After nearly 50 years, Star Wars is finally exploring its dark side.
With the release of Star Wars: Tales of the Empire and the trailer for the upcoming The Acolyte, we’re beginning to see the franchise dip its toes into the shadows of evil. Although there have been many villains that the series has explored in the past, none have been the main character of their own series. (Even a young Darth Vader himself arguably became the second character to Obi-Wan Kenobi in the prequels.)
And now, it’s time to really watch the fall begin.
But, let’s focus on Tales from the Empire.
Told over six episodes (and dual timelines), Star Wars: Tales of the Empire steps behind the walls of the Galactic Empire by following two warriors who are on different journeys. In one Tale, the series follows Morgan Elsbeth, a woman who has her world stolen from her at a young age. Fueled by hatred, Elsbeth navigates the Imperial world with revenge firmly in view. In the other, Empire follows former Jedi Barriss Offee a woman forced to conform to ways of darkness, lest she not survive a galaxy that is rapidly changing. As the two move into their future, they must decide what they believe and who they want to be.
Using similar animation to their massive successes in The Clone Wars and, more recently, The Bad Batch, Empire may not offer anything new visually. Instead, it’s the storytelling that makes the series stand out. Although only six episodes long, the mini-series has more than enough intrigue to keep the viewer’s attention. (And, given the brevity of the series, neither does it overstay its welcome.) With its willingness to sit in the shadows, Empire feels different to other narratives in a galaxy far, far away. (For example, the journey of Elsbeth features no ‘redemption’ arc.) For a franchise that has built itself around the dichotomy of the light and the dark, Empire finally sits in the corners of what makes taking on the mantle of those red lightsabers so appealing. These are characters who are looking for power and fueled by revenge—and we are meant to empathize with them. Although one could argue that Bariss Offee’s story feels more in keeping with the Warsfilms, Elsbeth’s dalliance with the dark seems fresh. Broken by circumstances, we watch as she tragically clings to her anger, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
But, by paralleling Elsbeth with Offee, Empire ultimately becomes a series about choices. While both Offee and Elsbeth find themselves steeped in tragedy, they both also need to decide the values that define them. Is character determined by what others have done to us? Or is it a decision that we make on a daily basis when faced with dire circumstances? For Elsbeth and Offee, power is attractive… but is it worth losing their souls in the process?
For some… it may be.
Although the episodes are short, there’s no denying that there’s fun to be had in these Tales of the Empire. Finally, with questions regarding what makes one choose the dark side, the tales of Elsbeth and Offee lean into some of the shadows that have been teased throughout the years. After all, for some, maybe it truly is good to be bad.
Tales of the Empire is available on Disney+ on May 4th, 2024.
