by Mike Hilty, Contributing Writer
I’m finally starting to up my toes into Star Wars’ Dave Filoni-verse. It’s a fascinating era, where so many amazing characters have flourished while connecting to a wide range of movie characters. From Star Wars: The Clone Wars to The Bad Batch, Filoni has been reshaping Star Wars for a new generation. To celebrate the 2024 May The Fourth, a new miniseries dropped which focuses on two individuals who choose to be part of the Empire. I enjoyed Tales of the Jedi, so I was looking forward to Tales of the Empire.
The animated series follows two different women coming from different eras of the Galatic Empire. Both of them come face-to-face with a choice of staying and fighting for the old ways, or joining the Empire. Each story helps show the ways the Empire influences everyone in the galaxy and manipulate and strongarms anyone who opposes them. The allure of power and the desire to survive influences both characters, with devastating results all around.
Since I’m not as well-versed in Filoni’s Star Wars output, I was lost watching Tales of the Empire. These characters feel important, and although I was familiar with some of the other characters in the series, I didn’t understand why these two were the ones worthy of stories. The need for so much backstory to understand everything going on is the same issue I have with Marvel these days.
With that said, the first thing you notice about Tales of the Empire is the spectacular animation. Between the strong color pallet, great use of shadows and dark spaces, and amazing detail, I was blown away by the artistic visions. This is something I’ve appreciated about the Disney+ investment in different animation styles and pushing the boundaries of art. Tales of the Empire has so many beautiful frame-worthy moments in each of the episodes. Whether it’s the lightsabers reflecting off the people’s faces or the fire that engulfs the land, hands down the animation is the strongest aspect of the show.
The first story follows Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) as she figures out where she’s meant to be after the Clone Wars consume her home and family. I knew a little about Morgan because of Ahsoka and The Mandalorian, but Tales of the Empire helps give context about her origins that I didn’t get from those shows. The imagery from the Clone Wars and the return of the prequel favorite provided some insight into how Morgan developed such a strong hatred that became a quest for power. Like so many people drawn to the dark side, Morgan is also seduced to join the Empire. With her, though, it’s not about power but preservation. Inosanto embodies the character so well, as she has played her in multiple iterations. This story was interesting to me, but I found myself much more attached to the second story.
Part two of Tales of the Empire follows fallen Jedi knight Barriss Offee (Meredith Salenger). I’ve never heard of this character before, even though she was also in Attack of the Clones. She has a big story arc in The Clone Wars, but Tales of the Empire tells the story of how she became part of the Inquisitors, who are hunting Jedis all across the galaxy. Barriss Offee is a fascinating character who helps us understand the allure of joining the Empire. It provides a community to the lonely and shines a light that helps guide people to their destiny. In Tales of the Empire, Barriss Offee is offered a choice to be part of something bigger than herself. It’s a compelling story about the fall of a prominent Jedi Knight.
Tales of the Empire is a gorgeous miniseries with beautiful animation and two characters who are compelling to follow. The show is heavily dependent on you knowing who some of these characters are from other shows, something that would have helped me to better piece together the missing parts. The animation, along with the emotional stories, particularly the second half, make for a great companion saga to Tales of the Jedi. I hope there continue to be short series like this, but it would be great if they were more inclusive for fans who are not as connected with Filoni’s work.
Rating: Low Side of Liked It
Star Wars: Tales of the Empire is currently streaming on Disney+
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