In case you missed it (and I’ve no doubt a good many fans did) on ‘May The 4th Be With You’ Day, Lucasfilm actually ponied up some brand-spanking-new Star Wars in celebration of their once powerful intellectual property: behind the infamous pay wall that is Disney+, Dave Filoni and merry yarn spinners dropped six episodes of a little something-something called Tales Of The Empire. Basically, these were two stand-alone mini features linked by the fact that they jointly explored the Dark Side of government (and the Force) after Chancellor Palpatine turned the Republic into the First Galactic Empire. Episodes One, Two, and Three shone a little light on the character of Morgan Elsbeth; and Episodes Four, Five, and Six explored what happened to fallen Jedi Barriss Offee after the issuance of Order 66.
For the purposes of clarity, I’m solely going to focus on those first three chapters for this review; and I’ll likely do something soon to tie up my thoughts on the reminder later this week. Readers, keep your eyes peeled!
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the program’s IMDB.com page citations:
Episode 1: “Young Morgan Elsbeth seeks revenge after losing everything.”
Episode 2: “Morgan is approached by a potentially powerful ally.”
Episode 3: “Offered the chance to stand trial for her crimes, Morgan instead seeks her destiny.”
Sigh.
Readers, I again find myself wanting to be perfectly clear about my opinions of Star Wars.
Like that of so many, mine has evolved over the years, cratering to a large degree in just the short time that Lucasfilm – under Walt Disney’s care – has truly squandered any solid mythmaking potential. Though I, too, once championed the name of Dave Filoni – who of late seems to think of himself as more instrumental than was even Star Wars’ creator George Lucas – but then he started making choices which appeared more inclined to push his employer’s ideology over logical plot progression. No, I’ve no axe to grind with him or any of his willing co-conspirators; my point is that I watch programming to be entertained and not … well … programmed. Sadly, it would seem that the man in the cowboy hat isn’t much of a cowboy at all, and that’s a bit discouraging.
For the purposes of clarity, I’m solely going to focus on those first three chapters for this review; and I’ll likely do something soon to tie up my thoughts on the reminder later this week. Readers, keep your eyes peeled!
(NOTE: The following review will contain minor spoilers necessary solely for the discussion of plot and/or characters. If you’re the type of reader who prefers a review entirely spoiler-free, then I’d encourage you to skip down to the last few paragraphs for the final assessment. If, however, you’re accepting of a few modest hints at ‘things to come,’ then read on …)
From the program’s IMDB.com page citations:
Episode 1: “Young Morgan Elsbeth seeks revenge after losing everything.”
Episode 2: “Morgan is approached by a potentially powerful ally.”
Episode 3: “Offered the chance to stand trial for her crimes, Morgan instead seeks her destiny.”
Sigh.
Readers, I again find myself wanting to be perfectly clear about my opinions of Star Wars.
Like that of so many, mine has evolved over the years, cratering to a large degree in just the short time that Lucasfilm – under Walt Disney’s care – has truly squandered any solid mythmaking potential. Though I, too, once championed the name of Dave Filoni – who of late seems to think of himself as more instrumental than was even Star Wars’ creator George Lucas – but then he started making choices which appeared more inclined to push his employer’s ideology over logical plot progression. No, I’ve no axe to grind with him or any of his willing co-conspirators; my point is that I watch programming to be entertained and not … well … programmed. Sadly, it would seem that the man in the cowboy hat isn’t much of a cowboy at all, and that’s a bit discouraging.
In fairness, I had noticed across his run with Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Star Wars: The Bad Batch that he was putting vastly greater effort (it would seem) into crafting female characters than he was males. How did I reach this bold conclusion? Well, it’s really rather simple, so much so that I’m surprised no one else whom I follow online has pointed this out before (if they have, then I’ve missed it). His males? Well, they’re to the vast degree all descended from the same genetic stock: both The Clone Wars and The Bad Batch were essentially variations on the same male character – the famed Kaminoan clones descended from Jango Fett’s DNA – meaning that they were given minor physical tweaks here and there or perhaps even something as simple (and meaningless) as a quirky accent. Some face tattoos here. Loss of a limb there. Otherwise, each of them had the same exact foundation.
By contrast, the women brought to life under Filoni’s care were a wide variety of different species, characteristics, likes, dislikes, and traits. Vivid and colorful, they all spoke with respective purposes, and they were given all kinds of different origin stories, personal histories, and the like. Now, I love women as much as the next red-blooded male – I am what I am, as Popeye once famously said – but this rather obvious dumbing down of the masculine archetypes should’ve been a cause for alarm earlier amongst critics and general watchers because it reinforces a Progressive stereotype: men are, functionally, all the same, but women comes in all shapes, sizes, and (if you believe the political Left) genders!
As I said above: sigh.
Under Filoni’s tenure, the representation of male diversity has all but disappeared from that galaxy far, far away; and – in its place – Lucasfilm and Mouse House have been able to craftily indoctrinate their audience to embrace “the fairer sex” at every opportunity.
This brings me to Morgan Elsbeth.
From what I know, this human member of Filoni’s Nightsisters was first brought to life aboard The Mandalorian’s second season; and she was given even greater narrative spotlight in the first season of his Ahsoka series. Largely painted as an evildoer, Elsbeth was responsible for taking audiences to an all-new quadrant of space with hopes of rescuing her villainous sponsor – a rather portly Grand Admiral Thrawn (see what I mean about negative male representations?) – only then to find herself abandoned (again, negative male representation) and, ultimately, cut down by Ahsoka in a truncated showdown. Now – for some unexplainable reason – Filoni felt it necessary to give this character a backstory, one that – again – paints her as a victim, thus trying to whitewash her dastardly deeds beneath a bit of modern psychobabble.
(You guessed it: men turned her into what she is. At this point, these people are so unoriginal.)
Regardless, I find it important to note that there is some very good storytelling – and very inspired Star Wars – at work in Elsbeth entirely unnecessary arc. While very little of substance is learned, Filoni and scriptwriter Amanda Rose Muñoz take the required steps to establish the events of the lady’s existence that explains how she ultimately becomes a source for badassery (my word, not theirs) in this universe. These ingredients are most vivid in the first chapter, “The Path Of Fear,” where the audience is taken to an onslaught during the Clone Wars which leaves her by all intents and purposes the sole survivor of her clan. This is all told with some vivid and frightening sequences, capturing her when she’s most fragile and showing where the initial germ of her motivations to evil take root.
What is less clear, however, is how only one chapter later – Chapter 2: “The Path Of Anger” – she’s suddenly seeking the approval of the Galactic Empire. Without going into the particulars, the installment opens with her giving a presentation to some admirals in hopes of winning an Imperial contract to construct a new class of TIE fighters; and I was left wondering, “How in the heck did we get from there to here?” Why would this woman – knowing that the Empire was loosely tied to her family being desecrated – now be trying to essentially ‘get in bed’ with them? Yes, yes, and yes: I realize that allegiances were shifting in these dark times, but I would think that she’d instead be trying to establish relationships to undo what Palpatine put in place (which is kinda/sorta where Chapter 3 inevitably heads). This lack of impetus never quite gets cleared up – she’s basically become her own regional overlord – and that kills the story’s momentum for me.
By contrast, the women brought to life under Filoni’s care were a wide variety of different species, characteristics, likes, dislikes, and traits. Vivid and colorful, they all spoke with respective purposes, and they were given all kinds of different origin stories, personal histories, and the like. Now, I love women as much as the next red-blooded male – I am what I am, as Popeye once famously said – but this rather obvious dumbing down of the masculine archetypes should’ve been a cause for alarm earlier amongst critics and general watchers because it reinforces a Progressive stereotype: men are, functionally, all the same, but women comes in all shapes, sizes, and (if you believe the political Left) genders!
As I said above: sigh.
Under Filoni’s tenure, the representation of male diversity has all but disappeared from that galaxy far, far away; and – in its place – Lucasfilm and Mouse House have been able to craftily indoctrinate their audience to embrace “the fairer sex” at every opportunity.
This brings me to Morgan Elsbeth.
From what I know, this human member of Filoni’s Nightsisters was first brought to life aboard The Mandalorian’s second season; and she was given even greater narrative spotlight in the first season of his Ahsoka series. Largely painted as an evildoer, Elsbeth was responsible for taking audiences to an all-new quadrant of space with hopes of rescuing her villainous sponsor – a rather portly Grand Admiral Thrawn (see what I mean about negative male representations?) – only then to find herself abandoned (again, negative male representation) and, ultimately, cut down by Ahsoka in a truncated showdown. Now – for some unexplainable reason – Filoni felt it necessary to give this character a backstory, one that – again – paints her as a victim, thus trying to whitewash her dastardly deeds beneath a bit of modern psychobabble.
(You guessed it: men turned her into what she is. At this point, these people are so unoriginal.)
Regardless, I find it important to note that there is some very good storytelling – and very inspired Star Wars – at work in Elsbeth entirely unnecessary arc. While very little of substance is learned, Filoni and scriptwriter Amanda Rose Muñoz take the required steps to establish the events of the lady’s existence that explains how she ultimately becomes a source for badassery (my word, not theirs) in this universe. These ingredients are most vivid in the first chapter, “The Path Of Fear,” where the audience is taken to an onslaught during the Clone Wars which leaves her by all intents and purposes the sole survivor of her clan. This is all told with some vivid and frightening sequences, capturing her when she’s most fragile and showing where the initial germ of her motivations to evil take root.
What is less clear, however, is how only one chapter later – Chapter 2: “The Path Of Anger” – she’s suddenly seeking the approval of the Galactic Empire. Without going into the particulars, the installment opens with her giving a presentation to some admirals in hopes of winning an Imperial contract to construct a new class of TIE fighters; and I was left wondering, “How in the heck did we get from there to here?” Why would this woman – knowing that the Empire was loosely tied to her family being desecrated – now be trying to essentially ‘get in bed’ with them? Yes, yes, and yes: I realize that allegiances were shifting in these dark times, but I would think that she’d instead be trying to establish relationships to undo what Palpatine put in place (which is kinda/sorta where Chapter 3 inevitably heads). This lack of impetus never quite gets cleared up – she’s basically become her own regional overlord – and that kills the story’s momentum for me.
All of Elsbeth’s business at this part of her journey is brought to a close with “The Path Of Hate,” a dark section that truly only serves to show us who we already knew she was in The Mandalorian and Ahsoka – a tyrant on a personal mission of glory to nothing greater than herself. Again, I didn’t feel as if I learned anything significant about the player. It’s all facts and figures, really, and there’s just no thematic current to any of it. While others who are unaware of what role she plays in the aforementioned Disney+ series might be better served to watch this feature before delving into those, folks like me who’ve already invested time in this galaxy far, far away might be left scratching our heads. Was this really necessary? Was this even worth the expense?
It should go without saying that the best time to functionally introduce characters (in any fictional universe) is when there’s something to say about them. Crafting villains – male or female – shouldn’t be about getting some cool, nifty, or swell onto the big or small screen; and they should serve not only a narrative purpose but also some wider goal in the whole story. While I’ve no problem with this being Elsbeth’s backstory, I’m still questioning why it couldn’t have been worked directly into her earlier live-action visits to The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. Giving me data in such a fashion leaves me with a kinda/sorta “yeah, I guess it’s nice to know” impression but in no way, shape, or form affects the broader universe in any conceivable way. So much of this was entirely inconsequential, making me suspect this was a vanity project and nothing more.
Star Wars: Tales Of The Empire (Episodes 1-3) were produced by Lucasfilm and Lucasfilm Animation. The episodes are currently streaming on Disney+.
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
A nice development or two can’t overwhelm the questions as to why anyone thought bringing the backstory of a deceased throwaway villain in a universe once rich as Star Wars was even necessary. Morgan Elsbeth was no Darth Vader. She’s certainly no Emperor Palpatine. And she’s definitely no Jabba The Hutt. Though the animation continues to reach the heights audiences have come to expect from the name ‘Filoni,’ this storytelling felt a bit vacuous and needless come its big finish. Perhaps he has more in store for this character? Since he’s established that the dead can rise again now in this property, maybe Elsbeth will be getting her own spin-off program … complete with zombie make-up.
In the interests of fairness, I’m beholden to no one for this review of Star Wars: Tales Of The Empire (Episodes 1-3) which I viewed via streaming by my very own subscription to Disney+ … so take that, Lucasfilm!
-- EZ
It should go without saying that the best time to functionally introduce characters (in any fictional universe) is when there’s something to say about them. Crafting villains – male or female – shouldn’t be about getting some cool, nifty, or swell onto the big or small screen; and they should serve not only a narrative purpose but also some wider goal in the whole story. While I’ve no problem with this being Elsbeth’s backstory, I’m still questioning why it couldn’t have been worked directly into her earlier live-action visits to The Mandalorian and Ahsoka. Giving me data in such a fashion leaves me with a kinda/sorta “yeah, I guess it’s nice to know” impression but in no way, shape, or form affects the broader universe in any conceivable way. So much of this was entirely inconsequential, making me suspect this was a vanity project and nothing more.
Star Wars: Tales Of The Empire (Episodes 1-3) were produced by Lucasfilm and Lucasfilm Animation. The episodes are currently streaming on Disney+.
Alas … only Mildly Recommended.
A nice development or two can’t overwhelm the questions as to why anyone thought bringing the backstory of a deceased throwaway villain in a universe once rich as Star Wars was even necessary. Morgan Elsbeth was no Darth Vader. She’s certainly no Emperor Palpatine. And she’s definitely no Jabba The Hutt. Though the animation continues to reach the heights audiences have come to expect from the name ‘Filoni,’ this storytelling felt a bit vacuous and needless come its big finish. Perhaps he has more in store for this character? Since he’s established that the dead can rise again now in this property, maybe Elsbeth will be getting her own spin-off program … complete with zombie make-up.
In the interests of fairness, I’m beholden to no one for this review of Star Wars: Tales Of The Empire (Episodes 1-3) which I viewed via streaming by my very own subscription to Disney+ … so take that, Lucasfilm!
-- EZ
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