Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Acolyte Season 1, Episode 8, “The Acolyte.”
The Acolyte has some viewers crying foul over Mae Aniseya’s use of the phrase “I’ll see you in Hell” in Season 1’s finale. But was this really a slip-up on The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland’s part, or does Hell exist in the Star Wars universe?
Related: The Acolyte: How Does Osha Turn Sol’s Lightsaber Red?
Hell in the Star Wars Universe, Explained
While the Star Wars franchise boasts plenty of exotic locales, one place it’s never visited is Hell. Sure, some planets in a galaxy far, far away are hellish. Star Wars creator George Lucas even modelled volcanic world Mustafar – the site of Anakin and Obi-Wan’s climactic duel in Revenge of the Sith – on Hell as described in the Bible. But Hell itself never actually appears in any Star Wars media.
Yet Hell definitely exists in the Star Wars universe – or the concept of it does, at least. It’s referenced in the first-ever Star Wars movie, 1977’s A New Hope; Owen Lars mutters “there’ll be hell to pay” during a conversation with his wife, Beru. What’s more, in A New Hope‘s direct sequel, The Empire Strikes Back, Han Solo snarls “I’ll see you in Hell” at a Rebel officer. Similar examples are littered throughout pre and post-Disney canon, as well. So, clearly, Hell – as both a not-so-nice afterlife and a general cuss word – is well-entrenched in Star Wars continuity.
That said, we don’t have a lot of hard intel on Star Wars‘ Hell. Legacy Expanded Universe canon describes Hell (otherwise known as “Chaos” or “The Void”) as a dark corner of Star Wars‘ afterlife, the Netherworld of the Force. It’s where Sith Lords’ spirits go when they die, along with those of every other unrepentant evildoer. This doesn’t necessarily apply in the revamped Disney-era canon, which simply describes Hell as a mythical, chaotic realm. Some characters believe in Hell, but there’s no hard evidence it exists like there is in the Expanded Universe.
Related: The Acolyte: Is Darth Plagueis in Season 1?
Is Star Wars’ Hell Part of the Netherworld of the Force?
Yes and no – as noted above, it depends on which version of Star Wars canon we’re talking about. According to the Expanded Universe, Hell fits within the wider Netherworld of the Force. They’re not separate realms, although Hell is nevertheless “gated off.” Current Star Wars continuity disagrees, however, as Hell (if it even exists) seemingly exists on a different plane to the Netherworld.
Related: Is Yoda in Star Wars: The Acolyte?
While we’re at it, what about Mortis? Introduced in the Star Wars: The Clone Wars cartoon, this mystical spot exists outside reality and is sometimes quite sinister. But is Mortis connected to Hell? Nope. Mortis is a spirit world within the Force, not an afterlife. That’s why only three, living beings reside there – the Father, Brother, and Sister – instead of countless condemned souls!
All eight episodes of The Acolyte Season 1 are currently streaming on Disney+.
Published: Jul 19, 2024 07:16 am