Amid their flagship initiatives, just like the upcoming Maul: Shadow Lord and Star Wars: Visions Season 3, Lucasfilm has been giving a present to Star Wars followers lately by their Tales of sequence. This development started with Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi, which chronicled the origins of Depend Dooku (Corey Burton) and spotlighted very key moments within the lifetime of Ahsoka Tano (Ashley Eckstein). As a substitute of merely sticking with the Jedi for a second season, the Tales of sequence branched out with the follow-up, Star Wars: Tales of the Empire, which served as a prologue for Ahsoka villain Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) and an epilogue for disgraced Clone Wars hero Barriss Offee (Meredith Salenger).
Now, Lucasfilm goes for a hat-trick with its newest shorts anthology, Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld, which shines a lightweight on two of Star Wars animation’s most morally grey characters — former Sith murderer Asajj Ventress (Nika Futterman) and ruthless bounty-hunting gunslinger Cad Bane (Burton). Identical to with the earlier two reveals, Tales of the Underworld delivers on the sensible alternative to increase on fan-favorite characters in additional bite-sized tales. That being mentioned, the format of this ongoing saga may benefit from some tweaks to assist flesh out these characters additional.
What Is ‘Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld’ About?
Much like Tales of the Empire, Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld options two tales, with one a prologue and the opposite an epilogue. The latter is first, showcasing Asajj Ventress in some way surviving sure dying on the tail-end of the Clone Wars and being pressured to navigate an unsure future now that the Empire has taken over, all whereas forming an unlikely bond with a younger Jedi. The second half of the season reveals the origins of Cad Bane, revealing his journey from an harmless avenue dweller right into a cruel killer, which places him at odds along with his childhood greatest buddy.
It makes good sense why Ventress and Bane had been chosen as the primary protagonists for Tales of the Underworld. Each of them turned prompt fan-favorites because of their introductions in Star Wars: The Clone Wars (although technically Ventress’ historical past dates even additional again than that with Genndy Tartakovsky‘s Clone Wars micro-series), and there are actually spots within the Star Wars timeline the place their tales can see some enlargement. Total, the present does add some intriguing new wrinkles to Ventress and Bane’s tales, however there are additionally some bumps within the galactic highway.
Issues get off to a fantastic begin with Ventress’ first episode. Not solely does Futterman’s voice efficiency proceed to ooze alluring charisma, however it’s nice to see the now-beloved Power-wielder go toe-to-toe with Imperial Stormtroopers, who look wonderful within the Clone Wars artwork fashion, in addition to an equally cool-looking Sith Inquisitor. It is a gap that screams traditional Star Wars, however it additionally proves to be the excessive level of Ventress’ story fairly early on.
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The opposite two elements really feel extra like side-quest materials that does not transfer the needle of Ventress’ character improvement all that a lot. Plus, her taking up a brand new pupil (albeit reluctantly) feels prefer it’s retreading previous floor, provided that she did the very same factor with Omega (Michelle Ang) in The Unhealthy Batch — solely there, she was working with a personality who was already decently fleshed out. It is a disgrace as a result of the opening scene of the primary episode solutions a major query many followers have had ever for the reason that character appeared in The Unhealthy Batch, however it is not elaborated on in favor of a so-so heist mission and a really aimless “Nice Divide”-esque episode.
Did Cad Bane’s Prologue Want To Be Instructed in ‘Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld’?
Cad Bane’s half of the sequence fares fairly a bit higher. His three episodes boast a way more streamlined three-act construction, following Bane from when he was a younger boy, to a reckless younger grownup, and at last to the cold-blooded gunslinger that everyone knows and love. Since Cad Bane is a personality that’s instantly impressed by the huge rogues gallery of Western heavies, resembling Sentenza (Lee Van Cleef) in The Good, the Unhealthy and the Ugly, it is greater than acceptable that Bane’s story has clear and deep roots within the Western style. The brothers-turned-enemies storyline is not something notably new — particularly since Revenge of the Sith simply returned in theaters — however it does give Bane a bit extra (for lack of a greater time period) humanity, particularly with the final episode having a heavy implication regardless of making the smart resolution to go away mentioned implication ambiguous.
Bane’s saga is unquestionably the strongest of the 2 informed in Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld, however there’s nonetheless a legitimate query that continues to be — is that this a narrative that essentially wanted to be informed? Cad Bane has all the time thrived on being a personality whose life and historical past are shrouded in thriller and intrigue. His story right here does not fully diminish that and does add a enjoyable new wrinkle to his story, however with a franchise as giant and as expansive as Star Wars, it begs the query of whether or not each character ought to earn a spin-off story.
‘Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld’ Is Constant Story-Sensible, for Higher and Worse
For higher and worse, Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld feels very constant with the flagship sequence it is spinning off from. Cad Bane’s half has the highly effective character moments and depth that Dave Filoni‘s animated Star Wars reveals have grow to be broadly beloved for, however Asajj Ventress’ half has the frequent filler that the identical sequence routinely stumble into.
The short-form construction additionally feels prefer it may very well be re-examined for potential future seasons, as a single 45-minute particular in the identical vein as the exceptional Werewolf by Night time and The Guardians of the Galaxy Vacation Particular may inform a way more centered story. As issues stand now, Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld continues to be, total, a really satisfying detour by the galaxy that offers followers much more content material for 2 fan-favorite characters.
Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld is streaming now on Disney+.
Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld
Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld is an effective way to spend Could the 4th, even when there’s room for this anthology saga to enhance.
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Nika Futterman
Asajj Ventress
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- Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane get some stable chapters to their tales.
- Cad Bane’s story is a enjoyable Western-inspired tragedy.
- Asajj Ventress’ opening episode may be very sturdy…
- …however the different two do not match up.
- Each tales do retread acquainted territory.
