Star Wars: The Acolyte has a very interesting connection to Elden Ring, of all things.
The fifth episode of Star Wars: The Acolyte has been widely lauded for dropping some of most enjoyable, visually entertaining lightsaber fights the series has seen in years. A big part of why those fights erupt in the first place is the young Sith Qimir, played by Manny Jacinto (The Good Place). Despite droves of the usual Star Wars complainers moaning about the show for one reason or another, Jacinto’s character has been rocketed to social media stardom because he’s very hot.
Part of Qimir’s appeal isn’t just that he’s an athletic bad boy; it’s that he’s an athletic bad boy with great personal style. Unlike other Sith (or even Jedi), who typically like to cloak themselves in robes that cover themselves right up, Qimir’s fit is cut to free his muscular and rather dirty arms. According to showrunner Leslye Headland, Qimir’s look was inspired by player outfits she’d seen while playing Elden Ring.
“So much of Qimir was understanding how to use your body and not just standing there in a suit or being encumbered by a suit,” Headland tells Inverse in a new interview. “We were like ‘We have to get him something flowy.”
The only armour Qimir wears in the show is a helmet, made of Cortosis ore, a particular in-universe material impervious to lightsabers. The helmet was a must — Qimir’s identity needed to be obscured for plot reasons — but beyond that, Headland felt he shouldn’t have armour on at all. “As soon as I said he didn’t have armour, everyone lost their mind,” she tells Inverse. “I was like ‘Why would you wear armour if you’re not going to get hit?’”
She continues. “It’s like the Elden Ring costume. The Elden Bling. When you summon people, you always summon people who aren’t wearing anything, and it’s like ‘These people are fucking crazy.’”
She’s right. Many players who enjoy imposing rules on their Elden Ring playthroughs like to pare back the armour they wear for a little extra danger. Sometimes, it’s about projecting confidence, as in the case of Let Me Solo Her, the famed Elden Ring folk hero who gets around in a clay pot helmet, a manky old cape and a pair of dirty grundies.
Could Headland have encountered the great one on her travels in the Lands Between? It’s possible, but there are also many imitators. Summoning another player into your Elden Ring game could be considered a naked madman delivery service, so common are they among the playerbase.
Nevertheless, once you understand Headland’s familiarity with the game, it’s hard not to see the dotted line between Qimir and Let Me Solo Her. Both wear bulbous helmets and get around in a bit of cloth, and both pick fights with difficult or multiple enemies on their own. Both break the established rules and prefer to do things their own way.
Or it could be a total coincidence. Anyway, just something we noticed.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is out now. Star Wars: The Acolyte is on Disney+.
Image: Bandai Namco Entertainment, Disney, Kotaku Australia
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