Warning: Spoilers follow for Episode 4 of The Acolyte.
The fourth episode of The Acolyte featured an unexpected Star Wars prequel trilogy cameo and some fans have a problem with it.
The Acolyte takes place roughly 100 years before the events of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, so viewers were surprised to see Ki-Adi-Mundi, who was a member of the Jedi Council in the prequel films, present at a meeting about Mae in this week's episode. His name is listed in the end credits as confirmation.
Derek Arnold takes over from prequel actor Silas Carson to portray the younger version of Ki-Adi-Mundi in The Acolyte. Both a puppeteer and actor, Arnold has played several other alien roles in Star Wars already, including in The Force Awakens and Rogue One, but his most recent appearance caught fans off guard.
Viewers took to social media shortly after watching the episode to question how Ki-Adi-Mundi could show up 40 years before his birth (according to Legends) and why he declares that the Sith have been extinct for a millennium in The Phantom Menace when he was part of the task force going after Mae's presumed Sith Master.
Others, however, argued that Ki-Adi-Mundi's age was never officially known in canon and that it also might be incorrect to assume that the "Master" is a Sith, so Ki-Adi-Mundi may have been telling the truth when he speaks out on the Jedi Council, as they may be dealing with another villainous faction in The Acolyte.
#theacolyte spoilers : //
— cam ✨ | #qimirpeers (@camandfilm) June 19, 2024
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THIS DUDE WAS KI-ADI-MUNDI WHAT THE HELL?!!! pic.twitter.com/9Dl6sgNXLk
There is a battle going on the @TheWookOfficial page. Because Ki-Adi-Mundi made an appearance 40 years before he was born in The Acolyte Episode 4: Day#TheAcolyte pic.twitter.com/b7HdoZF8oX
— ??SpartaChris?? (@XianJon91) June 19, 2024
You mean to tell me @disney @Lucasfilm that ki-adi-mundi was in on a conspiracy to cover up the sith and DIDN'T do anything to prevent the rise of palpatine?! pic.twitter.com/6upM6mfY5w
— spacecowboy69420 (@tovias17) June 19, 2024
Somehow, Ki-Adi-Mundi arrived before he was born...#theacolyte pic.twitter.com/QHTVsbJBAF
— Malt Liquor Larry (@MaltLiquorLarry) June 19, 2024
Maybe Darth Plagueis extends Ki-Adi-Mundi's life-span in exchange for keeping the existence of the Sith quiet ? pic.twitter.com/aapBCA34IQ
— Ian (@Tokyo_Joey) June 19, 2024
1. Ki Adi Mundi’s age was never officially known. His age was known in legends but legends are not canon. This changes that.
— Aq (@aqouraa) June 19, 2024
2. Mundi didn’t believe Darth Maul was a Sith Lord even after he was informed that he used the force and was trained in the Jedi ways. He seem ignorant.
Fun fact, Acolyte is 100 years before Order 66, not TPM, and Ki Adi Mundi's age isn't mentioned in canon.
— Gyda Ragnarsdottir (@GydaRagnarsdot1) June 19, 2024
And you're assuming Mae's Master is a Sith. But the Jedi are operating under the assumption that he's from a splinter Order, or a Jedi-- Sith never crossed their minds. pic.twitter.com/T0ClUkeT2K
The Jedi still don’t know what they’re up against, or even if it’s the Sith, so this doesn’t break canon or undermine that line from Ki-Adi-Mundi. Of course this might change by season end. #TheAcolyte pic.twitter.com/fNNGPTnjTK
— First Ōrder ßase ? (@FirstOrderBase) June 19, 2024
People are really complaining that 'Ki-AdI-MunDI wAsn'T bORN YeT'. ?
— Dominik (@kenobi_domi) June 19, 2024
Come on, show me his canon birth certificate. ?
Sol, Vernestra and Ki-Adi Mundi in one scene is just AWESOME. #theacolyte
If you watched the prequels and thought the Jedi was this righteous order, then you may have missed the point - they spent those three movies blinded by their own hubris that they couldn’t see the Sith Lord right in front of them, #TheAcolyte is showing how they became that https://t.co/7T1Z9vLtLr
— ? Lewis John Yule ? (@LewisJohnY2) June 19, 2024
Never once did I think we was going to get a Ki-Adi-Mundi cameo? that was a brilliant surprise?#TheAcolyte pic.twitter.com/62SRB2L8bF
— ✨ Josh Tano Targaryen✨ (@buggs_kenobi) June 19, 2024
This isn't the first time Star Wars fans have debated Ki-Adi-Mundi's line of dialogue regarding the Sith in The Phantom Menace and the inclusion of Dark Side users during the galaxy's High Republic era.
"I've always taken it to mean that the Jedi have believed the Sith to be extinct, but they've been in the shadows. (As we know they have been)," one Redditor suggested years ago. "Or the Jedi council might keep it a secret. As not to scare the order. And this is want leads to their incompetence during the Clone Wars," another added.
A third person said: "A millennium is 1000 years. The Sith are definitely around but definitely in hiding. Maybe towards the end of The High Republic era Lucasfilm will pull back the veil on what they've been doing."
With four episodes of The Acolyte remaining, there are still plenty of jigsaw pieces to slot into place, which became even more apparent this week. IGN's review of Episode 4 noted that the pace has started to pick up now we're at the midway point, "thanks to more Jedi, more creatures, and most of the main characters colliding."
Adele Ankers-Range is a freelance entertainment writer for IGN. You can follow her on X/Twitter here.
