This article contains spoilers for The Acolyte episodes 1-5.

Summary

• The Acolyte introduces Dafne Keen as Jecki Lon, a part-Theelin, part-human Jedi Padawan.
• Jecki Lon was Master Sol's Padawan, and she accompanied him on the mission to Khofar.
• Jecki fought valiantly with two green lightsabers on Khofar, but she ultimately suffered a tragic fate.

The Acolyte introduces Dafne Keen as the Jedi Padawan Jecki Lon. Set at the end of the High Republic Era, a century before the events of Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace, The Acolyte unveils the Jedi Order at its height, a time when the light of the Jedi shone brightly across the galaxy. But the brightest light casts the darkest shadows - as the Jedi will soon learn.

This is a whole new era for the Star Wars Disney+ TV shows, which means most of the characters who appear are new ones. That's an exciting prospect, because their fates are unknown; anything can happen to the heroes and villains. One of the most intriguing characters is Jecki, a Padawan who looks set to play a major role in The Acolyte.

Dafne Keen's Jecki Is A Jedi Padawan

Jecki Lon is the Padawan of Lee Jung-jae's Master Sol. She was recruited into the Jedi Order when she was four years old, and according to Dafne Keen she still re the trauma of being separated from her family. Jecki has grown up in the Order, and she seems to hero-worship Master Sol, seeking to cultivate the maturity and serenity she associates with her Master.

Jecki seems to take her training seriously; she's been shown practicing lightsaber forms. Speaking at Star Wars Celebration, Keen described Jecki as “pretty cool, pretty badass, [and] she gets to play with lightsabers" - interesting wording because the comment suggests Jecki is one of few Jedi to use two lightsabers. This unusual combat form is known as Jar'Kai, and it gave Jecki an edge in combat.

What Is A Theelin? Dafne Keen's Character Species & Star Wars History

Jecki is a Theelin-human hybrid, a race rarely seen in Star Wars and identified by skin tones - usually lavender, white, bronze, silver, or green. Additionally, Theelins have brightly colored hair, head horns, spotted skin, and hoofed feet. In Legends, Theelins were doomed to extinction because of genetic mutations, and they interbred with other races to keep their species alive. This detail is being honored in The Acolyte, with Jecki being a hybrid.

Headland was inspired to create a Theelin/human hybrid for The Acolyte after seeing the character Rystáll Sant in Return of the Jedi.

The Acolyte showrunner Leslye Headland has said it was a dream of hers to create a Theelin character, and that the creation of this character was something she wanted to do. Headland was inspired to create a Theelin hybrid for The Acolyte after seeing the character Rystáll Sant in Return of the Jedi. Rystáll was a singer and dancer as part of the Max Rebo Band and can be seen with bright orange hair in the film. Rystáll’s line of work wasn’t uncommon for Theelins; they often became artists, singers, or dancers.

Jecki Lon Died Battling The Stranger During The Mission To Khofar

Once the Order learned of Mae Aniseya's plan to kill four Jedi, they sent Master Sol and seven other Jedi to Khofar so they could protect the Wookiee Jedi Master Kelnacca, one of Mae's targets. As Sol's Padawan, Jecki Lon was able to him on this mission, along with Osha Aniseya and Yord Fandar. The mission to Khofar was supposed to be rather simple: the Jedi would have arrested Mae and taken her back to Coruscant to face trial, and that would have been the whole of it. What actually happened on Khofar, however, was much darker and more complex.

When the Jedi found Kelnacca, The Acolyte's Sith Lord revealed himself as Qimir, also known as the Stranger, had already killed him, and he attacked the Jedi. While the Stranger was outnumbered, he had a few tricks up his sleeve that let him massacre the Jedi, such as his cortosis helmet, which could shut down lightsabers, and the Stranger's trick lightsaber that could be separated at the hilt into two smaller blades. The Stranger used that trick lightsaber against Jecki Lon, and he killed her in The Acolyte episode 5.

Though Jecki died rather unceremoniously on Khofar, she didn't go down without a fight. During the beginning of the battle, when the Stranger was attacking other Jedi, Jecki used the opportunity to fight and arrest Mae. The Stranger eventually freed Mae and attacked Jecki, but she more than held her own against the Sith Lord. By using both her own lightsaber and Kelnacca's, Jecki was able to hold the Stranger off long enough to regroup with Sol. Throughout the fight on Khofar, Jecki proved she was a very capable lightsaber duelist, and she was only defeated by the Stranger's deception.

Dafne Keen's Movies & TV Shows Before The Acolyte

Dafne Keen is best known for her role as X-23/Laura in the 2017 film Logan, where she played a pseudo-daughter to Hugh Jackman’s titular character. Keen went on to star in His Dark Materials on HBO and BBC One. The show had three seasons, running from 2019-2022, and featured Keen in the lead role, playing Lyra Belacqua. Keen also played the titular role in the 2020 film Ana, which also starred Andy Garcia. Even though Keen’s filmography isn’t extensive, her work in Logan certainly helped prepare her to take on the role of a Jedi in The Acolyte.