Good Morning Youtinians.  We are at the end of Season 1 of The Acolyte, with the finale airing tonight. The Bounty Hunt crew will host a live show in the Younited Discord on Wednesday night, breaking down the episode and the season. You can hang out in the text chat and even ask live questions! 

— JG Carse, Emmi Conner, and Doc B

Star Wars Publishing Updates

Youtini is super excited that two new Star Wars books are about to enter the galaxy and both will help deepen our understanding of the light and dark in our favorite fandom.

“Ten thousand years of peace begins today” - Emperor Sheev Palpatine

The Rise and Fall of the Galactic Empire: This new book from DK provides “fresh new insights into the dark entity at the core of Star Wars” and investigates the dark times as the Emperor declared in his game-changing speech to the full Senate that “the Republic will be reorganized into the first Galactic Empire.” From that moment and for the next 24 years, the galaxy was intimidated into submission by Sith, Moffs, Governors, Inquisitors, stormtroopers, and probes in a brutal dictatorship grounded by fear.

The author, Dr. Chris Kempshall, is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Exeter and a World War I expert. His earlier works include The History and Politics of Star Wars: Death Stars and Democracy (Routledge, 2023) and his collaboration Star Wars: Battles That Changed the Galaxy (DK, 2021). Publish date: July 9, 2024.

“An elegant weapon for a civilized age” - Obi-Wan Kenobi

The High Republic: The Lightsaber Collection: Want to know everything there is to know about lightsabers? Coming in October 2024 from Insight Editions is a comprehensive reference book with more than 50 High Republic lightsabers and stunning images detailing each design intricately. All our favorite Jedi are there, including Stellan Gios, Vernestra Rwoh, Avar Kriss, Porter Engle, Burryaga, and more. Each page tells about the Jedi, their personal weapon, and the unique background behind each blade.

The book is a must-have, with never-before-seen illustrations of lightsaber hilts in amazing “photo-real” style. Written by New York Times best-selling author Daniel Wallace, a regular contributor to the Star Wars universe, with illustrations by Lukasz Liszko and Ryan Valle - publish date October 30, 2024.

We’re all fine here now - how are you? For more about new and upcoming book releases, jump over to the Youtini Release Schedule to keep up to date and all things Star Wars publishing! Once you’re updated, please let us know what you’re reading and enjoying in the Youtini Discord!

Rule of Two in The Acolyte and Beyond

If you’ve been following The Acolyte each week, then you have definitely at least heard of the Rule of Two. But this ancient Sith philosophy started eons ago in the Star Wars timeline, and it has produced some of the coolest and most terrifying master and apprentice duos that we’ve seen wielding the dark side of the Force.

The Origins of the Rule of Two: In 2006, Drew Karpyshyn’s novel Darth Bane: Path of Destruction kicked off the incredible Bane trilogy in the Legends continuity. If you haven’t yet read these three books, we highly recommend you get your hands on them! In Karpyshyn’s story, Bane created the Rule of Two, deciding that the Sith simply are not meant to have large ranks and an Order like the Jedi. He instituted this new rule by taking his own apprentice, Darth Zannah. Though Karpyshyn’s Bane trilogy is Legends, Bane appeared in Canon in The Clone Wars animated series.

What Is the Rule of Two?: The Rule of Two states that there must only be one Sith master and one Sith apprentice, never more and never less. The master should build their apprentice into an extremely worthy opponent in all realms of a Sith’s life: use of the Force, understanding the dark side, combat skill with a lightsaber, and, of course, ruthlessness in all endeavors. At the end of this cycle of passing on knowledge, the apprentice must rise up and either kill their master or be killed in the attempt. Then, either the master will seek out a new, more worthy apprentice, or the victorious apprentice will rise to the rank of master and find their own student, starting the cycle again.

The Rule of Two in Practice: It is obvious that the Sith decided to stick to Bane’s Rule of Two throughout the rest of what we know of the Star Wars timeline, both in Canon and Legends. Darth Sidious killed his master, Darth Plagueis, then took Darth Maul as an apprentice until his death, then Darth Tyranus—Count Dooku—until his death, and finally settled on Darth Vader. In accordance with the Rule, Plagueis’ knowledge, which incorporated a thousand years of Sith lineage, made its way to Vader. This passing on of knowledge and constant power imbalance defines the Rule of Two.

We're all fine here now — how are you? The Rule of Two is one of our favorite pieces of Star Wars lore here at Youtini. If you enjoy talking and learning about lore like this, we invite you to join the Younited Discord to chat with other fans about all things Star Wars!

The Acolyte Episode 7 “Choice”

The Acolyte is down to its final episode with hopes of seasons beyond. The seventh episode took us back to that fateful night on Brendok, showing us another perspective of the Jedi. The episode answered many questions and had revelations to set up the finale to put the story pieces together. With the plotlines coming together towards the end, it’s time to delve into the thoughts and reactions of our community after the most recent episode. 

Looking Ahead: With another episode dedicated to a flashback, the pieces are there for a story to come to a close, with some elements to tease a second season and beyond. Continue to follow The Bounty Hunt crew to cover the finale of Season 1 of The Acolyte with analysis, clownery, deep pulls, and more!

🛰️ In the Youtiniverse

• Many in our community also love Brandon Sanderson's books. This guide dives deeper into Sanderson's work and explores why Star Wars fans might appreciate his bibliography. 

• Gea guides readers through the animation of Star Wars from the 1980s through the current Canon shows and more. There is more Star Wars animation than many realize! 

• Anthony reflects on Willie Mays's legacy after his passing on June 18. Here, Anthony discusses Mays' career and legacy and explains why Willie Mays will go down as the best of the best.

🚀 Ready for Dispatch

• Spain denied the English their first silverware since 1966 after claiming a 2-1 win in the UEFA EUROS final. The final, held in Berlin, was drawn right down to the wire until a late winner from substitute Oyarzabal gave Spain their record fourth EURO championship title.

• Robert MacIntyre has become the first Scot in 35 years to win the Scottish Open with a final-hole 22-foot birdie putt. This adds to his Canadian Open win last month.

• Stranger Things announced that Season 5 is halfway through filming the final season. The announcement also came with a behind-the-scenes teaser, with a planned 2025 release. 

• Marvel Studios released the first official teaser for Captain America: Brave New World, which shows Harrison Ford as Thunderbolt Ross for the first time. Anthony Mackie continues to carry the mantle of Captain America after the events of Falcon and the Winter Soldier. The film is scheduled to premiere on February 14, 2025.

• Fans of Apple TV+’s show Severance finally saw a teaser for the long-awaited Season 2. Season 2 will continue the story and, hopefully, answer more of the mysteries, beginning on January 17, 2025.

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