Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld – where the Lightsabers are yellow and the hats are big (trailer).
It’s that time again, dear galactic travellers, when Lucasfilm asks us to set aside our internal timeline spreadsheets, forget everything we thought we knew about who died when, and strap in for a new anthology series that asks the bold question: What if we brought back all your morally questionable favourites and just let them cause chaos for six episodes straight?
Yes, Star Wars: Tales of the Underworld is arriving this Star Wars Day—May the Fourth (because of course it is)—on Disney+, and it’s giving two of the saga’s most dangerous side-characters another swing at the spotlight: the pale, acrobatic nightmare known as Asajj Ventress, and Cad Bane, the living embodiment of “what if Clint Eastwood were a blue lizard with a breathing tube and no morals.”
Continuing the animated short-form tradition set by Tales of the Jedi and Tales of the Empire, this third entry in the anthology series plunges us into the galaxy’s scummier corners—the bounty hunter bars, the back alleys of Nar Shaddaa, and all the places where a Jedi wouldn’t dare park their speeder.
And let’s talk about Asajj Ventress, last seen allegedly dead-ish (because in Star Wars, death is more of a suggestion than a permanent condition). She’s now cloaked, scarred, and still very much not in the mood for nonsense. With her distinctive yellow lightsaber glowing like an angry banana, she’s got a new lease on life and a mysterious new enemy to chop into morally instructive pieces. The trailer also teases a young Padawan struggling with the fallout of Order 66—because no modern Star Wars tale is complete without emotional damage and a wistful Force theme in a minor key.
Meanwhile, Cad Bane—grumpier than ever and still armed with his cowboy swagger—finds himself in a showdown with an old friend turned marshal. One imagines it’ll go about as well as any holiday dinner involving politics and heavily armed bounty hunters. Fans of his Book of Boba Fett cameo will be pleased to know he’s still doing what he does best: squinting ominously under his wide-brimmed hat and shooting people in the kneecaps.
Also rejoining the fray is Latts Razzi, the Theelin whip-wielding bounty hunter from The Clone Wars, looking like she’s been pulled straight out of a heavy metal concept album. It’s a welcome nod to continuity and a reminder that Lucasfilm’s “No character left behind” policy is still in full swing.
The animation style remains crisp and cinematic, with plenty of that Dave Filoni touch: moody lighting, deep character studies, and a healthy helping of deep-cut references that will make you shout “Wait, is that the same blaster design from that obscure Star Wars: Republic comic in 2004?!”
Nika Futterman and Corey Burton return to voice Ventress and Bane respectively, because even the darkest parts of the galaxy know you don’t recast perfection. The cast also features a mix of new and familiar voices, including Artt Butler, Clare Grant, and Lane Factor—all of whom are likely playing characters we’ll become emotionally attached to just in time for them to be tragically incinerated.
Tales of the Underworld isn’t here to rewrite Star Wars history. It’s here to fill in the gritty, grimy gaps between the blaster fire. These are stories of survivors, scoundrels, and those who lurk in the shadows of empires—scraping out a living one bounty, betrayal, or body count at a time.
So if your idea of a good Star Wars yarn involves mercenaries, moral ambiguity, and characters who see “code of honour” as more of a light suggestion than a rulebook, this six-part series is tailor-made for you.
Expect betrayal, unexpected team-ups, a few double crosses, and at least one monologue delivered just before a double-bladed lightsaber is ignited in the dark.
Streaming May 4, 2025. Until then, polish your vambraces and practise your draw—Cad Bane doesn’t wait for anyone.
