Did Tales of the Empire rush Barriss Offee's story?

This article contains spoilers for Tales of the Empire episodes 4-6.

Barriss Offee once predicted the fall of the Republic. She sensed that the Jedi had lost their way during the Clone Wars and worried that the growing Darkness had overtaken them. Her fear and anger led her to the Dark Side, attacking both the Jedi Temple and her best friend. After bombing the Jedi Temple, she framed Ahsoka Tano for the crimes. Only after Anakin Skywalker apprehended her did Barriss make a full confession for her actions, exonerating Ahsoka.

For 10 years after those fateful The Clone Wars episodes, we did not hear from Barriss Offee. So, fans were thrilled when it was revealed that Tales of the Empire would focus three episodes on her story. After the success of its predecessor, Tales of the Jedi, I had full faith that these episodes could give me the answers I needed about what happened to Barriss after she left the Jedi Order.

However, as fun as the show was, it was clear that the short run-time of each episode would not be enough to fully capture Barriss' life. There was nothing inherently wrong with a redemption arc for her character. Although Barriss made choices that hurt and endangered lives, she was never fully aligned with the Dark Side. It is understandable that she lost her way and needed time among the Inquisitors to better understand where she went wrong.

The problem was that Tales of the Empire didn't give her redemption enough space. We go directly from seeing Barriss join the Inquisitors to fighting back against them and choosing another path. Rather than slow, meaningful character development, viewers are catapulted between these two extremes. On top of that, the show attempts a redemption arc not only for Barriss but for her companion Lyn, the Fourth Sister.

Star Wars has always been built on the idea of redemption and finding goodness within the villains. From Anakin to Agent Kallus to Cassian Andor, we have seen these redemption arcs done well, but they need time. Barriss realizing she wants to uphold Jedi values even if the Order failed her is a great story. Lyn feeling like there was no way out is a powerful idea to follow. Neither are done justice with so little time to establish and progress these narratives.

Part of what made the other Tales so successful is that they didn't bite off more than they could chew. Ahsoka's episodes showed her life across a large span, but they worked because they were filling in missing pieces between shows like The Clone Wars and Star Wars Rebels. Barriss' time on screen is relatively brief, necessitating more time spent on her character to bring about full development.

Rather than try to fit Barriss' entire life into a few shorts, it would have been prudent to focus on one era of her life or try to tell this story in a different format. Spending all three Barriss episodes watching her navigate a new organization and slowly find her way back to her Jedi values may have worked.

I would also love to see a mini-series focused on the Inquisitors, giving special emphasis on their relationships and interactions among each other. Both Barriss and Lyn's stories would fit perfectly within the context of a show like that. It could also provide nuance to characters we have previously only seen on screen as evil, adding layers and personalities that could explain their actions in Rebels and Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Either way, it's not too late for Barriss to tell her full story. With luck, we may see her again, finally receiving the screen time she deserves. We may yet watch her full transition from anger to healing and devotion to preserving the Light. I know I'm still rooting for her.