The Acolyte episode 3 ending explained: Why did Osha join the Jedi? Details explored

Jodie Turner-Smith as Mother Aniseya in The Acolyte (Image via starwars.com)
Jodie Turner-Smith as Mother Aniseya in The Acolyte (Image via starwars.com)

The third episode of The Acolyte premiered on Disney+ on June 11, 2024, and took us back to the past. It showcased Osha and Mae's childhood, and exactly what caused them to be separated from each other. Viewers also got to see a young Sol in action, working alongside his Jedi colleagues Indara, Torbin, and Kelnacca.

The Acolyte episode 3 heavily focused on establishing the relationship between Osha and Mae, and exactly what filled the latter with hatred. Explaining their lives on Brendok and how they fit into the coven of Force witches on the planet, it saw Mae wanting to become a witch, while Osha wanted to go out and shape her own destiny, which led to her joining the Jedi.

All in all, The Acolyte episode 3 did help showcase how Osha eventually ended up in the hands of the Jedi, and why Mae also went on to cause the fire that ultimately killed every witch in the coven.


The Acolyte episode 3 focuses on Osha and Mae's childhood

Osha and Mae are to undergo an ascension

The Acolyte episode 3 opens with Osha sneaking out from the coven and enjoying the forests of Brendok. However, Mae finds her and asks her what she is doing. Osha reveals that she doesn't want to go forward with the ascension ritual which would make her a witch, which ultimately leaves Mae disappointed.

They are soon found by Mother Koril and brought back to the Coven, where they meet Mother Aniseya, the leader of the witches. We also learn that Jedi Master Sol has been spying on the twins as well.

Osha, not wanting to be a witch, reveals to Mae that she wants to go out and explore the galaxy. Her sister expresses her disappointment with her and asks her to go forward with it. During nighttime, the ceremony begins with Aniseya leading it, and Mae is successfully able to complete the ascension. However, as Osha is about to complete hers, the ceremony is interrupted by the Jedi with Sol, Indara, Kelnacca, and Torbin walking in.


The Jedi want to test the twins in The Acolyte episode 3

During the ceremony, the Jedi reveal that they want to see the twins as they want to test them to see if they can be padawans. While the witches are hesitant to reveal them, Osha willingly walks out and interacts with Sol. While Mae doesn't show herself, she eventually does come out of hiding and reveals herself too. The Jedi ask the permission of the Witches to test them, to which Aniseya reluctantly agrees.

Disappointed by the decision, Koril confronts Aniseya, but keeping Osha's wishes in mind, Aniseya reveals that it is ultimately her decision. It's also implied that the twins were possibly created through the force and are seen as one, but that detail is still left ambiguous. However, Aniseya does persuade Osha and Mae to purposefully fail the test, and while Mae agrees with it, Osha doesn't.

The next day, the twins go on to give the test, and while Mae is successful in failing it, Osha is reluctant to do so. This reveals her true feelings to Sol, saying that she wants to be a Jedi. Disappointed by her decision, Mae neglects her sister and lashes out at her.

Aniseya recognizes her decision and makes peace with the fact that Osha will be joining the Jedi and she won't be able to see her daughter again.


Mae starts the fire in The Acolyte episode 3

While the first two episodes didn't outright confirm that Mae was responsible for the fire on Brendok, The Acolyte episode 3 shows us that it was indeed her. Disappointed by her sister leaving with the Jedi, she traps Osha in her room and intends to kill her by lighting a fire outside which quickly starts spreading.

While Osha is able to escape from her room, she quickly finds that the entire coven has begun falling apart, and she comes across Mae who is on a bridge. The bridge eventually ends up falling apart, and Mae seemingly falls to her death, while Osha is saved by Sol.

He carries her out where Osha sees that Aniseya has died, and she later wakes up on the Jedi ship with Sol revealing what happened. The episode ends with Mae revealed to be alive, standing at the same tree where she found Osha at the start of the episode.


What to expect going forward?

Amandla Stenberg as Mae in The Acolyte (Image via @StarWars on X)
Amandla Stenberg as Mae in The Acolyte (Image via @StarWars on X)

With The Acolyte now diving deep into the backstory of Osha and Mae, we can expect to see more of their time as children. The biggest question as to how they were created remains unanswered. With it being implied that they have no father, it certainly does beg an answer that could have fans intrigued.

Going forward, we can also expect to see how Mae came in contact with the Sith master that she serves, and how she began her revenge against the Jedi for taking her sister away. Throughout the ending of the episode, it's heavily implied that something more went down that Osha didn't witness, as Torbin could be seen with a scar across his face.

This begs the question of whether the Jedi were involved in the situation or not. We might also get to see Osha's early days as a Jedi and how she eventually walked away from the order. With episode 2 also ending with the reveal that Mae was on her way to kill Kelnacca, this is also likely to be seen soon in the coming weeks.


Episode 4 of The Acolyte premieres next Tuesday exclusively on Disney+.

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