Star Wars Confirms What Happened To Ahsoka Villain Barriss Offee After The Clone Wars
"Star Wars: Tales of the Jedi" Season 2 has been revealed as "Star Wars: Tales of the Empire" and the announcement trailer shows the return of a character we haven't seen in many years: Barriss Offee. The Jedi apprentice-turned-villain studies under Luminara Unduli during the Clone Wars and shares some formative experiences with Ahsoka Tano. Their friendship ends when Barriss bombs the Jedi Temple to protest the war, framing Ahsoka for the crime and causing her expulsion from the order. Now, we finally know what happens to Barriss after she's convicted for her violent act.
Like "Tales of the Jedi," "Tales of the Empire" will consist of six short animated episodes following two characters. The 1st season focuses on Ahsoka and Count Dooku, and this new Imperial set of stories features Barriss and Nightsister Morgan Elsbeth. Other popular characters like Grand Admiral Thrawn, General Grievous, Darth Vader, and the Imperial Grand Inquisitor also appear in the trailer.
From the looks of it, Barriss' episodes take place shortly after the rise of the Empire. The trailer shows her being recruited by the Inquisitorius, training brutally with the Grand Inquisitor, and finally coming face-to-face with Darth Vader. Given that Anakin Skywalker is the reason Barriss is imprisoned in the first place — an act that, ironically, makes her one of the Jedi to survive Order 66 — it should be particularly interesting to see how Vader treats her.
What could be in store for Barriss in Tales of the Empire?
On one hand, it would make sense for Vader to have it out for Barriss. He might blame her for Ahsoka being pushed out of his life, and as we see through his relationship with Obi-Wan Kenobi, Vader rarely gives up on a grudge. On the other hand, his opinion of Barriss may have changed since his turn to the dark side. Like her, he comes to resent the Jedi and the failing Republic, albeit for different reasons. Both characters ultimately accept the use of drastic, violent measures.
Regardless, it looks like Barriss will have plenty of things to worry about besides just Vader's opinion of her. The "Tales of the Empire" trailer shows her thrown into a supposed fight to the death against another Inquisitorius candidate. There is no canon answer for what happens to Barriss later in the timeline. She could die on this show, or she could escape, opening up the possibility of more storylines.
What we do know is that in the many Inquisitor-centric Star Wars stories that have been told — a portfolio that includes "Obi-Wan Kenobi," "Star Wars Rebels," "Jedi: Fallen Order," and the "Darth Vader" comics — Barriss has never made an appearance. Perhaps she's off in some far corner of the galaxy, but it would make more sense for her not to have a long career as an Imperial Inquisitor.
Barriss Offee and Morgan Elsbeth both have ties to Ahsoka Tano
Barriss' return to Star Wars is noteworthy in and of itself, but it's also interesting that both she and Morgan Elsbeth are directly connected to Ahsoka. Both characters have been villains in Ahsoka's story — Barriss at the end of the Clone Wars, and Morgan during the New Republic era. Secondary "Ahsoka" villain and ongoing Star Wars enigma Marrok even makes a cameo in the trailer. Though the series is titled "Tales of the Empire," it could also be seen as a supplement to Ahsoka's larger arc.
"Ahsoka" Season 2 is on the way. It likely won't include Morgan, as she's killed at the end of "Ahsoka" Season 1. There is a chance, though — however slight — that Barriss could emerge from the shadows as a returning enemy for Ahsoka.
One of the main criticisms against "Ahsoka" is that the show requires too much Star Wars homework to fully understand. That wouldn't be helped by an appearance from Barriss, but it would also be really interesting to give Ahsoka a foe who's known her since her youth. With Asajj Ventress back from the dead in "Star Wars: The Bad Batch" Season 3, there's the potential for a full reunion between Ahsoka and her two main foils down the line. It likely won't happen, but with Star Wars, you never know — especially when Dave Filoni is the one calling the shots.