Marvel’s ‘Star Wars: Kelnacca’ Continues the Story of ‘The Acolyte’
While The Acolyte was canceled after just one season on Disney+, the Star Wars story has continued in a new Marvel one-shot comic.
Star Wars: Kelnacca expands on the story of the Wookie Jedi who was present during the massacre of the witches of Brendok and eventually killed by the Stranger during the events of The Acolyte.
The new comic. Photo: Marvel
The new Marvel comic was written by Cavan Scott and illustrated by Marika Cresta, Ariana Maher, and Jim Campbell. The story is largely told from the perspective of Yarzion Vell, a Jedi Master, on his deathbed.
Connecting The High Republic and ‘The Acolyte’
According to Scott, the goal of Star Wars: Kelnacca was to bridge the gap between The High Republic media and The Acolyte.
‘The Acolyte’. Photo: Disney
“It’s been so exciting to draw a line from The Acolyte back to The High Republic era we’ve been building in comics, books, audio and animation,” Scott told io9.
“Kelnacca is the perfect character to bridge the gap between the time of Leslye Headland’s spectacular series to the age of Starlight Beacon, the threat of Marchion Ro, and the marauding Nihil. In this comic, we will learn more about one of the most intriguing aspects of Kelnacca’s design: the meaning behind those mysterious tattoos. Along the way we’ll see the struggle of a Padawan and a master who is stoic, wise, and, ultimately, a true practitioner of Light and Life.”
Insight Into Kelnacca’s Past
Through flashbacks, Vell recalls his time as a Padawan during the High Republic.
Star Wars: Kelnacca. Photo: Marvel
While the story does not shed much light on Kelnacca’s character or thought process, it does portray the Wookie as a stoic Jedi who knows the right thing to do.
For fans of The Acolyte, the most interesting insight in the new comic is how Kelnacca got his head tattoos and strange shavings. I won’t spoil it here, but the story does add to the emotional impact of the Wookie’s death.
Kelnacca in The Acolyte. Photo: Marvel
While The Acolyte failed to find an audience on Disney+, hopefully, the story of Mae, Osha, and the rest of the show’s characters can continue in other mediums. Star Wars: Kelnacca could be a preview of what is to come.
