Nearly 50 years after George Lucas first started painting the epic space opera that is the Star Wars franchise in vivid but broad brushstrokes, Disney is still colouring in the gaps of that galaxy far, far away.
And today, auspiciously on May the Fourth (be with you – geddit), Disney Plus has unveiled its latest attempt to flesh out the universe Lucas created all those years ago – Tales of the Empire.
It follows a similar strategy to the 2022 limited series, Tales of the Jedi, which offered an animated exploration of lesser known characters from the Star Wars prequel era (aka Episodes 1-3).
Specifically Ahsoka Tano, a young jedi introduced in The Clone Wars animated series (and who subsequently got a standalone live-action series), and Count Dooku, a jedi turned Sith who first appeared in Episode 2: Attack of the Clones.
Now Tales of the Empire has arrived with a focus on characters from the Dark Side – the Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth, who first appeared in an episode of the hit TV series The Mandalorian, and fallen jedi apprentice Bariss Offee, from The Clone Wars.
Like Tales of the Jedi, the gorgeously animated new show sprung from the mind of Dave Filoni, Lucas’ heir apparent, who started out as the mastermind behind Clone Wars and has gone on to write and executive produce The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett and the live-action Ahsoka series.
Actor and stuntwoman Diana Lee Inosanto, who plays Morgan Elsbeth across the character’s various appearances, knows the Force is strong with Filoni.
“I feel that he’s carrying the mantle that George Lucas gave to him, and he’s so loyal to the Star Wars philosophy,” Inosanto says on a Zoom call.
“I just love how Dave is like this walking encyclopaedia, but he’s also so committed to protecting the Star Wars universe, and making sure that it philosophically stays aligned with what George Lucas envisioned for it.
“And, at the end of the day, you know, it will always come down to the children and creating the next generation of fans … and I always say that a lot of Star Wars tales, particularly the animation, remind me of those Aesop fables we had to learn as children, and I think that Dave Filoni does that beautifully.”
Meredith Salenger understands Filoni’s commitment to protecting Lucas’ vision, because the actor who provides the voice of Bariss Offee feels the same attachment to the material.
“Ever since I became part of the Star Wars universe back in the day (in The Clone Wars), what 15 years ago or whatever it was, I’ve become a super fan of Star Wars,” Salenger says over a Zoom call.
“So, to have this new show come out on May the Fourth, May the Fourth be with you, is so exciting.”
For Inosanto, the opportunity to take Morgan from a brief but memorable appearance in The Mandalorian to a recurring character in Ahsoka, and now into the animated realm, is a path that mirrors her own journey in the entertainment industry.
“For many years, I was always an actress, but becoming a stuntwoman was really about survival,” Inosanto admits.
“I think it’s so ironic that I’m playing a character in the Star Wars universe, Morgan, Elsbeth, and her whole thing is about surviving.
“I was a mother of a child with autism, trying to find my way, because I couldn’t fit in anywhere, and all the traditional roles were kind of closed up to me, except, because of my physical ability, I could do stunts.
“It’s now so miraculous, because of my martial arts, heritage and culture, that I could find my place in the Star Wars universe, playing such a complicated character.”
All six episodes of Tales of the Empire are available to stream on Disney Plus now.
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