Summary
Mother Aniseya’s Force cult will have a unique perspective on the Force inThe Acolyte, and they could be quite different from both the Jedi and the Sith. Mother Aniseya has been one of the most mysteriouscharacters inThe Acolytesince it was announced, as almost nothing is known about her or her coven of witches. Only a few ofThe Acolyte’s confirmed detailshave given insight into Aniseya. Those details revealed that she and her coven are “knowledgeable in the arcane ways of the Force,” but a new interview with Aniseya’s actor may have subtly revealed even more.
In an interview with Perri Nemiroff ofCollider, Jodie Turner-Smith, the actor who portrays Mother Aniseya inThe Acolyte, spoke about how her group’s connection to the Force differs from more prominent groups like the Jedi and Sith.
“There is a philosophy that Aniseya believes in, in regards to the Force and what it is and what it means and how these witches are connected to it. I don’t know how much I can really talk about that, but obviously it’s not some arbitrary thing. I feel like there’s a point in which we’re gonna be able to really get into the whole understanding and all of this information. I can’t tell you.
“The further that you get into the show, as well, you will find out a little bit more about what that means. But that question is not going to be answered in this season. I think you’ll have to keep coming back to kind of dig in.”
Turner-Smith couldn’t give many details about Aniseya’s philosophy during the interview, as she couldn’t spoil the reveals that will likely be made inThe Acolyte, but her comments do give a bit of insight into the mysterious new group. In the same interview, Turner-Smith also noted that she would love to discuss Aniseya’s goals inThe Acolyte, and that she has “other ambitions.” It paints an interesting, if incomplete, picture of the cult, andStar Warscanon may have even more clues about their true nature.
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Aniseya’s Coven’s “Philosophy” Could Be Similar To The Nightsisters
Mother Aniseya’s Force cult is a mostly new group, but it does share some similarities to another group of powerful Force-users inStar Warscanon:the Nightsisters of Dathomir.Like Aniseya’s group, the Nightsisters considered themselves witches, as they practiced magick, a dark side Force power that acted in similar ways to the magical spells of other fantasy franchises. While they used dark side powers, they also didn’t fit into the binary view of the Force that the Jedi and Sith held, as the Nightsisters were known to battle both groups at different times.
Mother Aniseya
Mother Aniseya is the leader of a coven of Witches who value their independence and the preservation of their beliefs and powers.
In contrast to the Sith, the Nightsisters didn’t use their connection to the Force to seek power. They saw the Force as a tool rather than a weapon, so they rarely tried to use it to dominate others. The Nightsisters also had deep ties to their homeworld of Dathomir, so many of their dealings inStar Wars: The Clone Warsand other stories were concerned with securing their own presence and safety.It’s also why they allied with Grand Admiral Thrawn inAhsoka, so that they could reestablish themselves after Count Dooku and General Grievous wiped them out inThe Clone Wars.
Mother Aniseya’s group is connected to the Nightsisters simply by being an example of a coven of Force witches, but the similarities between the groups could run even deeper. There’s no telling what lengths Aniseya would take to protect her fellow witches, and that could mean they’ll mirror the Nightsisters' choices and make some dark allies. Aniseya has been heard speaking with Mae in trailers forThe Acolyte, which could be an indication that she has connections to other dark side users. Of course, Aniseya’s goals could take her even further than the Nightsisters, but onlyThe Acolytewill be able to say for certain.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
