Friday, June 7, 2024
Tribune News Service “Star Wars: The Acolyte” stars Amandla Stenberg, left, and Lee Jung-jae with creator/director Leslye Headland on the set of the Disney+ series.
‘Star Wars: The Acolyte’ continues successful storylines, keeps viewers on edge of seats Hayden Alexander Staff Reporter
(Lee Jung-jae) and his former apprentice, Osha Aniseya (Amandala Stenberg), to stop her. I was apprehensive because of Disney’s recent missteps and “Star Wars” creator George Lucas’ interview at the Cannes Film Festival. However, Review “The Acolyte” managed to defy my “Star Wars: The Acolyte” is a expectations with its unexpected twists revenge story set at the end of the High and turns. Republic era. This show succeeds because of The Jedi are at the height of their its placement on the timeline. “The power, and the Sith are extinct — at Acolyte” is far enough removed from least that’s what the Jedi believe. the narrative to explore new ideas. Not A mysterious killer interrupts every single scene is a callback or setthe peace, leaving a trail of dead Jedi up for the Skywalker saga. So far, the in her wake. It’s up to Jedi Master Sol conflict is somewhat isolated, with the
potential to affect the galaxy at large. The small-scale story of a young woman, Mae Aniseya, Osha’s twin sister, enacting her vendetta and coverup of a horrendous crime on the part of the Jedi gives the story direction and purpose. There is also a great deal of intrigue surrounding the events that led to this killing spree. When Mae and Osha were children, four Jedi were involved in a fire that decimated the sisters’ family. Both believed the other was dead. Mae believes the Jedi killed her family, and Osha thinks that the Jedi saved her from the fire.
The actual events of that night are still unknown, but the telling looks from Sol and Jedi Master Torbin’s suicide after Mae offers him poison. Master Torbin is one of the four Jedi that Mae is after in the series. Mae is an interesting character, but her mission and master are far more interesting. Theories and timelines suggest that her master could be a young Darth Plagueis, but he could also be another Sith. His mission for Mae is to murder a Jedi without drawing her weapon, which is an odd request, but his reasoning is unknown. See Star Wars on 3
The dynasty that never was: How OSU’s ‘82 team fortified the Cowboys’ decade of dominance Daniel Allen Staff Reporter
shared universally, however, in Stillwater, it was heavily emphasized. “That ’81 team we had kind of built it position-by-position,” Holliday said. “We had grabbed any and every arm that we could afford scholarship In this four-part series, The wise. And they got the job done that O’Colly will revisit the 1981-87 year. And we got to Omaha and we Oklahoma State baseball teams, were like, ‘All right, good. Now, which have one of the most dominant we’ve just gotta sustain it.’” stretches in college baseball history. And in their minds, it was The Cowboys’ sevenfeasible. Despite the laundry list of consecutive College World Series college baseball pundits writing them appearances mark the longest stretch off. Despite the bevy of voided roles in the sport’s history, but they and new faces on the roster. never came away with a national In the olden days of college championship. baseball, well before the era of the From the moment Gary Ward transfer portal and NIL, the structure took the reins as Oklahoma State’s of recruiting was vastly different. head coach, he emphasized the Junior colleges were the transfer importance of recruiting. portal before the official concept came During his first staff meeting into fruition nearly 40 years later. as the Cowboys’ skipper, he spent So, they hoarded the recruiting “probably more than half” of the time trail, hoping to add enough pinpointing a blueprint for OSU’s reinforcements to complement the nationwide recruitment effort with returning talent. pitching coach Tom Holliday. Ward Prior to his OSU tenure, Ward didn’t want the Cowboys to thrive had spent seven seasons as the head solely in-state. He wanted to establish coach at Yavapai College in Prescott a pipeline in high school baseball Arizona, establishing dominance, hotbeds throughout the country – winning two junior college national California, Texas, Florida, etc. championships. He had West No borders. No regional limits. Coast roots. And Holliday, being a Anywhere was fair game. Pennsylvania native, had East Coast “I’d tell Tom, ‘All right, you roots. take Mississippi East; I’ll take It was the perfect balance. And Mississippi West,’ Ward said. “And the blueprint often sufficed. that’s how we went about it from the “’82 was a perfect example of moment we first held our coaching that,” Holliday said. positions. We worked tirelessly. But Perhaps most importantly, we’d get the job done.” the influx in new starters allowed Successful seasons often meant returning pieces to establish a multitude, often bevy of notable themselves within the lineup. prospects entering the MLB draft. First baseman Jim Traber Each year, the Cowboys lost starters embraced a veteran role heading into in large quantities. But successful his junior season in 1982. Robbie recruiting efforts allowed them to Wine, who had been recruited as a reload yearly. shortstop, eased into OSU’s starting OSU lost more than 15 starters catcher role. Other names such from its 1981 College World Series as outfielder Benji de la Rosa and roster to the winter and regularly Mickey – who had transitioned into an scheduled MLB drafts. Most notably, outfield role the season prior – were two-way star Darren Dilks, in expected to make drastic jumps. addition to the other two primary The pitching, however, was starters from ’81. And the majority perceived to be the Cowboys’ primary of the group’s primary relief options blemish. who weren’t drafted had exhausted “I could see once we got to the eligibility. fall, we had a handful of talented After logging OSU’s first arms, but we didn’t have any guys College World Series appearance with real (in-game experience),” Ward under Ward the season prior, a said. “Most of them were unproven by reappearance became the expectation. that time.” That sentiment might not have been See Dynasty on 4
Payton Little Although school isn’t in session, taking time for a stroll can help you gain a “health and wellness” aesthetic.
This summer, the aesthetic is health and wellness Kennedy Thomason Editor-in-Chief
When you find yourself scrolling upon your 15th “it girl” content creator, things can get old. Although there are a lot of destructive fast fashion and harmful stereotypes that are portrayed, there are positive pieces of content to master a trendy, but classic, aesthetic. Instead of investing in material items this summer, embrace an era of health and wellness. Pickleball is on the rise in popularity, with courts popping up all over towns. Stillwater has indoor and outdoor courts, and Oklahoma City has plenty of courts to offer, including a business based around the sport, Chicken N Pickle. Hot girl walks are in, even if it’s a casual stroll around the block. Get your steps in before or after work to avoid the Oklahoma heat. For the girls or guys who prefer the gym, now is a great opportunity to take advantage of the little bit of
extra time you have to workout. Get a podcast or your favorite playlist going, and enjoy your workout. Exercise isn’t the only way to channel a health and wellness aesthetic. Taking time to relax, destress and be mindful are all pieces of keeping your summer balanced. Make a list of books to read or places you can visit on the weekends. For students with jobs or internships, finding ways to unplug and enjoy your parts of summer is important. You can create a summer bucket list to balance your personal wellness with professional goals. Including bright, vibrant summer foods can also be a good way to bring good vibes in. Grab some cherries, peaches, peppers or a fresh head of lettuce at your grocery story or local farmers market. Pick foods that will pop on your plate and make your diet more colorful than in other seasons. This summer, make time to do things for yourself and enjoy the activities that come with warmer weather. news.ed@ocolly.com