Episode 5 now reveals the identity of the “Master” and whether he is really a Sith

Mae's master drops the mask in episode 5 of The Acolyte. Not only that: We actually know whether the mysterious figure with the red lightsaber is actually a Sith. The Star Wars series thus answers two burning questions that have plagued viewers since its launch on Disney Plus.

From this point on, be warned of serious story spoilers! If you haven't seen episode 5 of The Acolyte yet and don't want to miss out on the surprise, then you'd better come back to this article at a later date.

Let’s get down to business!

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Who is the master in The Acolyte and is he a Sith?

Behind the mask of the master is actually Maes, the man who previously posed as Qimir – presented by Manny Jacinto (Top Gun: Maverick, The Knife). Whether his real name is Qimir can be doubted in good conscience. The master reveals to Sol (Lee Jung-jae) that he has no name and that he only identifies as a Sith.

You read that right: The master is actually a Sith. This was not entirely clear beforehand. Because beings gifted with the Force who use the dark side are of course not automatically Sith. They are still a dedicated group that has been committed to the Rule of Two since Darth Bane.

That Qimir is hidden under the mask of the master, is not necessarily surprising: fans had already had their sights set on him before and were convinced from the beginning that the alleged petty criminal, poisoner and dealer was hiding a dark secret.

What evidence was there for this? Qimir had already shown that he was a remarkably good fighter. He also quoted the Sith Code in no uncertain terms. Qimir was also a role that the master played in public in order to avoid attracting attention – just like Palpatine aka Darth Sidious did in the prequels.

Under the master's mask is Qimir (Manny Jacinto) and he is actually a Sith. Image source: Disney/Lucasfilm

These questions about the Sithmaster The Acolyte still has to answer

But episode 5 does not answer all open questions about the so-called master:

• Is Qimir really the master or perhaps just a student? According to the old canon, a Sith named Darth Tenebrous (the master of Darth Plagueis) should actually be active at the time of The Acolyte. The Acolyte could of course forego this and establish a new Sith. Or perhaps Qimir is looking for a capable student for himself in order to support his own master.
• How do the Sith manage to stay under the radar? During the prequels, the Sith are thought to have been extinct for centuries. The Master was able to kill almost all of the Jedi on Khofar who came into contact with him – including Yord and Jecki. Only Sol escaped, with Mae hiding under him, while Osha stayed behind with the Master. There are still three episodes of The Acolyte left to clear this up.
• What dark secret is Sol hiding? The Master also seems to know about the incident on Brendok that caused Osha and Mae to fall apart. He uses this information against Sol, who visibly stumbles as a result. It is very likely that the remaining episodes of The Acolyte will see a confrontation between Sol, Mae and Osha, which could turn everything upside down.

Season 1 of The Acolyte has a total of eight episodes, so there are now three left. It is currently unknown whether the Star Wars series will get a second season. Showrunner Leslye Headland has already hinted that she definitely developed the story with several seasons in mind.

Nevertheless, the first season of The Acolyte completely feel and no emotional cliffhanger It will be interesting to see how it continues or ends.