Qimir
In “Night” (The Acolyte 1.5), a team of Jedi encounter a mysterious Sith known only by the name of his civilian alter ego, Qimir. The name is appropriate, since Qimir (pronounced kai-meer) sounds like “chimera” (kai-meer-a).
In Greek mythology, the Chimera is a fire-breathing monster with the head of a lion, the body of a goat, and the tail of a serpent. Qimir’s helmet resembles one of cinema’s most terrifying monsters — the Xenomorph from Alien — and his multiple personas reflect the composite nature of the Chimera: he presents himself as a drunken fool one episode, a horror-movie villain the next, and then as a romantic anti-hero. Like the Chimera, Qimir combines many disparate traits into one monstrous form, and poses a deadly threat to those unfortunate enough to face him.
“Chimera” has an additional meaning that is also apt for this character: it is an illusion or an impossible dream. Qimir’s chimera, his impossible dream, is a galaxy in which he can train his own pupil without interference from the Jedi. One of the synonyms for “chimera” in this second sense is “phantom.” The Acolyte has several parallels to The Phantom Menace, so it’s fitting that Qimir’s name links him to Palpatine, that film’s titular phantom menace. Qimir is also a Sith Lord with dual personas who hides in plain sight while deploying an apprentice to kill Jedi.
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Shows: The Acolyte
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Influences: Alien / Greco-Roman / movie monsters
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