After a long wait, The Acolyte has finally come to Disney Plus and fans are still unsure of where exactly the series will fall on the spectrum of Star Wars media. So far, the series has graced Star Wars fans with new locations, beautiful set pieces, and some vibrant characters. Most are new comers, but for those fans attuned to the wider world of comics and novels, the Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh is a welcome addition from the extended lore.
Who is Jedi master Vernestra Rwoh?
Vernestra Rwoh via Disney Plus
Jedi Master Yoda is rumored to show up in The Acolyte but, for the first time in his lengthy Star Wars legacy, he won’t be the top dog. Instead, Jedi Master Vernestra Rwoh currently speaks for the order, and as Lee Jung-Jae’s Master Sol implies, her will is the will of the Jedi. Created for Justina Ireland’s novel, A Test of Courage, Rwoh has always been seen as a prodigy among the Jedi she serves with, and has more than earned her place at the head of the order.
Rwoh landed the title of Jedi Knight at just 15 years old. For comparison, the stoic and logical Jecki was around the same age before accepting her first mission outside of the Jedi temple. Vernestra was a step above even the best Jedi of her time. Much like Anakin Skywalker’s visions of his mother’s torture at the hands of the Tuscan Raiders, Vernestra was gifted in seeing the past, present, and future through Force granted visions.
She served during the High Republic, the peak of the Jedi order, but despite the golden era, she faced plenty of challenges. 100 years before The Acolyte, she and her brethren pushed back the Nihil, a deep space band of marauders keen to keep the Republic at bay through violent measures and helped rebuild after The Great Hyperspace Disaster that caused mass death across the galaxy.
It’s Rwoh’s long history of dealing with conflict that has comic and book fans so excited to see her much older silver screen debut. “Vernestra knows what happens when you’re out of balance and act on impulse,” one wrote, referencing one of the Jedi’s more unorthodox childhood friends, Elzar Mann.
“I view her as a better Yoda,” wrote another, pointing to her decision to allow Osha to clear her name, and applauding her insistence on a closed door meeting over the Jedi killer. Whether Vernestra will manage to avoid the political intrigue that lead to the fall of the Jedi remains to be seen, as the series unfolds over the remaining episodes.
What Race is Vernestra Rwoh?
Bariss Offee via Star wars: The Clone Wars/ Disney Plus
Vernestra, like Jedi Master Luminara Unduli, comes from the planet Mirial. Mirialans’s skin varies in color from green to purple, but most can be identified by tribal tattoos on their faces. The aliens can be found all across the galaxy. Like Twi’leks, they can reproduce with humans, though Mirialans have much longer life spans. The alien Jedi can live to be 200 years old.
Lithe and flexible, the race is perfect for lightsaber combat. Combined with their strong spirituality, which had a primitive understanding of the Force built in, they were often tapped for the Jedi order. As Masters, they preferred to train other Mirialans – though there are always exceptions to the rule.
Who Plays Vernestra Rowh?
Rebecca Henderson Russian Doll
The green-skinned baddie is being played by Rebecca Henderson. The Canada native got her acting start in 2009, but made a name for herself in Netflix’s Russian Doll. Henderson is married to The Acolyte director and creator, Leslye Headland.
