Last month, Disney+ announced that the Star Wars prequel series The Acolyte would not continue in a second season, much to the shock of both its viewers and actors. Since its cancellation, Qmir star Manny Jacinto has declared his mission to get the show a second season while he walks God’s green earth.
During a Star Wars panel at Atlanta Dragon Con, Jacinto was candidly asked about his personal life goal before leaving this “mortal coil.” In response to the admittedly existential question, Jacinto replied, “Season 2 of The Acolyte.” Jacinto’s response was met with thunderous applause from the convention audience.
Manny Jacinto (Acolyte) answers question: What is a personal life goal?
Answer: Season 2 of The Acolyte
With massive applause and cheering at Dragon Con panel @dragoncon #StarWars panel #DragonCon #acolyte @sw_holocron @WookieeLeaks pic.twitter.com/2kJx5gFvMM
— Digital LA (@DigitalLA) September 1, 2024
In the aftermath of The Acolyte‘s cancellation, Jacinto and fellow co-star Lee Jung-jae reflected on the show’s sudden end. While the end came as a shock to the two stars, its cancellation didn’t surprise fellow star Amandla Stenberg, who shared her reaction shortly after Jung and Jacinto on her personal social media page.
“I’m going to be transparent and say that it’s not a huge shock for me,” Stenberg said in an Instagram video. “Of course I was in the bubble of my own reality, but for those who aren’t aware there’s been a rampage of vitriol that we’ve faced since the show was even announced. When it was still just a concept and no one had even seen it,” Stenberg said.
She continued: “And that’s when we started experiencing a rampage of I would say hyper-conservative bigotry and vitriol. Prejudice, hatred, and hateful language toward us. And this really affected me when I first got the job, because it’s not something you can fully understand what it feels like until it’s happening to you.”
While the harassment she faced during and after the show’s cancellation is still a significant factor in her overall experience working on the show, Stenberg capped off her video by expressing gratitude to the fans who provided her with levity and joy while the show was airing weekly on Disney+.
“I poured through a lot of different iterations of fan art and ship art and fan theories that were just so beautiful and filled my heart with joy and I just want to let those people out there who supported us in that way, and supported us vocally in the face of all the vitriol we received… just that you were deeply loved and appreciated,” Stenberg said.
Amandla Stenberg speaks on #TheAcolyte getting canceled
“It’s not a huge shock for me [that it was canceled]. Of course, I live in the bubble of my own reality but for those who aren’t aware there has been a rampage of vitriol that we have faced since the show was even… pic.twitter.com/sk7U8GFq7U
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) August 28, 2024
Jacinto’s desire for Qmir and Osha’s story to continue in a second season is understandable, considering the mysteries left unresolved with his mysterious Sith character and his newfound apprentice, Osha. Speaking with io9 after the show’s season finale, Jacinto expressed his desire to explore the dynamic between Osha and Qmir in a second season. If not to see how Sith and Jedi aren’t as diametrically opposed as they present themselves but also to explore the connection between the two characters, which the fandom has shipped as “Oshamir.”
“I think it’s definitely a huge, major point to explore if we do get a season two. I think the great part about that dynamic is that it brings in a different type of audience into Star Wars, you know. I think right now, there’s a huge Star Wars fan base, but I think from what people have sent me through texts, they’re noticing people and comments along the lines of ‘I haven’t seen any Star Wars, but I will it for this,’ and, it’s, you know, referencing the Oshamir dynamic,” Jacinto told io9. “I think that’s such a beautiful thing to be able to bring more people into this franchise, this fanbase. You’ve gotta give the people what they want, and I think there is a lot to explore within that dynamic. Yeah, it’s a really cool one.”
Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, what’s next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.
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