The Acolyte is here, and there's been no shortage of discourse between Star Wars fans over the first two episodes. While critics were largely on board with the High Republic story, a growing number of people seem less impressed with what they watched so far, and are sharing such grievances online. To each his own, but one particular gripe has driven me to the point where I feel forced to give such naysayers a reminder about which franchise they're watching.
That said, I will be writing about a minor spoiler explaining the logistics behind a scene that ultimately has very little to do with the overall plot of The Acolyte . If you haven't seen the episodes yet with a Disney+ subscription and wish to remain completely unspoiled, proceed at your own risk! The Acolyte introduces viewers to Mae, a former Padawan now working as a "Meknek" in the Star Wars universe. In The High Republic, Mekneks are freelance humanoids who are hired by ships to do work on the outer hull.
Typically, this is performed by Astromechs in Star Wars , and seemingly isn't a common job in the galaxy because of how dangerous it can be. Mae still does it, however, and she's shown putting out a fire spreading on the outside of a Neimoidian vessel. That moment, though insignificant to the overarching story, has become a "hot" topic online, with Star Wars Explained and others generating tons of responses by calling out the idea that flames are happening in the vacuum of space, which is an impossibility under the m.
