‘The Acolyte’ Costume Designer on That New Sith Master Mask, the Witches’ Coven Robes and More
19.06.2024 - 15:45
/ variety.com
Jazz Tangcay Artisans Editor SPOILER WARNING: This story mentions major plot developments in episode 4 of “The Acolyte,” now streaming on Disney+. Who is that mysterious masked Sith master in “The Acolyte?” Costume designer Jennifer Bryan knows, and her lips are sealed. She’s not spilling any secrets as to whether any guess is right or wrong.
Episode 4, titled “Day,” picks up in the present. Thanks to episode 3’s flashback, it’s revealed what happened to Mae and Osha in their childhood. Mother Aniseya (Jodie Turner-Smith) and her Zabrak partner created and carried the twins.
When Mae and Osha come of age, the ascension ceremony is set, and the coven readies to indoctrinate them as fully-fledged witches. A tragedy results and the entire coven is killed off, except for the twins who bear witness to the scene, and it sets their separation in motion. In the present, Mae and Qimir (Manny Jacinto), have landed on Khofar seeking her next target, Kelnacca (Joonas Suotamo).
When they find him, he is dead, and an unknown master has killed him. It sets up Sol (Lee Jung-jae), Yord (Charlie Barnett), Jecki (Dafne Keen) and several others in their quest to stop Mae, but it also sets up the Sith Master’s entrance. Lightsabers drawn, the Jedi are no match for the new Sith Master, who uses the force and sends them flying.
Sitting down with Variety to talk over Zoom, Bryan happily discusses how the Sith Master mask evolved. Showrunner Leslye Headland suggested Bryan collaborate with the creatures department to design and build the mask. Not only did the helmet have to be new and threatening, but it also needed to connect back to “Star Wars” canon.