Fans of the clone wars, rejoice! Barriss Offee has finally returned.Star Wars: Tales of the Empire,the second installment in the animated anthology created byDave Filoni,released all six of its episodes this past weekendas part of this year’sStar Wars Day on May 4. The premiere fulfilled many fans’ longtime dreams of seeing one of their favorite characters fromStar Wars: The Clone Warsin action once again, though Barriss’ long-awaited return is not without its drawbacks. Despite three episodes dedicated to the fallen Jedi’s life after the Republic,Tales of the Empireultimately falls short of delivering the nuanced story Barriss rightfully deserves.
For those who need a quick refresher, the Jedi padawan known as Barriss Offee (voiced byMeredith Salenger) was first fully introduced inStar Wars: The Clone Warsduring Season 2, Episode 6, “Weapons Factory.” Introduced as an apprentice to thecriminally underrated Jedi Luminara Unduli, Barriss quickly befriended fellow padawan Ahsoka Tano, and the two embarked on adventures together beforeBarriss ultimately framed Ahsoka for bombing the Jedi temple in the final arc of Season 5. When Ahsoka’s master, theill-fated yet great Anakin Skywalker, proved it was actually Barriss who set the charges that killed multiple Jedi, Barriss was arrested. Confined to a cell in the waning days of the Republic, Barriss seemed poised to make a comeback in the age of the Empire, though sadly,her impact would ultimately be smaller than her importance.
Star Wars: Tales of the Empire
Set against the expansive backdrop of the Galactic Empire’s reign, a series of interconnected stories unfolds, revealing the lives and challenges of individuals both upholding and resisting imperial rule. These narratives delve into the heart of the Empire, exposing the personal sacrifices, moral dilemmas, and small victories that contribute to the epic saga of rebellion and authority in the universe.
‘Tales of the Empire’ Isn’t Long Enough for Barriss' Story
Tales of the Empiredoesn’t completely ignore the drama of Barriss’ past. In fact, the show picks up largely where Season 5 ofStar Wars:The Clone Warsleft off. Recruited from prison and subsequently trained as an imperial inquisitor byStar Wars Rebels’Grand Inquisitor(Jason Isaacs),much of Barriss’ journey throughout the show revolves around her relationship with the Fourth Sister,a fellow former Jedi named Lyn. Voiced byRya Kihlstedt, who reprises her role after first appearing in thelive-actionObi-Wan Kenobiseries, Lyn drags Barriss closer to the dark side before Barriss eventually betrays her too and defects back to the light. This defection should be powerful, butTales of the Empirejust doesn’t have the runtime to make Barriss’ redemption arc satisfying.
As someone who regularly interacted with thegalaxy’s most powerful charactersduring the clone wars, the show’sshortened episodes can’t possibly account for every loose plot thread and unanswered question surrounding Barriss' journey. Since each of Barris’ three episodes cover a specific storyline from limited parts of her later life, much of the nuance of Barriss’s character development is lost entirely.Viewers never even get a chance to see Barriss and Ahsoka reunite onscreen,and Barriss is never given the opportunity to apologize for her past crimes. Likewise, the show never addresses how the Grand Inquisitor used her former master’s body tokill Jedi inStar WarsRebels, nor does it reveal whether Barriss ever lent her support to the growing rebellion itself.
Most disappointingly,Tales of the Empirenever gives Barriss the chance to reckon with her inner darkness. While Barriss’ bombing of the Jedi temple during the Clone Wars demonstrated the evil in her, Barriss also explained that she only attacked the Jedi becauseshe believed they were becoming a threat to the galaxyin Season 5, Episode 20, “The Wrong Jedi.” This blend of dark actions with light motivations is on display inTales of the Empire, but it lacks the focus that characters like Ezra Bridger received when hestruggled against joining the dark side. Throughout the show, Barriss force-chokes her enemies like Darth Vader and heals innocents like Rey ina major connection toStar Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Yet the show never explores how Barriss balances both sides of herself so successfully.
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Barriss Offee Always Belonged in Live-Action
While it once would have been unthinkable for Barriss’ story to continue outside of animation,modern Star Wars shows can afford to be more flexible in how they choose to expand the journeys of their characters. In the case of Barriss’ former best friend, Ahsoka Tano, the character’s backstory and emotional development were able to be more thoroughly explored due to her headlining herown TV show,Ahsoka. The appearance ofStar Wars Rebels’Zeb Orrelios inSeason 3 ofThe Mandalorianalso clarified what happened to the character after his first show ended. Therefore, the ability of these larger shows to provide deep dives into the lore of the Star Wars universe proves Barriss, who already appeared very briefly inAttack of the Clones, never belonged inTales of the Empire—her story should have been told in live-action.
By inserting Barriss into theAhsokaseries,fans could have seen the two characters reunite for the first time since the Clone Wars ended. Moreover, since the process ofbringing Ezra Bridger to live-actiondidn’t result in him falling to the dark side, Barriss could have offered her old friend a villain far more personal and daunting than Morgan Elsbeth. By confronting her past and turning Barriss back to the light personally,Ahsoka could have found redemption for failing to saveAnakin before he became Darth Vader. Barriss, in turn, could have reflected on her past crimes and begged forgiveness from the very person she framed, either joining or losing to Ahsoka in a way that cemented their relationship through the decades.
Even if Barriss’ story didn’t fit naturally with a live action project,her character still could have received a more comprehensive storylinein a larger animated series. As a minor villain in the middle of the long-awaitedStar Wars:The Clone Wars Season 7, Barriss could have posed a much larger challenge to Ahsoka than the Pyke Syndicate. As a fledgling inquisitor around the time ofStar Wars:The Bad Batch, Barriss could likewise have beensent to retrieve Omegafor her high midi-chlorian count, andthe innocent clone could have turned Barriss into a series regular by showing her the light Barriss had forgotten.
Now with this season ofTales of the Empireended andThe Bad Batchfinalehaving just recently aired,it’s unclear if fans will ever get to see Luminara’s rogue apprentice again. Given that Barriss is drawn looking older during the last episode, it’s likely she was still alive during the later years of the Empire’s reign, so who knows? Maybe Barriss will show up in anAsajj Ventress spin-offor the next animated show destined to succeed Clone Force 99. Regardless of what comes next,fans will have to wait and see whether Barriss Offee is ever granted the full-fledged storyline her character has so painfully earned.
Star Wars:Tales of the Empireis available to stream on Disney+ in the U.S.
