A Rey and Kylo Ren moment in The Last Jedi inspired The Acolyte, as well as one of the best action films ever made

Manny Jacinto as the Stranger in The Acolyte episode 5

(Image credit: Disney Plus/Lucasfilm)

The Acolyte episode 6 deepened the relationship between Osha and Qimir, after the recently unmasked Sith took her to an unknown island to try and convince her to become his pupil. The dynamic between them, as well as the persistent use of Kylo Ren’s score, has lead to some major comparisons with another Star Wars pairing: Rey and Ben Solo.

And according to a new interview with showrunner Leslye Headland, there was a link between the characters. Speaking to Collider, she explained: "With Kylo and Rey, there was really just one moment that was sort of the seed that planted the tree of this relationship. It was just Adam [Driver’s] delivery when he says, ‘Join me,’ and then they cut to her and then he says, ‘Please,’ in this incredibly vulnerable, almost heartbreaking way, where you understand how lonely and lost this guy is because he murdered his dad."

The moment she’s describing comes near the end of The Last Jedi, after Kylo and Rey have killed Snoke. "You see it in his performance before the Leia moment in that movie, but it was specifically him standing in front of her and showing himself in such a vulnerable place," Headland continued, drawing comparisons to the vulnerable place that Qimir puts himself in episode 6, when he sheds his clothing and tells Osha she can kill him.

However, the showrunner is keen to point out that the comparisons stop there between the characters. "The second thing that was really important to me was that Osha never tried to turn him," she adds. "I don't want to say I didn't like that dynamic, I just think it's a dynamic I wasn't interested in."

This wasn’t the only thing that Headland was inspired by on the show either, as she explains a big touchstone for the writers’ room was Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. In particular, it was the relationship between Lo and Jen that inspired the Star Wars series. "We referenced that relationship over and over again," she added. "The intentional parallel is that they are equals and their relationship is earned through mutual vulnerability, not intimidation or manipulation."

The Acolyte is airing weekly on Disney Plus, make sure you keep up to date with our The Acolyte release schedule and our stories on:

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