The Acolyte: Master Sol's stability is hanging by a thread

Things have gone from bad to worse for Master Sol, and in this week's episode of The Acolyte, "Teach/Corrupt," he appears to be closer than ever to having a complete breakdown.

The final scene between Sol and Mae, who is shackled to a bed, is shocking, to say the least. Last week I guessed that he knew Mae was masquerading as Osha, which turned out to be true. How he dealt with this situation was quite different than what I expected. Sol has always behaved like the best of the Jedi. When the series began, many fans compared him to Qui-Gon Jinn and saw him as a forward-thinking Jedi who disliked how the Jedi handled situations.

From time to time, Sol has looked frustrated with Vernestra's orders, and it won't be a stretch to assume that he has a fair share of issues with the Jedi Order. However, it's starting to become clear that Master Sol has baggage that he's never dealt with. Whatever happened 16 years ago on Brendok weighs heavily on him, and that, combined with the massacre of Jedi on Khofar, may have pushed Sol farther than he realizes.

The contrast between Sol and Qimir plays a major role throughout the episode, with Qimir appearing to be in far better control of his emotions. Whatever happened on Khofar made no difference, and he has neither regrets nor anger about it. He just massacred a group of Jedi, but his reaction is to take a dip into the ocean. His sickly, dangerous demeanor from episode 5, "Night," seems to have vanished. His actions, such as roaming naked, could be a strategy to lure Osha to the dark side. What's truly chilling is the eerie calm and nonchalance with which he goes about his business. In comparison, Master Sol is anything but calm. He's an emotional wreck, he cries, and he appears frustrated and out of sorts. It's a very un-Jedi-like look overall.

Meanwhile, the stark contrast between Osha's freedom on the island alongside a Sith and Mae's captivity, handcuffed to a bed as Master Sol dictates that she'll 'listen,' couldn't be more jarring. Osha listens to Qimir, aka The Stranger, because she wants to, whereas Mae is given no choice. Though the unsettling contrast is an example of good writing, it's disappointing to watch Master Sol's descent into darkness. He's not himself, or maybe he is. We don't know. At the moment, his actions seem wrong, and something tells me our opinion of Sol will change completely by the time the season ends.

Although the series' core narrative appears to hinge on Master Sol's untold experiences on Brendok, recent episodes expertly build up to what could be a shocking confession from him. The latest twist in his character development is unexpectedly jarring. He cares and is badly shaken by the loss of so many of his comrades. I guess Leslye Headland is about to do irreparable damage to Sol as a character, and we should be prepared for his most disturbing confession regarding the events on Brendok.

The Jedi already sound ready to pin the Khofar massacre on Sol, and Sol's behavior hints they won't be left with any other choice. On a positive note, Lee Jung-jae consistently shines as one of the series' standout stars, and his portrayal of Sol's complexities is a pleasure to watch.

The Acolyte is streaming on Disney+.