So you want to #SaveTheAcolyte? 

Subject: Let’s Bring Back The Acolyte for Season 2!

Dear [Disney and Lucasfilm Teams],

My name is [Sender Name] and as an avid fan [alternative: new fan] of the Star Wars universe, I wanted to take a moment to express my excitement for The Acolyte as well as share my profound disappointment on the show's premature cancellation.

Approximately one month after the gripping 8th episode finale dropped on the Disney+ site, news broke that the series would be shelved with no prospects for a season two, citing inflated budgetary costs that the studio couldn't justify due to insufficient viewership numbers. So you can imagine fans' utter confusion when Production Weekly announced that a spin-off series to the not yet released Skeleton Crew, starring Jude Law titled Pirates has been green-lit and is currently in development. This arriving on the back of news that LucasFilm would be cutting down its production slate to one show a year in order to focus on theatrical releases. Evidently, the studio does have the finances to produce projects with no existing viewership, so which is it?

It is no secret that The Acolyte was hit with a heavy, racially-motivated hate crusade in response to the show's casting of a Black, non-binary lead. Seven hours before the first episode even aired on Disney+, the show saw review bombings that amassed a 48% Rotten Tomatoes audience score, while critics gave it a 83% positive rating. However, this isn't an isolated incident. It seems almost tradition that time and time again, the studio fails to intervene when talent of color such as Moses Ingram, John Boyega, Ahmed Best, Kelly Marie Tran, Debra Wilson, and Amandla Stenberg are bombarded with abuse by bad-faith actors, baited by rage-farming content from alt-right cosplayers in the name of Adsense dollars on social platforms like YouTube. Their sole aim is to profit off the strategized derailment of a project's otherwise success. To be clear, in coddling the demands of the Fandom Menace, who generated campaigns to smear public opinion of the show on the basis of racist ideology and misogynistic ideals, this is who the Disney LucasFilm brand is by proxy associating itself with.

Disney and LucasFilm's refusal to protect and publicly denounce the hate speech targeted towards its actors, show-runner, Leslye Headland, and viewers alike has only encouraged a very vocal minority of the fandom to further alienate the franchise from any newly arriving audience members, which will only hurt Disney's bottom line. The message given to us seems to be that we, as non-cis, white male fans, don't have a place in Star Wars. Rather than investing in broadening your audiences to include women, consumers of the Romance genre, gender and sexual minorities, all of whom have felt displaced in the fandom, Disney has chosen to isolate this viewership in order to appease those with ill, disingenuous intentions. Thus, it's become increasingly disturbing to witness LucasFilm buckle under the demands of fanatics who self-admittedly are intent on sabotaging every Disney Star Wars project for its inclusion of historically lesser-represented characters.

Despite the concerted efforts of several bad apples, the show has captivated viewers with its rich storytelling, compelling characters, and fresh perspective on the Force in the context of the wider universe. The Acolyte even managed to bring in many first-timers to the franchise who were delighted by the show's unexpected romantic subplot, something longtime fans have been clamoring for more of--love in the galaxy. Everyday there are new tweets emerging from previously avoidant watchers, due to the manufactured negative reception, clamoring that the season was nothing short of riveting. If given more time to let audiences discover the series and granted subsequent seasons, I truly believe The Acolyte would become a seminal work of our generation, standing toe-to-toe with shows like The Mandalorian and the original trilogy. As other outlets like Forbes, Los Angeles Times, GQ, and others have echoed, the studio will look back on The Acolyte as the greatest missed opportunity needlessly laid to waste. As we dive deeper into this era of the galaxy far, far away, it’s clear that there’s so much more to explore.

Here are a few reasons why The Acolyte deserves a second season:

1. Engaging Storylines: The narrative that Leslye Headland constructed with The Acolyte has breathed new air to a franchise that appears stuck looking backwards, relying on the narrow Skywalker viewfinder for storytelling. It is a story about a girl split in two, as she is conditioned to conceal wounds that only result in atrophy, in order to protect the adults around them, and sacrifice themselves at every turn for the benefit of someone else. A story that says, you there who are angry, I see you and your mourning. Your rage and pursuit of justice are held here too. Your pain are scars are ours as well. And what if for a moment, the you who was molded to be good, what if you did the "bad" thing and chose to free yourself from the illusions of others? Because an Acolyte kills the dream. In that in-between of Dark and Light, is where we all sit. All that, coupled with the introduction of some badass DarkSiders, titillating cliffhangers and the fascinating character journeys that await Osha and Mae Aniseya especially have left viewers eager for more. 

2. Growing Fanbase: Interestingly, The Acolyte has been the entry point for many in the Star Wars franchise who saw themselves in the protagonists, portrayed wonderfully by Amandla Stenberg, who's the emotional heart of the show. The response from fans, journalists and critics alike has been overwhelmingly positive, indicating a strong demand for more content in this captivating tale around a former Jedi-to-be whose dreams were killed by institutional malpractice and political corruption.

3. Expanding the Universe: The Acolyte has introduced unique elements that enriched the Star Wars lore, highlighting non-Jedi/Sith Force practitioners, Cortosis armor, the first live-action introduction of Plagueis, whose presence presents many implications for our main power duo, The Power of Two and The Power of Many. A second season would allow us to more deeply explore these themes that further serve to fill in gaps within the extended timeline.

4. Merchandising Opportunities: Subsequent seasons would mean the roll-out of new action toys, companion books, and goods that would bring in a separate revenue stream. Many fans have requested Pip droid toys, Acolyte-themed Lego products, Osha action figures in her Sith attire and figures of The Stranger complete with removable helmet. Renewing the show would create new avenues for merchandise and marketing, engaging fans both old and new.

Ultimately, the streaming model as it exists now is completely unsustainable. It does not account for folks who may have postponed viewing the series to a later time because of their busy day-to-day lives, nor the supporters that have yet to find it. One month is simply not a long enough turnaround time to determine the continued viability of any show. If we're discarding entire series on the basis of their pilot season alone without adjusting for valuable feedback, then I'm afraid the franchise will never see another Clone Wars or Bad Batch or Revenge of the Sith, all of which had stumbling beginnings but are now among some of the most beloved additions to the Star Wars universe. It is with the utmost earnestness that we ask LucasFilm to reconsider it's decision regarding the futurity of The Acolyte.

I am grateful for your time and consideration of our collective plea. And as always, May the Force be with you!

Best regards,

[Your Name]