Tales of the Empire review: an absolute must-watch

Tales of the Empire has finally arrived on Disney Plus and is a thrilling ride through the galaxy that you won't want to miss.

With six episodes packed full of mature themes, top-notch animation, and deep storytelling, this series is a standout addition to the Star Wars animated universe. Let's talk about why this show is just so darn good, and how it compares to its predecessor, Tales of the Jedi.

SPOILER WARNING FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T WATCHED ALL SIX EPISODES YET. Read at your own risk!

Morgan Elsbeth and Barriss Offee take center stage in Tales of the Empire and give us a fresh perspective far from the familiar faces of Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku featured in Tales of the Jedi. It's a genius move, exploring corners of the galaxy that are ripe with untold stories. Morgan's episodes go deep into her loyalty to the Empire with a backstory filled with a quiet, simmering rage that's both captivating and chilling. Barriss's story, on the other hand, paints a complex portrait of a character dealing with the aftermath of Order 66, navigating her murky path from Jedi to Inquisitor.

The dual storytelling approach is spot-on, allowing each character to shine in their narrative arcs without stepping on each other's toes. With the show evenly split between both stories, we had three episodes to explore both stories individually. We got rich and deep storytelling and were also shown how the Star Wars canon can be enriched in ways we hadn't seen before.

While Tales of the Jedi had minimal dialogue and a heavy emphasis on visuals, Tales of the Empire shifts slightly with more dialogue and dynamic interactions, feeling more like mini-episodes of The Clone Wars, bringing a different flavor to the series. Honestly, because of how Tales of the Empire leans into the complexities of its characters and their personal conflicts, the series becomes even more engaging than Tales of the Jedi.

The animation? Stunning. Every frame in Tales of the Empire is beautifully crafted, with attention to detail that will make you want to pause scenes just to soak in the artwork. And despite being dialogue-heavier, the series maintains a poetic feel with its visuals, ensuring that every episode is not just seen but felt. When it comes to understanding the plot and both Elsbeth and Barriss as characters, the three-episode-long saga we get for each of them tells enough backstory and information as to what is going on in the galaxy during the episode we're watching - newer fans do not need to watch anything else before tuning into the first episode.

Tales of the Empire manages to strike a perfect balance between exploring new stories and expanding on what we already know. It's a slower, more introspective addition to the Star Wars saga that allows us to take a breath and dive deep into what makes these characters tick. And while it may lose a bit of the atmospheric magic that Tales of the Jedi had, it gains a lot in character development and narrative depth.

Whether you're a die-hard Star Wars aficionado or just love a good animated anthology series, Tales of the Empire is definitely worth your time. It's thoughtful, it's engaging, and above all, it's a worthy continuation of the Star Wars legacy. Here's hoping for a season 3 of this anthology series, because this format has many more stories to tell.