Part 2/11:
In the lead-up to The Acolyte's launch, Disney and Lucasfilm appeared to deploy a vigorous campaign aimed at framing any critical response as rooted in racism or bigotry. Mainstream media outlets were instrumental in this narrative, attempting to dismiss dissent by suggesting that dissatisfaction was merely a reflection of prejudiced viewers. This approach can be characterized as an effort to gaslight fans, dismissing legitimate criticism over storytelling quality and creative decisions as mere hate.
Despite these tactics, the fundamental issue remains: the product itself. Fans have argued that The Acolyte suffered from poor storytelling, lack of character development, and questionable thematic choices, which no amount of propaganda could obscure.