I will say that I loved the Qimir reveal, that it didn't need to be a big surprise twist, it just needed to have momentum built up to it and for it to be a banger moment, and Manny Jacinto absolutely achieved that. The way he switched between affectations, that chirpy little 'hello!' when Mae stumbled into the clearing, the way his face and eyes and voice would go almost dreamy when he wasn't hiding what he was anymore, the goofy little head tilts at a contrast with the genuinely menacing aura coming off him, the real danger he posed, all of it was exactly as satisfying as I could have asked for. It was in that moment of, "You really didn't know it was me? Not even deep down?" that said everything. It was never meant to be a huge twist surprise, the audience was supposed to know it, that maybe you might doubt it because your suspicions were also elsewhere, but you at least were supposed to suspect it. That reveal wasn't meant to be shocking because it was a surprise. That reveal was meant to be shocking because Manny Jacinto acted his ass off to portray the switching between affected personalities of his character and to be menacing once you saw his real face, to have absolutely incredible arms, to prowl around that jungle set like a panther who has no conscience, no human vulnerability, no heart to reach out to. It was meant to be shocking because it was an awesome lightsaber fight. The reveal of Qimir as the Sith was the best part of the episode because I was genuinely excited for what I knew was coming, I was on the edge of my seat to see his actual face, even though I already knew, I wanted that actual moment, I wanted to see how it would play out, and this show is at its best when it gives its actors the platform to actually do their job, and Manny Jacinto knocked it out of the park for me.
