Summary
Star Warshas officially announced a new novel focusing onStar Wars: The High Republic’sVernestra Rwoh, which will officially bridge the publishing initiative toStar Wars: The Acolyte. Though first introduced to live-action inThe Acolyte,Vernestra Rwohwas created forThe High Republic, and the contrast between her character in both eras is stark. ThoughThe Acolytealso takes place in theHigh Republic era, it’s set towards the tail end of this golden age, and the faults of the Jedi in that series prove as much. Now, however,Star Warsintends to explain what happened to Vernestra.
20 Biggest Retcons & Changes The Acolyte Made To Star Wars Canon
The Acolyte season 1 made several alterations to the official Star Wars canon to tell its story and set up plotlines for a potential second season.
During a publishing panel at San Diego Comic-Con,Star Warsunveiled an upcoming novel entitledWayseeker, written by Justina Ireland - the same writer who first brought Vernestra to life. Set 20 years beforeThe Acolyte,this novel will focus on Vernestra as she gets drawn from wayseeking in the galaxy into the complicated politicsof the Republic and its Senate.The Acolytecharacter Master Indara, portrayed by Carrie-Anne Moss in the TV show, will also be a part of this story, which further helps to bridge the two together. Check out the temporary cover, official description, and other details below.
BeforeThe Acolyte, Vernestra Rwoh must find her place in the Jedi Order.
Vernestra Rwoh has spent over a decade exploring the Outer Rim as a Wayseeker, answering to no other authority but the Force itself. When a request from the Jedi Council orders her back to Coruscant, Vernestra initially refuses, feeling that her first priority should be to the beings she’s already serving. But after Jedi Master Indara arrives to ask for Vernestra’s aid in person, Vernestra finds herself pulled back into Coruscant’s complicated world of Republic politics and underworld crime. As the two delve further into their investigation, and the lines between Jedi and Republic business blur, and Vernestra must reconsider what it means to serve for Light and Life.
August 20, 2025
Vernestra Rwoh
A prodigy among the Jedi of the High Republic, Vernestra “Vern” Rwoh was one of the youngest Jedi ever to achieve the rank of Knight. She served at a time of crisis for the Republic, battling on the front lines against the Nihil, the Nameless, and the Drengir, and proving herself wise beyond her years. Vern will appear in live-action in The Acolyte, set over a hundred years after she became a Master, at the tail end of the High Republic Era.
Vernestra Rwoh’s Untold High Republic Story Is About To Be Revealed
Her Sudden Immersion into Politics Will Be Explained
While this novel is exciting due to a thrilling array of different factors, most notably the expansion of Vernestra’s story and the additional context on Moss' Indara character,easily the most important part of it will be explaining how Vernestra went from being the adventurous and politically withdrawn Jedi she was inThe High Republicto the liaison between the Jedi and the Senate inThe Acolyte. The difference between these two iterations of the character was extremely jarring at first. Now, however, the reason for this will finally be shown.
With this novel in the hands of Vernestra’s creator, Ireland, there will honestly be no better way to tell this character’s story.
It will likely take something quite grave to make Vernestra into the Jedi she is inThe Acolyte. She’s very much a free spirit inThe High Republic, a young prodigy who can prove herself but also doesn’t restrain herself in the face of action. Even in the most recentHigh Republicbook to date, Tessa Gratton’sTemptation of the Force,Vernestra makes it clear that she has no interest in the political side of Jedi affairs, and is quite eager to get away from it. This novel will do the work of showing how that all changes for her.
With this novel in the hands of Vernestra’s creator, Ireland, there will honestly be no better way to tell this character’s story. Vernestra will be undergoing an important transformation, one that will eventually motivate her to create a false conspiracy after a fallen friend’s death to protect herself and the rest of the Jedi, and there’s no one better to explain this change than the one who created her. Most importantly, this will be a truly effective bridge betweenThe High RepublicandThe Acolyte, adding even more context to the greaterStar Warsstory.
The Acolyte
Cast
The Acolyte is a television series set in the Star Wars universe at the end of the High Republic Era, where both the Jedi and the Galactic Empire were at the height of their influence. This sci-fi thriller sees a former Padawan reunite with her former Jedi Master as they investigate several crimes - all leading to darkness erupting from beneath the surface and preparing to bring about the end of the High Republic.
