The Acolyte's big new arrival is already the focus of Sith theories

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A newcomer in The Acolyte is already the subject of speculation

David Harewood as Senator Rayencourt in The Acolyte episode 8 (2024)
(Image credit: Disney Plus)

The Acolyte episode 8 was packed with major moments, but one deceptively small introduction could be hiding a massively important character. 

The following will contain spoilers for The Acolyte finale, so make sure you're up to date before you read on! 

In the episode, David Harewood's Senator Rayencourt is introduced. He's no fan of the Jedi, and he clashes with Vernestra over his plans for an external review of the Jedi Order – and the fact that Vernestra has been covering up a murder investigation. 

While on the surface Rayencourt appears to be a regular Senator, some Star Wars fans have already predicted that he'll turn out to be a Sith. 

"So my headcanon says the Senator Rayencourt is Darth Tenebrous (an ambitious Senator with an anti-Jedi sentiment gaining in power and popularity – the archetype that Palpatine modeled his career after. Rayencourt wants to weaken the Jedi's power and popularity by bringing them under review and thus the clutches of a bureaucratic Senate. Essentially hobbling them to be subservient to the growing greed and complacency of the political system. The Brendok coverup fell into his lap as a perfect catalyst to enact his 'plan,'" predicts one person. 

Tenebrous is Darth Plagueis's Master – and Plagueis is introduced in the finale, too, watching Qimir and Osha from a cave on the mysterious island planet. 

Another fan has a similar idea: "What if Senator Rayencourt is Darth Tenebrous. He is training Plagueis and Qimir at the same time. Rayencourt seems to be very against the Jedi. He broke the rule of two and took Qimir as his second secret apprentice. Plagueis got suspicious and eventually discovered Qimir. That scene in The Acolyte is him spying on his competitor."

Some other fan theories about The Acolyte have proved true, like Vernestra being Qimir's former Master and The Stranger's true identity turning out to be Qimir himself, but it remains to be seen if this particular theory proves correct. 

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Molly Edwards
Molly Edwards
Deputy Entertainment Editor

I'm the Deputy Entertainment Editor here at GamesRadar+, covering all things film and TV for the site's Total Film and SFX sections. I previously worked on the Disney magazines team at Immediate Media, and also wrote on the CBeebies, MEGA!, and Star Wars Galaxy titles after graduating with a BA in English.