Star Wars’ The Acolyte introduces Vergences: here’s the history across the Star Wars universe

In the newest installment of The Acolyte, titled "Choice," significant revelations emerge about Osha, Mae Aniseya (portrayed by Amandla Stenberg), and the origins of their home planet Brendok.

The series began when a team of Jedi Knights, led by Osha's former Master Sol (played by Lee Jung-jae), journeyed to Brendok in search of a vergence.

A vergence refers to a planet, place, or object profoundly attuned to the Force, enabling Force users to achieve extraordinary feats that might otherwise be deemed impossible. Certain vergences also unveil new dimensions of the Force and its interconnectedness across the galaxy.

Brendok is not the first instance of a vergence appearing in the Star Wars universe, as other films and television series have prominently featured this phenomenon.

What is the Vergence in The Acolyte?

"Choice" unveils the reason Sol and his Jedi companions journeyed to Brendok: following a hyperspace catastrophe that wrecked numerous ships and scarred planets in its aftermath, they seek to understand how Brendok has managed to prosper amidst the chaos.

Once Sol discovers the Aniseya twins and the Jedi encounter the coven of Force-sensitive witches who raised them, they soon realize that Brendok is a vergence. This grants the witches extraordinary abilities; their leader, Mother Aniseya (played by Jodie Turner-Smith), can transform into a dark, smoky mist and possess others, leading to a confrontation where Sol battles Kelnacca (portrayed by Joonas Suotamo).

The witches also possess an advanced form of telepathy that allows them to communicate in a shadowy realm, with Mother Aniseya using this power to confront Torbin (played by Dean-Charles Chapman) about his desire to return to Courscant.

While Mae and Osha themselves are not vergences, the fact that Brendok is a vergence is intricately linked to their birth. In "Destiny," the third episode of The Acolyte, Mother Aniseya discloses that she gave birth to the twins without a father.

In "Choice," it delves deeper, revealing that Mae and Osha possess a singular consciousness shared between two bodies. Their repeated saying, "Always one, but born as two," not only signifies their twin status but also underscores their unique bond where they share a soul.

Was Anakin Skywalker also a Vergence in the Star Wars universe?

When Qui-Gon Jinn (Liam Neeson) encounters Anakin in Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, he immediately recognizes the Force within him. Shmi, Anakin's mother, reveals that he was born without a father, highlighting Anakin's significant destiny. Unlike Mae and Osha, Anakin is a vergence.

The Acolyte, set a century before The Phantom Menace, still reflects its influence. Mae and Osha undergo tests similar to Anakin's and attract the attention of Dark Side user Qimir (Manny Jacinto), who trained Mae and aims to train Osha to revive the Sith.

What are some other Vergences in the Star Wars universe?

Star Wars history features numerous planets that act as vergences, attracting both Jedi and Sith. In Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) is drawn to a cave during his Jedi training, where he battles a dark side manifestation resembling Darth Vader with Luke's face behind the helmet.

Star Wars: The Last Jedi highlights Ahch-To, the location of the first Jedi Temple; Rey (Daisy Ridley) encounters a vergence in a cave filled with mirrors. In Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) visits Exegol, a planet aptly described as a "Sith graveyard."

Vergences not only enhance a Force user's abilities but also enable them to transcend time and life itself. The first instance of this occurs in Star Wars Rebels, where Ezra Bridger (voiced by Taylor Gray) discovers an ancient Jedi temple on Lothal, which houses a portal to the "World Between Worlds," connecting all points in history.

In Star Wars: Darth Vader — Dark Lord of the Sith by Charles Soule and Giuseppe Camuncoli, it's revealed that Vader built his fortress on Mustafar because the volcanic planet was a vergence. He intended to use it to break the barriers between life and death to reunite with his wife, Padme.