Tales of the Underworld is a reminder that some of Star Wars’ most powerful storytelling happens outside the Skywalker spotlight. When you follow the galaxy through characters like Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane—figures who operate in the shadows of the Jedi and the Sith—you start to understand just how layered and morally complex this universe really is.
In Star Wars, point of view is everything. Through Ventress, we experience the war from the fringes—her betrayal, survival, and search for identity echo through Dathomir, bounty hunter crews, and forgotten Jedi missions. Through Cad Bane, we see the fantasy and cost of being the best at what you do in a system that rewards ruthlessness.
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Despite having little or no live-action presence, both characters offer a lens that makes the galaxy feel more alive and more dangerous. Whether returning to their stories or discovering them for the first time, this guide will walk you through the essential episodes, books, and key moments that bring Tales of the Underworld to life.
Assajj Ventress
Clone Wars (2003)
Runtime: ~20 min
Her first screen appearance. A fierce warrior who matches the Chosen One himself, Anakin Skywalker blow-for-blow, and sets the tone for her future arcs. Even as non-canon, this is foundational to understanding her power and pride.
Tales of the Jedi (Episodes 2–4)
Runtime: ~45 min
While Ventress doesn’t appear directly, these episodes deepen Dooku’s disillusionment with the Jedi Order, explaining why he’d train someone like Ventress. Understanding Dooku’s mindset helps contextualize her fall, her loyalty, and her future betrayal.
The Clone Wars
Runtime: ~2.2 hrs
“Cloak of Darkness” (S1 E9) — Her canon debut. Ventress bests Jedi Master Luminara Unduli in battle and gives a young Ahsoka a tough lesson in combat and strategy. A great episode to revisit with Ahsoka Season 2 on the horizon. Ventress shows she’s more than muscle—she’s cunning, theatrical, and completely capable of manipulating Jedi. She’s cunning, theatrical, and completely capable of manipulating Jedi. Sets the tone for her complex interactions with both Jedi and Sith.
“Nightsisters” Arc (S3 E12–14) — After Dooku tries to have her killed, Ventress returns to her roots on Dathomir. She feels like both a villain and a victim of circumstance. These episodes reveal a mystical side of Star Wars through the Nightsisters, who wield the Force in ways beyond Jedi and Sith norms—including resurrection, a key element in understanding Ventress’s future. It’s the first time she truly feels like more than a villain.
“Bounty” (S4 E20) — On a job with Boba Fett’s crew, Ventress steps fully into the underworld. The episode dives into a dark heist involving stolen brides and shows Ventress navigating the galaxy on her terms. Her code begins to shift. She’s no longer defined by Jedi or Sith, but shaped by the company she keeps and the choices she makes.
Dark Disciple (Christie Golden)
Audiobook Runtime: 11 hours
Ventress’s most intimate and personal arc. Partnered with Quinlan Vos to assassinate Dooku, we see her attempt to walk a new path—one that includes love, grief, and sacrifice. This novel is essential to understanding who she is by the time of The Bad Batch and Tales of the Underworld. Through it, we also glimpse the Jedi Council’s descent into moral compromise, a shadow echoing across the Clone Wars and into the fall of Anakin Skywalker.
The Bad Batch
Runtime: ~26 min
“The Harbinger” (S3E9) – Ventress returns in canon—older, thoughtful, and calm. She serves as a mirror to Omega, someone who has been shaped by loss and control but seeks connection. Her reluctance to see Omega fall into the same path she once walked is a powerful reminder that people can change, and that in Star Wars, you are only as good as your next choice.
Star Wars Adventures: Return to Vader’s Castle #3
A canon horror-inspired short featuring Ventress in the Coruscant underworld during her bounty hunting days. Offers a brief but rich glimpse into her tone, style, and post-Sith independence as well as a peek into the horror side of Star Wars.
Ventress: Golden (by Catrina Dennis)
Read Time: ~60–75 min
We don’t traditionally include fan fiction on our lists; however, sometimes one jumps out at us. Fan fiction that picks up after Dark Disciple. It imagines Ventress surviving and slowly rebuilding her identity: physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Set deep within the underworld of Coruscant, it explores her desire for peace while still navigating the dangers of the galaxy. Dennis, a longtime Ventress fan, delivers a haunting and hopeful tribute that has resonated strongly with the fandom. It’s not canon, but it reads like something that should be, a form of healing canon that bridges the gap between where Ventress was and where she might still go.
Cade Bane
The Clone Wars
Runtime: ~3 hours
Hostage Crisis (S1 E22) – Cad Bane’s explosive debut makes it clear: this is not just another bounty hunter. He walks into the Republic Senate, outguns clones and Jedi alike, and does it with swagger. If you ever roleplayed as a merc in Star Wars Galaxies, this was the blueprint.
Holocron Heist Arc (S2 E1–3) – Stealing a Jedi holocron is next-level, and Bane does it like it’s just another day. These episodes give us the clearest picture of his skillset: infiltration, intelligence gathering, and zero fear of Jedi. He’s ruthless but always a few steps ahead. Plus, we see Anakin and Padmé’s roles within the Republic and the Jedi Council, reminding us just how much Bane’s actions force the Jedi to compromise their values.
Deception Arc (S4 E15–17) – This is the full spectrum of Bane. He’s part of a larger plot to assassinate Palpatine, competes with other elite hunters, and exposes Jedi hypocrisy at every turn. “The Box” is Star Wars’ version of The Hunger Games for bounty hunters. This arc also shows Anakin’s trust in the Jedi Council begin to erode—especially when Obi-Wan fakes his death and lies to him. The seeds of his fall are buried in moments like these.
The Book of Boba Fett (S1 E7)
Runtime: ~59 min
Bane’s final appearance in canon, and a showdown years in the making. Styled as a Western standoff between Bane and Boba Fett, this moment closes the book on a bounty hunter who had long defined what it meant to survive in a galaxy full of Jedi and Syndicates. His last act isn’t just about power, it’s about legacy, revenge, and pride. While his death may seem like an end, Tales of the Underworld reframes it as a culmination, giving depth to the man who taught others how to walk the path of the underworld.
Darth Maul (2017) #3–5
These issues by Cullen Bunn and Luke Ross highlight Cad Bane working alongside a young Maul and other hunters. It’s a fast-paced, violent, and gritty portrayal of Bane in his prime, and it cements his reputation as one of the best in the game.
Hyperspace Stories #9
Hyperspace Stories #9 drops Bane into a race-against-time on the lawless world of Bevana, facing off with Jedi Knight Quinlan Vos over a defector carrying Count Dooku’s secrets and his fortune. It’s a gritty, fast-paced tale that reinforces Bane’s place as a ruthless opportunist, always two steps ahead and always ready to bet on himself, even against a Jedi.
Bonus Material
If you’re still hungry for more… These extra stories help expand the themes and factions seen in Tales of the Underworld, offering added layers of intrigue to the underworld, the clones, and what power looks like after the war.
The Clone Wars S3 E9: “Hunt for Ziro” — Quinlan Vos’s only canon screen appearance. Gives insight into his methods, personality, and partnership with Obi-Wan. A great primer before diving into Dark Disciple.
Solo: A Star Wars Story — Syndicates, Crimson Dawn, underworld structure, and the story of a young Han Solo trying to make his way in the galaxy.
The Clone Wars S5 E14–16 — Maul’s rise in the criminal world and how the fallen Sith are never truly gone.
The Bad Batch — Power shifts in the post-Clone War galaxy with political intrigue, found family, and plenty of action.
Star Wars Outlaws — A scoundrel caught in the cracks between the Republic and the Empire. Thematic cousin to Bane and Ventress with all-new characters and planets to explore. And Nix. Can’t forget Nix.
Taken together, the arcs of Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane amount to over 18 hours of Star Wars storytelling, including the Dark Disciple audiobook. That’s 17 hours of Clone Wars espionage, Sith betrayals, bounty hunter standoffs, and Force mysticism—all through characters who’ve never needed a Skywalker to be compelling. These aren’t just side stories; they’re essential perspectives that challenge and enrich our understanding of the galaxy.
Tales of the Underworld doesn’t just revisit these characters—it completes them. But to truly appreciate what the series adds, it’s worth exploring where these characters have been. Their stories connect corners of the galaxy that most fans only glimpse, offering a rewatch (or first watch) experience that’s as rewarding as anything in the main saga.
Tales of the Underworld is streaming now on Disney+.
