Created by Dave Filoni, written by Matt Michnovetz, and directed by a slate of Star Wars animation veterans, Tales of the Underworld is a striking new anthology series that shifts the spotlight away from Jedi temples and Sith legacies to explore the galaxy’s grimiest corners.
Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld shifts the focus to the cracks in the galaxy, to the people who aren’t often remembered in legends. Asajj Ventress (Nika Futterman) and Cad Bane (Corey Burton) aren’t just relics of the Clone Wars, they’re case studies in survival, adaptation, and consequence. The series brings nuance to characters once seen as villains and instead lets their experiences carry the weight of moral ambiguity, grief, and resilience.
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Through Ventress, we trace the scars of betrayal and the slow rebuild toward something resembling purpose. Through Bane, we witness the price of staying on a path forged by violence and pride. These aren’t just character studies; they’re reflections of a galaxy that was never as black and white as the Jedi wanted to believe. Despite having little or no live-action presence, both characters offer a lens that makes the galaxy feel more alive and more dangerous.
What makes Tales of the Underworld so powerful is how clearly it understands one of Star Wars’ oldest truths: it’s all about the path you choose. Asajj Ventress and Cad Bane used to walk the same path, as survivors and soldiers for hire, navigating a galaxy at war. But now, they’ve splintered. Ventress is pulled toward something lighter. Her time with Quinlan Vos and the memory of the love she once shared with her Nightsister family push her toward redemption, even if it’s messy and hard-earned. She’s not the same assassin from the Clone Wars. She’s someone learning to live again.
Tales of the Underworld is a reminder that you’re only as good as your last choice.
Bane’s story, on the other hand, feels like a grim folktale. Two kids grow up in the same world, and one turns toward hope while the other digs deeper into violence. The Cad Bane we see here isn’t just a product of a broken system. He’s someone who keeps choosing the darker path, even when he’s shown another way. His story is still tragic, but it’s also a warning. The choices we make define us. And when those old paths intersect again, it becomes painfully clear who’s willing to change and who isn’t.
Both characters are reminders: you’re only as good as your last choice. That idea echoes through every scene and every turn. In Tales of the Underworld, those choices come to define not just the people we thought we knew, but the galaxy around them.
Visually, Tales of the Underworld is the best canon animation Star Wars has ever produced. The team clearly pushed themselves to keep pace with the experimental beauty we’ve seen in Star Wars: Visions, and it shows. The texture almost feels clay-like at times, so grounded and rich that you can’t help but wonder how Industrial Light & Magic pulled it off. This isn’t just good for an anthology; it’s stunning. It makes a strong case for why we need another full-length animated series in canon.
Of course, Kevin Kiner continues his reign as the soundscape architect of animated Star Wars. Their score blends the galaxy’s lived-in grit with echoes of John Williams in a way that feels both fresh and familiar. Honestly, Kevin Kiner’s music deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as the greats because he and his team absolutely crush it once again.
Tales of the Underworld opens up many possible futures.
Coming out of Tales of the Underworld, there’s a real sense of hope for these characters, and for Star Wars storytelling as a whole. For Ventress, still alive post–The Bad Batch, the door is wide open. A future connection with Ahsoka seems possible, maybe even inevitable, especially given her deep ties to the Nightsisters. Her journey feels unfinished in the best way.
For Bane, whose end has already been written, there’s still a galaxy of stories to explore. His past with Jango Fett, his work with Darth Maul, his role in the criminal underworld, there’s room for entire arcs between the dots we already know. Anthologies like Tales of the Underworld are the perfect place to fill in those blanks.
If Tales of the Underworld proves anything, it’s that Star Wars animation, especially when it’s built by creators like Dave Filoni, Matt Michnovetz, and a voice cast including Nika Futterman and Corey Burton, is just as vital, rich, and resonant as anything in live-action. Sometimes it’s even better.
Tales of the Underworld doesn’t just revisit the stories of Asajj Ventress and Cade Bane. It completes them and then opens the door for even more.
Tales of the Underworld is streaming now on Disney+.
