Oppo Rancisis is on a list of Jedi who survived Order 66, but his fate beyond this is currently a mystery. If there are any plans to one day tell this story, featuring his character in The Acolyte and giving him dialogue could make him a more well-known character, potentially planting the seeds for his post-Order 66 story.

The Acolyte's two-episode premiere debuts on June 4, only on Disney+.