The Acolyte season 1 finale just premiered, and one of its most interesting moments came in the opening scene, when Osha (Amandla Stenberg) still had the Sith Lord’s helmet on. The Acolyte episode 8 saw the conclusion to many of the storylines from season 1 and hinted at where The Acolyte season 2 could take audiences if it’s renewed. One of the most significant things the finale did was further Osha’s journey into the dark side, where she ultimately falls due to her anger towards Master Sol (Lee Jung-jae)’s lies – but it all begins with her putting on The Stranger’s cortosis helmet.

It’s explaind by Qimir (Manny Jacinto) himself that his helmet acts as a sensory deprivation device, taking away his sight and exchanging it for a stronger connection to the Force. The Acolyte episode 6 ends with Osha slipping this helmet on, along with her steady breathing that’s very reminiscent of Darth Vader’s own. The Acolyte episode 8, however, continues this moment, and what ensues is absolutely shocking. What exactly happened to Osha while she was wearing that helmet, and what did it mean for her future?

The Sith Helmet Allowed Osha To Focus In The Force

The Cortosis Acts As Sensory Deprivation

Throughout The Acolyte, audiences saw Osha struggle with using the Force, though there were hints that much of what she learned of the Force was slowly returning to her. When The Stranger encourages Osha to put on his helmet at the end of The Acolyte episode 6, he tells her that the sensory deprivation aspect of the helmet allows the user to focus on the Force and whatever else they take with them into that space. When Osha put on the helmet when The Stranger left her alone, the sensory deprivation actually allowed her to focus on the dark side and her emotions.

It’s been discussed that part of why Osha left the Jedi was because she struggled to keep her emotions in control. Having that experience with sensory deprivation allowed Osha to connect with and regain the Force-sensitivity she had seemingly lost. While the Jedi treat their connection to the Force as a muscle that needs to constantly be used to maintain, the Sith use their powerful emotions to connect with the Force. Being in that sensory deprivation space allowed Osha to connect to her emotions and therefore the dark side.

Osha Received A Vision Of Her Own Future

She Thought It Was Mae

When The Stranger removed his helmet from Osha’s head, she revealed that Mae had Master Sol’s lightsaber in her hand and was killing him, just not with the saber. Many Force-sensitive individuals have gotten visions of their future before. In fact, this was one of the reasons why Anakin Skywalker fell to the dark side, as he was attempting to save his wife, Padmé Amidala, from dying in childbirth like his vision had shown him. Despite these being visions of the future, these visions are notoriously flawed, often showing only part of the picture.

It’s not clear if Osha’s vision showed Mae killing Sol and the future changed, or if Osha just thought that the person killing Sol was her sister and not her.

When Osha saw this vision, she even stated that the future isn’t fixed, but it was clear by the end of The Acolyte episode 8 that Osha’s vision wasn’t of her sister Mae, but was instead a vision of herself killing her former Master and officially falling to the dark side. Osha and The Stranger journeyed to Brendok for different reasons – Osha to save Sol, and The Stranger to kill Mae. It’s not clear if Osha’s vision showed Mae killing Sol and the future changed, or if Osha just thought that the person killing Sol was her sister and not her.

Donning The Sith Helmet Set Osha On The Path To The Dark Side

It Was Her First Step To The Dark Side

While The Acolyte episode 6 showed The Stranger attempting to seduce Osha to the dark side, he never offered to train her until The Acolyte episode 8. However, Osha putting on his helmet and reconnecting with the Force showed The Stranger that she was ready to take those next steps towards the dark side. Even though Osha rejected The Stranger’s offer to train her as they left the unknown planet, her insistence that their arrangement was fair showed him that on some level, she trusted him.

The Stranger’s helmet did not turn Osha to the dark side, but instead allowed her to connect to her feelings of anger and pain from her past, something that ultimately led to her fully embracing those emotions and killing Sol. Osha’s path as a Sith was solidified when Osha bled Sol’s lightsaber blade and turned it red. While The Stranger had done a good job of preparing Osha for this eventuality in The Acolyte and making her comfortable enough to embrace the dark side, it was her choice to put on the helmet and ultimately step toward the dark side.

All episodes of The Acolyte are now streaming on Disney+.