‘The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown’ Review – Jecki and Yord Volunteer as Tribute
A little more than a year after they met their fate in _The Acolyte,_ _Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown_ by Tessa Gratton is out, with a new adventure featuring Jedi Padawans Jecki Lon and Yord Fandar before the events of the show.
After their shocking deaths in episode five of _The Acolyte_ _,_ fans wondered if we’d seen the last of these characters — especially after the show was cancelled. But little more than a year later, the publishing initiative has finally caught up, releasing _The Acolyte: Wayseeker_ and _The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown._ And while _Wayseeker_ required prior High Republic knowledge to be understood, _The Crystal Crown_ doesn’t ask you to do any homework before reading.
The publisher’s official summary states this book is “ _Star Wars_ meets _The Hunger Games,_ ” and that’s pretty much dead-on _._ _The Crystal Crown_ takes place (obviously) before the events of _The Acolyte_ and follows Jecki and Yord as they compete in a planetary competition as representatives of the Jedi and the Republic.
During the competition, our main characters follow character arcs that lead to where we meet up with them in _The Acolyte._ So before I get into some minor spoilers, I’ll say this: if you’re a card-carrying member of the “Yord Horde,” but you don’t want to read years of novels before diving in, _The Crystal Crown_ is a good entry point.
**Minor spoilers ahead!**
Cover Art of Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown by Tessa Gratton, available now
Siline, the planet on which almost the entire book is set, is debating joining the Galactic Republic. Siline is home to the crystal-like Silinese, a proud culture based in ritual combat that has been slowly shedding its violent ways. We meet several Silinese characters, mostly teenagers, who participate in a planet-wide competition called the “Crowning Convocation” where they fight for a place in their society. It’s pretty traditional YA dystopian novel fare with some pretty standard new characters, but the real goal of the novel is to spend more time with Jecki and Yord.
Initially, the novel spends every chapter following Jecki, and we only get a peek into Yord’s head about a quarter of the way into the book. That bothered me a bit, because I felt like Yord was going through a more interesting internal dilemma than Jecki.
Yord spends the book worried about becoming a Jedi Knight. He’s brimming with insecurity, and Jecki’s confident and capable performance as a younger Padawan shames him. He envies her skill and confidence, and is uncomfortable with how content she is with her place as a Padawan while he teeters on the verge of falling behind. It’s a dynamic that mirrors how it fatefully plays out in the show, as Jecki puts up an admirable fight and Yord is quickly dispatched by the Stranger.
(L-R) The Stranger (Manny Jacinto) vs Yord Fandar (Charlie Barnett) in _The Acolyte_
Yord wants nothing more than to advance and prove he has what it takes to be a Jedi. He wonders if he’s ready, and craves the validation that comes with hearing that from his master. His master thinks that this competition will help him stretch out of his comfort zone and prove to himself that he has what it takes. Jecki, on the other hand, is quite literally told by Master Sol to “just have fun.”
Yord hates being uncomfortable, he hates being watched, and he’s very conscious of his image. While he never quite overcomes his anxieties, we get to see him wrestle with them in a way that felt realistic but also quite rooted in Jedi teachings. It’s a very _Star Wars_ novel dilemma, and to me, it was the best part of the book.
However, I will say that I found Jecki much less interesting in comparison.
Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen) in _The Acolyte_
In this book, Jecki is in a good place. She’s top of her class, well-liked, and eager to learn. She starts the novel happy to be a Padawan… and ends happy to be a Padawan. She isn’t questioning her place in the Order, which Yord finds aggravating, but is instead trying her best simply to not dislike Yord.
The two Padawans are described as people who just rub each other the wrong way. Since they met, Jecki thought Yord was stuck-up and judgmental, while Yord thought Jecki was brash and two-faced.
It’s very true to how Yord’s actor, Charlie Barnett, talked about their relationship and potential for dysfunction:
> “Being Jedi, they both have the same goals – they’re speaking from the same place, and their love and ambition. But they access it from different places… She is wrestling with her ego, and Yord recognises the fuck out of that. Yord, on the other hand… I think he gets blocked by his own thoughts, and his own desires. His own ego gets in the way.”
(L-R) Charlie Barnett (Yord Fandar) and Dafne Keen (Jecki Lon) on the set of _The Acolyte_
The thing I appreciated most about their relationship was that both characters were trying hard to be nice. Gratton doesn’t write these characters as teenagers first and Jedi second, but as Jedi _first._ We see how important their duty and their studies are to them, and both make serious efforts to calm themselves and try again. Their masters see this and encourage it, especially Sol, who only has a few key scenes in the novel.
(L-R) Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen) and Yord Fandar (Charlie Barnett) in _The Acolyte_
When the two reunite in _The Acolyte,_ we see that this borderline-aggressive relationship has mellowed into something more playful, and you get the sense that they don’t come to _like_ each other as much as they just come to _understand_ each other. It’s simple, but it feels natural.
Jecki and Yord become allies with a group of Silinese teenagers and Lionine Graf, a human who wants to be accepted by the Silinese and prove themselves as an equal in their insular and cut-throat society. Lionine ends up being a driving character in the book, and their need for acceptance and respect contrasts with Yord’s. However, the focus on Jecki as the primary character means we don’t get to explore that contrast, which I thought was a bit of a missed opportunity.
The other characters mostly fill out stereotypical YA roles, and the _Hunger Games_ -esque setting is made much less interesting because there is a distinct lack of danger. We’re told the games used to be deadly, but are now fairly tame. I do think that change robs the story of real stakes for our characters in many instances and for Silinese society in general, which was already reformed and doesn’t really have a good reason to adapt.
(Center, L-R): Yord Fandar (Charlie Barnett) and Jecki Lon (Dafne Keen) in _The Acolyte_
That said, the novel’s character work is solid, and the new characters have a tight, self-contained arc that doesn’t change their society, but does end in a way that felt earnest and appropriate.
Like Jecki and Yord, our Silinese main characters don’t evolve that much because of this journey. The Jedi don’t serve as role models, and they don’t change their world — they simply change their mindset and resolve to live more authentically. That smaller-scale win does work, though it might make for a less satisfying read when compared to some of the High Republic era’s more bombastic adventures.
In summary, I think Gratton has delivered a YA book that will appeal to fans of _The Acolyte_ who are looking for a way in to the vast universe of _Star Wars_ novels.
My biggest complaint is as a fan of the High Republic and _Star Wars_ novels in general. Maybe I’ve simply read too much, but this novel feels a bit like a retread of existing works, even books by Tessa Gratton. We have the morally dubious but ambitious Graf kid, eager and earnest Jedi Padawans, one-note allies, a dash of romance, and kids who want to prove they deserve a place in the world. None of that breaks this novel, but I was left feeling a distinct sense of déjà vu, thinking about _Quest for Planet X_ and other High Republic junior novels.
(L-R) Jecki Lon and Yord Fandar in _The Acolyte_
That said, the best parts of this book are the parts that needed to work the most. Yord and Jecki feel consistent, and I enjoyed spending more time with them, even if this story didn’t break the mold.
At the end of the day, _The Crystal Crown_ enhances Yord and Jecki’s appearances in _The Acolyte,_ and I finished the novel wishing once again they could grow into fully-realized Jedi. Like Jecki and Yord’s resolution, I may have gripes with this book, but I appreciate it for what it is and would like to see more from Gratton and this era.
**Rating: 6/10**
Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown _is available now digitally and in print. The audiobook releases on October 28th._
##### Colin Scharff
+ posts
Colin is a lifelong Star Wars fan and researcher who enjoys diving deep into every corner of this weird and wonderful galaxy far, far away.
* Colin Scharff
https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/author/colinblaster
__ George Lucas Broke a Comic-Con Record Promoting His "Temple to the People"
* Colin Scharff
https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/author/colinblaster
__ 'The Bad Batch: Rogue Agents' Comic Miniseries Announced at San Diego Comic-Con
* Colin Scharff
https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/author/colinblaster
__ Canon Deep Dive: Alexa-Exclusive ‘Star Wars Choose Your Destiny’ Mini-Missions Part Three
* Colin Scharff
https://www.starwarsnewsnet.com/author/colinblaster
__ Canon Deep Dive: Alexa-Exclusive ‘Star Wars Choose Your Destiny’ Mini-Missions Part Two
‘The Acolyte: The Crystal Crown’ Review – Jecki and Yord Volunteer as Tribute A little more than a year after they met their fate in The Acolyte, Star Wars: The Acolyte: The Crystal The post ...
#Books #Books #& #Comics #Star #Wars #The #Acolyte #Jecki #Lon #Tessa
Origin | Interest | Match