"Carrie-Anne Moss Surprised by Fan Reaction to Jedi Death in 'The Acolyte'"

Carrie-Anne Moss has opened up about the fan reaction to her character’s early demise in the Star Wars Disney+ series The Acolyte, admitting she didn’t anticipate the intensity of the response.

In the show’s premiere episode, Lost / Found, Moss’ character, Jedi Master Indara, meets a swift end at the hands of a mysterious assassin—later revealed to be Mae, the twin sister of Amandla Stenberg’s protagonist Osha. The confrontation unfolds in a tense bar scene where Mae dares Indara to attack her with full force, leading to a brutal duel that ends with Indara’s death. While the moment was intended to be shocking and visceral, some fans felt it was a wasted opportunity for a performer of Moss’ caliber.

Series creator Leslye Headland defended the creative decision, explaining that the cold open was designed to immediately establish the stakes of the series. "From a filmmaker perspective, I just felt like with a new story, you have to go hard," Headland told GamesRadar. "You have to show that the Jedi are going to take some Ls. You’re not going to know who the good guys and bad guys are. It has to feel raw and real."

She praised Moss’ performance, noting that the actress brought emotional depth to both the fight and her character’s final moments. "Carrie-Anne is not just an action legend—she’s a phenomenal actress. She played every beat of that scene with precision and grace."

Despite the creative intent, the backlash was swift. Fans took to social media to express disappointment over Moss’ brief appearance, especially given her prominent role in promotional material. Many questioned the decision to feature her so heavily in marketing only to eliminate her character in the first episode.

Why yall make Carrie-Anne Moss get out of bed if you’re just gonna waste her like that #theacolyte pic.twitter.com/d58TJbacI1

— Boka MAX (Formerly “Boka”) (@BokaLaBoca) June 5, 2024

Reflecting on the reaction in a recent interview with Business Insider, Moss acknowledged she was aware of Indara’s fate when she joined the project but underestimated how strongly fans would respond. "The reaction from the fans—I kind of thought, 'Wow, how did I not think of that?'" she said. "I serve the writers and directors. It didn’t cross my mind. But afterward, when people made a big deal about it, I was like, 'How did I miss that?' I honestly didn’t think it would be a big deal."

Though Indara appears in later episodes through flashbacks, the impact of her early exit lingered. The series was ultimately canceled by Disney after its first season, leaving major storylines unresolved—including the live-action debut of the legendary Darth Plagueis.

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Since the cancellation, several cast members have expressed hope for a second season. Manny Jacinto, who portrayed Qimir, confirmed that Darth Plagueis would have played a larger role in future seasons but remained cautious with spoilers, saying, "we could come back." Lee Jung-jae, who played Sol, admitted he was “quite surprised” by the cancellation, noting that Headland had already been envisioning a second season before the first even aired.

Others, like Stenberg, weren’t as shocked. "I’m going to be transparent and say that it’s not a huge shock for me," she shared. "I was in the bubble of my own reality, but for those who aren’t aware, there’s been a rampage of vitriol that we’ve faced since the show was even announced—when it was still just a concept and no one had even seen it."

Jodie Turner-Smith, who played Mother Aniseya, criticized Disney for its silence during the online abuse directed at the cast, much of which was racially charged. "They’ve got to stop doing this thing where they don’t say anything when people are getting f**king dog-piled on the internet with racism and bulls**t," she said.

Jacinto remains hopeful, calling a potential Season 2 “the goal of my life” shortly after the show’s cancellation.