This Is What The Stranger’s Helmet Almost Looked Like in ‘The Acolyte’

The Big Picture

• Masks in Star Wars symbolize allegiance to the dark side, marking a character’s surrender and new persona.
• Qimir’s helmet in
  The Acolyte
  serves as both armor and sensory deprivation tool, enhancing his Force connection.
• Actor Manny Jacinto drew inspiration from iconic Sith characters like Darth Vader for his dual roles.

At this year’s D23 Expo, Star Wars fans were treated to an exclusive panel titled “A Lookback at Star Wars: The Acolyte with Manny Jacinto.” The panel provided an in-depth exploration of Jacinto’s dual role as Qimir and “The Stranger,” offering fans a glimpse into the challenges and joys of bringing such a complex character to life. One of the highlights of the panel was the discussion of Qimir’s helmet, a key piece of his character’s identity, alongside Jacinto’s reflections on his experience filming the show.

Masks have long been an iconic and significant symbol in the mythology of the Sith within the Star Wars universe. These masks serve not only as a form of physical protection but also a telltale sign of the Sith’s philosophy, identity, and connection to the dark side of the Force. When a Sith puts on a mask, it often marks their complete surrender to the dark side, signifying the abandonment of their former identity and the assumption of a new, more powerful persona. This is evident in characters like Darth Vader, whose mask is a crucial part of his identity as a Sith Lord. Since the debut of Vader, we’ve seen other notable characters don a mask while surrending to the Dark Side, including Kylo Ren, Darth Revan and, now, Qimir.

During the panel, the audience was shown the concept art and final design of Qimir’s helmet. The helmet, which serves as both armor and a sensory deprivation tool to enhance Qimir’s connection to the Force, has become a significant symbol in The Acolyte. These early sketches ranged from minimalist, almost featureless masks to more intricate designs with multiple layers and textures. The hope from these designs? To “give people the ick”, according to Jacinto. The final design that appears in The Acolyte was the result of careful consideration, balancing aesthetics with the thematic weight the helmet needed to carry. The final helmet design is a bronze, battle-worn piece that immediately conveys a sense of history and mystery. The visor is a narrow slit, adding to the menacing and inscrutable nature of the character.

He’s a Bad Manny

Jacinto, who portrayed both Qimir and his alter ego “The Stranger,” shared his experiences during the panel. Reflecting on his dual roles, Jacinto described the unique challenges they presented: “Qimir is chaotic good… at least he’s trying to be. With the Stranger, I needed to be grounded. Still.”

Jacinto also spoke about the physical and emotional preparation required for these roles. He revealed that his inspiration for “The Stranger” came from legendary dark side characters like Darth Vader, Kylo Ren, and Darth Maul, particularly focusing on their movement and presence. “The training day in and day out… I just wanted to get it right. I saw the Hayden Christensen videos and how hard he trained and it inspired me,” Jacinto shared.

The Acolyte‘s first season is currently streaming on Disney+. Stay tuned to Collider for more.

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