The Acolyte could have teased the antagonists of Rey’s New Jedi Order movie thanks to one seemingly inconsequential line. Rey’s New Jedi Order Star Wars movie is singular in that it takes place beyond the Skywalker Saga. In setting the film 15 years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, the film will not only have to find villains for Rey to fight that are removed from the Sith, but move the franchise further into the timeline than anything has previously explored.

Given the placement on the timeline of the upcoming Star Wars movie, connections to other elements of the franchise are not expected to be included beyond links to the sequel trilogy. As such, it may come as a surprise that Star Wars’ High Republic – the era before the prequel trilogy – will tie into Rey’s new film. However, this could prove to be the case thanks to The Acolyte and one line that may establish the perfect villains for Rey to face off against as she takes the Jedi Order into a new age.

The Acolyte Revealed There Have Been Many “Splinter” Groups Of Jedi

It Is Not Only The Sith Who Train In The Ways Of The Force

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In The Acolyte episode 4, members of the Jedi Order convened to discuss the issue involving the murders of three Jedi. While discussing who could have trained the culprit, Mae, one of the Jedi ponders whether this could be the work of a “Splinter Order.” This implies that there have been Splinter Orders in the past, equally implying that they could easily rise again in the future.

It would stand to reason that… some thought it best to split from the Order and begin teaching students how they thought the Force should work…

In the real world, splinter groups are used to describe practices that once belonged to a larger whole, but split off and began working independently. Within Star Wars, it makes perfect sense that the Jedi Order could have suffered from this. The Jedi Order is certainly no stranger to controversy, nor people who disagree with its methods. It would stand to reason that, over the millennia that the Jedi Order has been active, some thought it best to split from the Order and begin teaching students how they thought the Force should work, and what the Jedi should stand for.

Will Rey Have To Contend With Rival Jedi Orders?

Herein Lies The Potential For Rey Skywalker’s New Antagonists

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Now that The Acolyte has confirmed splinter groups of Jedi have been around before, Rey’s New Jedi Order movie could see her having to contend with other groups of Jedi. By the time of the sequels, the Jedi have been extinct since the prequels, over 60 years prior. While Luke tried to reestablish the Order, he failed, leaving Rey to be one of the few Jedi trained in the ways of the old Order. That said, even without an established Order of Jedi, Force users were still prevalent throughout the galaxy in the sequel era.

Rey’s movie takes place 15 years after Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, giving an even longer gap in which other Force users could have trained one another without Jedi supervision.

Therefore, it would make sense that Force users across the galaxy have banded together and formed their own Jedi Order, only without knowledge from people who were previously part of the Jedi at their peak. This would not only offer up a group of rivals for Rey’s Order to face, but also incredibly interesting philosophical conversations via the deconstructions of the Jedi, the Force, and how the teachings of both are interpreted by different people. It remains to be seen whether this will become a reality, but The Acolyte gives more credence to such villains appearing in Rey’s new story.