The Acolyte introduces viewers to a whole new era in Star Wars history – and features Carrie-Anne Moss as Jedi Master Indara.Set a century before the events of the Star Wars prequel trilogy, The Acolyte is at the tail-end of the High Republic Era – the golden age of the Jedi and the Republic. Its place in the Star Wars timeline means the Disney+ TV show features a lot of original characters.

There’s a sense in which The Acolyte is a mystery story, although not quite the mystery it was originally billed as. Someone is killing Jedi, but the real question isn’t who – it’s why, and why these specific Jedi. The death of Master Indara is the beginning of this mystery, triggering an investigation that will no doubt unearth the secrets of a Jedi expedition to the Outer Rim planet Brendok 16 years ago.

Jedi Master Indara Led A Mission To Brendok 16 Years Ago

As revealed in The Acolyte episode 3, the show’s story really begins sixteen years before the show’s main events. Master Indara was one of a small group who traveled to the Outer Rim planet Brendok, apparently investigating rumors of a forbidden Force cult. There, they discovered the witches of Brendok, a small community who had settled on the planet because it was outside Republic space. But the Jedi insisted on enforcing the rules of the Republic regardless.

It all ended in tragedy, with the entire coven dying. One child, Osha, was inducted into the Jedi; her twin sister Mae seems to have been believed killed. The truth of what happened on Brendok is still being revealed, but there’s some evidence the Jedi are concealing true events.

Master Indara Was Mae’s First Kill

Mae returned 16 years later, now a Sith Acolyte, tasked with killing a Jedi to prove her worth. Indara was her first target, although Mae was forced to resort to using weapons – and treachery. Indara’s death is the inciting incident for the entire Disney+ TV show, with Master Sol leading the investigation into her assassination.

Has Jedi Master Indara Appeared Before In Star Wars Canon?

image via Disney+

Master Indara was created for The Acolyte TV show, which means that she had never been seen before in Star Wars canon. This is true for most of The Acolyte‘s cast and characters. This makes sense, given that The Acolyte is essentially meant to be a prequel to the prequels, providing context for the Jedi Order depicted in the prequel trilogy.

The Acolyte is essentially meant to be a prequel to the prequels.

While there will likely be cameos in The Acolyte from Jedi who would have been part of the Order at that time, such as Master Yoda, the key players seem to be figures who will offer new insights into the Jedi’s history. This is particularly exciting because it represents a clean slate for Star Wars, going far back enough to introduce novel characters, stories, and ideas without being as beholden to the franchise’s three trilogies. However, this doesn’t mean that Master Indara’s story won’t be fleshed out to connect to those trilogies, as retconning is what Star Wars does best.

Carrie-Anne Moss Plays Master Indara

Carrie-Anne Moss has already made a massive name for herself in other franchises, perhaps most notably with her appearances in The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded, The Matrix Revolutions, and The Matrix Resurrections. In the Matrix franchise, Moss played Trinity, a rebel who has escaped the Matrix and who becomes main character Neo’s love interest throughout the movies. Moss has also had a long run as Jeri Hogarth in Marvel’s Netflix shows, including Daredevil, Iron Fist, The Defenders, and Jessica Jones.

Moss is therefore no newcomer to major franchises, making her well-suited to join Star Wars. Particularly as so much of her background includes action movies and TV shows, Moss will be an excellent fit for The Acolyte, which has already proven itself to be filled with action sequences in its trailer. In fact, Moss’s character, Master Indara, is one of the Jedi most engaged in battle during the trailer, hopefully a sign of things to come. While little is known about Indara herself at this point, it’s clear that Carrie-Anne Moss is an exciting addition to Star Wars: The Acolyte.