Just as fans are waiting for new Star Wars content, like Star Wars: The Acolyte, the franchise has surprised fans by announcing a new animated anthology series, Star Wars: Tales of the Empire. Lucasfilm has surprised fans by dropping the new series’ official trailer, key art, and release date, which will be on May 4, 2024, on Disney+, coinciding with Star Wars Day. As the preview shows, the six-part series will take fans on an epic Galactic Empire journey that has never been seen before.
You can see the trailer below:
The Tales of the Empire trailer begins with the haunting voice of Admiral Thrawn asking Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth why she is seeking Imperial favor. Elsbeth then talks about how her people were destroyed years ago and how her anger strengthens her. With that strength, she tells Thrawn that she offers the Empire, which the admiral accepts. Fourth Sister then appears, offering the former Jedi Barriss Offee an opportunity while in her cell. As this offer seems to be about her freedom, her cuff has been removed while the Clone Troopers escort her out.
Mountain Clan Matron then takes the scene, telling Elsbeth her path is already set. As the battle begins, Elsbeth promises to fulfill her destiny. Grand Inquisitor talks to Barriss about how mercy breeds defeat and hands her a lightsaber as he vows to help her overcome “this” weakness. From there, their training begins. Elsewhere, Wing starts to doubt Elsbeth’s words about the Empire helping to change things, but the latter reveals, “Everything comes at a cost.”
“My world has been burning since I was a child,” Elsbeth says as she starts to fight. “You cannot stop what has begun.” As the Grand Inquisitor asks Barriss to face her one final test to end their training, she asks her to join them and makes her face her new master, Darth Vader. “Long live the Empire,” the Grand Inquisitor declares.
Moreover, Star Wars has released the key art for Tales of the Empire, mostly focusing on Elsbeth and Barriss in the center. It also features Thrawn and the Fourth Sister looming at the back, while small images of Darth Vader and the Grand Inquisitor are seen. In addition, it includes new and familiar characters, like Wing and the Nightsisters.
You can see the visual below:
Who are the cast and staff of Star Wars: Tales of the Empire?
Star Wars has also released the cast of Tales of the Empire. For the list of cast members and their roles, you can check below:
Diana Lee Inosanto as Morgan Elsbeth
Meredith Salenger as Barriss Offee
Rya Kihlstedt as Lyn, aka Fourth Sister
Wing T. Chao as Wing
Lars Mikkelsen as Admiral Thrawn
Jason Isaacs as Grand Inquisitor
Matthew Wood as General Grievous
Dave Filoni created the series and worked as its supervising director and executive producer, along with Athena Yvette Portillo and Carrie Beck. Josh Rimes also served as co-executive producer, and Alex Spotswood as the senior producer.
What is Star Wars: Tales of the Empire about?’
Dubbed an animated anthology in the style of Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi and described by Disney+ as the “second installment in the Tales series,” Tales of the Empire tells the story of the Galactic Empire through the eyes of Elsbeth and Barriss, set in different eras. After Tales of the Jedi revealed Count Dooku and Ahsoka Tano’s stories, the new show will reveal the untold events in the lives of its two main characters. Here, Elsbeth will traverse the expanding world of Imperial, fueled by her plans for revenge, while Barriss will do everything to survive the changing galaxy.
You can read the synopsis below:
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. At the same time, former Jedi Barriss Offee does what she must to survive a rapidly changing galaxy. The choices they make will define their destinies.
After the success of Tales of the Jedi, revealing the backstory of Ahsoka and Dooku, it looks like Tales of the Empire will do the same. With Barriss’ return to the spotlight after framing Ahsoka for the Jedi Temple bombing in Star Wars: The Clone Wars and the Nightsisters becoming a major part of the Star Wars universe, this one is a must-see.
