Title: Destiny
Directed by: Kogonada
This post will contain spoilers, so don’t continue reading if you haven’t watched it yet. Come back when you’re ready.
This was an interesting episode. I enjoyed it for its informational quality but it doesn’t progress the storyline. We are finally taken back into the past to Brendok to see what happened to set Mae and Osha on to their respective paths. We experience these events mostly from Osha’s perspective.
The first two episodes use this duality naming convention but this episode does not. This makes me think the next episode will be from Mae’s perspective. I think this will also show how Mae feels betrayed by the Jedi. We will see what dark choices the Jedi made.
Which Witch is Which?
We meet a different sort of coven of witches. They seem to be like the lighter side of the Nightsisters coven. Although they do allude to the fact that Mother Aniseya has dabbled in the more sinister side of witch magick.
Yes, there are witches in Star Wars, which isn’t something Disney created. In fact, the Nightsisters were introduced in the Courtship of Princess Leia in 1994. George Lucas canonized the Nightsisters in The Clone Wars where we are introduced to the most infamous Nightsister, Asajj Ventress. I found a great article on Nerdist that explores the witches of Star Wars. I recommend reading it.
It’s interesting that their coven was exiled because their power was considered “dark”. Perhaps she was performing rituals that are considered nefarious; maybe it’s the ritual that created the twins? More on that in a bit.
If this coven is supposed to be the “yin” to the Nightsister’s “yang”, they certainly are not as impressive. The ascension ceremony feels a bit blah. Their power is not as ostentatious as those of the Nightsisters. The song (The Power of One) is not very catchy and feels kind of cringy.
Who’s Your Daddy?
This was the storm that ruffled the feathers of many of the more uncouth critics in the fandom. Mother Aniseya’s admission that she “created the twins” has many thinking it cheapens Anakin’s birth. I disagree. There are differences and it’s pretty significant.
Anakin was born of the Force, meaning the Force created Anakin because he will ultimately bring balance. The twins were created by another person, probably unnaturally. Mother Aniseya selfishly wanted to continue her legacy and, therefore, performed some ritual to create life from the Force. In fact, this connects the series to Revenge of the Sith and the story of Darth Plagueis.
If you don’t know what I’m talking about, then you have not heard the tragedy of Darth Plagueis. I would suggest watching Revenge of the Sith again.
The mid-season episode is next on Tuesday night at 9pm EST on Disney+.
