Lee Jung-jae expressed his surprise at the news that the
Disney+ "Star Wars" series "The Acolyte" is ending after
just one season, despite showrunner Leslye Headland's plans for the show to
continue. The first season finale left several plot points unresolved,
including a surprise appearance by Yoda, hinting at a potential Season 2.
"I was quite surprised to hear the news," said
Lee, who portrayed Master Sol in "The Acolyte."
One of the show's biggest twists saw Sol being Force-choked
to death by his former Padawan, Osha, played by Amandla Stenberg. While this
made it unlikely for Lee to return in Season 2, there was still a possibility
he could have reappeared as a Force ghost or in flashbacks, given that the
first season featured multiple time jumps. For example, Carrie-Anne Moss' Jedi
character was killed in the first episode but continued to appear throughout
the season.
"As you know, my character died in the first
season," Lee said. "So I wouldn’t have appeared in a second season
even if it had happened. But on a personal note, I really loved Leslye’s
writing. I thought she was a brilliant writer and director, with a great talent
for storytelling, character creation, and building meaningful narrative
structures. I was genuinely looking forward to watching a Season 2 with her
leading the way."
"Honestly, I'm hoping that there might be changes in
the future," Lee added. "You never know what might happen. On a
personal level, I really hope we get to see more of Leslye's storytelling in a
second season."
"The Acolyte" explored the rise of the Sith
approximately 100 years before the events of "Star Wars: The Phantom
Menace." The story followed twins Osha and Mae, both portrayed by Amandla
Stenberg, who were separated as children and led to believe the other had died.
According to Variety, "Some critics and fans appreciated how the show
challenged the traditional view of the Jedi as infallible and wholly virtuous.
However, other fans felt that these creative choices conflicted with the
classic good-vs-evil nature of 'Star Wars' storytelling and strongly opposed
the show's expansion of the Force mythology."
Lucasfilm's next "Star Wars" series for Disney+,
"Skeleton Crew," premieres on December 3. Meanwhile, Lee Jung-jae
will return for the highly anticipated second season of Netflix's "Squid
Game," which begins streaming on December 26.