The season finale of The Acolyte included a very familiar looking face as a cameo, and showrunner Leslye Headland confirmed that Darth Plagueis did, in fact, make his first live-action appearance. The finale of The Acolyte had some major revelations that finally defined some underdeveloped parts of Star Wars canon. Those revelations include the first live-action depiction of lightsaber bleeding, an explanation for why the Jedi still thought the Sith were extinct, and two massive cameos. Master Yoda made one of The Acolyte‘s biggest cameos, but the other, as Leslye Headland has now confirmed, was much darker.

When Mae and the Stranger were preparing to head to Brendok in the finale of The Acolyte, a mysterious alien was watching them from the shadows. Many viewers instantly recognized that character, and while speaking with Collider, Headland confirmed that the shadowy figure was in fact Darth Plagueis.

We are. I’m very proud of the character design. It took a long time. Like we were saying the last time, obviously, we were doing a Muun; their hands are different, so showing the hand first felt like a nice tell. But also, again, the Crimson Peak reference of: this should not feel like a display of power, this should feel creepy. I think we achieved that. I thought it was important that he be in the cave because, you know, the call’s coming from inside the house. He’s already there in a very intrusive way. So, that was the thought around that. But yeah, baby, Plagueis.

Bringing Darth Plagueis into live-action was an absolutely massive moment for The Acolyte, and Headland clearly knew she had to get it just right. She talked about the thought process behind bringing the Muun Sith Lord into live-action, and how the creative team behind The Acolyte was trying to make Plagueis look creepy rather than powerful. The finale of The Acolyte definitely had the desired effect, as Plagueis has already cast a shadow over the High Republic era with just a few seconds of screen time.

Darth Plagueis, Palpatine’s Master, Has Finally Come To Life

Darth Plagueis has been one of the most enduring mysteries in all of Star Wars, mostly because he’s had such a rocky history. Plagueis was first introduced in name only, when Emperor Palpatine told Anakin Skywalker about “the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise” in Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith. Palpatine’s story introduced Plagueis and his obsession with eternal life, but that was almost all it did with the character. His story would be expanded upon years later, in James Luceno’s novel, “Star Wars: Darth Plagueis,” which provided a full explanation of Plagueis’ story and revealed he was Palpatine’s Sith Master.

Unfortunately, the “Darth Plagueis” novel was quickly categorized as Star Wars Legends, and is no longer considered canon. He was still considered canon because of Palpatine’s tale in Revenge of the Jedi, but he was only ever referenced, and had never actually made an appearance. That was noticeably odd, considering just how important Plagueis is to the entire Skywalker saga. He trained Darth Sidious, and Plagueis’ obsession with eternal life indirectly helped create Anakin Skywalker and served as the basis of Palpatine’s resurrection plan. Plagueis is arguably one of the most important Sith Lords in Star Wars, and The Acolyte has finally introduced him properly.

Almost 20 years after he was first mentioned, Darth Plagueis has finally arrived, not just in Star Wars canon, but in live-action. His cameo in The Acolyte is a fulfillment of so many Star Wars‘ fans long-held hope to see the Sith Lord in action, and Plagueis opens the door to so many interesting opportunities. If The Acolyte season 2 happens, it could explore Plagueis’ backstory, his connection to Darth Tenebrous, his search for the key to eternal life, or a hundred other thrilling possibilities. Darth Plagueis’ now confirmed appearance in The Acolyte is just the exhilarating start of what’s sure to be an awesome Star Wars story.