Darth Plagueis Was Originally Set-Up To Become The Biggest Threat In Disney’s Cancelled Star Wars Show

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I was so fascinated to learn more about what could have been with The Acolyte! Apparently, Darth Plagueis was originally planned to be the main villain – the biggest threat, really – of the show. It’s a shame the series was cancelled after just one season, because this would have been the first time we’d have seen Plagueis as a major antagonist in live-action Star Wars. It’s a real loss for fans like me!

I was completely shocked to see Darth Plagueis appear near the end of The Acolyte! It’s incredible to think he was Palpatine’s teacher, and even more mind-blowing to learn he has a connection to Qimir, The Stranger, and all the dark side plots happening a century before the prequel films. It really adds a whole new layer to the Star Wars story.

The newly released ‘The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte’ book shares insights into showrunner Leslye Headland’s plans for Darth Plagueis and his potential role during the High Republic era.

New Star Wars Reveals Confirm Darth Plagueis Would Have Been The Acolyte’s Big Bad

Custom Image by Yailin Chacon

A recently discovered detail in a new Star Wars book reveals that Darth Plagueis was originally planned to be the primary villain of The Acolyte, appearing as a significant threat throughout several seasons of the show.

Headland explained she originally envisioned introducing Plagueis, Sheev Palpatine’s future Sith Master, at the end of the season to complete the Sith family history. She felt bringing him in earlier would have been overwhelming, so the team opted to first establish the setting, characters, and main plot before revealing Plagueis as a significant, overarching threat.

It’s especially disappointing that The Acolyte was cancelled knowing Darth Plagueis was intended to be the main villain. We only saw him briefly in a cameo, hinting at a larger story that might never be told. Thankfully, that single appearance of Darth Plagueis in live-action was well done.

Lucasfilm Nailed Darth Plagueis’ Live-Action Look On The First Try

Lucasfilm and Industrial Light & Magic nailed the look of Darth Plagueis in his first live-action appearance. The design was clearly inspired by existing Star Wars stories and other Muun characters, and it came across as perfectly intimidating. According to The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte, the team actually created the final design on their very first attempt.

Unlike the detailed work on the Stranger, designing Plagueis was relatively simple. Industrial Light & Magic drew heavily from how the character had already appeared in books and other depictions of Muuns in movies and TV, and they almost nailed the design on their first attempt.

Carlos Ciudad recalled showing an early version to Leslye, and she was moved to tears. She told them it was exactly what she’d envisioned, calling it a dream come true. Ciudad said moments like that remind him how fortunate he is to have his job – being able to bring joy to someone by creating a beloved character is incredibly rewarding and highlights the special nature of their work.

Based on this brief but striking glimpse, Darth Plagueis seemed destined to be a major antagonist towards the end of the High Republic period, years before his student ultimately became the galactic emperor and brought about the downfall of the Jedi.

One big question for the future of Star Wars is whether the story of Darth Plagueis will ever be explored, especially after The Acolyte was cancelled. There’s a lot of interesting material about Plagueis in older Star Wars stories, and the showrunner of The Acolyte was known to be a fan of those stories, so it felt like a possible direction for the show.

Hopefully, Lucasfilm will find another way to explore the story of Darth Plagueis and make up for not fully developing it previously.

Set a century before the events of The Phantom Menace, The Acolyte is a Star Wars series that takes place during the final years of the High Republic. The story follows a Jedi Master and their former apprentice as they uncover a mysterious and dangerous threat. The series stars Amandla Stenberg, Lee Jung-jae, Manny Jacinto, Dafne Keen, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Carrie-Anne Moss, and it’s the first live-action adaptation of the High Republic era.

Featuring interviews with the people behind the series and exclusive artwork, The Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte gives you an inside look at the making of this new story. The book includes a foreword written by Leslye Headland, the creator, writer, and executive producer of The Acolyte.

All episodes of The Acolyte are streaming on Disney+.

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2026-02-03 18:29