The Acolyte, the latest Star Wars series on Disney+, has garnered criticism for its awkward attempts at representing nonbinary and gender-nonconforming characters. In a pivotal scene from episode 4, protagonist Osha Rion (Amandla Stenberg) questions whether the alien character Bazil uses “he” or “they” pronouns, despite Bazil’s distinctly masculine appearance.
This exchange has been denounced as an example of the “Globby problem” – writers trying to insert nonbinary representation through a show’s “weirdo” character, often in an othering or tokenizing manner. Critics argue that by solely questioning Bazil’s pronouns based on his unconventional looks, the scene implies Osha is alienating him for appearing gender-variant.
“It’s quite weird, and unfortunately makes Osha kind of look like a dick,” wrote one reviewer. “The end result is that no one is happy – toxic Star Wars fans are mad for the usual bigoted reasons, and I’m mad because it’s so thoughtless.”
The Acolyte is not the first Star Wars property to face such criticisms. A recent episode of Star Trek: Discovery had Captain Burnham marveling at an alien planet with “three genders,” seemingly forgetting her own crew’s gender diversity. As one critic noted, “There is not a chance that was the intended effect of the Discovery writers room, but that’s the only way to read that line within the context of the show.”
While aiming for broader representation is lauded, some argue that The Acolyte’s heavy-handed approach undermines the intent. “It doesn’t feel like an honest attempt at accurately reflecting gender…but instead like they’re thinking of representation as a checklist,” wrote a reviewer.
However, the latest Doctor Who episode “Rogue” provides a counterexample, with its titular character casually using gender-neutral “they” pronouns without fanfare. “The important thing is, he said it like a person, not like he just won a GLAAD award for allyship,” praised one critic.
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Amid this controversy, The Acolyte may have also inadvertently revealed why the Jedi were unaware of Sith activity prior to the prequel films. Episode 4 reveals the Jedi High Council remains uninformed about the pursuits of Osha’s group, suggesting their mission’s secrecy could explain how the re-emerged Sith caught the Jedi off-guard decades later.
As The Acolyte continues, audiences will watch whether the show course-corrects its nonbinary representation or if its clumsy handling persists – a pivotal test for achieving thoughtful inclusivity in the Star Wars universe.
