In The Acolyte‘s sixth episode, Osha found herself on Qimir’s secret hideaway. That place was first seen in the series’ premiere when Mae’s Master appeared atop a rock along crashing ocean waves. Unlike every other world on the series, though, the Star Wars series didn’t give Qimir’s world a name. The Acolyte labeled it only as an “Unknown Planet.” But it was impossible for Star Wars fans not to wonder if we already know what it’s actually called, Ahch-To. The Acolyte‘s Unknown Planet looked nearly identical to the planet of Ahch-To from the sequel trilogy. And if that truly is where Qimir lives, it means the very dark side user who will put the Jedi on a path to near ruin a century later also lived in the same remote world where a reclusive Luke Skywalker trained Rey.
What Is The Acolyte‘s Unknown Planet? Here’s Why We Think It Is Star Wars‘ Ahch-To
The Acolyte‘s “Unknown Planet” and the Star Wars planet Ahch-To share all the same physical properties. They’re both mostly covered in water dotted with lush, green rocky islands. Each is also home to adorable little bird-like creatures, though the new Disney+ show’s animals are not porgs. Simply put, they look identical in every way.
Those similarities are only part of the reason why it was impossible not to think Osha found herself on Ahch-To on The Acolyte. The Acolyte also framed many shots in ways that clearly hearken back to The Last Jedi. The camera watched from behind as she walked out of a tunnel to look out at the ocean. We saw similar shots of Rey and Luke framed just like that. Osha then followed Qimir around the Unknown Planet just as Rey followed Luke on Ahch-To. The Acolyte intentionally referenced shots and sequences from Ahch-To on a place that was indistinguishable from it.
Does Qimir Actually Live on the Planet of Ahch-To on The Acolyte?
So is that actually where Qimir lives? Did the Jedi Killer make the very planet where the Jedi Order was founded thousands of years before as his base of operations? Whether he resides on Ahch-To or not, the fact his world looks so much like Ahch-To is what matters.
If The Acolyte‘s “Unknown Planet” is ultimately revealed to be Ahch-To the significance will be obvious. The very dark lord—a former Jedi Padawan and possible Sith—who put the Order on a path of destruction will have used the Jedi’s own home to bring them down.
Qimir might have even used Sacred Jedi Texts and ancient Jedi knowledge found on Ahch-To to better understand his enemy on The Acolyte. It might be why he’s able to tap into the Force with as much power as he can.
(That would also explain why the Jedi couldn’t sense his real identity initially. And that would also help explain why they won’t sense Palpatine’s more than a century later.)
And if Osha becomes Qimir’s apprentice on The Acolyte, Ahch-To will be the place where a powerful Force user trains a student who will go on to lead their order, just as it will be again when Rey arrives there to find Luke Skywalker. Only the roles will flip, with Qimir’s student reluctant to learn and Rey’s Master reluctant to teach.
The Unkown Planet’s Resemblance to Ahch-To Is Important for The Acolyte Even If It’s a Different Planet
But even if Qimir’s planet is not Ahch-To on a cloudy day and is instead a totally different world, The Acolyte clearly wanted us to make that Star Wars connection. There’s obvious meaning in making us think about Ahch-To. It’s Star Wars “rhyming” like poetry, just as George Lucas said it should.
If the Unknown planet is not Ahch-To it will mean in the galaxy far, far away there are two identical worlds, neither inherently good or bad. How those who call them home use those planets will determine which side they fall on, just as the Force is neither inherently good or bad. We’ll remember one planet for light, the other for dark. They will, fittingly, balance each other.
Is The Acolyte‘s “Unknown Planet” really Ahch-To? The fact we have to ask is meaningful enough even without knowing.
Mikey Walsh is a staff writer at Nerdist and Manny Jacinto superfan. You can follow him on Twitter and Bluesky at @burgermike. And also anywhere someone is ranking the Targaryen kings.