loving this review by Jordan Maison, really gets at what i'm liking about the show
https://www.cinelinx.com/movie-news/tv/star-wars-the-acolyte-episode-3-pulling-the-thread/
spoilers for The Acolyte Episode 3 after the Read More:
And here lies the conundrum people always struggle with when it comes to colonization and assimilation. It’s hard to square away the idea that good people, with genuine good intentions (though there’s plenty who don’t) can still do something so fundamentally wrong. Historically, this leads to a lot of rationalizing; convincing themselves that the ends justify the means.
As such, I’m intrigued by this idea that, even as we see how genuinely great Sol is, we know these circumstances don’t feel right. In trying to do good, the Jedi here ultimately cause more harm.
tempted to quote the whole article and talk about it point by point, but i'd suggest you click through and give it a read instead.
it's just such a good approach to the framework of the story, and a great counter to the read of the show as a "what if good... was Bad???" deconstruction. it should be seen as a cautionary tale. i mean, it's in the text: it's not about good or bad, it's about power, and who is allowed to use it. it's about how power comes with responsibility of understanding the ways that power interacts with everyone else. honestly I'm not sure i have anything more to add; just, yeah, this writer gets it.