Carlac is personified by its wind and snow, something that both appearances of the planet match very well. It’s an important part of “The Clone Wars,” as well as “The Acolyte”, but there are more connections to “The Clone Wars” in these particular episodes than just the location of Carlac. On Carlac, Mae flees her Jedi pursuers, trying hard to remain free and beat the murder charge. Unfortunately, she finds herself in a system of caves and the opening she’s cornered in is a massive drop off. A leap of faith would certainly mean death.
As she proclaims her innocence to the authorities pursuing her, this moment is taken straight from the famous dam jump in “The Fugitive,” starring “Star Wars”-alum Harrison Ford. But it was also echoed in “Star Wars: The Clone Wars”, when Ahsoka Tano is accused of a murder she didn’t commit and goes on the run from her own Jedi Master as well. It should come as no surprise that this was an intentional choice.
In a previous interview, showrunner Leslye Headland elaborated on the influence “The Clone Wars” had on “The Acolyte,” explaining that, “My favorite episode is ‘The Wrong Jedi.’ I definitely took some inspiration from that.” In fact, “The Wrong Jedi” is in the same arc as “The Jedi Who Knew Too Much” — both named after Alfred Hitchcock films — and it’s the episode where Ahsoka Tano goes through that very similar dilemma.
It’s good to know that the creators of these shows are paying attention to the work of the animated “Star Wars” universe and making connections between them all. It really does help make the “Star Wars” universe feel cohesive and expansive all at once.
The first two episodes of “Star Wars: The Acolyte” are available now on Disney+, and new episodes will premiere on Tuesday nights at 9:00pm ET.