The Acolyte Has Brought One Key Star Wars Book Character Into Live-Action

This article contains mild spoilers for "Star Wars: The Acolyte" episodes 1 and 2.

"Star Wars: The Acolyte," the brand new show on Disney+ set in a galaxy far, far away, is about as far removed from anything we've previously seen in the live-action "Star Wars" universe as you can get. Its story takes place in the High Republic era, a time period that most audiences are completely unfamiliar with and is entirely divorced from the events of the Skywalker Saga along with the majority of other live-action "Star Wars" projects released up to this point. Taking place roughly 100 years before "Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace," there are very few constants for "The Acolyte" to fall back on.

One of those constants, however, involves bringing a key character from the High Republic books — that of the Jedi Vernestra Rwoh — into live-action in a way that might be surprising.

First introduced in Charles Soule's book "Light of the Jedi" before starring in their first adventure in Justina Ireland's "A Test of Courage," Vernestra Rwoh, as she appears in "The Acolyte," is well over 100 years old. At the start of the High Republic publishing program, though, she's still a teenager. She has an impressive claim to fame amongst the Jedi as the youngest Padawan in their Order to advance to the rank of Jedi Knight. At 17, she was a full Knight and wandering the galaxy, acting as a guardian of peace and justice. Very quickly, she's confronted with the influence of the dark side and takes a Padawan in the form of Imri Cantos, who is just a couple of years younger than her and lost his Master as well. The stories where they're together in the middle of the intense conflict with the Nihil in the High Republic novels are a fascinating dynamic we've never seen before. It's almost a bit like asking yourself what it would look like if Obi-Wan Kenobi had to be a master to Anakin Skywalker if Anakin were just three years younger than him.

It probably would've been a glorious mess. (Well, an even bigger one than it already was.)

Vernestra — Vern, as her close friends called her — is a green-skinned Mirialan, which is the same species as Jedi Master Luminara Unduli and her Padawan Barriss Offee. Barriss herself was recently the subject of the animated series "Star Wars: Tales of the Empire."

Vernestra is also known for wielding a lightsaber that can be used as a whip, which has been teased in advertising for "The Acolyte" (although we don't see it in the first two episodes). She was also present at the crash of the Jedi station known as Starlight Beacon, which was a major event in the High Republic novels.

Notably, though, the young and optimistic Vernestra Rwoh we met in the High Republic books is not the same, aged master we see in "The Acolyte."

By the time "The Acolyte" begins, 100 years have passed since her early adventure and Vernestra now bears the rank of Jedi Master. She's also a lot more serious and stoic, with an air of distrust. It's obvious she's seen some things. There's an implication that she is on the Jedi Council, but that's not confirmed just yet. Vernestra is in charge of tasking other Jedi with discovering the identity of the mysterious figure killing Jedi around the galaxy, yet she's reluctant to send Master Sol. Since the prime suspect is his former Padawan, who flunked out of the Jedi Order, she knows he can be an asset and sends him anyway, but has him accompanied by two other Jedi. Vernestra has the ability to drop hints to help fill the gap of time between the High Republic books and "The Acolyte," although those references may prove to be few and far between on the show.

There seems to be something damaged about Vernestra at this stage of her life — damaged and cynical. It raises questions about how the character from the books becomes this jaded Jedi. It also speaks to the idea that the events of "The Acolyte" serve as the beginning of the end of the erosion of the Jedi Order as they head toward their doom during the Clone Wars.

Bringing Vernestra into live-action is Rebecca Henderson, who is most well known for her turns in "Russian Doll" (which was co-created by "The Acolyte" showrunner Leslye Headland, to whom Henderson is married) and a few episodes of "Westworld." She's capable in the role, bringing that gritty world-weariness to the Jedi Master who has seen the galaxy change over the last 100-plus years.

"Star Wars: The Acolyte" premieres new episodes on Tuesdays on Disney+.