This week’s episode of The Acolyte, “Choice,” gave fans with an end-credits song inspired by the show’s core sisterhood between Osha and Mae (Amandla Stenberg). Though it’s not what fans expect when they call Star Wars music to mind (cue the John Williams), “Power of Two” is not actually Star Wars‘ first official pop song.
The track from Victoria Monét closes out the penultimate chapter of season one, a flashback that reveals the truth about the tragedy that ultimately separated the twins. Titled “Power of Two,” its lyrics explore the themes of duality and destiny shared by the sisters. More like a song of Star Wars lore than a Disney-style soundtrack needle drop, the song would fit right into the in-universe canon as a musical piece about the twins’ High Republic-era saga.
Listen to it below!
As novel as “Power of Two” is, this is not the first official pop song sanctioned by Lucasfilm. Fans of Galaxy’s Edge at Walt Disney World and Disneyland, and the now-shuttered Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser, will know that pop and rock does indeed exist alongside the in-universe jizz music. Gaya, a Twi’lek singer, was introduced into the lore post-Star Wars: The Last Jedi as a real celebrity with a full album of galactic pop songs inspired by the mythology of the resistance and figures within it. She was a key character aboard Galactic Starcruiser‘s Halcyon cruise ship, performing a concert that was a highlight for visitors. Her sound was very much in the vein of “Power of Two,” and while the song is just an end-credits track in the context of The Acolyte, you could imagine Gaya having it in her repertoire as a classic from the High Republic era.
Other musicians recently added to Star Wars canon include Star Waver, a rock band from Lucasfilm’s animated anthology Star Wars: Visions; it was featured in “Tatooine Rhapsody” playing “Galactic Dreamer.” And even before Weird Al’s incredible saga of Star Wars parody songs with hits like “Yoda” and “The Saga Begins,” the infamous but beloved Star Wars Holiday Special featured original music too, performed by cast members like Carrie Fisher with “A Day to Celebrate,” Bea Arthur’s “Good Night But Not Goodbye,” and musical guest Jefferson Starship’s “Light the Sky on Fire”. And let’s not forget the Max Rebo Band’s “Lapti Nek” showstopper in Return of the Jedi.
There have been highs and lows across the decades, but pop has always been in the Star Wars universe. And we’d say “Power of Two” is more subdued as an excellent song added for storytelling subtlety. Whether in the canon itself or just on soundtracks, we are here for more genre music in Star Wars. Give us an officially licensed, sick Sith metal album from the band Ghost.
Star Wars: The Acolyte airs Tuesdays on Disney+.
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