It’s safe to say that Disney+’s Star Wars series The Acolyte divided the fanbase. Many embraced it for taking the franchise in new directions, while others were never on board. Well, just like when it was airing, Star Wars fans can’t agree on a stance when discussing The Acolyte‘s cancellation.

Deadline dropped the news that The Acolyte would not be returning for a second season. However, reports claim the axing has nothing to do with fan backlash but with the series’ inability to maintain steady viewership. Some will point to fans’ frustration as the reason people weren’t tuning in, but it was a lot more complicated than that.

The Acoltye Never Stood a Chance

There were two major camps going at it while The Acolyte was airing: those turned off from the series from the jump and those willing to give it a chance. Unfortunately, between all of the debates about breaking canon and Sith abs, a third group was forgotten: the casual fans who don’t care about canon or really anything but having something to watch after work.

Seeing all of the discourse online about the show likely made a lot of people look elsewhere for entertainment. After all, who wants to be thrown into the middle of a fight about space wizards when there are far more important things to worry about?

“Star Wars fans, smh,” said X user Deshair. This series never stood a chance. And before anyone says, ‘Well what about Ahsoka?’ They only watched it for Anakin.”

“The Acolyte being cancelled is just another example of toxic internet hate,” added Alex on X. “The show never got a chance to breathe and half the people hating on it never even watched an episode.”

Related: The Acolyte Subverts Star Wars in a Big Way That Doesn’t Always Work

It’s a Bad Time To Be a TV Show

There are also more than a few discussions online about how shows aren’t able to find their audiences anymore. Countless shows struggle in their first season, only to come back stronger in later outings. It’s possible that could’ve happened with The Acolyte, but it never had time to grow.

“It’s a generally bleak time for television; not just because of The Acolyte,” said Riley on X. “Everything gets cancelled. Nothing gets a chance to find its footing like before. Companies wonder why no one’s watching and it’s because no one wants to get invested in an inevitable unfinished story.”

Unfortunately, unless Star Wars releases some sort of tie-in, like a novel or comic, The Acolyte will be an unfinished story. That’s not bad news for everyone, but those close to the industry will say it’s bad news for the entertainment landscape.

isney+ Star Wars series The Acolyte wrapped up its first season with a decidedly open-ended finale. So, does this mean the The Acolyte is getting a Season 2?

Related: The Acolyte: Is Darth Plagueis in Season 1?

Is The Acolyte Season 2 Happening?

No, The Acolyte Season 2 isn’t happening. Per Deadline, Lucasfilm cancelled the Star Wars series on Aug. 19, 2024. The outlet’s sources didn’t supply a reason for The Acolyte‘s cancellation, although its lacklustre viewership figures were likely a contributing factor. As noted by Deadline, The Acolyte lost its spot on Nielsen’s Top 10 originals chart from Episode 4 to 7. To its credit, The Acolyte eventually landed back on the chart with its eighth and final episode. But even then, its total number of minutes viewed was reportedly the lowest of any Star Wars series.

Related: Is Yoda in Star Wars: The Acolyte?

Lucasfilm axing The Acolyte will no doubt come as a blow to showrunner Leslye Headland, who was ready to hit the ground running on Season 2. In March 2024 Collider interview, Headland revealed that The Acolyte was always conceived as a story that spanned more than one season. “I would say that when I pitched it, I definitely pitched it as a multi-season show,” she said. “There are a lot of things at the end of this season that I think are narrative threads that are not tied up, for sure.”

What Was Planned for The Acolyte Season 2’s Story?

So, what did Leslye Headland have planned for The Acolyte Season 2, if it had happened? More Darth Plagueis, for one thing! Plagueis briefly cameos in Season 1’s finale, which Headland confirmed in an Inverse interview was set-up for Season 2. She also reiterated the importance of Osha and the Stranger’s newly-forged partnership to the second season’s unrealized narrative.

Related: Does The Acolyte Season 1 Have a Post-Credits Scene?

“[Darth Plagueis is] definitely a signifier of things to come if we end up moving forward,” Headland said. “Osha and the Stranger are aligned. Literally the last shot of the show is the two of them holding the same lightsaber. It’s the last shot of Fight Club – these are two people that are looking out under the horizon and believing that their power is intense, and strong, and shared, and passionate.”

All eight episodes of The Acolyte Season 1 are currently streaming on Disney+.

 The above article was updated on 8/20/2024 by the original author to include information about The Acolyte’s cancellation.