How Star Wars' New Force Cult Compares To The Jedi & The Sith

Summary Mother Aniseya's Force cult in The Acolyte offers a unique philosophy on the Force, which makes it distinct from the Jedi and Sith.

Aniseya's group could mirror the Nightsisters in Star Wars canon, who valued independence and their unique connections to the Force.

Aniseya's goals and beliefs are shrouded in mystery, but they could hint at dark alliances and deep ties and show that her coven is different from more prominent Force groups.

Mother Aniseya's Force cult will have a unique perspective on the Force in The Acolyte, and they could be quite different from both the Jedi and the Sith. Mother Aniseya has been one of the most mysterious characters in The Acolyte since it was announced, as almost nothing is known about her or her coven of witches. Only a few of The Acolyte's confirmed details have given insight into Aniseya. Those details revealed that she and her coven are "knowledgeable in the arcane ways of the Force," but a new interview with Aniseya's actor may have subtly revealed even more.

In an interview with Perri Nemiroff of Collider, Jodie Turner-Smith, the actor who portrays Mother Aniseya in The Acolyte, spoke about how her group's connection to the Force differs from more prominent groups like the Jedi and Sith.

"There is a philosophy that Aniseya believes in, in regards to the Force and what it is and what it means and how these witches are connected to it. I don't know how much I can really talk about that, but obviously it's not some arbitrary thing. I feel like there's a point in which we're gonna be able to really get into the whole understanding and all of this information. I can't tell you. "The further that you get into the show, as well, you will find out a little bit more about what that means. But that question is not going to be answered in this season. I think you'll have to keep coming back to kind of dig in."

Turner-Smith couldn't give many details about Aniseya's philosophy during the interview, as she couldn't spoil the reveals that will likely be made in The Acolyte, but her comments do give a bit of insight into the mysterious new group. In the same interview, Turner-Smith also noted that she would love to discuss Aniseya's goals in The Acolyte, and that she has "other ambitions." It paints an interesting, if incomplete, picture of the cult, and Star Wars canon may have even more clues about their true nature.

Related Everything You Need To Know Before Watching Star Wars: The Acolyte Star Wars' next TV show, The Acolyte, will come to Disney+ on June 4. Here's everything you need to know ahead of this epic Star Wars series.

Aniseya's Coven's "Philosophy" Could Be Similar To The Nightsisters

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Mother Aniseya's Force cult is a mostly new group, but it does share some similarities to another group of powerful Force-users in Star Wars canon: the Nightsisters of Dathomir. Like Aniseya's group, the Nightsisters considered themselves witches, as they practiced magick, a dark side Force power that acted in similar ways to the magical spells of other fantasy franchises. While they used dark side powers, they also didn't fit into the binary view of the Force that the Jedi and Sith held, as the Nightsisters were known to battle both groups at different times.

Mother Aniseya Mother Aniseya is the leader of a coven of Witches who value their independence and the preservation of their beliefs and powers. Created By Leslye Headland Cast Jodie Turner-Smith First Appearance The Acolyte Alliance Unknown Coven of Witches TV Shows The Acolyte

In contrast to the Sith, the Nightsisters didn't use their connection to the Force to seek power. They saw the Force as a tool rather than a weapon, so they rarely tried to use it to dominate others. The Nightsisters also had deep ties to their homeworld of Dathomir, so many of their dealings in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and other stories were concerned with securing their own presence and safety. It's also why they allied with Grand Admiral Thrawn in Ahsoka, so that they could reestablish themselves after Count Dooku and General Grievous wiped them out in The Clone Wars.

Mother Aniseya's group is connected to the Nightsisters simply by being an example of a coven of Force witches, but the similarities between the groups could run even deeper. There's no telling what lengths Aniseya would take to protect her fellow witches, and that could mean they'll mirror the Nightsisters' choices and make some dark allies. Aniseya has been heard speaking with Mae in trailers for The Acolyte, which could be an indication that she has connections to other dark side users. Of course, Aniseya's goals could take her even further than the Nightsisters, but only The Acolyte will be able to say for certain.

The Acolyte premieres on June 4 on Disney+.

Source: Collider