Star Wars: The Acolyte’s third episode had plenty of surprise revelations, including that twins Mae and Osha grew up with a cult of Force Witches on Brendok, which might sound familiar, given that the concept of witches in Star Wars isn’t entirely new. The Nightsisters, a group of witches on Dathomir prominently featured in The Clone Wars animated series, were a formidable force to be reckoned with. While the two groups share some similarities, there are some stark differences between them.
The Acolyte never mentioned the Nightsisters, but it’s clear that the Witches of Brendok are a separate group from them, as they appear more peaceful than the Nightsisters. The Force Witches believe in the Force as a thread that connects people together, and that their power grows stronger with multiple witches, while the Nightsisters draw on the power of magical ichor from Dathomir, wielding dark magic abilities.
Both groups have a similar hierarchical structure, with the Nightsisters’ Mother Talzin, as the leader and the most powerful witch in the order, serving as their spiritual guide. In the same vein, the Witches of Brendok defer to their leader, Mother Aniseya, and she has the power to create life itself from the Force, which was how Mae and Osha were conceived.
The Nightsisters and the Witches of Brendok were both enemies of the Jedi and were eventually hunted down by various organizations or destroyed causing them to scatter across the galaxy. Mae and Osha are the only known survivors from their coven after the incident which resulted in the group’s demise, and the collapse of the Nightsisters’ clan and Dathomir sent surviving Nightsisters into hiding.
No canon connection has been made between the groups, but it’s likely that the Witches of Brendok were somewhat inspired by the Nightsisters, and The Acolyte will reveal more mysteries of the Force Witches as the show hurtles towards its climactic conclusion.
Trinity is a geek who enjoys watching anime, superhero and Sci-Fi movies and TV shows. She enjoys gaming (however has terrible gacha luck) and creates cool homebrew campaigns in her free time. She’s always up for a new adventure — with a cosy jacket and a good book in hand.
Natalie
Edwin Teo
