Manny Jacinto's lightsaber skills featured in Star Wars training video

A new training video showcases Manny Jacinto's impressive lightsaber skills for his role in ‘The Acolyte’

A training video showcasing Manny Jacinto's lightsaber skills for his role in "Star Wars: The Acolyte" has been released, revealing the extensive preparation behind the impressive lightsaber battles seen in the series. The video, posted by ComicBook on X, highlights Jacinto's dedication to mastering the choreography necessary for his character, Qimir/The Stranger.

In "The Acolyte" episode 5, Jacinto's character is unveiled as a masked figure presumed to be a Sith Lord, a twist that has garnered significant attention. The episode features some of the most elaborate lightsaber battles in the Star Wars franchise, prominently displaying Jacinto's training. This behind-the-scenes footage is reminiscent of training videos from the Star Wars prequel trilogy, which featured actors Ewan McGregor and Hayden Christensen.

Jacinto's training for "The Acolyte" was kept under wraps for two years, a secret he found challenging to maintain. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Jacinto said, "I've been lying to people for the last two years to their faces...Some of them, they straight up call me out and they're like, 'I don't trust what you're saying.' Some of them believe me. But I've been lying, and it gives me a lot of anxiety, having to lie to people." This secrecy was necessary to preserve the major plot twist regarding his character.

The reveal of Jacinto's character as a potential Sith Lord has sparked curiosity about the show's impact on Star Wars canon. Set 100 years before the prequels, "The Acolyte" raises questions about the existence of Sith during this period, given that the Jedi believed the Sith to be extinct for a millennium. How the series addresses this without conflicting with established lore remains to be seen.

New episodes of "The Acolyte" are released on Tuesdays at 9 PM EST/6 PM PST on Disney+.