When Tales of the Jedi came out in 2022, a few of the episodes focused on Ahsoka, some were about Count Dooku, Qui Gon Jinn and Mace Windu. Being that we had plenty of stories about these characters we were pulled into each episode and learned more about them. We got to see the how they developed into the characters we now know. Tales of the Empire secedes from that formula by focusing on just two characters: Bariss Offee & Morgan Elsbeth. There are only six episodes in this series and each character is given 3 episodes to tell her story.
If you have seen The Mandalorian or Ahsoka you have met Magistrate Morgan Elsbeth. In the few episodes that we have seen her we did not know much about her or how she rose to power. These three episodes give us a good insight into her past and we get to see the why and the how of her power. Now while there is a lot more to it, you will have to watch the episodes to see what we mean.
The second half of the series follows Barriss Offee and her role after Order 66. We know that when Palpatine issued Order 66 many Jedis were killed but what happened to those that were captured. The episodes focused on Offee show us the tough decision they had to make. Although many Jedi had to give in to the Dark Side to survive, there were some that knew what they were doing was wrong. We see the struggles that haunt Barriss Offee and the inner battle of wanting to do what is right and wanting to stay alive. Her episodes are just incredible to watch due to this inner struggle.
While in Tales of the Jedi we came across familiar characters that we have known for so long, I feel that since everything is so Rebel centric we hardly know many characters of the Empire and might have a hard time relating to them. While we do see General Grievious in one episode, is would have been cool to see a few episodes on how he became the mechanical being he is in the movies. Maybe in future episodes we can see Grievous backstory or see Finn’s story on how he slowly started stepping away from the Empire that culminated in his decision to leave in The Force Awakens.
All in all, Tales of the Empire is a great exploration into the world of the Empire and gives us something to talk about. Each episode is about 15 minutes long and is packed with incredible storytelling and action. Seeing these two stories that show the rise and internal struggles of these characters is done in a fantastic way that only Dave Filoni can deliver.
Star Wars: Tales of the Empire” is a six-episode journey into the fearsome Galactic Empire through the eyes of two warriors on divergent paths, set during different eras. After losing everything, young Morgan Elsbeth navigates the expanding Imperial world toward a path of vengeance, while former Jedi Barriss Offee does what she must to survive a rapidly changing galaxy. The choices they make will define their destinies.