Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode 3, "Destiny" Ending Explained

Wow! That was a lot to digest in episode 3 of The Acolyte, "Destiny." We got a fair number of questions answered about what occurred on Brendok which is really at the crux of what the whole series is about. But what about that ending?

Star Wars: The Acolyte Episode 3, "Destiny" Ending Explained

First, a brief recap of what went down in the episode. It was a complete (or at least one version) telling of what went down with Mae, Osha, their family, and the Jedi stationed on Brendok 16 years prior to the events of the first two episodes.

We learn the dynamic between Mae and Osha and the environment they grew up in. Mae loves the coven of witches she was born into and never wants to leave, while Osha is excited by the prospect that there is more to the galaxy than just her planet and way of life. She is reluctant to officially join the witch coven in a ritual known as "The Ascension."

Right before Osha is about to go through with the ritual, shortly after Mae completes hers, the Jedi stationed on Brendok (Sol, Indara, Torbin, and Kelnacca) arrive and disrupt the proceedings. They are not violent, but it is clear they are not on board with the prospect of the twins being trained by these seemingly strange and potentially dark-side witches.

From the Jedi's point of view.

Due to Osha's insistence, the twins are allowed to go through with a test to see how Force sensitive they are. It is very similar to the way the Jedi tested Anakin Skywalker in The Phantom Menace. The Jedi take a blood sample for a midichlorian count and they test their ability to guess what object is on a screen facing away from them.

Osha is enticed enough by this that she tells her Mother, Aniseya, that she wants to become a Jedi. This clearly breaks Aniseya's heart, but she also believes Osha is old enough to know what she wants and will discuss it with the rest of the coven.

However, before she can, we see Mae angrily confront her sister over her decision, and in her anger, she starts a fire. Osha is able to escape, but we see the moment when she and Mae are face to face, and Sol is only able to save Osha shortly after Mae seemingly falls to her doom.

Sol gets Osha to safety through the flames, and we see the dead bodies of Osha's family, including Aniseya. This is where things get a bit complicated. I would be lying if I said that it did not cross my mind that perhaps the Jedi killed all of the witches when it was clear there was a situation occurring with the fire. This is just my speculation, as it was clear this episode was playing in the realms of unreliable narrators.

I really, really, really hope this is not the case. I think that there was a delicate balancing act done with the Jedi in this episode where we see some of their flaws, such as their inherent distrust of different philosophies on the Force, or the Thread as it is referred to by Aniseya. Yet, it is not as if they are straight-up kidnapping children. Of course, they believe that being a Jedi is what would be best for Mae and Osha, but they do not go about it in a violent manner. I hope there is no reveal in a future episode that Sol or the other Jedi killed Aniseya and the witches because that would be an irredeemable act.

We see Osha awake on the Jedi cruiser headed to Coruscant. She is clearly and understandably shaken by what has happened, but Sol is there to conSole her (see what I did there?). With that, he offers for her to become his Padawan.

The episode ends where we began, at the bunta tree where Mae finds Osha at the beginning of the episode and where she always goes to look for her. Osha is not there, so we understand why Mae believes that Osha died as well in episode 2 of the series, which came as a surprise when Mae expresses shock at Osha still being alive.

This episode still has plenty to unpack, but that explains the ending. We now understand more about Mae's quest for revenge on the Jedi, whom she views as responsible for the death of her family and way of life, as well as why Osha believes her twin sister is the villain of this story.