The Acolyte: Manny Jacinto's talent and toned arms make for a compelling combination

Great performances can elevate any show, and this is especially true of Manny Jacinto's performance as Qimir in Star Wars: The Acolyte.

Although many fans pieced the obvious clues together and figured out that Qimir is the Sith, I thought it was too obvious and predictable to be true. Well apparently, Leslye Headland made it obvious on purpose, and Qimir thought Mae should've figured it out, too.

With "Darth Teeth" unmasked, it was time for Manny Jacinto to make something of a somewhat disappointing reveal, and he took the opportunity with both hands and gave a fresh take on a dark side user. From his body language to the way he speaks, there's something extremely unsettling about Qimir. I also loved that his demeanor changes to the point where it seems like Qimir has a disease. He seemed sick, which is what the dark side tends to do to whoever uses it. We could see similar signs of sickness on Anakin's face in Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, so I appreciated that element in Manny's makeup and performance.

Jacinto's high-octane battle scene left fans stunned. His character cut down every Jedi on Khofar, sparing only Master Sol. He's brilliant with the lightsaber, which is essential to a Sith in Star Wars, and completes Jacinto's performance. Fans also went wild over Manny Jacinto's impressive physique, particularly his toned biceps, which were hidden until the big reveal in episode 5, "Night."

I appreciated that Manny Jacinto's portrayal of a Sith diverged from the interpretations we've seen before from actors like Hayden Christensen, Ian McDiarmid, and Christopher Lee. Often, the distinctive and unique performances in Star Wars resonate most with fans. Jacinto has been a standout, and with the fate of characters like Jecki Lon and Yord Fandar resolved in episode 5, the spotlight will likely intensify on his character in the remaining episodes. I'm excited to see what he does with Qimir in the final three episodes of The Acolyte.

The Acolyte is streaming on Disney+.