Um, Manny Jacinto Is Giving A Masterclass Performance In "The Acolyte," And Everyone Is Obsessed
🚨 There are MASSIVE — and I mean, MASSIVE — spoilers ahead for The Acolyte Episode 5! 🚨
If you're looking for a new series to get into this summer, I cannot recommend The Acolyte enough. It's the latest entry in the Star Wars live-action TV show universe, and I think it's one of my favorites, right up there with Andor.
Christian Black / Lucasfilm / Disney++
The Acolyte follows an investigation into a brutal and shocking crime spree that pits a respected Jedi Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae) against a dangerous warrior from his past. As more clues emerge, they travel down a dark path where sinister forces reveal all is not what it seems.
The Acolyte is set roughly 100 years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace and is set during the High Republic era. The series was created by Leslye Headland, who is best known for co-creating Netflix's Russian Doll . Christian Black / Lucasfilm / Disney+
The entire series so far has been filled with great storytelling, and I've eagerly been enjoying tuning in week after week, however, it's Episode 5, titled "Night," that really makes this show stand out.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm
Written by Kor Adana and Cameron Squires and directed by Alex Garcia Lopez, "Night" turns The Acolyte upside down as Sol, Jecki (Dafne Keen), Yord (Charlie Barnett), and more Jedis go head-to-head with The Stranger.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm
It's a brutal (and epic) fight that ultimately culminates in the deaths of several key characters we've come to love over the course of five episodes. Then, it's revealed that Qimir (Manny Jacinto) is actually The Stranger, a Sith Lord who has been disguising himself as an apothecary and hiding under a mask.
Speaking about the twist, Leslye Headland told Entertainment Weekly , "I think a good twist is not about hiding everything from the audience and then throwing it on them like, 'Hey, this is what you didn't see! We hid it so well that you didn't see this!' I think a good twist is telegraphing what's going to happen, and then once it does, executing it without an ounce of pity or sentimentality." Disney+ / Lucasfilm
Now, if you've been a fan of Manny since The Good Place, then you know he's always been an incredible actor, so it's no surprise that he's turning in a masterclass performance in The Acolyte.
Manny revealed to Entertainment Weekly the extensive training that went into his role in The Acolyte , saying, "This was the first time I really got to dig into something with so much action and really make use of my dance background. We worked on everything. We did boxing, we worked on kicks, we worked on all the choreography. It was tough. They conditioned my body so that I could get through this five-person fight scene." It's also him underneath The Stranger's mask in "almost every shot," as he did a majority of his own stunts. Disney+ / Lucasfilm
It is thrilling to see him portray a villain who is already being hailed as having one of the best Star Wars villain reveals.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm
People have been flooding X, formerly Twitter, with viral tweets about how amazing Manny's work is in Episode 5. They are singing his praises and, you know, thirsting over him (respectfully, LOL).
Disney+ / Lucasfilm
So, here are 19 of the best tweets about Manny, The Stranger, and the brilliant chaos of The Acolyte Episode 5:
If you love what you read, give your favorite tweets a like and a retweet and the users a follow to make your timeline a more fun place to be.
1.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @halalltakeaway
2.
NBC / Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @lsirikul
3.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @BELLA_SNOWDEN
4.
NBC / Via Twitter: @charlieridgely
5.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @hellikait
6.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @bulepidr
7.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @crosshairlvr
8.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @candaceisageek
9.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @sihayaspring
10.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @janedazey
11.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @danies394
12.
NBC / Via Twitter: @bradwhipple
13.
BuzzFeed Celeb / Via youtube.com
14.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @Chopper_Rebel
15.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / NBC / Via Twitter: @Jbandos
16.
@_stardustem / Via Twitter: @_stardustem
17.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @jynmystardust
18.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via Twitter: @rhaelina
19.
Disney+ / Lucasfilm / Via x.com
In conclusion:
@mvdpire / Via Twitter: @mvdpire
What do you think about The Acolyte? Tell us in the comments below!
Or are you someone who just spoiled yourself, but now that you see what is going down, you're about to turn on Episode 1 right now because, well, ARMS?!