The Dark Side Cult of Palpatine and his dangerous legacy

over the seat, Star Wars introduced the Acolytes of the Beyond – a dark side group that was prominent during the New Republic Era. The dark side, a perversion and twisting of the force to match one’s will, has many different obediences. The most prominent of these is the Sith Order, a group with a long and storied history that even uses the word “acolyte” in many cases, as exemplified in the series The acolyte.

The Acolytes of the Beyond, however, have nothing to do with the TV series, because they existed over a century later and first came into prominence around the Battle of Endor. The group also continued for many years, being a thorn in the side of a newly founded New Republic, and even opposed Luke Skywalker. Falling before the sequel trilogy, but being instrumental in the events leading up to it, the Acolytes of the Beyond are one of the most unique dark side groups in all Star Wars.

The Acolytes of the Beyond were created by Palpatine loyalists

Yupe Tashu’s Relic-Collecting Rebels

The Acolytes of the Beyond were a cult of dark side followers seemingly created by one of Palpatine’s most loyal and trusted advisors, Yupe Tashu. Yufe Tashu was one of the emperor’s advisors during his reign, similar to the colorfully-cloaked men he arrived with on the second Death Star. Most importantly, though, Tashu was directly involved with the establishment of Palpatine’s contingency plan for a situation where he was killed – which came to pass over Endor.

After that, Tashu took a leading role in the Imperial Shadow Council after the fall of Vader, with Palpatine at his helm. It was around the same time that the Acolytes of the Beyond began to appear in the galaxy, with several Sith artifacts coming into their possession at this time, becoming relevant to the contingency later on. Everything from their leaders to their looted artifacts clearly demonstrated this The Acolytes of the Beyond are Sith worshippers, not Imperial loyalists.

What do the acolytes of the next believe?

Sith-worshipping Dark Side acolytes

The Acolytes first prominently emerged as followers of Sith teachings, causing chaos on many different planets as a coalition of cells. They believed that Sith spirits could commune with them or appear in their dreams if they pursued their teachingsand relentlessly sought after Sith artifacts to channel this. Most of all, the acolytes of the beyond like the Force as a great river, and that the dark side was the only true way to change its current.

The acolytes saw the Sith as resisting the river’s push, able to control their own destinies.. This was in contrast to the rest of the galaxy, whose inhabitants are slaves to the Force according to the Acolytes. Significantly, the Acolytes of the Beyond were largely non-Force sensitive, relying on faith in Sith doctrine and dark side artifacts for their power, which they used to stage revolts and uprisings across the galaxy. Besides Yupe Tashu, Ochi of Bestoon was another prominent member of the acolytes.

The Acolytes & Sith Lightsabers

TThe acolytes also came to reserve lightsabers that were created by the SithSeek them out and sometimes even wield them in combat as a great sign of honor. Shortly after Endor, a group of acolytes from the beyond purchased a red lightsaber that they believe belonged to Darth Vader. They intend to destroy the lightsaber, in order to return it to its rightful place in the netherworld of the Force.

During an uprising in Coronet City on Corellia, the Acolytes of the Beyond came into conflict with CorSec (Corellian Security Forces). During the revolution, two romantically involved acolytes named Remi and Kiza stole a Sith lightsaber from CorSec’s archives, and it gradually drove Remi insane. Yufe Tashu would later pass the lightsaber to Kiza, who killed her former lover in battle, falling further into the darkness while causing more chaos for the New Republic.

Yupe Tashu & the Acolytes of the Beyond

The dark side of the aftermath

Yupe Tashu led the Acolytes of the Beyond during the chaotic year between the Battles of Endor and Jakku.Collecting and using artifacts for various reasons. Some artifacts are used by Tashu for empowering the acolytes, like the mask of Exim Panshard, an ancient Sith. Others, however, used Tashu specifically for Palpatine’s contingency plan for the Empire.

The Battle of Jakku is known as the end of the Galactic Civil War Star Wars Canon, but it was almost much more destructive and chaotic. Palpatine’s original contingency plan involved Yupe Tashu, and the Emperor’s secret protégé, Gallius Rax, destroying the entire planet. to do this, Tashu and Rax performed a Sith ritual over a hole in the planet’s core deep underground, causing the planet to shake just before Rax betrayed and killed Tashu. Fortunately, New Republic and Imperial agents Norra Wexley and Rae Sloane prevented Jakku from fully detonating, killing Rax in the process.

Luke Skywalker defeated the Acolytes of the Beyond

The New Jedi against a Sith cult

By the time the Acolytes of the Next First rose, there was another powerful Force presence in the New Republic: Luke Skywalker himself. Begin his quest to recover Jedi secrets and restart the order through study and research, Luke came into conflict with the Acolytes during the early New Republic era. The two sides of the fight are very reflective of each other in a way too, with both seeking ancient treasures of their opposing faiths.

In the late New Republic era, the acolytes of the beyond fell completely apart. The organization no longer existed thanks to the intervention of Luke Skywalker. In one instance, an acolyte named Comath met Luke while they were both searching for Darth Noctyss’ lightsaber. Luke saved her life, an act of selflessness and compassion that made Komat rethink her dedication, dismissing the Acolytes of the Next. And become a hermit and, even later, an ally of Skywalker.

The legacy of the acolytes almost resulted in Ri’s capture as a child

Kiza of Corellia & Exim Panshard

In 21 Aby, Jedi Master Luke Skywalker once again came into contact with the Acolytes, this time through their legacy – led by Kiza of Corellia. Previously mentioned, Kiza was wearing the mask of Exim Panshard, an ancient Sith whose spirit completely controlled her at this point. At the same time, Luke and Lando crossed paths with Ochi of Beston, who was now serving the Sith Eternal instead of the Acolytes and was searching for Rey and her parents, who were on the run from Sith agents.

The two Acolytes of the Beyond are key parts of Rey’s abandonment of Jakku, resulting in the death of her parents and pushing Luke and Lando off their path. Despite the fact that the Acolytes were long gone by this point, their influence remained, and it was an important part of the proliferation of the dark side and Sith teachings in the Sequel Trilogy era. hope, Star Wars Will continue to dive deeper into the acolytes of the next, as they are an interesting and unique part of the galaxy far, far away.