The new Disney+ "Star Wars" series, "The Acolyte," has sparked discussion after seemingly quoting Dr. Jordan B. Peterson in dialogue spoken by one of the show's villains. This instance appears to be part of a growing trend in which Peterson's words or ideas are used as inspiration for antagonists in various media.

In episode 5 of "The Acolyte," the character Qimir, portrayed by Manny Jacinto, delivers a line that closely mirrors a statement made by Peterson during a 2022 interview on the podcast "The Diary of a CEO." The similarity was first reported by Looper.

Peterson's daughter, Mikhaila, commented on the situation via Twitter, noting that this is not the first time her father's words have been associated with villainous characters. She referenced previous instances in a "Captain America" comic and Olivia Wilde's film "Don't Worry Darling."

First Red Skull, then Olivia Wilde’s movie villain, now a Dark Side villain. I can’t. @jordanbpeterson 😂 https://t.co/LDXJvze6NF pic.twitter.com/aOx9rs9RC0

— Mikhaila Peterson (@MikhailaFuller) July 1, 2024

"The Acolyte" has already faced criticism for its approach to diversity and inclusion, with its showrunner embracing the label of "the gayest Star Wars." The series currently holds a low 14% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, despite receiving generally positive reviews from critics.

This is not the first time Peterson has been used as inspiration for fictional villains. In 2021, Ta-Nehisi Coates created a Nazi character in a "Captain America" comic who echoed themes from Peterson's work. In 2022, Olivia Wilde revealed that the villain in her film "Don't Worry Darling" was based on Peterson, whom she described as an "insane man" and a "pseudo-intellectual hero to the incel community."

Peterson has previously responded to such portrayals, defending his work with disaffected young men and questioning the criticism he has received for giving voice to marginalized groups.