Star Wars: Tales Of The Empire's Episode Title Easter Eggs, Explained
This article contains spoilers for "Star Wars: Tales of the Empire"
Expanding on the already impressive library of animated "Star Wars" productions comes "Star Wars: Tales of the Empire." The series chronicles key moments in the lives of two supporting franchise players: Nightsister and Imperial operative Morgan Elsbeth (Diana Lee Inosanto) and one of three major characters to call Mirial home, former Jedi Barriss Offee (Meredith Salenger). Their lives are full of action, drama, and big decisions, as well as plenty of Easter eggs for "Star Wars" fans to enjoy. In fact, one of the most striking comes from Elsbeth's episodes.
The three "Tales of the Empire" episodes dedicated to Elsbeth are titled "The Path of Fear," "The Path of Anger," and "The Path of Hate." These three titles in this order actually call back to one of the most important quotes from 1999's "Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace" — a film George Lucas knows he went too far with. During his meeting with Yoda (Frank Oz) and the rest of the Jedi Council, Anakin Skywalker (Jake Lloyd) admits that he's afraid of losing his mother, Shmi (Pernilla August). In response, Yoda warns him of the power of fear, explaining that it can lead to anger, and that anger can pave the way for hate. Hate then turns to suffering.
Even though "Tales of the Jedi" doesn't complete Yoda's quote through its episode titles, the rest of Elsbeth's journey beyond the show does.
Morgan Elsbeth's fear, anger, and hate do indeed lead to suffering
Just as Yoda predicts, Anakin Skywalker's (Hayden Christensen) fear festers and leads him down a dark path. He embraces his anger, slaughtering Tusken Raiders after he finds them responsible for his mother's death. Soon enough, he grows hateful, feeling he should be a higher-ranking and more respected Jedi than he is. This, combined with his desire to save Padme Amidala (Natalie Portman) from death, causes him to become a Sith and turn his back on all he knows. His duel with Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) leaves him burned and dismembered, confined to a suit just to live, and Padme passes away. He suffers in the end, as does Morgan Elsbeth.
Elsbeth fears General Grievous (Matthew Wood) and the Separatists after they destroy her home of Dathomir. This fear turns to anger, and she desires control, so she joins the Galactic Empire in hopes of gaining some. She's unsuccessful, so she joins who fans have dubbed "blue Elon Musk," Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen), to fulfill her supposed destiny. All the while, she grows to hate her citizens on Corvus and subjects them to slavery so that she may meet her and Thrawn's goals. Not only do they suffer as they're overworked, abused, and shut out from the New Republic, but so does she. Her path leads her to a premature death on Peridea during a duel with Ahsoka Tano (Rosario Dawson).
There's a reason why Yoda is regarded as one of the wisest Jedi who has ever lived. Evidently, he knows what he's talking about, and he understands the peril that comes from leaning into one's darkest emotions. Anakin Skywalker wasn't safe from himself, nor was Morgan Elsbeth from herself.